Voice Dream Reader alternatives for EPUB books on iPhone
Last checked against each app's App Store page and website.
If you use Bookshare or DAISY books, need Apple Watch or Mac, or listen in many languages, Voice Dream Reader is still the right app. For DRM-free EPUBs on iPhone, Sandbook, Éist and Narraloud run voices on the device, and Sandbook and Éist add a sleep timer. CocoReader is English-only for iPhone, with 1,500+ free classics you can download in the app.
When to stay with Voice Dream Reader
Voice Dream Reader's own pages list:
- Bookshare access and DAISY books (App Store)
- Word, PowerPoint and Google Docs files (App Store)
- Camera scanning (App Store)
- A pronunciation dictionary (App Store)
- "Optimized for VoiceOver, Braille and switch control" (App Store)
- 36 iOS voices in 27 languages, plus 200+ more voices in 30 languages (App Store)
- Apple Watch, and a Mac app (App Store · site)
- iOS 15.0 or later, the lowest minimum in this comparison (App Store)
Offline listening isn't a reason to switch: Voice Dream's App Store page says "All voices work offline". (App Store)
How we compared
Every fact comes from each app's own App Store page or website, checked on 27 Oct 2026, with a link next to it. We haven't tested every app by hand. Where an app's own pages don't state something, the cell shows "—" (left out), never a guess. Paid tiers and their prices are as each app's App Store page listed them (US store) on 27 Oct 2026; prices change, so check each link. CocoReader is our app.
Voice Dream Reader vs 7 alternatives
Scroll sideways to see every column. Each fact links to its source on the app's own App Store page or website.
| App | EPUB import | Where voices run / offline | Highlighting | Speed | Sleep timer | Screen locked / background | Voice languages | Devices | Min iOS | Books in the app |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Dream Readerthe app you're comparing against (App Store · site) | Yes, DRM-free EPUB only (App Store) | "All voices work offline" (App Store) | Spoken word highlighted (App Store) | Adjustable: "Choose your voice and adjust the speed" (site) | — | Yes, plays in background with screen locked (App Store) | 36 iOS voices in 27 languages; 200+ more voices in 30 languages (App Store) | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch; Mac (App Store · site) | 15.0 (App Store) | Bookshare access (App Store) |
| Audiobookify (App Store) | Yes, EPUB (plus txt, MD) (App Store) | On device; fully offline once a voice is downloaded (App Store) | Sentence by sentence (App Store) | Adjustable speaking speed (App Store) | Yes: "a more visible active sleep timer" (v1.6) (version notes) | Yes, background and lock-screen controls (App Store) | Supertonic 30+ languages, Kokoro English, plus Apple system voices (App Store) | iPhone, iPad (App Store) | 26.0 (App Store) | — |
| CocoReaderour app | Yes: import your EPUB. DRM-free EPUBs only; copy-protected Kindle or Apple Books files won't import | Voices run on your iPhone; works offline once your voice is downloaded; your imported books stay on your iPhone | Words highlight as they're read aloud. | 0.75x to 2x | — | Listen with the screen locked | English only | iPhone only | 26.2 | 1,500+ free classics you can download in the app (Standard Ebooks) |
| Éist (App Store · site) | Yes, EPUB and PDF (App Store) | On-device voices; offline once a voice is downloaded; optional Cloud Assist (App Store) | Word-by-word Read-along (App Store) | 0.5x–3.0x (App Store) | Yes (App Store) | Yes (App Store) | "Dozens of languages" across Kokoro, Piper, Supertonic (App Store) | iPhone, iPad; Android (App Store · site) | 17.0 (App Store) | Project Gutenberg browsing in app (App Store) |
| ElevenReader (App Store · site) | Yes, "PDF, doc, ePub, or article link" (App Store) | Offline listening: "download and listen anywhere" (App Store) | Text highlighting (App Store) | 0.25x–4x (App Store) | Yes (App Store) | Yes: "the audio will continue playing in the background while you use other apps… or lock your screen" (site blog) | 30+ languages (App Store); its website says 90+ (App Store · site) | iPhone, iPad; web, Android, Chrome extension (App Store · site) | 18.0 (App Store) | Audiobook catalogue plus classics (App Store) |
| Narraloud (App Store · site) | Yes, PDF, EPUB, Word (App Store) | On device; "narration works offline" (App Store) | Word by word (App Store) | Up to 3x, in quarter steps (version notes) | Yes (App Store) | Lock Screen playback controls (App Store) | Six named: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (App Store · site) | iPhone, iPad (App Store) | 18.0 (App Store) | — |
| Sandbook (App Store · site) | Yes, DRM-free EPUB plus PDF, docx, TXT, RTF, MD, HTML (App Store · site) | On device (Kokoro model); "no internet connection needed" (App Store) | Each spoken word (App Store) | 0.5x–2.5x (App Store) | Yes: set time or end of chapter (App Store) | Yes (App Store) | 41 voices: American and British English, Spanish, French, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi (App Store) | iPhone 12 or later, iPad with A14/M1 or later; Mac with M1 (App Store · site) | 18.2 (App Store) | Shelf of public-domain classics (App Store) |
| Speechify (App Store · site) | Yes, EPUB listed in supported formats (site) | On-device iOS voices or cloud voices, the user's choice (newsroom, 18 Dec 2025); offline listening by downloading converted audio (newsroom · site) | Word for word (App Store) | Adjustable with a speed slider, plus optional speed ramping (site help) | — | Yes: "Lock your phone and keep listening. Playback continues in the background" (iOS steps) (site blog) | 60+ languages (site) | iPhone, iPad; Android, Mac, Windows, web, Chrome extension (App Store · site) | 18.0 (App Store) | "Hundreds of timeless books", public-domain classics (App Store) |
"—" means left out. For competitor apps, that's because their own App Store page and website don't state it (checked 27 Oct 2026); we don't fill gaps from reviews or other sites. Left out: Voice Dream Reader: sleep timer; Audiobookify: books in the app; Narraloud: books in the app; Speechify: sleep timer. Version notes are the app's own "What's New" text on its App Store page. Paid tiers are listed under each app below; prices change, so check each App Store link.
Which alternative fits you?
- Several languages and a sleep timer, on device: Sandbook: 41 voices in six languages, a sleep timer, and the Kokoro model running on the device. (App Store)
- Older iOS, plus Android: Éist needs iOS 17.0 or later, and its website lists an Android app. (App Store · site)
- The most voices, and other devices: ElevenReader lists 30+ languages on its App Store page (90+ on its website) and runs on web, Android and a Chrome extension. Speechify lists 60+ languages and apps for Android, Mac, Windows, web and a Chrome extension. (App Store · site · site)
- Classics on a recent iPhone: CocoReader has 1,500+ free classics you can download in the app, and words highlight as they're read aloud. It needs iOS 26.2 or later.
- Japanese voices: Narraloud. Japanese is one of the six languages it names on its App Store page and website. (App Store · site)
- VoiceOver users who want on-device voices: Sandbook's App Store page lists "VoiceOver, Voice Control, Switch Control, larger text and contrast improvements". Narraloud's lists "full VoiceOver support, Dynamic Type throughout the app, dyslexia-friendly and hyperlegible reading fonts". (App Store · App Store)
- Reading support: ElevenReader's App Store page says its text highlighting is "perfect for dyslexia, ADHD, and learning support". Speechify's says it's "designed to help people with dyslexia, ADHD, low vision acuity, concussions, and other reading disabilities". (App Store · App Store)
The apps
Voice Dream Reader (the app you're comparing against)
Voice Dream Reader imports DRM-free EPUB only, and its App Store page says "All voices work offline". It highlights the spoken word, lets you adjust the speed, and plays in the background with the screen locked. It has 36 iOS voices in 27 languages plus 200+ more voices in 30 languages, runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch from iOS 15.0 and on Mac per its website, and offers Bookshare access. (App Store · site)
Paid tier: Premium. Voice Dream Reader's App Store page lists in-app purchases named Premium ($79.99), Monthly Subscription ($4.99) and Annual Subscription ($39.99, $59.99 and $79.99) (checked 27 Oct 2026, US App Store). (App Store)
Audiobookify
Audiobookify imports EPUB (plus txt and MD) and runs its voices on the device; its App Store page says it's fully offline once a voice is downloaded. It highlights sentence by sentence, has an adjustable speaking speed, a sleep timer, and background and lock-screen controls. Voices: Supertonic in 30+ languages, Kokoro in English, plus Apple system voices. iPhone and iPad, iOS 26.0 or later. (App Store · version notes)
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, Apple Watch and Mac, and support for iOS before 26.0. Highlighting is by sentence, not by word.
CocoReader (our app)
CocoReader is our app. Import your EPUB; it works with DRM-free EPUBs only, and copy-protected Kindle or Apple Books files won't import. Where the voice runs: on your iPhone. CocoReader works offline once your voice is downloaded, and your imported books stay on your iPhone. Words highlight as they're read aloud, and you can set the speed from 0.75x to 2x. It has 1,500+ free classics you can download in the app, from Standard Ebooks. You can listen with the screen locked. Limits: iPhone only, iOS 26.2 or later, and English only.
Get CocoReader on the App Store (iOS 26.2 or later), see how to import an EPUB on iPhone, read more about the CocoReader app, or browse more books you can listen to with CocoReader.
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, voices in other languages, Apple Watch and Mac, and support for iOS before 26.2.
Éist
Éist imports EPUB and PDF and uses on-device voices that work offline once a voice is downloaded, with an optional Cloud Assist. It has word-by-word Read-along highlighting, 0.5x–3.0x speed, a sleep timer and screen-locked listening, and lists "dozens of languages" across Kokoro, Piper and Supertonic voices. It runs on iPhone and iPad from iOS 17.0, has an Android app per its website, and lets you browse Project Gutenberg in the app. (App Store · site)
Paid tier: Éist Premium. Its App Store page lists Premium Monthly and Eist Premium ($4.99 each), and Premium Annual and Eist Premium (Annual) ($33.99 each) as in-app purchases (checked 27 Oct 2026, US App Store). (App Store)
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, Apple Watch and Mac, and support for iOS before 17.0.
ElevenReader
ElevenReader imports a "PDF, doc, ePub, or article link" and offers offline listening ("download and listen anywhere"). It has text highlighting, 0.25x–4x speed and a sleep timer, and its website says audio keeps playing when you lock your screen. Its App Store page lists 30+ languages; its website says 90+. It runs on iPhone and iPad (iOS 18.0 or later), plus web, Android and a Chrome extension, with an audiobook catalogue plus classics. (App Store · site · site · site blog)
Paid tiers: ElevenReader Ultra and Plus. Its App Store page lists Ultra Monthly ($11.00), Ultra Annual ($99.00), Plus Monthly ($10.00) and Plus Annual ($96.00) as in-app purchases (checked 27 Oct 2026, US App Store). (App Store)
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, Apple Watch and Mac, and support for iOS before 18.0.
Narraloud
Narraloud imports PDF, EPUB and Word files and runs on the device; its App Store page says "narration works offline". It highlights word by word, goes up to 3x in quarter steps, has a sleep timer and Lock Screen playback controls, and names six languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese. iPhone and iPad, iOS 18.0 or later. (App Store · site · version notes)
Paid tier: Narraloud Plus. Its App Store page lists Weekly Plus ($2.99), Monthly Plus ($6.99), Yearly Plus ($49.99) and Lifetime Plus ($79.99) as in-app purchases (checked 27 Oct 2026, US App Store). (App Store)
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, Apple Watch and Mac, languages beyond the six it names, and support for iOS before 18.0.
Sandbook
Sandbook imports DRM-free EPUB plus PDF, docx, TXT, RTF, MD and HTML, and runs the Kokoro model on the device ("no internet connection needed"). It highlights each spoken word, runs 0.5x–2.5x, has a sleep timer you set to a time or the end of a chapter, and keeps playing with the screen locked. It has 41 voices in American and British English, Spanish, French, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Hindi. It needs an iPhone 12 or later (iOS 18.2), also runs on iPad with A14/M1 or later, and on Mac with M1 per its website, with a shelf of public-domain classics. (App Store · site)
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, Apple Watch, and support for iOS before 18.2.
Speechify
Speechify lists EPUB among its supported formats. Its newsroom says you can choose on-device iOS voices or cloud voices, and its website says you can listen offline by downloading converted audio. It highlights word for word, has a speed slider with optional speed ramping, and keeps playing with your phone locked. It lists 60+ languages and runs on iPhone and iPad (iOS 18.0 or later), Android, Mac, Windows, web and a Chrome extension, with "hundreds of timeless books" in the app. (App Store · site · newsroom · site help · site blog)
Paid tier: Speechify Premium. Its App Store page lists in-app purchases named Premium Monthly ($11.99 and $24.99), Premium ($139.99) and Speechify Premium ($159.99) (checked 27 Oct 2026, US App Store). (App Store)
What you'd give up vs Voice Dream, going by each app's own pages: Bookshare access, Apple Watch, and support for iOS before 18.0.
Moving your EPUBs to another app
Keep your original DRM-free .epub files and import them into the new app. CocoReader works with DRM-free EPUBs only; copy-protected Kindle or Apple Books files won't import.
FAQ
What is the best Voice Dream Reader alternative for EPUB books?
It depends on what you use Voice Dream for. For DRM-free EPUBs on iPhone with voices running on the device, look at Sandbook (six languages, sleep timer), Éist or Narraloud. For 1,500+ free classics you can download in the app with word-by-word highlighting, try CocoReader on iOS 26.2 or later.
Which Voice Dream alternatives work offline?
Sandbook, Éist, Narraloud and Audiobookify say their voices work offline, some after a voice download. CocoReader works offline once your voice is downloaded, its voices run on your iPhone, and your imported books stay on your iPhone. Speechify says it offers on-device iOS voices and offline listening through downloads, and ElevenReader offers offline listening through downloads, according to their own sites.
Does any alternative support Bookshare or DAISY?
Of the apps in this comparison, only Voice Dream Reader lists Bookshare and DAISY support on its App Store page. If you rely on them, stay with Voice Dream.
Can I move my Voice Dream library to another app?
Keep your original DRM-free EPUB files and import them into the new app. CocoReader works with DRM-free EPUBs only; copy-protected Kindle or Apple Books files won't import.
Is there a Voice Dream alternative with a sleep timer?
Yes. According to their App Store pages, Sandbook, Éist, Narraloud, ElevenReader and Audiobookify have a sleep timer.
Do these alternatives work on Apple Watch or Mac?
Voice Dream lists Apple Watch on its App Store page and Mac on its website. Sandbook lists Mac with an M1 chip or later. CocoReader is iPhone only.
Related: the full comparison of EPUB to audiobook apps and Speechify alternatives for EPUB.