Voice Dream Reader for iOS is now $59.99/year

Voicedream is an app that made history.
I bought it pretty much at the very beginning and I can understand the developers need more funding.
Then I bought voicedream Scanner because they did a great job, and still, the price was affordable.
However:

Now I find that the Voicedream app scans itself directly, so my money for VoiceDream Scanner was useless, I don't even have the app installed anymore...

Above all, I believe that having published a price of 60 dollars is something very close to insanity, and in Italy it is 70 euros.
I'm reading it now from the appstore, annual subscription 69 euros and 99 cents.
Surely my interest will now go towards Speech Central, because I have to take care not so much of myself, but of the other blind people who ask me which apps to use for their autonomy.
I think you need to be very careful when changing usage policies. I repeat, I can understand that it is necessary to continue earning, that's right. But you must have lost the light of reason to pay an app 70 euros a year to read books.
And therefore, the result is only one: I'm going to test the competing apps, especially Speech Central, to which I've never even given a chance, poor thing, because as a Voicedream owner I didn't feel the need. But now, it will be good to look around.
Too bad, really.

I have been a VDR user since its inception. I've used it for so long, it's become a natural goto for all things reading on iOS/iPadOS.

I so eagerly awaited a Mac version that I upgraded to an M1 hoping the iPad version would work. But no. However, finally it came to eh Mac.

That's when I started to notice a shift in VD's business model. I grew worried due to the fact that, although Ihad previously bought VDR, I would need to subscribe to use the Mac version. This was a major disappointment. But I conceded and got the subscription.

However, this is where I personally draw the line for myself. I can no longer support this model of doing business for the blind and low vision community. From the beginning, VD prided itself on advocating for the community.

What's happened? What kind of expenses are you incurring that justify such a price for your product? I just can't see it.

Granted, we all love and appreciate VD and what it's done for the community. It's made us more productive, relevant, informed, entertained, you name it.

But it seems to me the day has come to seriously look elsewhere.

I bought the entire suite of VD apps. But honestly, I don't use the others. Ok. Ok. If you haven't tried VD Writer, you are in for a treat. PLEASE don't mess with that one! In fact, BRING IT TO MAC for the SAME PRICE MODEL PLEASE!

But as for VDR, I think the alternative apps are viable options. Voice Central is one I've owned but haven't widely used till now. I think the time has come.

BUT PLEASE Voice Central, DON'T FALL IN THE SAME RABBIT HOLE!

Voice Dream, this decision will ultimately affect what you thought to be a good idea. Think Bud Light!

3AM, I agree. To be frank since I learned that the mac app was going to be subscription based, I bailed. I didn't try the mac app, I just... bailed when seeing it was subscription only as... I'm not a fan of subscriptions unless I have no other choice, so since then I started looking at alternatives for both ios and mac, as I like to keep my stuff in sink... and speech central it was. Granted you have to pay once on the mac, $10, but its well worth it. I agree though, its a shame to see the business moddle of this app shift all the way to subscription for new users, but oh well. And beeing completely honest, it seems off to me a bit, in the sence that if the app shifts to subcription, wouldn't that mean, you know, for everyone, even if you already bought the app previously, in theory? I mean I would get it if it was say, subscription along side a perpetual thing. In that case, the users who bought or already bought the app still have their perpetual license, but when they go fully subscription, this just doesn't make sense for those who already bought it to have not to pay. I mean, subscription is a all or nothing deal, unless, your offering subscription and lifetime side by side, as I said. That and it makes me wonder how much business will this be able to have. Most people here already bought vd a long time ago, meaning that they keep their license without it beeing subscription, but this can only get you so much with the majority of people already owning the app already and thus since they keep their perpetual license... If the subscription moddle is only for new users, which i'm guessing the number of new users cant be much given the majority of the user base already has the app... I just don't know how this will turn out. Also, from a business standpoint, this isn't very good as from what I remember, the developer said that both the mac and ios subscriptions would be one subscription only for both mac and ios. The problem here becomes... if the user bought the ios app before the subscription moddle and gets to keep the ios app without the paying for the subscription on ios, but the subscriptions are linked and said user is paying for vd on mac... That would make the lifetime license null and void, in theory, as, again, the two apps are linked as far as subscription, you get it for one, and you have it for all... I just don't get this. Subscriptions are one of those things where you either are in, or out, there is no inbetween like what we're seeing here, where users who already bought the ios app still have it without paying subscription but do have to subscribe for the mac app... in which case they'd get the ios app as well since its only the one subscription, meaning they'd be paying for the ios subscription as well, there's no inbetween. Now, if you have lifetime alongside subscription that's a whole different story, as that does give you a inbetween, but when your going full subscription? There's no inbetween there. I mean look at previous examples of this, I.e, vorail. The app was free, and when they decided to go subcription, it didn't matter if you where already a member, or where new; you had to pay; no exceptions. That's where i'm going towards with this. When your going subscription only, there's no exception. Even if one previously owned the app, they have to pay as with accordance with the new moddle.

as a developer, what is your take on this? I'm curious. From what vd's developer said, the there would only be one subscription, which would encompass mac and ios. However if, for example, I as a user, bought vd before this shift, from what the developer said, I get to keep it without paying for subscription since I bought it before. However if I subscribe to the mac version as well, and, as I said, there's only the one subscription, that would mean that i'm paying for the ios subscription as well, despite me already owning the app and not having to pay as I bought it before this shift. But how does this work? It just doesn't seem plausible. For instance, say I cancel the subscription on the mac... what then. Theoretically, that would mean my ios subscription gets canceled as well since... its only the one subscription, weather I bought it before the shift or after doesn't matter. I just... don't get it.

People pay a month for Disney, Apple TV, and so on. Nothing in life is free. Bella the cat says pay or not! I say you get what you pay.

There's been a lot of mention of Speech Central as an alternative to VDR, but it's only a text-to-speech reader. So, I went looking for an alternative for those of us who use VDR as an audiobook player and I found a free app that seems to meet the requirements. In fact, it actually supports airPod remote control, something I've requested from VDR and was told they didn't know how to do that. The alternative app is called BookPlayer. It's a very simple app, but seems to be totally accessible. I've posted it to the iOS app directory on this site for anyone who is interested in checking it out.

That's true. Hell, I cant tell you how many times i've come across monopoly software or, industry standard software, if you will, which where monopolies say, in the 90s but now have competition... more often than not? Those previous monopoly software? Yeah, it is garbage. Mind you, we're talking about software or softwares that more often than not cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Having used both industry standard software and others which are not industry standard but are still widely known, for my professional field, I can tell you, from first hand experience, that the industry software, as I said before, is garbage when compared to their competition. On its own, its not bad, though it leaves a lot to be desired, but when compared to the competition? Its straight up trash, and this software, or company who makes the software, had a monopoly for a long, long time, since the 90s or earlier, but around that point anyway.
Sorry for going off topic, but I believe that was a valid point to bring up. As labsii said, you get what you pay for, but there's a lot of things that go into it, look at my example above. That was just one, but there are defenetly more.',
Also, just a sidenote here but, the inn-app purchaces on the appstore for voice dream reader needs to be updated. It still lists the voices from acapella, neospeech etc as purchaces when they come incluted with the subscription. Although the app only having a yearly payment and not options for yearly and monthly payments does seem odd. I mean that's the standard for all other subscription moddles, you have both a monthly and a yearly option.

As of may first 2024 they will charge everyone. lets again remind them of their previous comment.
Hi all, Voice Dream Team here. Existing users should not be affected and will continue to have access to the app. We are migrating to a subscription model only for new users. If you have any issues please feel free to contact our support team.
Time to boycott the app and uninstall it!!!!!
Oh and yes it is still the $60. so that is $60 for an iPhone app. It is more than an weather app and more than 50% of the cost of the Jaws for windows screen reader home annual price!!!! again quoting from their own response
"We are migrating to a subscription model only for new users"
Hmmm since I purchased it previously I'm not a new user!!!!!!
Not only did they lie to the user base. its $60 for an iPhone app. They are cash grabbing do they offer a cheaper subscription for just iPhone users? Nope! Do they offer a monthly subscription? Nope!!

Given we bought licenses prior to the subscription model existing and were promised we wouldn’t need to pay, I don’t see how voicedream has a leg to stand on unless they’re planning to not care about the pesky law but is there a source for them saying this?

I've seen this on other email lists and they when contacted by me confirmed this.

just need to ask, is it leagle to change someone subscription from 1 time charge to yearly subscription? is it fare?
Am sorry, but this is not good. and i can not trust anyone can do this

https://www.voicedream.com/subscription-pricing-update/

When every little jumped up prick of a developer thinks they deserve a yacht or some scummy investment company see everything in the world as an asset to be mined for value regardless of the consequences. I paid £5 for this app which is less than its worth. BTW I think I’ve used it maybe 5 times in the last 10 years but thats not the point. They can’t seriously sleep at night trying to pull this trick on people who are vastly less employed and affluent than the general population. It’s a seriously scummy move and hopefully illegal. Can someone get hold of their User License Agreement from the original purchase date. If it doesn’t mention moving to a subscription model then they can’t do this. We need to be organised to stop them forcing this change. The website is full of the usual meaningless words to justify something they know full well is wrong. If this can’t be fought then I’m in favour of a full scale boycott of everything this company has or will ever do. This isn’t about me at all. I don’t use it but I know some rely on this app and I’m absolutely furious on their behalf. If people have bought a product then they should honour that purchase. If they don’t then they’re declaring war on their customers which doesn’t usually go well as customers are not obliged to use any solution.

I hate to agree but a full scale boycott is in order hear.

Well, on their website, it says that the price will go from $60-$80. I also looked on book player Pro, and they are $70 too. I find this really disappointing, especially as one person said, that the app only covers All the platforms. I wouldn’t be able to just get a subscription for iOS. I don’t know what app I’m going to use after this. The book pro does not allow iCloud syncing unless you purchase a subscription, and it doesn’t just unzip books into their own sections. It might be a good idea to become a student. Organizations and students get free accounts.

am not talking about if the company needs money or not, or if the app has features that we should pay money to use, but am talking about 1 concept:
i bought it as a 1 time charge, this is what i agreed for, how you can change our agreement just from your side? is it fare?

I remember this too but can’t remember where they said the customers who had bought the app at one time purchase pricing would remain unchanged.

Its near the top of this thread. Its 11 months ago. I have sent an email to
opinion@livingblindfully.com
We all need to take a stand and unite as one this is wrong on so many levels.

I screen shotted it just in case. It was right below my last reaction to this absolutely outrageous pricing model and I thought I’d been a little quick on the draw but apparently not. I was just 11 months early. So I ask again. How are the good folks at voicedream finding their crack habit? Only people on drugs would think this is an okay way to treat their blind and low vision customers. Do they honestly think they are going to get away with this? The ULA for subscription models didn’t exist when I bought this app so they can’t do this. They said they weren’t going to do this so they can’t do this and finally F them. I literally don’t care whether I have this app or not but to do this to people who I know for a fact can’t afford this pricing. F them. Hard. They deserve it. When Voicedream come to this thread to “take a temperature check on user reactions” I want them to see this message. How can you sleep at night Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself whether you expect a good night sleep. If the answer is yes then you’ll know something new about yourself.

I completely agree with you. If they wouldn't be so greedy maybe they would have subscribers. $80 is crazy nuts.

Hear you go.
https://www.voicedream.com/subscription-pricing-update/
Read all the way through.

We’re in such a strange time. It’s infiltrated our politics and businesses. Using the word fairness while welshing on a legal ULA and a promise made to customers makes me honestly feel sick, hopeless and helpless. Everyone is just doing whatever they want, hoping that accountability and consequences don’t catch up with them. Well this is wrong and I intend to stand up for people who need what they rightfully own.

You mean that one I have I have to pay a sub for it to be able to use it? I got the all the apps.

I don’t use it on the Mac, so why should I pay as if I did?

More over this is a money grab by this company. It is nothing but greed. They promised 11 months ago existing users wouldn't be effected. they lied.

There's a YouTuber called louis rossman. He constantly does videos on his channel of usually, big companies and how they're shafting their customers with moves like what we're seing here, he might be worth contacting and telling him what happened in regards to this app. If yoll want to check out what i'm talking about here's the youtube channel, but he could be worth contacting given what happened and how they went back on their word and shafted a lot of people in the process, which is among other things what he talks about.
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
Gotta say though, if they said that those who bought the app wouldn't be affected and they went back on it... I mean I kind of get it, but it’s still a sort of slap in the face. In the end though, it’s a business and they have to make money. On that point, I get this move... But given they said people who already payed for this wouldn't be affected... Yeah it, kind of seems like we got shafted, and it honestly makes me wunder... They went back on their, already existing customers won't be affected... So... What's to asure us that they won't go back on the lifetime half price, too? Their going back on the, existing customers won't be affected is kinda... It doesn't look good, tbh.

In spite of the name for this app I've been using it for many years to read ebooks on my i-devices using my refreshable Braille display. And as far as I know I was not the only one. So far Voice Dream Reader and Books from Apple were the only solutions I know that allow comfortable reading with Braille output since they allow reader to keep their place in a book and easily return to it. If I am going to get rid of my license which I obtain several years ago and which was not cheap if will be a disaster for me and for other deafblind folks for whom I gifted Voice Dream because they could not afford it.

hi, i'm a college student and I wanted to use this app on my iphone and macbook, is it free or some kind of discounts for students?

From the press release:

"We provide free Voice Dream accounts to the students and school districts who need them most. We will always do this, and we appreciate your help in making it possible."

I don't think it hurts to ask if they'll support you as a college student.

I've heard the Kindle app works well with braille displays, but I haven't tried it, and it's obviously limited in the content you can read with it.

Although it saddens me to delete an app that has contributed so much to my education over the years, the changing price policy has unfortunately forced me to do so. Now I will use speech central for text and easy reader for audio, maybe even revisit apple books years later.

I saw on another thread that Voicedream reader was sold off. Does anyone know who bought it? On the website it lists Voicedream LLC. Was this not the original company?

When I was fairly new to VoiceOver on the iPhone, I needed to read some PDFs. I struggled to get on with Speech Central at the time and VDR was getting such love on here I thought why not and bought the bundle.

Actually I didn't get on with VDR much better than Speech Central. Both are fine but maybe I just didn't quite gel with them because I only used them occasionally, and maybe because it was just a different way of reading books and I just needed to adjust to that.

I did think it was quite expensive at the time - given that I've been able to read PDFs on my computer as a sighted person for years and it would never have occurred to me to buy anything to do this.

Anyway, I use it from time to time and it usually does a job. But if a mandatory subscription kicks in then I'm done.

Stupidly we are living in a time where there is a very very obvious value-add subscription they could bring in. All the AI stuff we are seeing elsewhere like the lovely voices, the summarisation, being able to ask questions and so on. They would surely all fit very nicely into an app like this and I don't think any of us would bat an eyelid if we were asked to subscribe if we wanted those optional extras.

But this subscription seems incredibly high. And I'm not sure what for? I don't particularly need any new features, so for me this is just for the right to continue to use something I've already paid for?

Anyway, don't forget that apps live and die based on their app store ratings. At the point the app denies me access to the book I already have in there, then I will be dishing out a 1-star rating and a review explaining why. Then the app will get uninstalled.

Speech Central seems like a good option if you are into an app like this.

The new owners are "Applause Group", Reference here:
https://www.perkins.org/resource/changes-with-voice-dream-apps/
After a quick Google search, it seems like they aren't particularly well-versed within the a11y space, but I could be wrong.

I read with interest how Winston sold voicedream to Applause group. Exactly as I thought. An investment company with no expertise, no interest and no goals beyond usual corporate bull that basically means they get loads of cash while their users get shafted. I’m going to approach them for a sensible conversation about this but if that fails I suggest everyone should be ready to wreck this investment on the 1st of May. If they are going to play nasty then it’s only fair. 1 star on all app stores. Twitter needs to know about the lies this company tells and we’ll explore legal routes which might be costly but ultimately someone has to stand up for users against this practice. It’s wrong which is fine. Thats the world we live in but some people I know can’t stand up for themselves and can’t afford the price this company pulled out their asses and most importantly of all, have already bought this software and been promised they wouldn’t lose access to what they’d already bought. Not including the voices is fine thats only for $80 subs but removing the ability to add files is a declaration of war. Thats removing functionality already paid for. If they want war then lets show them what it feels like to watch their shiny new asset devalued to the point they wish they played fair.

$80 annually is O365. Not just O365 but O365 family. Entire businesses are run on that license and Applause think thats the kind of value they’re sitting on. I disagree. I think they bought that nice little PDF reader that we all used back in the day and hardly remember now.

As said above, If they’d left old users alone and rolled chat GPT into the subscription then this would have gone very differently.

I use Voice dream for reading daisy audio, and other audio formats. I'm not sure if there is an app that will do the same thing. Also, Voice dream is linked to dropbox, and icloud. I've always valued its ability to sync to icloud. I don't think that there is an app that does all this.
If there has to be a subscription, it could be teared for those who don't use the mac. Another user suggested ad support, which I think would work. Oh and saying something about looking for the blue bars when looking for the version number just shows how much this company knows about not giving relevant directions to a totally blind voice over user.

Told them why and provided information that Book Player and Speech Central cover the functionality of this app without a subscription. Also alerted AppStore users to the dishonesty and that this company can’t be trusted. So who else is going to spend the time to put a stop to this practice and send a message that this is unacceptable. I’m willing to adjust my review if they row back this appalling abuse of their customers that have bought and paid for this app.

I just checked, and in Australia, this thing will cost you $129.99. My VPN costs less than this, and just for e-books? I think I'll pass.

It’s not even a single cost. Have you left your 1 star review yet? A little effort is all everyone needs to make to show that we won’t accept this.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/voice-dream-read-aloud/id496177674

That will take you straight to the VoiceDream Reader AppStore listing where you can show this company what you think of their actions.

Hi all,
the EasyReader app from Dolphin supports daisy books, and you can connect it to all sorts of different local libraries for the blind in different countries, plus it reads Bookshare books too. Most importantly, EasyReader is free. I never saw the point of Voice Dream reader, not when I can get books from Kindle, Apple Books, Audible and Google Play. I can read and listen to them on those apps. I mainly get books from Kindle and Audible anyway. I certainly won't be using Voice Dream Reader now. $80 a year just for an app which does things other free apps can do anyway? No thanks. You can't listen to or read DRM protected stuff anyway. Speech Central is another app worth knowing about, it seems you only pay once for the premium thing from what I've been reading. If a user wanted an app similar to VoiceDream Reader, I would point them in Speech Central's direction.

I believe that Speech Central is free for VoiceOver users. It certainly used to be and now I start up the app it still seems happy enough with me. If you want AI voices, you have to set them up in Azure and then pay for them yourself there, which is fair enough. But I don't think it will charge you anything if you are using VoiceOver.

I use Easy Reader to listen to RNIB books and it works well enough. I don't find the interface that intuitive in that I regularly forget where I'm supposed to go. I also went on a cruise and we had a day at sea. I thought brilliant, I can just listen to my audio book all day. But the app insisted it needed an internet connection to work (I think it asked me to login) so I was locked out of all the books I had downloaded. I guess it's a periodic thing, maybe to do with DRM but it was still annoying. But given the app is free and I do use it fairly regularly it is a bit mean of me to complain about it.

Hi mr Grieves,
According to the app description for Speech Central, there is a pro option, but maybe it's the Azure voices thing. Yes, that's a bit annoying about having to log in with EasyReader. I think I've had to log in once or twice if I don't use the app for a while.

It might be that the Speech Central thing for VoiceOver users isn't widely publicised to avoid people taking advantage of it. I remember the author was on Double Tap a year or two ago talking about it. I can't find anything in the app asking me for money except a Donate option. For the Azure voices, it's up to you to put in your server key so I don't think that is part of it. Speech Central does seem to be the closest app to VDR I've found, although I don't think it does audio books. I should really have stuck with it instead of buying VDR but being new to the whole audio thing I think I was just struggling a little.

Re: Easy Reader I had been listening to books all cruise without problem although maybe it was because I was near enough land for it to do its thing. But I think it was even the same book I was trying to listen to and it just wouldn't work at sea. I suspect it needs to refresh your credentials from time to time and I just got unlucky.