Comparison

FocusWord vs FlowRead

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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: β€’ One-word-at-a-time focused reading β€’ Smart Slowing at sentences and clauses β€’ 100–1000 WPM speed control β€’ Full EPUB import and parsing β€’ Chapter navigation with progress tracking β€’ Reading position auto-save β€’ Dark interface (WCAG AA contrast) β€’ Accessibility: VoiceOver, RTL, Reduce Motion β€’ Gesture controls: tap, swipe, long-press β€’ iPhone and iPad

About

FlowRead

Features
Read full description

Stop losing your place. Start reading with flow. FlowReader is a focused reading experience designed for people who struggle to stay on track while reading. Instead of jumping between lines, FlowReader guides your attention one word at a time, helping you stay engaged and move forward. The app is built around simple gestures. Hold to start reading, release to pause, and adjust speed with a swipe. When you need context, you can quickly expand the surrounding text and continue without losing your place. FlowReader removes distractions and keeps the experience minimal. No clutter, no unnecessary featuresβ€”just a clean interface designed to help you focus and read more comfortably. Import your own books and pick up exactly where you left off. FlowReader is built for readers who want a smoother, more controlled way to read.

Screenshots

FocusWord4 screens
FlowRead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: FlowRead at 15.1 against FocusWord's 17.0. On price, ads, 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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

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

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
FocusWord versus FlowRead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocusWordFlowRead
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size8 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcelo AlvesRui Nunes

In-app purchases

None

FocusWord

No in-app purchases

None

FlowRead

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FocusWord free?
FocusWord is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FlowRead free?
FlowRead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FocusWord or FlowRead have ads?
Neither FocusWord nor FlowRead shows ads.

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