Comparison

FocusWord vs SpeederReader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FocusWord

This app presents books one word at a time on a dark screen, optimizing word placement for recognition. It offers adjustable reading speeds and smart pausing at sentence boundaries to minimize distractions and enhance focus, making reading a more immersive experience.

Highlights
  • One-word-at-a-time reading
  • Smart Slowing for sentence pauses
  • Adjustable WPM speed control
  • EPUB import and parsing
  • Chapter navigation and progress tracking
  • ADHD-friendly design
  • Accessibility features
Features
Read full description

Your phone was designed to scatter your attention. FocusWord reverses the equation. FocusWord presents your books one word at a time on a full dark screen. Each word is positioned at its Optimal Recognition Point. Smart Slowing pauses naturally at sentence boundaries. Your phone becomes a place of focus instead of distraction. No willpower required. No fighting notifications. Just you and the words. IMPORT YOUR BOOKS Import any EPUB from your device. Navigate chapters. Track your reading progress. This is a real reading app for people who actually read books. READ AT YOUR PACE Adjust speed from 100 to 1000 WPM — whatever pace lets you focus completely. Start slow, build up naturally. Smart Slowing adapts to punctuation so the rhythm feels like reading, not a metronome. DESIGNED FOR FOCUS One word. Full screen. Zero distractions. Auto-hiding controls disappear within milliseconds. Gesture-only interaction while reading. The app becomes invisible so the book can take over. BUILT FOR BRAINS THAT WORK DIFFERENTLY ADHD-friendly design. VoiceOver support. Right-to-left reading. Reduce Motion compatibility. Focus isn't a character trait you lack — it was just never properly supported. BUY ONCE. READ FOREVER. No subscriptions. No ads. No dark patterns. No account required. One purchase, unlimited books, every feature. Your books stay on your device. Your data stays yours. FocusWord features: • One-word-at-a-time focused reading • Smart Slowing at sentences and clauses • 100–1000 WPM speed control • Full EPUB import and parsing • Chapter navigation with progress tracking • Reading position auto-save • Dark interface (WCAG AA contrast) • Accessibility: VoiceOver, RTL, Reduce Motion • Gesture controls: tap, swipe, long-press • iPhone and iPad

About

SpeederReader

This app uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) to display words one at a time, allowing users to read significantly faster. It supports various file formats and offers a distraction-free reading experience with adjustable speeds and helpful visual cues.

Highlights
  • Adjustable reading speed up to 750 WPM
  • RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation)
  • Supports PDF, EPUB, HTML, Markdown, TXT
  • Read articles from URLs
  • Access Project Gutenberg books
  • Automatic progress saving
  • Dark mode
Features
Read full description

Read faster. Read more. Finish books in half the time. SpeederReader uses RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) — a proven speed reading technique that displays one word at a time at your chosen pace. No eye movement, no distractions, just pure reading speed. Most readers reach 2–3x their normal reading speed within minutes. SPEED READING MADE SIMPLE - Read at up to 750 words per minute - Adjustable speed from 50 to 750 WPM - Gold-highlighted Optimal Recognition Point guides your eye to the right letter instantly - Flow mode slows at punctuation to match natural reading rhythm READ ANYTHING - Open PDFs, EPUBs, HTML, Markdown, and plain text files - Paste any URL to speed read articles, blog posts, and web pages - Browse 60,000+ books from Project Gutenberg — built right in - Upload from your device or iCloud DESIGNED FOR READERS - Save and resume your reading progress automatically - Paragraph context keeps you oriented in the text - Dark mode reader that's easy on the eyes - Word-by-word navigation when paused - Built-in dictionary lookup - English and Spanish interface - no subscriptions and no ads - All files processed locally on your device - No account required, no tracking, no data collection - Open source and community driven Whether you're a student tackling textbooks, a professional keeping up with articles, or a book lover who wants to read more — SpeederReader helps you read faster without sacrificing comprehension. Download SpeederReader and start reading more books today.

Screenshots

FocusWord4 screens
SpeederReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SpeederReader at 15.1 against FocusWord's 17.0. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for FocusWord against 5.0 for SpeederReader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
FocusWord versus SpeederReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocusWordSpeederReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcelo AlvesJohn Ottenlips

In-app purchases

None

FocusWord

No in-app purchases

None

SpeederReader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FocusWord free?
FocusWord is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SpeederReader free?
SpeederReader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FocusWord or SpeederReader?
FocusWord and SpeederReader are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do FocusWord or SpeederReader have ads?
Neither FocusWord nor SpeederReader shows ads.

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