Comparison

Read&Write vs Bookshare Reader

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

Head to head
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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Access millions of ebooks
  • High-quality audio narration
  • Customizable reading experience
  • Adjustable font size and colors
  • Follow along with highlighted text
  • Offline reading
Features
Read full description

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

Read&Write4 screens
Bookshare Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bookshare Reader at none against Read&Write's 1. Bookshare Reader also leads on review sentiment (36% 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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 36% of Bookshare Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Read&Write ships an update monthly, Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Read&Write versus Bookshare Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRead&WriteBookshare Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (29 ratings)3.3 (67 ratings) — better
Positive reviews24.2% of reviews35.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2967 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size225 MB81 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEverway Opco Ltd.Benetech

Customer experience

Read&Write

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

Bookshare Reader

All ratings67 ratings
Positive52.2%
Neutral13.4%
Negative34.3%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive35.7%
Neutral21.4%
Negative42.9%

Bugs and requests

Read&Write

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Bookshare Reader

Reported bugs

42 issues
  • Prolonged pauses in text-to-speech
  • Library not syncing across devices
  • Reading lists not syncing
  • Reading progress not saved across devices
  • Manga stuck on copyright page
Show 37 more
  • Pages disappear during reading
  • Trouble downloading books
  • Frequent app crashes
  • App won't load books
  • App shuts down when typing
  • App crashing repeatedly
  • Books disappearing from library
  • Cannot download added books
  • Search tab closes the app
  • Poor VoiceOver compatibility
  • App crashes on any click
  • Text-to-speech voice change kicks user out
  • Copyright issues preventing audio playback
  • Download errors
  • Playback stops when screen is locked
  • Clunky user interface
  • Picture books not displaying images
  • Unable to play videos from other sources
  • Form controls not coded correctly for VoiceOver
  • Cannot delete searched titles from library
  • App requires screen to be on for reading
  • Blank screen after orientation change
  • Too many bugs and crashes
  • Next chapter fails to load
  • Blank white page after pausing and resuming
  • Table of Contents only shows first few chapters
  • App displays as phone screen on iPad
  • Cannot access reading lists
  • Synthesized speech has limited control
  • Speech randomly cuts off
  • Reading stops if phone ringer is off
  • Pause/Play restarts from chapter beginning
  • Text-to-speech voices do not indicate language
  • Voice selection process is cumbersome
  • No functional stop and start button
  • Limited speaking speed options
  • Paragraph by paragraph reading limitation

Requested features

38 requests
  • Fix prolonged pauses in text-to-speech
  • Sync library across devices
  • Sync reading lists across devices
  • Save reading progress across devices
  • Fix manga page navigation
Show 33 more
  • Fix disappearing pages bug
  • Improve book download reliability
  • Fix app crashes
  • Fix app shutdown when typing
  • Improve VoiceOver compatibility
  • Allow adjustment of speaking rate by specific value
  • Make reading lists accessible
  • Add highlighting for textbooks
  • Improve navigation of Contents menu
  • Highlight current location in Contents menu
  • Include missing video content in textbooks
  • Fix copyright issues for audio playback
  • Allow background playback
  • Add ability to listen to human-narrated audiobooks
  • Add 'Read Now' for periodicals
  • Add VoiceOver gestures for page turning
  • Add percentage of reading completed on mobile devices
  • Make downloaded books tab default on opening app
  • Fix inability to delete searched titles
  • Add 'where am I' feature (page/percentage)
  • Fix blank screen after orientation change
  • Make app accessible for students without teacher assignment
  • Fix next chapter loading issue
  • Fix blank white page after pause
  • Fix incomplete Table of Contents
  • Improve app scaling on iPad
  • Fix inability to access reading lists
  • Allow users to choose which word reader begins reading
  • Fix paragraph by paragraph reading limitation
  • Indicate language for text-to-speech voices
  • Improve voice selection process
  • Add functional stop and start button
  • Increase speed options for text-to-speech

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Read&Write

One-time1
  • Unlock Premium Feature$19.99
None

Bookshare Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Read&Write free?
Read&Write is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bookshare Reader free?
Bookshare Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Read&Write or Bookshare Reader?
Bookshare Reader is rated higher. Read&Write averages 3.1 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Bookshare Reader averages 3.3 from 67 ratings.
Do Read&Write or Bookshare Reader have ads?
Neither Read&Write nor Bookshare Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Read&Write or Bookshare Reader?
Read&Write ships an update monthly, and Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, Read&Write was updated on October 12, 2026 and Bookshare Reader on October 11, 2026.

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