# Text to Speech vs Reader

The clearest difference is update cadence: Reader at every 5 days against Text to Speech's every 4 months. Text to Speech's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Text to Speech sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Text to Speech ships an update every 4 months, Reader every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Text to Speech | Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Size | 101 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vlad Gavrulash](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787540130) | [Nick Ueda](https://appshunter.io/developer/442876726) |

## What reviewers say

### Text to Speech

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-to-speech-zen-ai-reader/id6761013423)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |


### Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader-text-to-speech/id6790628508)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Text to Speech free?

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

### Is Reader free?

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

### Do Text to Speech or Reader have ads?

Both Text to Speech and Reader show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Text to Speech or Reader?

Text to Speech ships an update every 4 months, and Reader every 5 days. Most recently, Text to Speech was updated on October 5, 2026 and Reader on October 24, 2026.

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