Read&Write vs Bookshare Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
Bookshare Reader
Access a vast library of ebooks designed for individuals with reading barriers. Enjoy high-quality audio narration and customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and speeds. Continue reading seamlessly from where you left off.
- Access millions of ebooks
- High-quality audio narration
- Customizable reading experience
- Adjustable font size and colors
- Follow along with highlighted text
- Offline reading
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Get the official Bookshare Reader app. Access millions of ebooks from Bookshare, the world's largest library of ebooks for people with reading barriers like dyslexia, blindness, low vision, and physical disabilities. Listen to books in high quality audio and customize your reading experience in ways that work for you. Read bestsellers, new releases, textbooks and educational books, children’s books, young adult, mysteries, biographies, and more. Read your way with these customizable features: • Listen to books in high quality audio • Adjust reading speed, font size, and colors • Follow along with highlighted text • Navigate by page and chapter • Stop reading and pick up from your last spot • Download books and read offline To use Bookshare Reader, you must have a Bookshare membership. Learn more by visiting the Bookshare website.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bookshare Reader at none against Read&Write's 1. Bookshare Reader also leads on review sentiment (35% vs 24%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Read&Write sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bookshare Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
Bookshare Reader holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 67 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of Read&Write's written reviews are positive against 35% of Bookshare Reader's.
Read&Write ships an update monthly, Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and August 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Read&Write | Bookshare Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (29 ratings) | 3.3 (67 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 24.2% of reviews | 34.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 29 | 67 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 225 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Everway Opco Ltd. | Benetech |
Customer experience
Read&Write
Bookshare Reader
In-app purchases
Read&Write
- Unlock Premium Feature$19.99
Bookshare Reader
No in-app purchases









