Comparison

Tingwen Reader vs LocalReader

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

Head to head
About

Tingwen Reader

Import your own e-books in various formats and have them read aloud with customizable AI voices. Enjoy background playback and synchronized reading/listening progress for a personalized audio-book experience.

Highlights
  • Import various e-book formats (TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, AZW3)
  • Customizable AI voices with emotional tones
  • Synchronized reading and listening progress
  • Background and lock screen playback
  • Local data processing for privacy
  • Free daily advanced model usage
Features
Read full description

[Multi-Format Import·Free Upload] Supports TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, AZW3 and more. One-tap upload turns your personal collection into audiobooks—listen anytime, anywhere! [Subscribe·Unlock All Benefits] Get instant access to all high-quality emotional voices and richer reading styles. Flexible monthly plan (¥9.9/mo), cost-effective quarterly (¥27/quarter), or best-value yearly (¥99/yr)—less than ¥0.30 per day for year-round warm companionship! Tingwen Reader is a local reading tool designed for long-form text reading and listening. Import your own e-books, flip pages while reading, or let the app read aloud continuously. Key Features: Local Import: Supports common e-book and text formats, with content saved locally by default. Synced Progress: Listening updates your reading progress automatically; start listening right from where you left off in reading. Local AI Reading: Choose between Balanced and High-Quality modes, or switch to a power-saving basic model. Custom Voices: Record or import voice samples to create your own local timbre. Background & Lock-Screen Playback: Perfect for commutes, bedtime, and extended reading sessions. Daily Free Usage: Non-subscribers get 30 minutes of advanced model use per day, after which the basic model remains available. Share a book to earn 30 bonus minutes; subscribers enjoy unlimited advanced model time. Tingwen Reader prioritizes local processing and content privacy. Your book texts, reading progress, and custom voice samples stay on your device—no ad tracking, no cloud sync. First-time use requires a one-time online device authorization, but no book content or voice recordings are uploaded. 【Auto-Renewal Subscription Details】 Plans: Monthly (1 mo), Quarterly (3 mo), Yearly (12 mo) auto-renewing subscriptions. Pricing: ¥9.9/mo, ¥27/quarter, ¥99/yr. Auto-Renewal: Your iTunes account will be charged within 24 hours before each renewal date. To cancel, manually turn off auto-renewal in iPhone/iPad "Settings" > "Apple ID" > "Subscriptions" at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tingwen.kevincai.space/privacy

About

LocalReader

Read full description

Turn any document into a personal audio reading experience — powered by on-device speech. LocalReader reads PDFs, EPUBs, web articles, and plain text aloud using Apple's built-in speech engine. Your reading text stays private on your device. ◆ HIGH-QUALITY SYSTEM VOICES Choose from Apple's Neural speech voices across multiple languages. 8 curated voice profiles are ready out of the box, with access to all system voices installed on your device. ◆ ON-DEVICE PRIVACY Document text and speech synthesis stay on your device. Works in Airplane Mode. Only purchase verification and basic product analytics use network connections. ◆ ADJUSTABLE SPEED (0.5x – 3.0x) Adjust reading cadence from steady study pace to rapid review with per-document memory. ◆ SYNCHRONIZED WORD HIGHLIGHTING Follow along as active sentences and words are highlighted at up to 120Hz on ProMotion displays. ◆ MULTI-FORMAT SUPPORT Read PDFs, EPUBs, web articles, and text notes. Share from Safari, Files, or paste text directly. ◆ SIRI & ECOSYSTEM INTEGRATION Resume reading via Siri voice shortcuts, view status on your Lock Screen, or listen on the road with CarPlay. Free: Starter voices and daily free listening time. Premium unlocks full library features. Terms of Use: https://localreader.plancodeship.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://localreader.plancodeship.com/privacy

Screenshots

Tingwen Reader4 screens
LocalReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tingwen Reader at none against LocalReader's 9. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. LocalReader sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Tingwen Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Tingwen Reader versus LocalReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTingwen ReaderLocalReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size354 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer蕾 王Amit Saharana

In-app purchases

None

Tingwen Reader

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

LocalReader

One-time9
  • Spanish Voice Pack$2.99
  • French Voice Pack$2.99
  • Hindi Voice Pack$2.99
Show 6 more
  • Italian Voice Pack$2.99
  • Portuguese Voice Pack$2.99
  • Japanese Voice Pack$3.99
  • Chinese Voice Pack$3.99
  • All Languages Bundle$14.99
  • Lifetime Access$149.99

Questions

Is Tingwen Reader free?
Tingwen Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LocalReader free?
LocalReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tingwen Reader or LocalReader have ads?
Neither Tingwen Reader nor LocalReader shows ads.

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