Strobe vs Tiny Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Strobe
This app enhances reading speed and focus with a clean interface for PDFs and EPUBs. It offers customizable reading speeds, font choices, and smooth navigation to reduce eye fatigue and improve comprehension.
- RSVP reading interface
- PDF and EPUB import
- Adjustable reading speed (100-1000 WPM)
- Customizable text size and fonts
- Hold-to-read interaction
- Automatic progress saving
- Chapter navigation
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Read faster. Stay focused. Keep your documents private. Strobe is a fast, focused speed reader for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP), Strobe presents text one word at a time so you can move through dense material without constantly scanning across the page. Import a PDF, EPUB, plain-text, or Markdown file, or paste text directly. Choose your pace from 100 to 1000 words per minute and start reading. BUILT FOR FOCUSED READING • RSVP speed reading — read one word at a time in a clean, distraction-free view • 100–1000 WPM — set the pace that works for you • Smart Timing — automatically gives longer words the extra time they need • Adaptive pacing — optional sentence pauses and cognitive-complexity timing help difficult text feel more natural • ORP highlighting — highlights each word’s Optimal Recognition Point to keep your eyes anchored • Hold or hands-free — hold to read and release to pause, or switch to tap-to-play reading • Live speed control — adjust your reading speed without losing your place • Passage view and search — see surrounding text, search for words or phrases, and jump directly to a result • Chapter navigation — move between chapters and track your progress • Resume automatically — Strobe remembers your position and reading settings • Flexible typography — choose from seven fonts and adjust text size • Keyboard controls — use Space, arrow keys, and Escape on Mac and iPad with a hardware keyboard IMPORT WHAT YOU ALREADY READ Strobe supports PDF, EPUB, plain-text, and Markdown files. You can also paste text directly for quick reading sessions. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your documents and reading progress stay on your device. Strobe requires no account, uses no cloud sync, and does not collect analytics or personal data. FREE AND OPEN SOURCE Strobe is free and open source, built for readers who want a fast, focused tool without accounts or tracking. Whether you’re studying, researching, working through long documents, or simply trying to get through your reading list faster, Strobe gives you precise control over how you read.
Tiny Reader
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Tiny Reader is a reading app for anyone who finds it hard to focus on a page. Instead of a wall of text, it shows just one to three sentences at a time. There's less to face, so it's easier to begin — and easier to keep going. It's built for adults getting back into reading, or reading more comfortably than a phone usually allows. WHAT IT DOES - Shows a sentence or two at a time, at a pace you control - Simple navigation — tap the edges or use the buttons - Bookmark any moment and jump back in a tap - A progress slider to move through a book quickly - Three calm reading themes — Paper, Sepia, and Night - Adjustable text size PRIVATE BY DESIGN Tiny Reader works entirely on your device. Once a book is imported, the app makes no network calls — you can read in airplane mode. There are no accounts, no analytics, no tracking, and no ads. Your books, bookmarks, and settings never leave your device. BRING YOUR OWN BOOKS Import your own DRM-free EPUB files. A sample book is included so you can start reading right away. No sign-up. No distractions. Just reading.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Strobe at 3 against Tiny Reader's 1. On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Strobe | Tiny Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jaafar Abdeen | Harsh Jain |
In-app purchases
Strobe
No in-app purchases
Tiny Reader
No in-app purchases





