# Focal vs Pressly Speed Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Focal at none against Pressly Speed Reader's shown. Focal also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Pressly Speed Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focal ships an update every 4 days, Pressly Speed Reader every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and August 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focal | Pressly Speed Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-rsvp-pdfepub-reader/id6760180694/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 37 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jesse Meissner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882998870) | [Bill Ryan Cabral](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895894720) |

## What reviewers say

### Focal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-rsvp-pdfepub-reader/id6760180694)

This reading app offers multiple modes to enhance focus and reduce eye strain. It supports PDF and EPUB files with adjustable speeds and customizable backgrounds for a distraction-free experience.

**Highlights:** Multiple reading modes (RSVP, Sentence, Page), Adjustable reading speed (WPM), Natural pacing with punctuation pauses, PDF and EPUB library support, Reading progress memory, Bookmarks, Customizable backgrounds and themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focal Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Focal Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


### Pressly Speed Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pressly-speed-reader/id6764726458)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pressly Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focal free?

Focal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pressly Speed Reader free?

Pressly Speed Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Focal or Pressly Speed Reader have ads?

Pressly Speed Reader shows ads; Focal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Focal or Pressly Speed Reader?

Focal ships an update every 4 days, and Pressly Speed Reader every 6 weeks. Most recently, Focal was updated on September 21, 2026 and Pressly Speed Reader on August 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*