One pace does not fit every text. The RSVP Reader App Store page says the app offers three reading modes. Reading research points the same way. People can skim faster than they can read for full understanding, and hard text usually forces a slower pace.
Single-word mode
This is the pure RSVP mode. Words arrive one at a time at your chosen pace. If you want the fast, fixed-gaze version of the app, this is it. Pair it with RSVP Reader speed reading app and how RSVP speed reading works.
Cruise
Cruise keeps the page visible and moves the text with word-by-word highlighting. It is a good middle ground when the single-word mode feels too sharp but static reading feels too slow.
Bionic Reading
Bionic Reading bolds the front part of each word. Some readers like that extra visual cue when they want more structure on the screen. That makes this mode a natural companion to reduce subvocalization and reading app for ADHD and focus.
Why mode choice matters for focus
Here is why the menu matters. Rayner’s review found a real tradeoff between speed and comprehension. The app does better when it gives you room to switch modes instead of pushing every text through the same reading style. That is also why read PDFs faster on iPhone and speed reading for students sit close to this page.
Sources
- Title: RSVP Reader: Speed Reading App | Publisher: Apple App Store | Publication Date: April 1, 2026 | URL: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rsvp-reader-speed-reading/id6757968737
- Title: So Much to Read, So Little Time: How Do We Read, and Can Speed Reading Help? | Publisher: Association for Psychological Science / SAGE, Psychological Science in the Public Interest | Publication Date: January 14, 2016 | URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1529100615623267