Comparison

Start Speaking vs GutenbergListen

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

Head to head
About

Start Speaking

Features
Read full description

Start Speaking helps you read books and supported documents in the way that works best for you. Read on screen, listen with speech, or move naturally between both as you go. Whether you are enjoying a novel, studying, reviewing a document, or catching up on an audiobook, Start Speaking brings your library, reading controls, and personal preferences together in one focused place. Flexible, Focused Reading Key Features β€’ Read and Listen Read visually or listen with Apple system voices. Optional cloud AI voices from supported providers are available with your own provider account. β€’ Your Library, Organized Keep books together in bookshelves, search your library, save bookmarks, and return to your place. β€’ Find Your Place Use Headings, Contents, Search, and Go to Page to move through long books and documents. β€’ Make Reading Comfortable Choose themes, colors, font size, and reader layout. Typoscope modes and speech highlighting help you keep your focus on the text. β€’ Books and Documents Open supported EPUB, DAISY, Word, PDF, plain-text, rich-text, audiobook, spreadsheet, presentation, and other compatible document formats. β€’ Paste Text to Speak Paste text from the clipboard or open a text file when you want to hear it right away. β€’ Made to Fit Your Needs Start Speaking supports VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, clear controls, and flexible visual settings. Perspective All Access (Subscription Features) Unlock more ways to read with Perspective All Access: β€’ Excel Workbooks Open workbooks with a Workbook Overview and switch between Table view and Document view. β€’ PowerPoint Presentations Read slides, text, images, tables, diagrams, and charts. Choose whether to include speaker notes and reviewer comments. β€’ One Subscription Use your Perspective All Access purchase across supported Techopolis apps. All Access plan choices and current prices are shown by Apple before you confirm a purchase. You can restore earlier purchases and manage subscriptions from Settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

GutenbergListen

Features
Read full description

GutenbergListen's raison d'Γͺtre is to provide simple access to the Project Gutenberg website of 70,000 plus books to blind user or to anyone using a screen reader to by providing a succinct browsing experience (declutered, to use the vernacular) to speed navigation. Everyone is, of course, welcome to use it. It is provided without out charge under the agpl-3.0 license. Selected eBooks and audio books are downloaded to the user's phone or tablet and remain until deleted by the user. Downloaded books can be accessed on or offline. eBooks are spoken in a user select-able voice that can be managed by speed, pitch and other basic controls including a sleep timer. Audio books are played at a user select-able speed and the basic controls also include a sleep timer. No personal data is collected, no account creation is required, no location or device information is collected, your location is not tracked and there are no analytics used.

Screenshots

Start Speaking4 screens
GutenbergListen3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GutenbergListen at none against Start Speaking's 2. GutenbergListen also leads on iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads 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. Start Speaking sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. GutenbergListen asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Start Speaking versus GutenbergListen: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStart SpeakingGutenbergListen
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyβ€”Every 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.6 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size16 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTechopolis Online Solutions, LLCFrank D Ducrest

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Start Speaking

Subscriptions2
  • All Access Monthly$5.991 Month
  • All Access Annual$49.991 Year
None

GutenbergListen

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Start Speaking free?
Start Speaking is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GutenbergListen free?
GutenbergListen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Start Speaking or GutenbergListen have ads?
Neither Start Speaking nor GutenbergListen shows ads.

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