Comparison

FocusWord vs FlashRead

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

Head to head
About

FocusWord

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

FlashRead

Enhance your reading speed with a unique word-by-word display method. Upload your documents or paste text to read faster and improve comprehension. Offers free and premium tiers with advanced features.

Highlights
  • Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP)
  • Reads 2-5x faster
  • Upload TXT, PDF, EPUB, DOCX
  • Import articles by link
  • Personalized library
  • Reading stats and goals
  • Dyslexia-friendly fonts
Features
Read full description

FlashRead uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) to help you read 2-5x faster — without skimming or missing a word. Instead of scanning lines of text, FlashRead shows you one word at a time at your chosen speed. Your eyes stay in one place while your brain does the rest. It sounds simple because it is — and it works. HOW IT WORKS Each word appears at the center of your screen with the Optimal Recognition Point (ORP) highlighted. This is the letter your eye naturally locks onto to recognize the word fastest. Combined with smart pauses at punctuation, you get maximum speed with full comprehension. WHAT YOU CAN READ Upload your own TXT, PDF, EPUB, or DOCX files and read them at speed. Paste text from the web. Import articles by link. Your documents are saved in your personal library so you can pick up right where you left off. START FREE RSVP speed reading up to 300 WPM Upload TXT files Save up to 3 documents Full playback controls and chapter navigation UNLOCK PREMIUM Read at up to 1,000 WPM Upload PDF, EPUB, and DOCX files Unlimited documents in your library Reading stats, streaks, and daily goals 5 themes including Dark and Midnight 6 fonts including dyslexia-friendly options 8 ORP highlight colors Premium is available as Monthly ($4.99), Yearly ($19.99 — save 67%), or Lifetime ($49.99 — pay once, own forever). Whether you're a student working through textbooks, a professional keeping up with reports, or a reader who wants to get through more books, FlashRead helps you read faster and remember more. TERMS OF USE (EULA) https://miguelzommg-byte.github.io/flashreadapp.github.io/terms-of-service.html PRIVACY POLICY https://miguelzommg-byte.github.io/flashreadapp.github.io/privacy-policy.html By using FlashRead, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy linked above. Subscription pricing: Monthly $4.99/month, Yearly $19.99/year, Lifetime $49.99 one-time. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple ID Account Settings.

Screenshots

FocusWord4 screens
FlashRead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FocusWord at none against FlashRead's 3. FlashRead's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. FlashRead sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. FocusWord asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FocusWord ships an update weekly, FlashRead every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
FocusWord versus FlashRead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocusWordFlashRead
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB83 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcelo AlvesMIGUEL GARCIA

In-app purchases

None

FocusWord

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

FlashRead

Subscriptions2
  • FlashRead Monthly$4.991 Month
  • FlashRead Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • FlashRead Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is FocusWord free?
FocusWord is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FlashRead free?
FlashRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FocusWord or FlashRead have ads?
Neither FocusWord nor FlashRead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FocusWord or FlashRead?
FocusWord ships an update weekly, and FlashRead every 2 weeks. Most recently, FocusWord was updated on October 2, 2026 and FlashRead on October 11, 2026.

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