# Aloud!, text to speech reader vs Pocket Pointer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket Pointer at none against Aloud!, text to speech reader's 1. Pocket Pointer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). Aloud!, text to speech reader's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.2 vs 26.0). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aloud!, text to speech reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pocket Pointer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Aloud!, text to speech reader ships an update fortnightly, Pocket Pointer daily. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aloud!, text to speech reader | Pocket Pointer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (243 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aloud-text-to-speech-reader/id852033350/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **243** | — |
| Positive reviews | 43.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 54 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.2** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chun Kai Lau](https://appshunter.io/developer/777529458) | [Arnav Roy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857756594) |

## What reviewers say

### Aloud!, text to speech reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aloud-text-to-speech-reader/id852033350)

Transform documents, articles, and eBooks into audio with this text-to-speech reader. Enjoy offline playback, customizable voices, and automatic progress tracking for a seamless listening experience anywhere, anytime. It's an ideal tool for productivity and accessibility.

**Highlights:** Hear PDF, DOCX, EPUB & web pages, Background & offline playback, Auto progress tracking, Customizable speech rate and pitch, Synchronized word highlighting, Universal format support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy copy-paste functionality for text input
- 🎧 Helpful for accessibility and learning disabilities
- ⚡ Works well with multiple file formats when functioning
- 🎯 Useful for multitasking (studying while driving/walking)
- 🔊 Adjustable speech speed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes when opening files
- 🐛 Crashes on startup after updates
- 🗣️ Robotic and unnatural voice quality
- 📄 Poor PDF and ePub file handling
- 💾 Save function doesn't work reliably

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening large files
- App crashes on startup after recent updates
- Save function fails to work
- Text repetition bug - reads same paragraph repeatedly
- Cursor position doesn't match audio being read

**Requested features**

- Ability to set custom starting point for reading
- Better voice options and quality
- Ad-free paid version
- Improved PDF/ePub integration
- Better language support (Vietnamese, Dutch, etc.)


### Pocket Pointer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-pointer/id6802499425)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aloud!, text to speech reader free?

Aloud!, text to speech reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pocket Pointer free?

Pocket Pointer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Aloud!, text to speech reader or Pocket Pointer have ads?

Aloud!, text to speech reader shows ads; Pocket Pointer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Aloud!, text to speech reader or Pocket Pointer?

Aloud!, text to speech reader ships an update fortnightly, and Pocket Pointer daily. Most recently, Aloud!, text to speech reader was updated on November 1, 2026 and Pocket Pointer on October 8, 2026.

---

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