Comparison

Vox vs Reader

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

Head to head
About

Vox

Features
Read full description

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

About

Reader

Features
Read full description

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

Vox4 screens
Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Vox asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Vox ships an update every 4 months, Reader every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
Vox versus Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVoxReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnviro (PVT) LTD.Nick Ueda

In-app purchases

None

Vox

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Reader

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is Vox free?
Vox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Reader free?
Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Vox or Reader have ads?
Reader shows ads; Vox does not.
Which is updated more often, Vox or Reader?
Vox ships an update every 4 months, and Reader every 5 days. Most recently, Vox was updated on October 24, 2026 and Reader on October 24, 2026.

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