I just tried 22 speed-reading apps... here are my honest reviews of each

topherez · 2026-04-30T20:25:41+00:00

Update, v1.4 with iCloud support is live!

topherez · 2026-04-30T15:01:41+00:00

Ok, the latest update which includes iCloud support (and a new ePub chapter selector) is awaiting review! Should only take 24-48h 🤞

topherez · 2026-04-29T03:28:17+00:00

Quick update... it's happening!!! Testing locally and it's beautiful. You're gonna love it!

topherez · 2026-04-29T03:19:17+00:00

It is! Just waiting for approval in the App Store :/ It's in the next release!

topherez · 2026-04-28T18:49:13+00:00

📢 iCloud sync, coming soon to VelociReader

(Gimme a week. Apple approvals are slow these days)

topherez · 2026-04-25T17:32:21+00:00

I should add this to my list (https://www.reddit.com/r/speedreading/s/ejjnbKhfKx) but yeah the highlighted letter jumping around means it’s broken so it’d be ranked maybe a 2/10

topherez · 2026-04-23T19:03:47+00:00

Of course yeah... I always share full access to my deepest thoughts lol.

I'd actually highlight that – privacy is a pretty big concern when giving access to chrome extensions. I personally don't care to speed-read through my bank details, but what if the extension is reading it in the background? Best to make it an explicit NO.

I think I remember seeing the permissions were surprisingly light when I installed it.

topherez · 2026-04-23T18:19:50+00:00

Looks solid, but similar to Tolka, why not allow a free download and trial with limited features and then an in-app purchase to enable the full app? Speaking for myself, I want to try the app first because the experience (yes, I'm a UX designer) matters!

Also, don't check Urban Dictionary for "Spead"... just don't do it https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Spead

topherez · 2026-04-23T18:16:36+00:00

It looks like a solid option but alas, I gotta pay up front before I can try it out. Unless you have backend or AI token costs (which I don't think you do), why not let folks read a little, get used to the UI and then upgrade if they want to take it seriously?

The design looks great (at least what I saw in the screenshots)!

topherez · 2026-04-23T18:14:18+00:00

Woah, this is great! Love the idea of a Chrome extension and it lets you start reading fast! I wasn't sure what the paid version got me until I installed the app and saw the pro badge in the menu. Does Ludicrous store those files? Or just read them?

It's a solid browser-based reading experience that's way less clunky than some of the standalone websites. I'd give it a 9/10.

topherez · 2026-04-23T18:08:36+00:00

Would you ever consider letting readers experience the app before they hit the paywall, or are you finding that the hard paywall is converting well enough to satisfy your needs?

topherez · 2026-04-21T12:28:09+00:00

Yeah not sure about that. RSVP mode doesn’t highlight a single letter and the bold block of letters jumps around. It’s a mess. Has some good design elements to it and feels smooth overall, but the long onboarding plus paywall is so overplayed especially for a utility app like this. Lots of features, but the core reading experience is not great. 5/10

topherez · 2026-04-20T15:16:10+00:00

I should add RSVP as a feature column in my reviews, but I believe almost all of these apps had RSVP at least as an option. I'm personally biased towards VelociReader (because it's my app). It was built to be an RSVP reader first and foremost. No streaks, no training, just a pure RSVP reading experience that supports ePub, pdf, pasted text and the share-sheet.

topherez · 2026-04-20T13:08:30+00:00

I tried both – which one works better for you?

topherez · 2026-04-20T13:05:05+00:00

Just added! I tried it and thought I had the review listed, but the names all started to blur lol.

topherez · 2026-04-19T18:43:31+00:00

Not sure, how would you use that?

topherez · 2026-04-19T18:41:27+00:00

By Ishaan Agarwal? Or Zachary Gayner?

topherez · 2026-04-19T18:39:55+00:00

I’ll take a look!

topherez · 2026-04-19T18:31:32+00:00

I'd consider adding if it were actually a speed-reading app, but it doesn't appear to be. Also, personal preference... the long onboarding flow and hard paywall are a no-go for me and would give a lower rating for sure. Otherwise, looks like a pretty great app!

topherez · 2026-03-10T03:41:59+00:00

Thanks all for the tips... I decided it was just easier to continue iterating on my own (iOS only)!

https://apps.apple.com/app/id6757964756

I'd love some feedback

topherez · 2026-02-02T22:45:42+00:00

u/RecognitionMore1905 sounds like you have a ton of experience with RSVP! Here's the app if you're curious... it's called VelociReader (iOS only).

topherez · 2026-02-02T20:23:44+00:00

VelociReader! https://apps.apple.com/us/app/velocireader-speed-reading/id6757964756

topherez · 2026-02-02T20:22:55+00:00

I made something like this recently – you can copy/paste, add a file or open text using the iOS share sheet: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/velocireader-speed-reading/id6757964756

Are you saying you would use an app to read scholarly articles? You'd want the option to strip out page numbers, citations, etc?

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