Co vs Scanmarker Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Co
This app provides advanced word prediction and spelling support for students. It offers grammar-smart suggestions and access to millions of topic-specific dictionaries to aid in writing. Built-in text-to-speech functionality helps users review their work.
- Grammar-smart word prediction
- Millions of topic-specific dictionaries
- Flexspell™ technology for spelling errors
- Built-in text-to-speech
- Personalized vocabulary and settings
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Co:Writer® Universal app and third-party keyboard gives students easy access to word prediction on iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Students simply sign in to their Co:Writer Universal accounts to write with their personal settings and vocabulary. ABOUT CO:WRITER UNIVERSAL This version is for schools with a Co:Writer Universal license only. Users without a Co:Writer Universal license must purchase the Co:Writer app. HOW DOES CO:WRITER WORK? As letters are typed, Co:Writer predicts the intended word with a selection of word suggestions using powerful grammar-smart word prediction. These suggestions can be read aloud with a swipe. Selecting the intended word places it into the writing document. For feedback while writing (and after writing) built-in text to speech can be used to read letters, words, sentences, and the entire document. 4+ MILLION TOPIC-SPECIFIC DICTIONARIES Co:Writer has access to a main prediction dictionary (that includes core words) and Topic Dictionaries (that includes topic specific words). Co:Writer can access over 4 million topic-specific dictionaries which are activated based on the writing task. A small sampling of the variety of topic dictionaries: - America's Cup - Apple II - Compare and Contrast - Dinosaurs - Grumpy Cat - History of the Peloponnesian War - Mahatma Gandhi - My Dog - Pig Latin - Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost - SpongeBob SquarePants - Tommy (album) - Wonders of the World SPELLING SUPPORT Co:Writer handles the widest range of spelling mistakes through its Flexspell™technology including phonetic spelling and inventive spelling errors (letter omissions, word ending omissions, letter reversals, etc). Examples of how Co:Writer aides with phonetic and/or inventive spelling: Before Co:Writer The blk jargon flu over the bra lfnt. R u hpy to ce me? I no hw to nor the fone. After Co:Writer The black dragon flew over the gray elephant. Are you happy to see me? I know how to answer the phone. GRAMMAR SUPPORT Co:Writer bases its prediction off of proper grammar, and uses its understanding of grammar to accurately predict words within the framework of valid sentence structures. Examples of how Co:Writer aides with grammar: Dogs are furry. (noun, verb, adj.) - When you typed d-o, you get plural noun choices Three very mangy dogs ran down the street. (adj., adv., adj., noun, verb… etc.) - After typing three, very, mangy, you get plural noun choices, then you get plural verb tenses. OTHER FEATURES - Built-in Text to Speech - Export
Scanmarker Reader
This app digitizes printed text scanned by a pen-shaped device, aiding individuals with reading difficulties. It offers customizable reading experiences, including live reading, speed adjustment, and word highlighting, to enhance fluency and comprehension.
- Scan printed text to digital format
- Live reading while scanning
- Adjustable reading speed
- Highlighting words as they are read
- Read aloud with voice adjustment
- Integrated dictionary for vocabulary building
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Use your Scanmarker Reader to scan any printed text, and it will appear automatically in the Scanmarker Reader app on your screen. Scanmarker Reader is a pen-shaped assistive tool for those with reading difficulties or learning disabilities. Scanmarker Reader facilitates the learning process, with emphasis placed on learning features that can be adapted according to individual preference, such as reading live while scanning or only reading selected words and parts of the text, adjusting the speed of reading and highlighting the words as it reads aloud. Get ready to become a fluent reader for life! What skills can I improve with Scanmarker Reader? - Enhance oral language skills with the read live feature. - Build up your word recognition by viewing the highlighted words as it is reading. - Improve decoding and phonological processing by reading selected words. - Develop automaticity and fluency skills with the speed read feature. - Improve reading comprehension with the read aloud and voice adjusting option. - Boost your vocabulary knowledge with the integrated Dictionary.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Scanmarker Reader at 3.3 against Co's 2.6. Co's advantage is ratings volume (17 vs 3) and review sentiment (8% vs 0%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Scanmarker Reader holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Co has 17 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 8% of Co's written reviews are positive against 0% of Scanmarker Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Co ships an update every 4 months, Scanmarker Reader every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Co | Scanmarker Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.6 (17 ratings) | 3.3 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 8.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 45 MB | 70 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Don Johnston Incorporated | Topscan ltd. |
Customer experience
Co
Scanmarker Reader
In-app purchases
Co
No in-app purchases
Scanmarker Reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Co free?
Is Scanmarker Reader free?
Which has better reviews, Co or Scanmarker Reader?
Do Co or Scanmarker Reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, Co or Scanmarker Reader?
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