FlowSpeedReader vs LeafWave
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FlowSpeedReader
Enhance your reading speed and comprehension with this app that uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP). Import text from various sources, customize themes and fonts, and utilize text-to-speech. Features eye tracking and a focus timer for an optimized reading experience.
- Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP)
- Import text from URLs, files, and camera OCR
- Text-to-Speech (TTS) with multi-language support
- Eye tracking for automatic pausing
- Pomodoro-style focus timer
- Detailed reading statistics
- Customizable themes and fonts
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FlowSpeedReader is a powerful speed reading app that uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) to help you consume text faster than ever before. Whether you're a student, professional, or avid reader, FlowSpeedReader trains your brain to process words at incredible speeds — all while maintaining comprehension. HOW IT WORKS RSVP displays one word (or a group of words) at a time in a fixed position, eliminating the eye movements (saccades) that waste up to 30% of traditional reading time. Your brain focuses purely on processing meaning. Research shows comprehension remains high even above 500 WPM. IMPORT ANYTHING • Paste or type text directly • Import from Safari using the Share Sheet extension • Fetch and extract articles from any URL • Import files: PDF, DOCX, TXT, RTF, Pages, CSV • Scan physical documents with Camera OCR • Load from clipboard (text or URLs) BEAUTIFUL THEMES & FONTS Choose from multiple gorgeous themes — including dark mode variants — and select from 8 premium fonts. FlowSpeedReader looks stunning and feels great to use. TEXT-TO-SPEECH (TTS) Listen while you read. FlowSpeedReader features a full TTS engine with: • Multi-language support (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, Urdu, and more) • Automatic language detection • Multiple voice options per language (Standard, Enhanced, Premium) • Synchronized word highlighting during audio playback EYE TRACKING (iPhone X and later) FlowSpeedReader uses the TrueDepth camera to detect when you look away and automatically pauses your reading session. Configurable sensitivity, pause delay, and auto-resume keep you in the zone. FOCUS TIMER (POMODORO) Stay productive with built-in Pomodoro-style focus sessions. Set custom focus and break durations, and let the app manage your reading schedule. READING STATISTICS Track your progress with detailed stats: words read, sessions completed, reading streaks, and more. Visualize your improvement over time. MORE FEATURES • Adjustable reading speed: 100 – 1000+ WPM • Read 1, 2, or 3 words at a time • Interactive progress bar with scrubbing • Context scroll view — see surrounding text and tap to jump • Haptic feedback at sentence boundaries • Live Activities on Lock Screen • Full-text editor built in • Reading history — resume past sessions • Landscape and iPad adaptive layouts • Volume button controls for speed or navigation • Right-to-left language support • Safari Share Extension for one-tap import FlowSpeedReader is the ultimate reading companion. Download now and unlock your full reading potential.
LeafWave
This app allows you to read and listen to books and documents, offering customizable reading experiences and on-device narration. It supports various file formats and provides tools for annotation and sharing, with a strong focus on user privacy.
- Import EPUB, PDF, text, and more
- Switch between visual reading and narration
- On-device narration for privacy and offline use
- Adjustable text size, spacing, and themes
- Add bookmarks and highlights
- Export annotated documents
- Access free public-domain titles
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LeafWave helps you read with your eyes, listen at your pace, and keep your place across long books and documents. Import EPUB, PDF, text, RTF, HTML, and Markdown files, then switch naturally between visual reading and narration. LeafWave’s bundled neural voices run on your iPhone or iPad, so your document text stays private and narration works offline. Apple system voices remain available too. READ YOUR WAY • Adjust text size, spacing, theme, and reading layout • Move by chapter, page, paragraph, or book progress • Resume from your saved reading or listening position • Browse more than 75,000 free public-domain titles from Project Gutenberg LISTEN ANYWHERE • Expressive on-device narration with multiple voice styles • Automatic language detection and narration across 31 languages with Premium • Background and lock-screen playback with system media controls • Adjustable narration speed and generated-audio continuity • Teach LeafWave how to pronounce names and tricky words with Premium MARK UP AND SHARE • Add bookmarks and highlights • Attach comments to exact passages • Export annotated PDFs, embedded PDF annotations, or an editable LeafWave Review Package PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No LeafWave account, advertising, analytics, or tracking • Narration and document analysis happen on-device • Optional iCloud sync is off by default and uses your private iCloud account • Imported documents remain local unless you enable sync or share an export LeafWave includes a 14-day Premium trial. After the trial, visual reading, bookmarks, Apple system narration, two natural voice styles, five narration languages (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German), and a five-book library remain available. Premium unlocks all ten natural voice styles, all 31 narration languages, unlimited books, Teach LeafWave, highlights, comments, annotated exports, and optional iCloud sync. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled in App Store account settings. Lifetime Premium is a one-time purchase. Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: LeafWave at none against FlowSpeedReader's shown. FlowSpeedReader's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs freemium) and ratings volume (12 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for FlowSpeedReader against 5.0 for LeafWave. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FlowSpeedReader has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
FlowSpeedReader ships an update every 6 days, LeafWave every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FlowSpeedReader | LeafWave |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (12 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 266 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Besufekad Mekuria | Samik Banerjee |
Customer experience
FlowSpeedReader
LeafWave
In-app purchases
FlowSpeedReader
No in-app purchases
LeafWave
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FlowSpeedReader free?
Is LeafWave free?
Which has better reviews, FlowSpeedReader or LeafWave?
Do FlowSpeedReader or LeafWave have ads?
Which is updated more often, FlowSpeedReader or LeafWave?
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