TTS Reader

Is there a free alternative to Voice Dream Reader on iPhone?

Yes: TTS Reader is free with no subscription, its voices run offline on the iPhone, and it reads PDFs in their original layout, EPUB, documents and scans. Voice Dream Reader is still the stronger choice for blind VoiceOver users, on iPad and Mac, and for people who bought it before the subscription, because they keep its features.

Updated 2026-10-31

We make TTS Reader, so read this as a comparison by one side. Facts about Voice Dream Reader come from its US App Store listings and the reports listed under Sources, checked on 31 October 2026. Prices change; check the current listing before you subscribe.

What changed with Voice Dream pricing?

Voice Dream Reader has been in the App Store since February 2012 and was for years a one-time purchase. After Applause Group bought it in 2023, it moved to a subscription in two steps, and the second step was partly reversed.

  1. April 2023, new users. An AppleVis forum thread started on 24 April 2023 reported a subscription of $59.99 a year in the App Store. The new owners said on AppleVis that the subscription was for new users only.
  2. March–April 2024, everyone. In late March 2024, existing users reported emails saying that everyone would be moved to the subscription. Six Colors wrote on 4 April 2024 that the plan was $79 a year, discounted to $59, with the subscription becoming mandatory on 1 May 2024. Without it, users would lose the ability to add new content to their library.
  3. April 2024, reversal for earlier buyers. After the feedback, Applause Group said it would “continue to provide access to the app’s existing features at no additional cost” and that “the current capabilities will remain free to those who have already purchased Voice Dream”. Its statement is quoted by Michael Tsai (8 April 2024) and Jonathan Mosen (update of 7 April 2024); the original page on voicedream.com no longer opens.

So the situation today depends on when you got the app. If you bought Voice Dream Reader before the subscription, you keep the features you had. If you are new, you need a subscription after the free trial.

How much does Voice Dream Reader cost now?

The US App Store listing for the iPhone and iPad app, now called “Voice Dream - Natural Reader” by Voice Dream LLC, says: “A subscription is required to access the app. A free trial is offered to new users.” On 31 October 2026 the listing showed these in-app purchases:

Apple’s list shows a selection of the app’s in-app purchases (ten on this listing), including older and discounted plans, so it does not say which plan a new user is offered. That is why sources quote different prices: “from $4.99 a month” and "$59.99 a year” are both on the same listing. The price you will actually pay appears in the app at the end of the trial. The Mac app, Voice Dream Reader in the Mac App Store, has its own subscription with a 7-day free trial; its listing says the subscription is separate from the iOS app.

TTS Reader vs Voice Dream Reader at a glance

TTS ReaderVoice Dream Reader
Price for a new userFree: no purchases, subscription, ads or accountSubscription after a free trial; listed from $4.99 a month
Earlier buyersNot applicableKeep the features they bought
OfflineYes: all voices run on the iPhoneYes: “All voices work offline”, per the listing
Voices25: 10 built in for 31 languages, plus 15 optional English voices (about 190 MB)36 free built-in iOS voices in 27 languages; 200+ premium voices in 30 languages
DocumentsPDF in original layout, EPUB, DOCX, ODT, RTF, HTML, TXT, Markdown, web linksPDF, plain text, Word, PowerPoint, RTF, Google Docs, EPUB, DAISY, MP3 audiobooks
ScansCamera and photos, recognised on the deviceCamera scanner that works on the device
Notes and bookmarksNot part of the feature listBookmarks, highlights and notes, with export
Screen readersNot yet tested with blind VoiceOver users“Optimized for VoiceOver, Braille and switch control”
DevicesiPhone, iOS 26 or lateriPhone and iPad (iOS 15 or later), Apple Watch, Apple Vision; Mac as a separate app
US App Store ratingNot yet released4.5 from about 14,400 ratings

Do both apps read offline?

Yes. Voice Dream Reader’s listing says all its voices work offline and keep playing in the background with the screen locked. TTS Reader runs its neural voices on the iPhone too: the 10 multilingual voices are part of the app and read 31 languages from the first launch, and the 15 English voices (US and UK) work offline after a one-time download of about 190 MB. The difference is the cost of voices. In TTS Reader every voice is free. In Voice Dream Reader the 36 built-in iOS voices are free, and premium voices are sold separately. More on how on-device voices work: offline text to speech on iPhone.

In TTS Reader only three things need a connection: downloading a book from the free Project Gutenberg catalog (about 70,000 books), importing a web article from a link, and the optional English voice pack. Your own files, scans and pasted text never leave the phone.

Can TTS Reader open the same documents and scans?

Most of them. TTS Reader opens PDF, EPUB, Word (DOCX), ODT, RTF, HTML, plain text and Markdown files, pasted text and web articles from a link. PDFs are read in their original page layout with the current sentence and word highlighted, and page numbers and running headers are skipped. Scanned PDFs without a text layer, camera scans and photos of pages are recognised on the iPhone, then read like any other document. Step by step: scan a page and hear it.

What TTS Reader does not open, according to its own feature list: PowerPoint, Google Docs, DAISY books and MP3 audiobooks, which Voice Dream Reader supports. It does not read Kindle or other DRM-protected books. Reading speed goes from 0.5× to 3×, and reading continues with the iPhone locked, with controls on the Lock Screen.

Coming soon to the App Store

Who should stay with Voice Dream Reader?

Who might switch to TTS Reader?

TTS Reader fits if you are new to reading apps or your Voice Dream trial has ended, you listen on an iPhone, and you do not want to pay a subscription. It also suits people who want PDFs read in the original page layout with each word highlighted, or who want documents to stay on the device: TTS Reader has no server, no analytics and no account. Many people with dyslexia or ADHD find it easier to follow a text while it is read aloud with highlighting; it is a reading aid, not a treatment.

To move over, open your PDFs, EPUBs and documents in TTS Reader from the Files app or with the Share button. Your original files are what carries over; Voice Dream bookmarks, highlights and notes have no place to go in TTS Reader. If you are also weighing Speechify, see TTS Reader vs Speechify.

Sources