Ember vs WordVia
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Ember
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Read real books in your target language β with instant translation, audio-assisted reading, vocabulary saving, built-in review, and synced bookmarks. Ember Reader is designed for people who want to learn languages through real reading, not through isolated exercises alone. Import your own EPUB, FB2, and TXT books, tap any word or phrase for instant translation, save vocabulary from real context, and review it later with built-in spaced repetition. Use audio-assisted reading with live highlighting, speed controls, and Read from Here. When you want to stay in flow, Meaning-First Reading gives you paragraph and full-page translation views. Your books, saved items, bookmarks, and reading progress stay in sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Read. Listen. Understand. Remember. ------ What You Can Do β’ Read real books in your target language β’ Import your own EPUB, FB2, and TXT books β’ Tap any word or phrase for instant translation β’ Get AI-powered explanations when needed β’ Listen while reading with live sentence and word highlighting β’ Control playback speed and start from any sentence with Read from Here β’ Use paragraph and full-page translation views to stay in flow β’ Save words and phrases directly from real context β’ Review with built-in spaced repetition (SRS) β’ Save synced bookmarks and return anytime β’ Sync your books, saved items, bookmarks, and progress across iPhone, iPad, and Mac β’ Optionally enable Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) for expanded AI translation ------ Private by Default Translation and AI explanations run locally using Appleβs on-device models whenever available. Your reading stays private. If you want expanded AI capabilities, you can optionally connect your own API provider in Settings. ------ Designed for Focused Language Learning No distractions. No gamification. No streak manipulation. Just deep reading that helps you build vocabulary naturally. ------ Who Itβs For β’ Self-learners β’ Students β’ Polyglots β’ Serious readers building vocabulary through real books ------ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
WordVia
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WordVia turns reading into language learning. Open any book in a foreign language, tap a word to instantly translate it, and build vocabulary in context - without ever leaving the page. No app-switching. Just real books. HOW IT WORKS - Start with a free book from our library, or upload your own (EPUB and PDF supported) - Tap any word for an instant translation - See translations inline, in context - Listen to the book read aloud while you follow along - Save words to build your personal vocabulary - Practice your saved words in short exercises, with spaced repetition - Review a saved word right on the page when you meet it again - Track your progress: reading time, saved words, words you know FREE BOOKS TO START WITH A hand-picked collection of public domain classics, sorted by language and difficulty, ready to download right inside the app. No empty shelf on day one - pick a book and start reading in seconds. READ AND LISTEN Hear the book in the language you are learning. Choose the voice and the speed, follow the text as it is spoken, and stop on any word to see its translation - playback continues from the same place. Reading and listening together is one of the fastest ways to connect the written word to the spoken one. PRACTICE WHAT YOU READ The words you save come back in the Training tab, in five short exercises: Pairs, Fill the gap, Build the phrase, Say it, and Repeat by ear. Spaced repetition picks the words that are due, so every session stays short. Tap any word in an exercise to see its translation. LEARN A LANGUAGE BY READING WordVia is built around comprehensible input and extensive reading - the methods polyglots and language teachers use to reach real fluency. You don't memorize a language. You experience it, page by page. Read foreign novels, short stories, classics and your own ebooks. Every book becomes a personal language lesson, calibrated to what you already love reading. LANGUAGES Learn Spanish by reading. Learn French by reading. Learn German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, and 20+ more - all through the same tap-to-translate reading experience. WHY WORDVIA - Read books in foreign languages with one-tap translation - Translations that fit the sentence you are reading, not just the dictionary entry - Build vocabulary in context, the way our brains actually learn words - Words you saved are highlighted as you keep reading - Words are saved in their dictionary form, so every form of a word shares one card - Works with your own ebook library - your books, your pace - Built for serious learners, polyglots, and bilingual readers WHO IT'S FOR - Language learners who want real progress, not gamified loops - Readers tired of flashcards and rote memorization - Anyone who wants to read foreign novels and graded readers - Beginners and intermediate learners (CEFR A2 to B2) - Polyglots looking for a serious immersion reader VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT Words learned in context stick. WordVia gives you the meaning of any word in the sentence you actually read, so you remember it next time without effort. This is how comprehensible input works. Whether you want to learn Spanish through novels, learn French through short stories, or learn German with ebooks, WordVia turns every book into a language lesson. WORDVIA PREMIUM Reading, translation, listening, your dictionary and a progress overview are free. Free users get five training sessions a day. Premium makes training unlimited and adds detailed statistics: reading speed, words you still remember after a month, words you keep forgetting. Premium is an auto-renewing subscription, billed yearly or monthly, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Start learning languages by reading. Open WordVia and tap your first word. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy Policy: https://wordvia.arvanix.net/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: WordVia at 15.5 against Ember's 18.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Ember sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year and WordVia sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Ember ships an update fortnightly, WordVia every 11 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Ember | WordVia |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 11 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.5 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 109 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Alexei Vinidiktov | Soghomon Chilingaryan |
In-app purchases
Ember
- Ember Reader Premium$29.991 Year
WordVia
- WordVia Premium Monthly7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- WordVia Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year









