# FarRead vs BigWord Magnifier

The clearest difference is ads: BigWord Magnifier at none against FarRead's shown. BigWord Magnifier also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FarRead sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and BigWord Magnifier sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FarRead ships an update every 4 months, BigWord Magnifier every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FarRead | BigWord Magnifier |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bigword-magnifier/id6764407735/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mehmet Sisoglu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856567474) | [michael baumgartner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894651165) |

## What reviewers say

### FarRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/farread-smart-ocr-camera/id6758757865)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FarRead Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| FarRead Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |


### BigWord Magnifier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bigword-magnifier/id6764407735)

This app transforms your device into a powerful reading aid. Point your camera at small text, and it magnifies words on your screen and reads them aloud. It's designed for ease of use, privacy, and accessibility.

**Highlights:** Real-time text recognition, Tap to magnify entire screen, Tap to hear words spoken aloud, Offline functionality, High-contrast modes, Adjustable text size, VoiceOver compatible

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BigWord Pro | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FarRead free?

FarRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BigWord Magnifier free?

BigWord Magnifier is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do FarRead or BigWord Magnifier have ads?

FarRead shows ads; BigWord Magnifier does not.

### Which is updated more often, FarRead or BigWord Magnifier?

FarRead ships an update every 4 months, and BigWord Magnifier every 2 days. Most recently, FarRead was updated on October 16, 2026 and BigWord Magnifier on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*