Anchor Reader vs Dear Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Anchor Reader
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Unleash your reading potential with Anchor Reader! Have too much to read and not enough time? Discover Anchor Reader, the revolutionary speedβ’reading app based on the scientific RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) method. By displaying words one by one in the center of your screen, Anchor Reader eliminates subvocalization and unnecessary eye movements. The result: you can read up to 3 times faster while improving your concentration and retention! Ideal for students, busy professionals, book lovers, or anyone looking to improve their focus. WHY CHOOSE ANCHOR READER? β’ Massive time savings: Read books, articles, and documents in record time. β’ Zero distractions: The RSVP method forces your brain to stay focused on the present moment. β’ Total customization: Adjust the reading speed (WPM β’ words per minute) to your pace, from beginner to speedβ’reading expert. YOUR UNIVERSAL LIBRARY β’ Supported formats: Easily import your own PDF, EPUB, and classic text files. β’ Smart progress tracking: Pick up exactly where you left off. Even better: see at a glance the exact reading time you have left to devour the end of your book! A PREMIUM VISUAL EXPERIENCE Enjoy a beautiful and restful interface with 3 dynamic themes designed to reduce eye strain: β’ Light: Clear, clean, and perfect for the day. β’ Dusk: A modern and elegant bluish theme (Glass effect). β’ Midnight: A pure OLED black with yellow accents, ideal for protecting your eyes during night reading sessions. ANCHOR UNLIMITED (PREMIUM) Test the app through an included free demo, with no need to enter a credit card. Ready to shift into high gear? Unlock your brain's full potential with Anchor Unlimited: β’ Unlimited reading speed (unlock extreme speeds!). β’ Unlimited document imports. β’ Unrestricted reading time. Ready to transform the way you read? Download Anchor Reader today and start devouring your books and documents at the speed of light! Terms of Use (EULA): https://alexandre-dpr.github.io/anchor-reader/terms Privacy Policy: https://alexandre-dpr.github.io/anchor-reader/privacy
Dear Reader
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Dear Reader is a quiet reading reflection journal for people who want to remember books by what they made them think, not by how many pages they finished. You do not need to complete a book to keep something meaningful from it. One sentence that stopped you, and one thought in your own words, can be enough. Dear Reader helps you save that moment as a discovery and revisit it later. β One sentence, one thought Save a sentence from a book and add the thought it sparked. The original sentence and your reflection stay together on one discovery card. β Reading without completion pressure Dear Reader is not built around finished books, page counts, timers, or productivity goals. It is built around the small moments when a book makes you pause. β Prompts when the blank page feels hard Gentle prompts and quick reaction chips help you begin your reflection. You can write a sentence, a paragraph, or just enough to remember why the moment mattered. β Revisit what you saved A saved sentence can meet you again later. Return to past discoveries and notice how the same words feel different with time. β A bookshelf shaped by discoveries Your bookshelf is not only a list of books. It quietly shows the thoughts and discoveries each book left behind. β Connect reflections across books Use tags to find discoveries that share a theme, even when they came from different books. Over time, scattered sentences begin to show the shape of your thinking. β A private, local-first space Dear Reader starts without an app account. Your sentences, thoughts, books, and settings are stored primarily on your device. There is no public feed, follower count, or reading competition. Dear Reader is for readers who: - save good sentences but rarely return to them - want a reading journal without writing long entries every day - care more about reflection than finishing more books - want to keep book sentences and personal thoughts together - prefer a calm private space over a social reading feed Keep what books made you think. One sentence and one thought can become a reading habit that lasts.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Anchor Reader at none against Dear Reader's shown. Anchor Reader also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Dear Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Anchor Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, Dear Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Anchor Reader | Dear Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 2 weeks β better |
| Ads | No β better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 β better | 18.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Alexandre Dupre | Moonsun Yang |
In-app purchases
Anchor Reader
No in-app purchases
Dear Reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Anchor Reader free?
Is Dear Reader free?
Do Anchor Reader or Dear Reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, Anchor Reader or Dear Reader?
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