# FreeReader | Text to Speech vs Athene Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Athene Reader at none against FreeReader | Text to Speech's 2. Athene Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days) and ratings volume (11 vs 2). FreeReader | Text to Speech's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FreeReader | Text to Speech sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Athene Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

FreeReader | Text to Speech holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Athene Reader has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

FreeReader | Text to Speech ships an update every 5 days, Athene Reader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FreeReader | Text to Speech | Athene Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freereader-text-to-speech/id6808351587/reviews)** | [4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athene-reader/id6811711454/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **11** |
| Positive reviews | — | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 29 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Prism App Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/6794011728) | [Aditya Sreedhar](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811711456) |

## What reviewers say

### FreeReader | Text to Speech

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freereader-text-to-speech/id6808351587)

Convert various document and web link formats into audiobooks using natural-sounding voices. This free application supports over 30 languages and offers unlimited use without signup. It's designed to assist users with reading difficulties like dyslexia or ADHD.

**Highlights:** Convert EPUB, PDF, DOCX, TXT, and more to audio, Read web links aloud, 30+ natural-sounding languages, Unlimited free use, No signup required, Access Gutenberg Project books

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FreeReader Gold | $4.99 | per month |
| FreeReader Gold Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


### Athene Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athene-reader/id6811711454)

Organize and read your digital books from various sources. Customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and layouts. Listen to your books, take notes, and even ask questions about the content with an AI assistant.

**Highlights:** Import books from various sources, Customizable reading interface, Text-to-speech functionality, Note-taking and highlighting, AI-powered content questions, Offline dictionary, iCloud Sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FreeReader | Text to Speech free?

FreeReader | Text to Speech is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Athene Reader free?

Athene Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FreeReader | Text to Speech or Athene Reader?

FreeReader | Text to Speech is rated higher. FreeReader | Text to Speech averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Athene Reader averages 4.6 from 11 ratings.

### Do FreeReader | Text to Speech or Athene Reader have ads?

Neither FreeReader | Text to Speech nor Athene Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FreeReader | Text to Speech or Athene Reader?

FreeReader | Text to Speech ships an update every 5 days, and Athene Reader every 2 days. Most recently, FreeReader | Text to Speech was updated on October 24, 2026 and Athene Reader on October 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*