Updated: Octob
EasyReader. Dolphin lists Sugamya Pustakalaya, the national accessible library in India, among the libraries the app supports. You need to register on the Sugamya Pustakalaya portal first.Which reading app works with Sugamya Pustakalaya in India?
By Kiran Baug, founder of DiscoverSight.
The best reading apps for blind and visually impaired people cover four needs: listening to audiobooks, converting text to speech, reading scanned or handwritten documents, and borrowing accessible ebooks free from a library. I tested every app on this list myself, at home and while traveling, and the eight below are the ones that actually held up.
Screen readers get you into a document. These apps are what actually let you read one, day to day. For the full range of methods blind people use to read and write, see How Blind and Visually Impaired People Read and Write: Tools and Techniques.
Whether you use Android or iOS, these apps read websites, articles, PDFs and audiobooks. I recommend trying the ones that match your platform and reading habits.
Best Reading Apps for Blind or Visually Impaired
Voice Dream Reader
Voice Dream Reader converts text into natural-sounding speech across nearly any document format, and it is worth knowing upfront that the app now uses a subscription model, with annual plans listed at roughly $40 to $90 and a $4.99 monthly option, depending on your account. The App Store lists it as Voice Dream Natural Reader, and it asks for a subscription after a free trial.
This app is available only on iOS and can be used with iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Whether you are a student, an adult, or a senior with vision impairments, dyslexia, or other print disabilities, you can use Voice Dream Reader for daily reading. If you want to try Apple’s own built-in reading tools before committing to a paid app, see how Siri can read your books aloud first. Here are the features that keep me using Voice Dream Reader:
- Listen to a wide range of documents, including plain text, rich text, Microsoft Word (DOC and DOCX) files, web articles, various e-book formats, and PDFs
- Scan and read documents
- Add files from Dropbox, Google Drive, Instapaper, and Evernote
- Integration with libraries like Bookshare and Project Gutenberg for easy access to downloadable books
- Accessible with VoiceOver
- Synchronized word highlighting as text is read aloud
- Control reading speed, forward, rewind, and jump to specific pages
- Bookmarks for saving your place in documents
- Editing and sharing of documents
- Customizable voice and text settings
Official page: App Store listing.
Legere Reader
Voice Dream Reader is iOS-only, so for Android, Legere Reader is the closest equivalent. It runs on the same original codebase, now maintained separately by Legere Technologies. Reviews since the handover have been mixed, with some users reporting bugs and voice quality issues, so test it against your own reading material before committing to it. The interface is simple and minimalist, and Legere describes it as an accessible reading tool for visually impaired users and people with dyslexia.
You can use it to read various document formats, including Microsoft Word, plain text, rich text, and eBooks like EPUB, DAISY, and PDF. It includes synchronized word highlighting as text is read aloud. It also loads files from internal storage, Google Drive, OneDrive, and the web browser.
With Legere Reader, you can access books and articles from sources like Bookshare and Project Gutenberg through a simple login. The app lets you manage voices, using any voice installed on your device, with premium Acapela voices sold as in-app purchases, and offers advanced navigation by sentence, paragraph, page, chapter, highlights, or set time intervals of 15, 30, and 60 seconds. You can also export full text, highlights, and notes.
Official page: Legere website.
InstaReader
InstaReader reads scanned or handwritten PDFs and images aloud, a feature I have not found matched elsewhere on this list. It made a real difference for me, letting me read scanned notes from colleagues during training sessions at work.
InstaReader is an Android app that converts file types such as PDFs, DOCX, Excel, PowerPoint, TXT, and webpages into audiobooks, reading them aloud.
One standout feature is its ability to read handwritten text and scanned PDFs making it simple to turn regional content into audiobooks. You can also translate, edit, copy, download, and share audiobooks, take notes, bookmark pages, search for specific text, track reading time, and adjust audio speed, pitch, and voice settings.
InstaReader is fully compatible with TalkBack, and its interface is built to be accessible for people with low vision.
Official page: Google Play listing.
Spotlight Text
Spotlight Text is an ebook reader designed for people with low vision, built specifically to read Bookshare books. It is accessible with VoiceOver and exclusively available on iPad.
It offers maximum legibility, various reading modes, an autoplay function with customizable speeds, and adjustable font sizes for a comfortable reading experience. It grants access to a very large library through its Bookshare integration, including best sellers and new releases. You need a Bookshare membership to download books. In the US, Bookshare says an individual membership costs $79.99 a year for adults and is free for qualified students.
Official page: Bookshare help page.
BARD Mobile
BARD Mobile is available on Android and iOS. It is a service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) that offers free audio and braille reading materials to people in the US and American citizens living abroad who cannot read regular print. If you have a visual impairment or low vision, you can enroll with NLS. The library has tens of thousands of books, including bestsellers, classics, magazines, and music materials in audio and electronic braille formats, with new selections added regularly.
Official page: App Store listing.
Learning Ally
Learning Ally offers a strong collection of human-narrated audiobooks on both Android and iOS. These books are narrated exceptionally well, making them easy to listen to and learn from.
The app includes text highlighting and notes, and Learning Ally says its catalog has over 80,000 human-narrated audiobooks. You join through the membership page on its website.
Official page: App Store listing.
Libby by OverDrive
The Libby app by OverDrive lets you freely borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from your local library. Available on Android and iOS, Libby syncs your reading progress across devices, so you can pick up where you left off anywhere.
You can download audiobooks and ebooks for offline reading and send books to a Kindle, for US libraries only. Libby also lets you skip backward or forward in books, increase audiobook playback speed up to 3x, and set a sleep timer for late-night reading.
OverDrive says Libby is designed with accessibility in mind: it works with screen readers, has keyboard shortcuts, scales text to your device setting, supports dark mode, and lets you zoom in on magazines and fixed layout books.
Official page: App Store listing.
EasyReader
EasyReader, a free app by Dolphin, helps you read text, listen to audiobooks, or do both at once, making it useful for people who are visually impaired, dyslexic, or have other print impairments. You can customize text size and colors for a more comfortable reading experience.
EasyReader is available for iOS, Android, devices, and is compatible with VoiceOver and TalkBack. It gives you access to many online libraries and talking newspaper services, including Bookshare, RNIB Bookshare and, for readers in India, Sugamya Pustakalaya. A premium feature syncs your settings across devices.
Official page: Dolphin website.
Which App Should You Actually Use
You want something free and simple: Start with BARD Mobile or EasyReader. Both cost nothing and cover the basics well, no subscription decision to make upfront.
You need to read scanned or handwritten documents: InstaReader. Nothing else on this list handles that specific case as directly.
You want to borrow books free through your local library: Libby by OverDrive. No cost, and it syncs across devices.
You want the most complete document-reading experience and are willing to pay: Voice Dream Reader on iOS, or Legere Reader on Android. Go in aware that Voice Dream now runs on a subscription.
You read primarily audiobooks: Learning Ally, especially if you want human-narrated educational and textbook material.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which reading app is completely free for blind users?
BARD Mobile and EasyReader are both free. Bookshare, which Spotlight Text uses, is free for qualified US students, and several others offer free tiers alongside paid options.
Which reading app reads scanned or handwritten documents?
InstaReader, the only app on this list built specifically for that use case, covered in detail in the InstaReader section above.
Is there a reading app that works on both Android and iOS?
Yes. Learning Ally, Libby, BARD Mobile and EasyReader all work across both platforms.
Is Voice Dream Reader free?
No. After a free trial it needs a subscription, listed in the App Store at $4.99 a month or annually from about $40 to $90.
Which reading app is best for borrowing library books?
Libby by OverDrive, which connects directly to your local library’s ebook and audiobook collection at no cost.
Which reading app works best for students with dyslexia?
Voice Dream Reader and Legere Reader both include synchronized word highlighting alongside audio, which many dyslexic readers find helps with tracking and comprehension.
Which reading apps include magazines and newspapers?
Yes. BARD Mobile includes magazines, and EasyReader connects to talking newspaper services alongside its book library.
Which reading apps work offline?
Yes. Voice Dream Reader, Legere Reader, Libby, and BARD Mobile all support downloading content for offline reading and listening.
Which reading app is best for students and textbooks?
Bookshare, accessed through Spotlight Text, Voice Dream Reader, or Legere Reader, since it specializes in textbook accessibility for students with print disabilities.
Which reading apps need a Bookshare account?
Only for the apps that integrate with it directly: Spotlight Text, Voice Dream Reader, Legere Reader, and EasyReader. The others use their own separate libraries.
Which reading app for blind users supports braille displays?
BARD Mobile offers electronic braille formats directly. Most other apps on this list rely on your device’s screen reader for braille display output rather than supporting it natively.
Conclusion
Start with the free options that fit your situation, such as BARD Mobile if you qualify, EasyReader or Libby, and add a paid app only if you need what it offers. If you prefer a physical device, such as a talking book player, a scanner or a braille reader, see our guide to reading devices for the blind.
Related Reading
How Do People Who Are Blind Use Computers and Apps for Blind and Visually Impaired People cover two more pieces of the same daily reading and computing picture.
