Point your camera at any text — a book, a menu, a sign. Hear every word read aloud, see it highlighted, and get instant explanations. Powered by AI.
Help your child (ages 4-8) learn to read using the books you already own. Meet Paxel, their AI reading buddy.
Free to start. 3 free pages per day. 7-day trial for premium.
Four steps. Any text. Real magic.
Aim at any printed text — a book page, restaurant menu, street sign, letter, or label. The app instantly reads every word.
Every word is read with a warm, natural AI voice. Words highlight one by one so you can follow along and connect sound to text.
Tap a word to hear it pronounced slowly, broken into syllables, and explained in simple language. Understand everything you read.
Build a library of everything you've read. See your vocabulary grow week by week. Reading becomes a daily habit.
Your child's AI reading buddy. Works with the books you already own.
Your child's reading buddy
Paxel is a friendly bookmark character that guides your child through every page. Paxel gets curious about new words, celebrates when they finish a page, and stays patient no matter how many times they need to hear a word.
Library books, gift books, bedtime favorites. Your bookshelf is the content library.
Tap a word to break it into syllables. "E-nor-mous. Enormous!" — just like a reading teacher.
"Enormous means really, really big!" — explanations a 5-year-old actually understands.
Words light up as they're read. Kids connect printed words to sounds naturally.
Each child gets their own profile with separate libraries and progress tracking.
No ads. No social features. No data leaves the device. COPPA-compliant. Parental gate on purchases.
"My daughter grabbed her favorite book and said 'do this one!' She was sounding out words on her own within a week."
"Finally an app that doesn't replace books with a screen. She's still holding a real book — the phone just helps her read it."
"He asked what 'curious' meant and Paxel said 'when you really want to know about something.' Perfect."
Ages 4-8. iPhone & iPad. 7-day free trial.
Other apps replace books with screens. We make real books better.
| ReadToMeNow | HOMER / ABCmouse | Ello | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works with physical books | Any book you own | No — their library only | No — their e-books only |
| How it works | Camera + AI vision | Tap-the-screen games | Microphone listens |
| Word explanations | Real AI, kid-friendly | Pre-written scripts | Phonics feedback only |
| Works for ESL too? | Yes — any English text | No | No |
| Price | Free trial, $9.99/mo | $9.99-$14.99/mo | $14.99/mo |
Point your camera at real-world English. Hear pronunciation, learn meanings, build fluency — using the materials around you.
At a restaurant? Point your camera at the menu. Hear every dish pronounced and explained. Navigate the real world in English.
Read English books, newspapers, and magazines at your own pace. Tap any word you don't know for instant help.
Medical forms, school letters, work documents — understand every word. No more guessing or asking someone to translate.
Product labels, medicine instructions, appliance manuals. Point your camera and know exactly what it says.
Hear every word spoken clearly with natural English pronunciation. Syllable-by-syllable breakdown for difficult words.
AI explains words in simple English — not dictionary definitions. Includes context, usage examples, and common phrases.
Your English tutor fits in your pocket. Use it at restaurants, stores, offices, doctors, or anywhere you encounter English text.
Every word you look up is saved. Watch your English vocabulary grow week by week. Review words you've learned.
5 warm, expressive English voices. Adjustable speed — slow it down when learning, speed up as you improve.
Don't type words into a translator. Just point your camera. Faster than any dictionary or translation app.
"I just moved to the US. Reading mail, menus, and grocery labels in English is overwhelming. I need a teacher in my pocket."
"I've studied English grammar for years but struggle with pronunciation. I want to point at any word and hear exactly how to say it."
"My kids learn English at school, but I can't help them with homework. I want us to learn together using the same tools."
We're building a dedicated English learner experience with adult-focused explanations, vocabulary tracking, and native language support. Join the early access list to be the first to try it.
Start free. Upgrade when you're ready.
All paid plans include a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime in Apple ID settings. Parental gate protects purchases.
The kids mode is designed for ages 4-8 learning to read. The ESL features (coming soon) work for teens and adults at any English proficiency level. The core technology — camera, pronunciation, explanations — works for anyone.
Yes. Point the camera at any printed English text — books, menus, signs, forms, labels, magazines. If it has words, ReadToMeNow can read it and explain it.
Google Translate gives you a translation. ReadToMeNow teaches you English — pronunciation, syllable breakdown, meaning in context, and vocabulary tracking. It's a learning tool, not just a translation tool.
Paxel is the animated reading buddy in kids mode — a friendly bookmark character with moods (happy, curious, celebrating). Paxel remembers the story across pages and cheers kids on. The ESL mode has a clean, adult-focused interface without the mascot.
Yes. Each person creates their own reader profile. Kids and adults can share the same device — their books, vocabulary, and progress are tracked separately.
Camera and text detection work offline. AI explanations and premium voices need internet. A built-in dictionary of 500+ common words works without internet.
We're currently validating the ESL experience with early access users. Join the waitlist above to be notified when it launches. The core app already works great for reading any English text.
Yes. No ads, no social features, no data shared with third parties. Photos of text are processed on-device and never uploaded. COPPA-compliant for kids.
Whether you're helping a child learn to read or learning English yourself — point your camera and go.
Free to start. iPhone & iPad. Ages 4 to 104.