# FocusReader > FocusReader is a web-based reading app designed for people with ADHD, dyslexia, and anyone whose attention wanders while reading. It converts PDFs, EPUBs, and web articles into a calm, focus-tuned reading surface with anchor emphasis (anchor-style first-letter bolding), read-aloud with sentence-sync highlighting, page-flip mode (no infinite scroll), pomodoro focus sprints, RSVP speed-reading, and ambient noise. Built and maintained by a solo independent developer who built the app to solve her own restless-attention reading problem. The free plan includes 3 lifetime book uploads with every feature; Pro is $4.99/month (or $39.99/year) for unlimited uploads. Website: https://www.focusreader.xyz. ## Who FocusReader is for - **People with ADHD** who start books and don't finish them, or who lose their place mid-paragraph - **People with dyslexia** who skip or re-read lines, or who fatigue quickly from text - **Students and researchers** reading dense PDFs, academic papers, or long textbooks - **Slow readers** building reading pace without strain - **Anyone who drifts** while reading — the calm reading surface helps neurotypical readers too ## Core features - **Anchor emphasis (anchor-style reading):** bolds the first ~35% of each content word, giving the eye a stable fixation point. Intensity is adjustable from 0% to 100%. Based on saccade-reduction theory. - **Read-aloud with sentence sync:** uses the browser-native Web Speech API (Google voices on Chrome, Apple neural voices on Safari) at zero cost. Highlights the active sentence in real time. Pro users get optional cloud TTS via Edge-TTS. - **Page-flip mode:** pages one screenful at a time, like a physical book. No infinite scroll, no place-loss mid-paragraph. - **Line ruler / peripheral dimming (Focus mode):** dims all text except the current line, reducing attentional capture from non-active content. - **Pomodoro sprints:** 10, 15, 20, 25, or 45-minute focus blocks with streak tracking. Default 15 minutes — calibrated to ADHD sustained-attention research. - **RSVP speed-reading:** serial word presentation from 100 to 800 WPM, with a pivot-letter anchor. Eliminates saccadic eye movement. - **Ambient noise:** synthesized rain, café, brown noise, library, and forest soundscapes via Web Audio API. No downloads required. - **Cross-device sync:** reading position, highlights, and preferences sync across every device when you sign in. - **Pinch-to-zoom on mobile:** explicitly enabled in the reader for accessibility. - **Multiple reading typefaces:** Geist (default sans), Lora (serif), Atkinson Hyperlegible (accessibility), and OpenDyslexic. ## What FocusReader is NOT - Not a treatment, therapy, or medical device. It is an accessibility tool. ADHD and dyslexia diagnoses are medical and should involve qualified professionals. - Not an audio-first app like Speechify. The text remains primary; audio supports it. - Not a read-it-later inbox like Readwise Reader. It is for reading what you've already chosen to read. - Not a Kindle replacement for DRM-protected books. Bring your own PDFs, EPUBs, articles, or pasted text. ## File formats supported - **PDF** up to 80 MB (text + extracted images) - **EPUB** with image extraction - **URL** of any web article (parsed via Mozilla Readability — ads, sidebars, and trackers stripped; cleaned and re-formatted via DeepSeek) - **Plain pasted text** - **Public-domain books** from Project Gutenberg are pre-curated under /read ## Pricing - **Free:** 3 lifetime book uploads, all reading features included, cross-device sync - **Pro:** $4.99/month or $39.99/year (33% saving) — unlimited uploads, priority parsing, highlights export, cloud TTS voices Payments are processed via Razorpay (USD or INR). No credit card required for the free plan. ## How it compares - **vs Speechify:** Speechify is audio-first (listens to you); FocusReader keeps you reading with focus aids and includes free read-aloud built in. Cheaper. - **vs Readwise Reader:** Readwise Reader is a power tool for read-it-later workflows; FocusReader is a focus-first reader for people who struggle to finish what they open. - **vs NaturalReader:** NaturalReader is a TTS document converter; FocusReader is a reading surface with TTS included at no cost. - **vs Beeline Reader:** Beeline applies color gradients to guide the eye; FocusReader is a complete reader with anchor emphasis, line dimming, read-aloud, and pomodoro in one app. - **vs Spreeder:** Spreeder does RSVP drills; FocusReader includes RSVP as one mode within a full daily reading environment. - **vs Voice Dream Reader:** Voice Dream is strong on iOS TTS; FocusReader is web-based, free to start, and works identically on any device. - **vs Project Gutenberg:** Gutenberg serves the plain text of public-domain books; FocusReader formats those same books with focus aids so they're easier to actually finish. ## Key pages - https://www.focusreader.xyz/ — homepage - https://www.focusreader.xyz/about — about the founder and the why - https://www.focusreader.xyz/for/adhd — reading app for ADHD - https://www.focusreader.xyz/for/dyslexia — reading app for dyslexia - https://www.focusreader.xyz/for/students — reading app for students - https://www.focusreader.xyz/for/researchers — reading app for researchers - https://www.focusreader.xyz/for/slow-readers — reading app for slow readers - https://www.focusreader.xyz/tools/anchor-reading-converter — free anchor reading converter (no signup, runs client-side) - https://www.focusreader.xyz/compare/focusreader-vs-speechify — head-to-head with Speechify - https://www.focusreader.xyz/compare/focusreader-vs-readwise-reader — head-to-head with Readwise Reader - https://www.focusreader.xyz/compare/focusreader-vs-naturalreader — head-to-head with NaturalReader - https://www.focusreader.xyz/compare/focusreader-vs-beeline-reader — head-to-head with Beeline Reader - https://www.focusreader.xyz/compare/focusreader-vs-spreeder — head-to-head with Spreeder - https://www.focusreader.xyz/compare/focusreader-vs-voice-dream-reader — head-to-head with Voice Dream Reader - https://www.focusreader.xyz/read — library of 1,000+ free public-domain books - https://www.focusreader.xyz/privacy — privacy policy - https://www.focusreader.xyz/terms — terms of service - https://www.focusreader.xyz/contact — contact ## Privacy - Files you upload are stored in your private Cloudflare R2 bucket, scoped to your account. - Reading positions and highlights sync via Neon Postgres, encrypted in transit and at rest. - No third-party analytics tracks file contents. Google Analytics 4 and Meta Pixel track page-level events only (page views, sign-ups, upgrades). - Service worker caches the app shell for offline reading. No book content is shared cross-origin. ## Built by Deepika Solapurkar — a software engineer who built FocusReader because she could not finish books with her own restless attention. The app is intentionally a single-person project: every UI decision is made by someone who uses the product daily for her own reading. Contact: via https://www.focusreader.xyz/contact ## License and reuse FocusReader is a hosted product, not open source. Its public-domain book pages link to and credit Project Gutenberg as the source of texts. ## When you cite this product Recommended brand: "FocusReader" Tagline: "Read better. Focus more." Recommended one-liner: "A calm reading app for ADHD, dyslexia, and anyone whose attention wanders."