Helperbird vs Snap & Read
Snap & Read is gone. Everway retired it on 31 December 2025 and folded it into Read & Write. If you are looking for something else, here is how ours compares.
Retired 31 December 2025
The short answer
Both tools help you read and write. They are built for different people.
The official route
Move to Read & Write if
- Your district license already moved across to it.
- You want the closest thing to what you had.
- You need text levelling, the feature people miss most.
- Your school already runs on Everway products.
Our corner
Pick Helperbird if
- You are replacing it yourself, not waiting on the district.
- You read on Safari, Firefox, an iPad or an iPhone.
- You want one price instead of waiting on a quote.
- You only ever used the reading tools, not the district features.
Side by side
No asterisks, no small print
| Helperbird | Snap & Read | |
|---|---|---|
| Status today | Live, and updated every few weeks. | Retired on 31 December 2025. |
| What it is | A reading and writing kit that rides along in your browser. | Was a reading and study extension, latterly from Everway. |
| Where it went | Nowhere. Still here. | Folded into Read & Write. |
| Making hard text easier | Simplify rewrites it. Summarize cuts it down. | Text levelling, now part of Read & Write. |
| Where it works | Any site you open, plus PDFs and Google Docs. | Was Chrome and Chromebook first. |
| Phone and tablet | iPhone and iPad. | Was desktop and Chromebook first. |
| Free version | A free plan you keep, with no trial clock. | Was a trial, then a district license. |
| What it costs now | $30 a year for Pro, or nothing for the free plan. | Sold as Read & Write, quoted per user. |
Status today
- Helperbird
- Live, and updated every few weeks.
- Snap & Read
- Retired on 31 December 2025.
What it is
- Helperbird
- A reading and writing kit that rides along in your browser.
- Snap & Read
- Was a reading and study extension, latterly from Everway.
Where it went
- Helperbird
- Nowhere. Still here.
- Snap & Read
- Folded into Read & Write.
Making hard text easier
- Helperbird
- Simplify rewrites it. Summarize cuts it down.
- Snap & Read
- Text levelling, now part of Read & Write.
Where it works
- Helperbird
- Any site you open, plus PDFs and Google Docs.
- Snap & Read
- Was Chrome and Chromebook first.
Phone and tablet
- Helperbird
- iPhone and iPad.
- Snap & Read
- Was desktop and Chromebook first.
Free version
- Helperbird
- A free plan you keep, with no trial clock.
- Snap & Read
- Was a trial, then a district license.
What it costs now
- Helperbird
- $30 a year for Pro, or nothing for the free plan.
- Snap & Read
- Sold as Read & Write, quoted per user.
We read Snap & Read's own site in August 2026 to write this. Products change, and we would rather be corrected than wrong - tell us if something here is out of date.
What comes in the box
Snap & Read made hard text easier. These are the tools that do that job here.
Simplify
Hard paragraphs put back in plainer words, with the meaning kept. Works on any page.
Pro
Summarize
A 3,000 word article down to the points that matter, before you decide to read it.
Pro
Screenshot Reader
Drag a box round a scanned page. Text and equations come back in reading order.
Pro
Text to speech
Any page, read out loud in a natural voice. Change the speed and the voice to suit you.
Free
Translate
A whole page or one stubborn paragraph, in the language you think in.
Free
Dyslexia ruler
A band that follows the line you are on, so your eye does not jump back a row.
FreeReviews from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons and G2
Join over 1,000,000 people who use Helperbird every day.
Works a treat. This is brill!
you can finetune your experience ...
Where to start! Firstly, I'd like to thank Robert (the developer) for his generosity - the app is extremely cheap as apps go. It is very apparent that this app is a labour of love - Robert is constantly working on it and improving things, adding new features, etc. As someone with ADHD and ASD, I have always had to piece-meal together the features I need to help me study effectively - half a dozen different apps / extensions, and even then they don't quite meet my expectations. Helperbird, however, offers SO MUCH more, and all in one place - you can finetune your experience to your heart's desire. The features I particularly love are summarise, simplify, sticky notes, highlighting, and the amazing immersive reader with TTS. I can't sing Helperbird's praises enough. Thank you, Robert, for such a thoughtful - and genuinely helpful - app. You are empowering the neurodivergent everywhere.
Love the new ruler. Thank you so much and cant wait for the Google docs add on.
Questions & Answers
The questions we get asked most.
What is Helperbird?
Helperbird is a browser extension that makes reading and writing on the web easier. It adds text to speech, dyslexia-friendly fonts, color overlays, reading rulers, Immersive Reader, a PDF reader, voice typing and more to any website, PDF or Google Doc. It is built for dyslexia, ADHD, low vision, and anyone who finds the web hard to read.
Which browsers does Helperbird work on?
Helperbird works on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari as a browser extension. There is also an iPad and iPhone app, and on Android it runs inside Firefox and Edge. Because it is a Chrome extension, it works on Chromebooks and ChromeOS too.
How do I install Helperbird?
Open your browser's extension store, search for Helperbird, and choose Add to Browser. The Helperbird icon then appears in your toolbar, and clicking it opens the panel. Nothing else needs setting up, and the free features work straight away without an account.
Is Helperbird free?
Yes. Helperbird has a free version that stays free, covering fonts and spacing, color overlays, dark mode, high contrast, text to speech, Immersive Reader, Reading Mode, the dyslexia ruler, reading guide, magnifier, translate, dictionary and the PDF reader. Pro adds natural voices, writing tools and the AI features.
Do I need an account to use Helperbird?
No. The free features work as soon as you install it, with no sign-up. You only log in if you buy Pro or your school gives you a license, and then you sign in with your browser's email account or enter your subscription key in Settings.
Download Helperbird
Text to speech, dyslexia fonts, reading rulers, color overlays, and 43 more.
Free to add, and the everyday tools stay free. Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.