Comparison

LibrariesNI vs Read&Write

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

Head to head
About

LibrariesNI

Access your library account on the go. Search the catalog, place holds, manage checked-out items, and discover new reading suggestions. You can even scan item barcodes to find them in the library.

Highlights
  • Search library catalog
  • Place holds on items
  • Manage user account
  • Track checked-out items
  • Scan item barcodes
  • Discover suggested reading
Features
Read full description

The Libraries NI app makes it quick and easy to access libraries on the go! Search Libraries NI’s catalog, download items, manage your account, and find suggested reading instantly with your iOS device. Top Features • Search the Libraries NI catalog: Search for items by title, author, subject, or general keyword and place holds on interesting items. • Manage your account: Keep track of your account with dynamic notifications and view your checked-out items, holds, fines, and account information. • Search by barcode: Use your device’s camera to scan the barcode on a book, CD, DVD, or other item at a friend’s house or bookstore and search for available copies within Libraries NI. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at enquiries@librariesni.org.uk. Let us know what device and iOS version you’re using and the specific steps leading up to your issue, and we’ll work with you to resolve it.

About

Read&Write

This app offers advanced text-to-speech capabilities, allowing users to have text read aloud with synchronized highlighting. It also includes writing assistance features like word prediction and spell check, along with extensive formatting options for improved readability and document creation.

Highlights
  • Text-to-Speech with synchronized highlighting
  • Word prediction for faster writing
  • Customizable font and layout settings
  • Save text as audio files
  • Import and open various document formats
  • Read webpages via toolbar extension
  • Spellcheck and grammar check with word descriptions
Features
Read full description

Read&Write for iPad is a reading and writing app with high-quality text-to-speech, formatting controls, a wide range of fonts and styles and cloud storage integration. Read&Write provides visual highlighting in-sync with spoken words, a great range of colour and font settings to allow for optimum reading, and word prediction to help with writing. Read&Write is a quality app for proofreading text through listening, helping with reading and literacy development, and creating audio files from any text. PRODUCT FEATURES • Text-to-Speech - Type into Read&Write and have the text read back to you. You can check text and proofread it quickly and easily. - You can import documents into Read&Write from apps such as Mail, or import directly from Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.. Read&Write can open a range of document formats including Word doc, PDF and epub. - Text from any app can be copied and pasted into Read&Write ready to be read back. - Apple's speech recognition can be used to dictate text directly into Read&Write, and can be listened back to ensure it is right. - The Apple spell check works in Read&Write too, further helping accuracy. - You can save the text as an audio file using the same high-quality voice. • Word Prediction Word prediction helps with writing more quickly and accurately. • Visual Highlighting Text is highlighted as the text is read back. Highlighting allows you to coordinate reading and listening. Read&Write lets you pick the colour and style of highlighting required. There are four highlighting modes to choose from: none, word by word, word trail, or sentence by sentence highlighting. • Font & Layout Change the font type, size or colour to suit your needs. Layout the text for easier reading by adjusting the character, line and paragraph spacing and adjusting the page margins. Text can be formatted bold, italic and underlined to emphasise. Images can be inserted into the text from the camera or your library. • Save to Audio Convert any text into an audio file using any of the high-quality voices. This is quick and easy, allowing text to be listened to on the move. Great for proofreading on the go. • Share your text Text created within Read&Write can be emailed, messaged, printed, opened in another app, or copied and pasted into another app, like Safari. • Read webpages You can now read webpages in Safari and other browsers, using the "Read&Write Toolbar" extension from the share menu. * Spellcheck & Grammar check Use the Read&Write spellcheck feature that can provide you with additional word descriptions and pictures to help you find the correct word. Also included in this app is the Read&Write Keyboard app, which is a powerful keyboard replacement that works in every app. Supporting reading, writing, comprehension and vocabulary development, Read&Write provides a rich set of features which extend accessibility and provide a range of tools to help with literacy including: • Text to speech • Prediction • Dictionary / Talking dictionary • Picture Dictionary • Check It • Talk&Type (available for iOS 10 and above) • Speak as I type • OpenDyslexic font support • Language translation in Safari (French or Spanish, Locale dependent) • French language localisation The Read&Write keyboard app provides help everywhere it’s needed whether it’s working on documents, presentations, being creative or just using mail. It’s great for those with individual needs such as Dyslexia and those where English is not their first language, but it’s designed for everyone.

Screenshots

LibrariesNI4 screens
Read&Write4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LibrariesNI at none against Read&Write's 1. Read&Write's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ads 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

Both are free to download. Read&Write sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LibrariesNI asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LibrariesNI ships an update every 4 months, Read&Write monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
LibrariesNI versus Read&Write: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLibrariesNIRead&Write
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.1 (29 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.7% of reviews — better24.2% of reviews
Number of ratings—29 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB225 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNorthern Ireland Library AuthorityEverway Opco Ltd.

Customer experience

LibrariesNI

Written reviews15 reviews
Positive26.7%
Neutral20.0%
Negative53.3%

Read&Write

All ratings29 ratings
Positive48.3%
Neutral10.3%
Negative41.4%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive24.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative72.7%

In-app purchases

None

LibrariesNI

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Read&Write

One-time1
  • Unlock Premium Feature$19.99

Questions

Is LibrariesNI free?
LibrariesNI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Read&Write free?
Read&Write is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LibrariesNI or Read&Write have ads?
Neither LibrariesNI nor Read&Write shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LibrariesNI or Read&Write?
LibrariesNI ships an update every 4 months, and Read&Write monthly. Most recently, LibrariesNI was updated on October 3, 2026 and Read&Write on October 12, 2026.

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