The short answer
The best app depends on the task, not the dyslexia label. Start with the free accessibility tools already on your device, then add a specialist app only when you can name the problem it must solve.
| Task | Strong starting option | Cost to start | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read websites on a computer | Dyslexly Free | Free | Chromium desktop browsers only |
| Simplify occasional Chrome articles | Chrome Reading mode | Free | Compatible content only |
| Read pages aloud on Windows or Mac | Microsoft Edge | Free | Does not save a full layout across every original site |
| Read long content on Android | Google Reading mode | Free | Android phones; no PDFs, email, chat or social feeds |
| Hear and customise iPhone text | Apple Read & Speak / Accessibility Reader | Included | Support varies by app and OS version |
| Borrow ebooks and audiobooks | Libby | Free with library card | Catalogue and waits depend on the library |
| Full literacy support through work or education | Read&Write or Helperbird | Trial/free tier; paid features vary | Larger suites may need an account or organisational licence |
None of these apps diagnoses or treats dyslexia. They change how information is presented, spoken or written.
1. Dyslexly: best for adjustable web reading
Dyslexly Free is a Chrome extension rather than a phone app. It is useful for adults who spend time reading email, news, workplace systems, study portals and PDFs in Chrome, Edge or Brave.
Its free reading tools include fonts, size and spacing controls, colour overlays, line focus, a reading ruler, text-to-speech with highlighting, per-site settings and a PDF reader. No account or card is needed for those controls.
Dyslexly Pro adds writing tools such as word simplification, prediction, dictation and grammar checking. Choose it when the web is your main reading environment and you want a consistent setup across sites.
2. Android Reading mode: best free Android starting point
Google Reading mode changes the font, size, boldness, line spacing, colour and contrast of long content and can read it aloud. It works on Android 9 or later phones.
The official limitation is important: it does not support PDFs, emails, chat messages or social-media feeds. If your difficulty is mainly in WhatsApp, work email or PDF textbooks, test another route rather than buying a subscription based on its article features.
Choose it for long articles and compatible apps on an Android phone.
3. iPhone Read & Speak: best free Apple starting point
Apple's Read & Speak settings can speak selected text or the whole screen. Accessibility Reader can provide a full-screen view with adjustable fonts, layouts and background colours on supported iPhones and content.
Turn it on under Settings, Accessibility, then Read & Speak. You can change the voice, language, speaking rate and highlighting. This may cover an adult's basic text-to-speech need without a separate paid app.
Choose it when you want speech and a cleaner view across supported iPhone apps.
4. Chrome Reading mode: best occasional desktop reader
Chrome Reading mode is built into current Chrome. It offers a cleaner layout, alternate typefaces, text size, colour themes, line and letter spacing and read aloud with text highlighting.
It works inside its own reading view, not on every original site, and Google says some interactive sites and formats are incompatible. It is excellent for occasional articles but less suitable for complex work portals, forms or sites where you must interact with the original layout.
Choose it before installing anything when your main problem is distraction on articles.
5. Microsoft Edge: best free read-aloud option on a computer
Microsoft Edge can read compatible web pages aloud from the right-click menu or with Ctrl+Shift+U. Immersive Reader can simplify supported pages, change text size and apply themes.
Edge is a strong free fallback for adults who mainly need speech and do not want an extension. Immersive Reader is not available on every page, so test the work systems and documents you use.
Choose it for free read aloud, supported PDFs and occasional distraction-free reading.
6. Libby: best free books and audiobooks app
Libby provides ebooks, digital audiobooks and magazines from participating public libraries. The app and borrowed content are free with a valid library card, with no subscription, in-app purchase or late fee.
Your library chooses the catalogue, lending limits and waiting lists. Libby is not a general screen reader and will not change workplace websites, but it can remove the cost barrier to audiobooks and adjustable ebooks.
Choose it for leisure reading and library-supported study material.
7. Read&Write or Helperbird: best when you need a suite
Read&Write combines reading, dictionary, speech-to-text, word-prediction, highlighting and study features. Its Chrome listing offers a 30-day full trial and free premium access for eligible teachers; other adults should check whether an employer, university or support programme provides a licence.
Helperbird has a genuine free tier covering many reading and display tools, with Pro listed at $30 per year when reviewed. It supports more browsers and platforms than Dyslexly and adds a large set of productivity and accessibility options.
Choose a full suite when you need several writing and study workflows, not just an adjustable page. Compare current features in our Chrome extension guide and Dyslexly vs Helperbird review.
A decision tree for adults
- Is the problem mainly websites on a computer? Try Chrome or Edge Reading mode. Add Dyslexly when you need saved settings across original pages and PDFs.
- Is the problem mainly phone articles? Use Android Reading mode or Apple Accessibility Reader first.
- Is the problem books? Start with Libby and the accessibility settings in your current ebook app.
- Is the problem writing at work or university? Check whether Read&Write is already licensed, then compare Dyslexly Pro and Helperbird Pro.
- Is the problem scanned paper or fixed PDFs? Look for OCR and PDF-reader support, then test one of your real documents before paying.
What to test before subscribing
- one ordinary article and one difficult work or study page;
- a real PDF, including a scanned file if you use them;
- whether read aloud highlights the current word or sentence;
- whether menus, forms and logins still work after restyling;
- how settings sync across your devices;
- what page content or personal data the app handles;
- whether cancellation and export are easy;
- whether your employer, library, school or university already provides access.
Use a free option for at least a week before paying. Reading comfort, fatigue and task completion are more useful measures than a long feature list.
Workplace and privacy considerations
Do not install a browser extension on a managed work device without checking your employer's policy. Extensions may need permission to alter page content in order to provide accessibility features. Review the Chrome Web Store disclosure and the developer's privacy policy rather than relying on a marketing phrase such as “privacy-first.”
For confidential documents, ask whether processing happens on the device or is sent to a service. Dyslexly's reading settings are stored on the device; its current store disclosure identifies an anonymous country-level install ping. Other products have different disclosures and account systems.
Review method and disclosure
This guide was reviewed on 24 August 2026 using official support, product, pricing and Chrome Web Store pages. It is a task-based desk review, not a clinical ranking or an independent laboratory test.
Dyslexly is our product. We have included free built-in alternatives and limitations so readers can decide when they do not need it. External links were non-affiliate links when reviewed.
Sources
- Google: Android Reading mode;
- Apple: Read & Speak on iPhone;
- Google Chrome: Reading mode and read aloud;
- Microsoft: Edge accessibility features;
- Libby: free library ebooks and audiobooks;
- Read&Write on the Chrome Web Store;
- Helperbird official pricing;
- Dyslexly on the Chrome Web Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free app for dyslexic adults? Start with the built-in tool matching your device: Android Reading mode, iPhone Read & Speak, Chrome Reading mode or Microsoft Edge. Use Dyslexly Free when you need consistent controls across Chromium-browser websites and PDFs.
Is there an app that reads text aloud for dyslexia? Yes. Android, iPhone, Chrome and Edge all provide free speech options on supported content. Dyslexly adds selected-text speech with highlighting inside Chromium browsers.
Can an app test me for dyslexia? An app can offer a screening questionnaire, but it cannot provide a formal diagnosis unless it is part of a qualified professional assessment process. Reading tools and diagnosis services are different products.
Which app is best for dyslexia at work? Choose by the work task. Dyslexly or Edge can help with browser reading; built-in dictation can help with drafting; Read&Write or Helperbird may suit organisations needing a broader literacy suite. Check your employer's software and privacy policy first.