Outread review

Outread does one job well: it puts a moving focus on text you already need to read. In Guide Mode a highlighter runs along the original page so you keep the layout and images; in Flash Mode the current phrase stays in the center of the screen, which is the rapid serial visual presentation method. You can set both the speed and the chunk length, run a built-in speed and comprehension test, and practice with exercises for peripheral vision, short-term memory and chunking. Web pages arrive through the Safari share extension, and Outread+ opens DRM-free ePub, PDF, Word, RTF and TXT files, syncs with Instapaper and raises the ceiling to 1,500 words per minute. On the US App Store Outread+ Monthly is listed at $4.99, Annual at $29.99 and Lifetime at $119.99, with family versions of each. The limits are clear on the listing: there is no Android or Windows version, and DRM-protected Kindle and Apple Books titles will not open.

Who it is for

Apple users who want to speed read their own articles and ebooks

Price

Free download with basic features; Outread+ from $4.99 a month on the US App Store, $29.99 a year or $119.99 lifetime.

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

Key features

• Guide Mode moves a highlighter along the page; Flash Mode keeps the focused phrase centered (RSVP)
• Exercises for peripheral vision, eidetic memory, short-term memory and chunking
• Adjustable reading speed and chunk length, plus a reading speed and comprehension test
• Outread+ adds DRM-free ePub, PDF, Word, RTF and TXT files, Instapaper sync and speeds up to 1,500 words per minute
• One universal app for iPhone, iPad and Mac with library and stats sync

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Two reading methods in one app, so you can switch between paced page reading and RSVP
• Strength: Outread+ Annual is $29.99 and Lifetime is $119.99 on the US App Store
• Strength: Works offline and syncs reading stats between devices
• Weakness: Apple devices only: no Android or Windows app
• Weakness: DRM-protected ebooks, including Kindle and most Apple Books titles, are not supported
• Weakness: File import and the 1,500 wpm ceiling require Outread+

Key facts

• Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac
• Reading modes: Guide Mode and Flash Mode (RSVP)
• Top speed with Outread+: 1,500 words per minute
• Outread+ plans: Weekly, monthly, annual, lifetime, family

Where it ranks

Outread is No. 1 in our Best Speed Reading Apps verdict.