Best Speed Reading Courses: How to Choose One That Works

A good speed reading course can save you years of slow, distracted reading. A bad one will sell you impossible numbers. Here is how to tell the difference.

What a good course teaches

1. Previewing and skimming: getting the structure of a text before reading it.
2. Pacing: using a guide to keep your eyes and attention moving.
3. Reducing regression: stopping unnecessary re-reading.
4. Flexible speed: fast for easy material, slow for dense material.
5. Comprehension and memory: recall, notes and review, so you keep what you read.
6. Measurement: words per minute and comprehension, from day one.

If a course only talks about speed and never measures comprehension, skip it.

Red flags

• Promises of 1,000+ words per minute with full comprehension.
• “Photographic reading” or “reading a page at a glance”.
• No free sample lessons or refund policy.
• Only exercises on special texts, never on real books.

Free vs paid

Free options (YouTube lessons, classic books like How to Read a Book) can teach you the techniques. What they usually lack is structure and accountability.

Paid courses are worth it when they give you a clear daily plan, feedback and a community that keeps you going. Look for a money-back guarantee so you can try without risk.

A checklist before you buy

• Does it measure comprehension, not only speed?
• Is there a daily routine that fits your schedule (10 to 20 minutes)?
• Can you ask questions to the instructor?
• Is there a refund guarantee?
• Will you practice with the books you actually read?

My course

I teach this method in the Smart Reading Challenge: 21 days of short daily missions, 5 to 10 minutes a day, with my personal guidance. It covers previewing, pacing, focus, memory and turning what you read into action.

If you’d rather start on your own, read how to speed read with comprehension and pick a book from my list of the best books on speed reading.