Best Speed Reading Apps and Online Tools (and How to Choose One)

The best speed reading app is the one that matches what you read: an RSVP reader like Spreeder or Outread for quick articles, a guided pacer for long texts, and a trainer if you want drills and progress tracking. No app can make you understand faster than your brain processes language, but the right one can help you focus, stop re-reading and build a daily habit.

Below are real apps and online tools grouped by type, how to choose between them, and exercises you can do online for free.

The main types of speed reading software

Almost every speed reading app or website falls into one of four types. Knowing the type tells you more than the marketing does.

• RSVP readers flash words one at a time in the same spot.
• Pacers and visual guides keep the text normal but guide your eyes.
• Training programs give you drills, tests and progress charts.
• Retention tools help you remember what you read.

RSVP readers: speed reading online in your browser or phone

RSVP stands for Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. Words appear one at a time, or in small groups, in the center of the screen, so your eyes don’t have to move across the line. You set the speed and the app keeps the pace.

Real tools of this type:

• Spreeder: a web-based reader where you paste text and read it at a set speed. One of the best-known ways to try speed reading online.
• AccelaReader: a simple free website for pasting text and reading it word by word.
• Spreed: a Chrome extension that lets you speed read selected text on any web page.
• Outread: an iOS app that reads articles and documents with RSVP or a guided highlight.
• Reedy: an Android app for RSVP reading of books and articles.

Good for: news, emails, short and easy articles, and warming up before a reading session.

Limits: you can’t glance back, and a lot of comprehension depends on doing exactly that. Reading research has found that RSVP doesn’t beat normal reading for understanding, especially with complex text. Use it as practice, not as your main way to read books.

Pacers and visual guides

These tools leave the text where it is and change how your eyes move through it.

• Guided highlight modes, offered by some reading apps, move a highlight across the lines at your chosen speed, like a finger under the text.
• BeeLine Reader adds a color gradient across each line so your eyes find the start of the next line more easily.
• Bionic Reading bolds the first part of each word. Many people like how it looks, but don’t assume it makes you read faster. Test it on yourself with a timer.

Good for: long texts on a screen and reducing the habit of drifting or re-reading.

Training programs and apps

Trainers give you exercises for eye span, focus and speed, plus tests to track your words per minute.

• 7 Speed Reading: desktop software from the makers of Spreeder, with exercises, courses and progress tracking.
• Spreeder’s paid versions add training features on top of the free reader.
• Elevate: a brain training app that includes reading and comprehension games among other skills.

Good for: motivation, structure and seeing your progress.

Limits: drill scores don’t always transfer to real books. Make sure you test yourself on normal reading too.

Tools to help you remember what you read

These aren’t speed reading apps, but for many readers they matter more. Reading faster is pointless if you forget the book a week later.

• Anki: a free flashcard app with spaced repetition. Great for key ideas, quotes and vocabulary.
• Readwise: collects highlights from Kindle and other apps and resurfaces them over time.
• Kindle features: the built-in dictionary and Word Wise, which shows simple definitions above harder words, help you avoid stopping to look things up.
• Text-to-speech apps like Speechify let you listen while you read along, which some people find helps them keep a steady pace.

For techniques that pair well with these tools, see how to retain information while reading.

How to choose a speed reading app

Ask these questions before you download anything:

1. What will you actually read? Web articles call for a browser extension. Books on a phone call for an app that imports EPUB or PDF. Work documents may need a desktop tool.
2. Does it measure comprehension, not just speed? A good trainer asks questions after a reading test. Words per minute alone tells you nothing.
3. Can you control the speed and go back? Flexibility matters more than top speed.
4. Is there a free version or trial? Try it for a week before paying for anything.
5. Are the claims realistic? Be skeptical of any app that promises well over 1,000 words per minute with full comprehension. That is not what the research shows.

If you want a full program with a teacher instead of an app, compare the options in the best speed reading courses. If you prefer learning from books, see the best books for speed reading.

Exercises to increase reading speed online

You don’t need to pay to train. These exercises work with any article in your browser and a timer.

1. Measure your baseline

Pick an article of moderate difficulty. Read for exactly one minute at your normal pace, then count the words you read. Write down the number and a one-sentence summary of what you read. Repeat once a week.

2. Use your cursor as a pacer

Move the mouse pointer or your finger along the lines as you read, a little faster than feels comfortable. This keeps your eyes moving forward and reduces regression, the habit of jumping back.

3. Preview before you read

Spend 30 seconds on the headings, the first sentence of each section and the conclusion. Then read. You’ll read faster because you know where the text is going.

4. RSVP warm-up

Paste a short, easy article into an RSVP reader and read it at a speed slightly above your normal pace. Then read something on a normal page. Many people find their regular pace feels easier afterward.

5. Recall without looking

After each article, close the tab and write three key points from memory. This is the check that keeps speed honest. If you can’t recall the main idea, slow down.

6. Read in focused blocks

Close other tabs, silence notifications and read for 15 to 20 minutes. A lot of slow reading is really interrupted reading.

For a complete method that combines these exercises, read my guide on how to speed read with comprehension. If you’re an adult rebuilding your reading habit from scratch, the 30-day plan for improving reading skills is a good place to start. And if you want a short daily routine with guidance, the Smart Reading Challenge takes a few minutes a day.

The best free tool is still low-tech

A pen used as a pacer, a timer and a notebook for recall remain some of the most effective speed reading tools. Apps help with motivation and convenience, but the skills that make you read faster with comprehension are focus, previewing, vocabulary and practice on real texts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best speed reading app?

It depends on what you read. Spreeder and AccelaReader are easy ways to try RSVP speed reading online, Outread (iOS) and Reedy (Android) work on your phone, and 7 Speed Reading offers a full training program.

Can you increase reading speed online for free?

Yes. Free RSVP tools like AccelaReader and Spreed let you practice, and the exercises above, like using your cursor as a pacer and timing yourself, only require a browser and a timer.

Does speed reading software really work?

It helps you focus, reduce re-reading and build a habit. It doesn’t let you understand dense text much faster than your normal pace, because comprehension, not eye speed, is the real limit.

Is RSVP reading bad for comprehension?

For easy, short texts it works fine. For complex material, comprehension tends to drop because you can’t look back, so it’s better used as practice than for studying.

How many minutes a day should I practice?

Ten to twenty minutes of focused practice a day is enough to notice a difference in a few weeks, as long as you also read real books and check your comprehension.