The quick verdict
- Best simple free toolkit: Dyslexly, when you want fonts, spacing, overlays, line focus, read aloud and a PDF reader without an account.
- Best broad cross-platform suite: Helperbird, when you want a much larger accessibility toolkit across several browsers and mobile platforms.
- Best established education suite: Read&Write, when your school, university or employer provides a licence and you need writing and study tools.
- Best option without an extension: Chrome Reading mode, when you only need a cleaner view and read aloud on compatible articles.
There is no universal best extension for a dyslexic reader. Choose the smallest tool that covers your real task, then test it on the sites and files you use.
Comparison table
| Option | Genuine free offering | Paid offering checked 24 Aug 2026 | Best for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyslexly | Fonts, spacing, overlays, line focus, TTS, per-site settings and PDF reader; no account | Pro writing tools: £4.99/month or £24.99/year | A focused dyslexia toolkit in Chrome, Edge or Brave | No Firefox, Safari, iOS or Android app |
| Helperbird | Fonts, spacing, TTS, overlays, rulers, Reading mode, PDF reader and more | Pro $30/year; larger school/team plans | A broad accessibility suite and multi-platform use | More controls and a larger interface than some readers need |
| Read&Write for Chrome | Full feature trial for 30 days; teachers can apply for free premium access | Education and organisational licensing | Writing, study, dictionary and school workflows | It is not a permanently free full suite for most individual users |
| Chrome Reading mode | Font, size, colour, spacing, cleaner view and read aloud | No paid plan | Occasional article reading without installing anything | Only compatible content; settings stay inside Reading mode |
Prices and plans can change. Check the linked official pages before purchasing.
1. Dyslexly: best focused free toolkit
Dyslexly Free applies reading preferences directly to most websites in Chromium browsers. Its free reading tools include five font choices, font-size and spacing controls, a colour overlay, line focus, reading ruler, text-to-speech with word highlighting, per-site settings and a PDF viewer.
No account, signup or credit card is required for those features. Settings are stored on the device. The Chrome Web Store disclosure states that Dyslexly handles approximate location for an anonymous country-level install ping; it does not sell data or use it for unrelated purposes.
Dyslexly Pro does not unlock the core reading controls. It adds writing tools: simplifying hard words, word prediction, dictation, grammar checking, a vocabulary list and page-text export.
Choose Dyslexly if you want a smaller interface centred on dyslexia reading and you use Chrome, Edge, Brave or another Chromium browser.
2. Helperbird: best broad accessibility suite
Helperbird offers a large set of reading, display, writing, PDF, classroom and general accessibility features. Its official pricing page lists fonts, size and spacing controls, Immersive Reader, TTS, rulers, line focus, overlays, high contrast and a PDF reader in the free plan.
Helperbird Pro was listed at $30 per year when reviewed. It adds features including natural voices with word highlighting, voice typing, word prediction, spelling and grammar tools, summarisation and more. Helperbird also supports more platforms than Dyslexly, including Firefox, Safari and mobile options.
The Helperbird Chrome Web Store listing declared that the extension does not collect or use data when checked. That is a meaningful point in its favour for privacy-conscious comparisons.
Choose Helperbird if you need a wide, cross-platform accessibility suite and do not mind a larger feature set. Read our detailed Dyslexly vs Helperbird comparison for a current feature-by-feature breakdown.
3. Read&Write: best when an organisation provides it
Read&Write for Google Chrome supports text-to-speech with highlighting, text and picture dictionaries, speech-to-text, word prediction, collected highlights, voice notes and text simplification.
Its Chrome Web Store listing offers all features free for 30 days and says teachers can apply for a free premium subscription. Other users should check education, employer or individual licensing rather than assuming it remains fully free after the trial.
The listing also discloses handling personally identifiable information, user activity and website content for the extension's functionality. That does not mean the data is sold, but it is a reason to read the current privacy policy and ask an institution how the product is managed.
Choose Read&Write when your school, university or workplace already supports it, especially if writing and study tools matter as much as page appearance.
4. Chrome Reading mode: test this before installing anything
Chrome's built-in Reading mode can reduce distractions, change the font and size, choose a colour theme, adjust line and letter spacing and read text aloud with highlighting. Right-click a compatible page and choose Open in reading mode.
It is not a browser-wide restyling tool. The controls apply to content inside Reading mode, and Google says it is not compatible with every site or format, including many forms, quizzes, payment pages, login screens and interactive pages.
Choose it when you occasionally read long articles and do not need settings applied to the original site.
How to test an extension fairly
Use one difficult but familiar page, one ordinary news article and one PDF.
- Record the setting you already use, including browser zoom.
- Install only one extension at a time.
- Test font size and spacing before changing font family or colour.
- Check whether buttons, forms, equations and menus still work.
- Try read aloud and its stop, skip and speed controls.
- Open the same PDF or study document you normally use.
- Review the extension's permissions and Chrome Web Store privacy disclosure.
- Keep it for a week only if it solves a repeated problem.
Do not judge by the number of features. A focused tool you understand is more useful than a large toolbar you avoid opening.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Dyslexly for a focused, no-account Chromium toolkit whose core reading features stay free. Choose Helperbird for the broadest cross-platform accessibility selection. Choose Read&Write when an institution pays for it or you need its education and writing workflow. Use Chrome Reading mode when your need is occasional and article-based.
These products can support access to text, but they do not diagnose or treat dyslexia. Font and colour preferences vary; see our research-led guides to fonts and background colours.
Review method and disclosure
This comparison was reviewed on 24 August 2026 using released Dyslexly code and official product, pricing, support and Chrome Web Store pages. We did not install or independently benchmark the competing extensions, so competitor descriptions are a desk review of their published information.
Dyslexly is our product. We have therefore included limitations and situations where Helperbird, Read&Write or Chrome may be the better choice. No competitor paid for inclusion and the external links were non-affiliate links when reviewed.
Sources
- Dyslexly on the Chrome Web Store;
- Helperbird official pricing;
- Helperbird on the Chrome Web Store;
- Read&Write on the Chrome Web Store;
- Google Chrome Help: Reading mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free Chrome extension for dyslexia? Dyslexly and Helperbird both provide substantial free reading controls. Dyslexly is more focused and requires no account for core tools; Helperbird has a broader cross-platform feature set. Test both against your own tasks.
Is Dyslexly completely free? The core reading tools are free. Dyslexly Pro is optional and adds writing and productivity tools rather than locking the main reading settings.
Is Helperbird free? Helperbird has a genuine free plan. Its official pricing page lists many reading and display tools as included, while writing, natural-voice and advanced tools are among the Pro features.
Do I need an extension if Chrome has Reading mode? Not always. Chrome Reading mode may be enough for compatible articles. An extension is more useful when you need settings applied across original websites, PDFs or repeated work and study tasks.