Flash Reader review

Flash Reader is the simplest way to try rapid serial visual presentation without paying. Its App Store listing says the app has shown one word at a time since 2010 and was rebuilt from scratch for version 4. You paste text, share a link or page from any app, or point the camera at a printed page, and it reads in Flash mode with one red letter holding your eye, Chunk mode for a few words at a time, or Reader mode for the full text. It starts you at 250 words per minute and a colored chip shows when you are reading faster than comprehension usually holds, which the developer puts at about 350 words a minute. The free tier covers pasted, copied and shared text in every mode and speed with three documents saved. Pro, listed at $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year with a 14-day trial, adds PDF, EPUB and Word files, scans and an unlimited shelf. It has no ads or tracking, but version 4 needs iOS 26.

Who it is for

readers who want a free RSVP reader for pasted text

Price

Free forever for pasted, copied and shared text; Pro from $4.99 a month on the US App Store or $29.99 a year with a 14-day free trial.

Pro Monthly $4.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 13, 2026.

Key features

• Three modes: Flash (one word), Chunk (a few words) and Reader (full text)
• Starts at 250 words per minute with a colored chip showing your comprehension zone
• Free tier reads pasted, copied and shared text in every mode and speed, with three documents on the shelf
• Pro opens PDF, EPUB, Word, RTF and HTML files, camera scans and photos, with an unlimited shelf
• No account, no ads, no analytics and no tracking; text is processed on the device

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Pasted and shared text reads free at full quality with no time limit
• Strength: Pro Annual includes a 14-day free trial, and a one-time Pro Lifetime purchase is offered
• Strength: Widgets, Control Center and Siri commands jump straight back into reading
• Weakness: Version 4 needs iOS 26 or later; older devices get the last compatible version
• Weakness: iPhone and iPad only, with no Android, Mac or web version
• Weakness: Free tier keeps only three documents on the shelf at a time

Key facts

• On the App Store since: 2010
• Default start speed: 250 words per minute
• Free tier shelf: 3 documents
• App languages: 50

Where it ranks

Flash Reader is No. 2 in our Best Speed Reading Apps verdict.