LightSpeedRead vs SpeedyRead
LightSpeedRead
lightspeedread.comSpeedyRead
speedyread.appSide by side
| Figure | LightSpeedRead | SpeedyRead |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.58/mo | $1.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Spec score · Speed Reading Apps | 9.0 (#1) | 8.4 (#6) |
| Reading controls | The reader provides adjustable speed, long-word, sentence, paragraph and punctuation pauses, gradual ramp-up, themes, font choices, emphasis and word-size controls. | Reading speed is adjustable from 300 to 725 WPM, with a tactile speed wheel and haptic feedback. |
| Support | The privacy policy lists [email protected] for privacy questions and data deletion requests. | The privacy policy provides [email protected] for questions and support requests. |
| What it does | LightSpeedRead uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to show one word or a small group of words sequentially at a fixed screen position. | SpeedyRead is an iOS speed-reading trainer using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to display text one word at a time and track reading speed. |
Plans
In their own words
LightSpeedRead
LightSpeedRead is a speed-reading reader that presents words or short groups of words one at a time at a fixed point on screen using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP). The web reader accepts pasted text, links, PDFs and EPUBs. Readers can adjust speed, pauses for long words and punctuation, gradual ramp-up, themes, fonts, emphasis and word size. A red letter marks each word’s optimal recognition point, aligned to a fixed center line. Submitting an article URL sends it to r.jina.ai to fetch and extract text; pages behind logins or paywalls may not extract cleanly. Pasted and uploaded text is processed locally in the browser, and the Chrome extension reads page text only when invoked. The free plan includes the website reader and extension reading up to 600 wpm. Pro is $2.99 per month or $19.00 per year, with speeds up to 1000 wpm and additional controls. The iOS app is marked “Coming soon.” The maker cautions that high RSVP speeds can reduce comprehension, especially for dense or important material.
SpeedyRead
SpeedyRead is an iPhone speed-reading app that presents text one word at a time using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. It imports PDFs, Word documents, ePubs, Markdown, HTML, and other content, and can open files from the Files app. Readers can also paste a web address for article extraction or scan printed pages with live OCR and torch support. The reading pace can be adjusted from 300 to 725 WPM with a speed wheel and haptic feedback. An audio mode speaks each word in sync with the display, with adjustable audio speed from 50 to 450 WPM and multiple voices.
The app includes comprehension exercises, guided training, dark and light modes, five accent colors, automatic session saving, and reading-position resumption. Its library and progress are stored locally; personal files are not synced to servers unless a future cloud backup is enabled. The privacy policy says anonymous usage statistics are collected, with device model and OS version potentially collected for diagnostics. Support requests may involve an email address. SpeedyRead requires iOS 18.0 or later. It has a free download, and Monthly Premium costs $1.99 a month with a 14-day free trial.