Vox vs Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Vox
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Vox turns any text or PDF into natural-sounding audio — entirely on your iPhone, with no internet connection required. Whether it's an article, a book, a document, or anything you paste in, Vox generates high-quality speech using an on-device AI model. Nothing leaves your phone. FEATURES • Upload any PDF or paste text directly • Multiple voices with voice cloning support • Auto-splits long content into listenable sections • Fully offline after first launch • No account or sign-in required • Free — no subscription
Reader
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Reader turns the EPUBs you already own into books read aloud, in a voice you choose, entirely on your iPhone. CLASSIC BOOKS, BUILT IN Open the app and start listening. A shelf of classic novels is included free, with cover art made for them, refreshed for the season. No book purchases, no extra downloads, no account to make. YOUR OWN BOOKS TOO Bring any EPUB from Files, Safari, AirDrop, or another app. Standard Ebooks and Project Gutenberg both offer thousands of free, beautifully prepared books, and Reader points you to them. READ ALOUD, IN YOUR VOICE Reader uses Apple's built-in voices, so you can pick the one you actually want to listen to and change it whenever you like. Every word is highlighted as it is spoken, so you can follow along, look up, and find your place again. BUILT FOR LONG LISTENING • Playback continues with the screen locked, with controls on the Lock Screen • Adjust the reading pace from half speed to double • Your place is saved, and a book reopens where you left it • Jump between chapters, or scrub to any point • Choose your typeface and size, including OpenDyslexic WORKS ANYWHERE Reading and speech happen on your device. Once your books and voices are available, no connection is needed to listen, so Reader works on a plane, underground, or off the grid. Your books stay on your iPhone. FREE TO READ Every reading feature is available to everyone. There are no listening limits, no subscription, and no paid feature tier. Reader is supported by banner ads, with an optional one-time purchase to remove them. Reader is built and supported by one person who reads every message. If something is wrong or missing, write to nick@thefreereader.app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vox at none against Reader's 1. Vox also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months). On price 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. Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Vox asks for nothing beyond the download.
Vox ships an update every 4 months, Reader every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Vox | Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.3 GB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anviro (PVT) LTD. | Nick Ueda |
In-app purchases
Vox
No in-app purchases
Reader
- Remove Ads$2.99









