FocalRead: one word, one spot.
Every word appears on its own in a fixed position. It is simple and fast, but the words of a phrase are never shown together.
FocalRead flashes one word. Flincth keeps the phrase together.
FocalRead shows your books one word at a time and sells its full version by the week, month or year. Flincth Speed Reader can also show a whole phrase or short sentence, pauses to show you the paragraph, and unlocks Pro with one purchase.
Flincth: a word, a phrase or a sentence.
Read one word at a time, or let Flincth group words into phrases and short sentences at punctuation, so the text still makes sense at speed. Pause, and the whole paragraph is there.
Illustrative diagrams, not app screenshots.
More than one word at a time.
Both apps read DRM-free books in a fixed spot. Flincth adds phrase and sentence modes and asks you to pay only once.
| Feature | Flincth | FocalRead |
|---|---|---|
| Phrase and sentence modes | Yes. Word, phrase or short sentence | No. One word at a time |
| Paid once, not every year | Yes. Pro is a one-time purchase | No. Weekly, monthly or yearly plans |
| No data used to track you | Yes. No tracking, per its App Store privacy label | No. Its label lists identifiers used to track you |
| EPUB, PDF and DOCX | Yes. Plus TXT, RTF, Markdown and pasted text | Yes. Plus TXT, and MOBI and AZW3 without DRM |
| iPhone and iPad in step | Yes. With Pro, through your own iCloud | Yes. iCloud sync |
| Web articles and camera scans | No. Share or paste text; scans without a text layer are not read | Yes. Links, shared posts and camera import |
| AI comprehension quiz | No. None, by design | Yes. On-device, needs Apple Intelligence on iOS 26 |
FocalRead for one year, from$19.99
Flincth Pro, once, for good$9.99
FocalRead is free with in-app plans: weekly from $6.99, monthly from $9.99 and yearly from $19.99 to $39.99. The tracking entry is from its App Store privacy label, which the developer provides. Flincth Pro is a one-time purchase. US App Store prices, checked on 7 November 2026.
Why readers move to Flincth.
A single flashing word is the classic way to speed read. Grouping words the way the sentence does is easier to follow, and paying once is easier on the budget.
Phrases that keep their meaning
Word, phrase and sentence modes split text at punctuation, add natural pauses and give long words a little more time, so you go faster without losing the thread.
Pay once, or not at all
The free download has every reading mode and format. Pro is a single purchase with Family Sharing, and its 7-day trial asks for no payment and never turns into a charge.
What you read stays yours
No account and no AI. Documents are processed on your iPhone or iPad and never sent to Flincth; with Pro sync on, they travel only to your own iCloud.
Never lose your place
Pause to see the whole paragraph and tap any sentence to carry on from there. Each document opens where you stopped, a few words back.
Need MOBI files, web articles or camera scans in your speed reader? FocalRead covers them. Flincth is built for reading your own documents in phrases that make sense, paid for once.
Good questions.
Is Flincth Speed Reader a FocalRead alternative?+
Yes. Both show DRM-free books in a fixed spot at the speed you set. Flincth can also group words into phrases or short sentences, and Pro is a one-time purchase instead of a weekly, monthly or yearly plan.
Can I still read one word at a time in Flincth?+
Yes. Word mode shows one word at a time with a focus letter and optional guide marks; switch to phrase or sentence mode whenever you like.
Can Flincth Speed Reader open Kindle or Apple Books purchases?+
No. Those books are protected with DRM, which the app cannot open. It reads DRM-free EPUB, PDF with a text layer, DOCX, TXT, RTF and Markdown, plus pasted text. Scanned PDFs without a text layer are not supported.
What do I get without paying?+
Every reading mode and every format, light and dark themes, a dyslexia-friendly font and all accessibility settings. The free plan has a daily reading time, a few saved documents and a speed cap; Pro removes them with one purchase.
Does the trial turn into a subscription?+
No. There is no subscription at all. The 7-day Pro trial is started by you, asks for no payment details and simply ends; Pro is a separate one-time purchase.
Read your next book faster.
Your own documents, a word, a phrase or a sentence at a time.
iPhone and iPad · iOS 17 or later · No subscription