Comparison

Semivowels vs ScreenReader

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

Head to head
About

Semivowels

This app offers dynamic animations and interactive anatomy views to illustrate the production of American English consonants. It includes detailed explanations of tongue placement and jaw movements, with synchronized audio and a drawing whiteboard for annotation. Designed for professionals and educators, it aids in understanding speech articulation.

Highlights
  • Dynamic consonant animations
  • Interactive anatomy identification
  • Tongue shape and placement views
  • Synchronized audio examples
  • Drawing whiteboard feature
  • Screenshot functionality
Features
Read full description

Semivowels app, authored by Fred D. Minifie, Ph.D, provides valuable instructional/clinical tools for speech-language pathologists, otolaryngologists, speech scientists, linguists, teachers of singing and other professionals. The app includes three nasal, four non-nasal (with three /r/ variants) consonant dynamic animations with sound plus a key view for each of the tongue shape and placement for the structural movements involved in the production of the consonants of American English. • Anatomy ID: as each part is touched, the part highlights and the part name and description text changes. Description text shows or hides on demand .  ◊ Anatomy view - 26 parts, includes nose, mouth and throat structure ID. Zoom and pans. • Highlight View: key view of the tongue shape and placement for three nasal, four non-nasal (with three /r/ variants) consonants of American English.  ◊ Nasal: /m/, /n/, /ŋ/ Non-nasal: /w/, /j/, /l/, /r/ (three variants on /r/)  ◊ Includes a 3 /r/ variant overlay illustration comparing the alveolar, retroflex and velar place of articulation.  ◊ Includes a word and sentence audio example to illustrate consonant articulation for /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /w/, /j/, /l/ • Animations: each consonant shows a lateral view of dynamic movements of the jaw, lips, tongue, velum (soft palate), and larynx needed for proper articulation of that consonant. Audio for each consonant sound is synchronized with the dynamic animations. Anatomy animation included. • Two finger pan of all animations and key view pages. • Drawing Whiteboard feature:  ◊ Drawing: freeform lines in red, blue, green or black hue.  ◊ Draw and place text directly on active animation and video.  ◊ Text: 36pt, auto wrap, non-movable in red, blue, green or black hue.  ◊  Eraser: touch and rub lines and text on whiteboard to erase.  ◊ Trash: one tap deletes all whiteboard lines and text.  ◊ Screenshot whiteboard direct to Photos App for easy email and printing. • iOS 6.0+ required, designed for iPad and iPhone. Semivowels app makes learning consonants easy. See example screen shots below. Get the app today!

About

ScreenReader

Master the VoiceOver screen reader with interactive exercises. Learn essential gestures and actions for efficient navigation and text manipulation. This free educational tool helps users become proficient screen reader experts.

Highlights
  • VoiceOver gesture training
  • 1-4 finger swipe and tap practice
  • VoiceOver action learning
  • Navigation by headings and links
  • Text copying and selection
  • Shortcut learning
Read full description

The ScreenReader app contains excersises to learn the VoiceOver screen reader. Learn VoiceOver gestures, such as: - Swiping with 1 finger - Swiping with 2 fingers - Swiping with 3 fingers - Tapping with 1 finger - Tapping with 2 fingers - Tapping with 3 fingers - Tapping with 4 fingers - Shortcuts Learn VoiceOver actions, such as: - Navigate by headings - Navigate by links - Copy text - Paste text - Select text The ScreenReader app is made available for free by the Appt Foundation.

Screenshots

Semivowels4 screens
ScreenReader3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ScreenReader at 100% against Semivowels's 0%. ScreenReader also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.2 vs 2.5). Semivowels's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On 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

ScreenReader is free to download; Semivowels costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ScreenReader holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenReader has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Semivowels's written reviews are positive against 100% of ScreenReader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Semivowels ships an update every 37 months, ScreenReader every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Semivowels versus ScreenReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSemivowelsScreenReader
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating2.5 (2 ratings)4.2 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 37 monthsEvery 8 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlue Tree Publishing, Inc.Stichting Appt

Customer experience

Semivowels

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

ScreenReader

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Semivowels

No in-app purchases

None

ScreenReader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Semivowels free?
Semivowels costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ScreenReader free?
ScreenReader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Semivowels or ScreenReader?
ScreenReader is rated higher. Semivowels averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ScreenReader averages 4.2 from 10 ratings.
Do Semivowels or ScreenReader have ads?
Neither Semivowels nor ScreenReader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Semivowels or ScreenReader?
Semivowels ships an update every 37 months, and ScreenReader every 8 months. Most recently, Semivowels was updated on October 8, 2026 and ScreenReader on September 29, 2026.

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