Comparison

GutenbergListen vs LeafWave

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

Head to head
About

GutenbergListen

Features
Read full description

GutenbergListen's raison d'être 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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

GutenbergListen3 screens
LeafWave4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: LeafWave at every 4 days against GutenbergListen's every 6 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GutenbergListen ships an update every 6 weeks, LeafWave every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
GutenbergListen versus LeafWave: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGutenbergListenLeafWave
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB266 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrank D DucrestSamik Banerjee

In-app purchases

None

GutenbergListen

No in-app purchases

None

LeafWave

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GutenbergListen free?
GutenbergListen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LeafWave free?
LeafWave is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do GutenbergListen or LeafWave have ads?
Neither GutenbergListen nor LeafWave shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GutenbergListen or LeafWave?
GutenbergListen ships an update every 6 weeks, and LeafWave every 4 days. Most recently, GutenbergListen was updated on October 6, 2026 and LeafWave on October 7, 2026.

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