SpeedyRead review
A flexible iOS speed-reading app for importing and practicing across many content types.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
SpeedyRead is an iPhone speed-reading app built around Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, displaying text one word at a time. It is aimed at students, professionals, lifelong learners, and other readers who want structured practice with faster reading. The app combines adjustable pacing, comprehension exercises, progress tracking, audio narration, and offline reading. Reading speeds range from 300 to 725 words per minute, while font, theme, accent color, and chunk size can be customized.
Content flexibility is a central strength. SpeedyRead can import PDFs, EPUBs, TXT files, Word documents, Markdown, and HTML, as well as articles from URLs. Its camera OCR can scan printed pages, extending the app beyond files already stored on an iPhone. Automatic position saving helps readers return to where they stopped, and synchronized audio narration provides another way to work through imported material. These features make it a better fit for readers with varied source material than for someone seeking only a basic speed-control tool.
The published plan structure includes a free App Store download and a Monthly Premium in-app purchase, alongside a 14-day free trial. The app is designed exclusively for iOS, so platform choice is an important consideration. Its strongest case is for iPhone users who want one place to import documents, web articles, and printed text while combining RSVP practice with comprehension work. Readers who need Android access, broader platform coverage, or pacing methods beyond RSVP should consider an alternative. For iOS users with mixed reading sources, SpeedyRead offers a focused set of training and reading-management features without limiting input to a single format.
SpeedyRead pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Imports PDFs, EPUBs, Word files, URLs, and scanned pages
- Combines RSVP pacing with comprehension exercises and audio narration
- Tracks progress, saves reading position, and supports offline reading
- Where it doesn't
- Available only on iOS
- Paid access is offered through a Monthly Premium in-app purchase
- Speed-reading practice is centered on RSVP rather than multiple pacing methods
SpeedyRead fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update