Both sites rewrite real news for English learners. Here is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison — including what News in Levels does well — so you can pick the right one for your level and goals.
Read in Levels is our product, so we have an obvious interest here. To keep this comparison fair, every claim about News in Levels comes from their public website and app listings, and we call out the areas where they are genuinely strong.
Choose News in Levels if you want two short stories every day, human-recorded audio in American and British accents, and a simple three-level system for your first 3,000 words.
Choose Read in Levels if you want the full CEFR range — including B2 and C1 for upper-intermediate and advanced readers — tap-any-word translations in 12 languages, comprehension exercises, and audio that highlights each word as it is spoken.
Competitor details are taken from the News in Levels website and app listings, accurate as of July 2026.
| Feature | Read in Levels | News in Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty levels | 5 CEFR levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 | 3 levels (Level 1, 2, 3) |
| Level standard | CEFR — the scale used by teachers and exam boards | Vocabulary size: Level 1 ≈ first 1,000 words, Level 2 ≈ 2,000, Level 3 ≈ 3,000 |
| Upper-intermediate & advanced (B2–C1) | Yes — every story is also written at B2 and C1 | No — Level 3 tops out around B1 |
| New stories | About one per day, published in all 5 levels | Two per day, published in all 3 levels |
| Audio | Every article and level, natural TTS voices | Every article, recordings in American and British accents |
| Word-by-word audio sync | Yes (Pro) — each word highlights as it is spoken, karaoke-style | No — audio plays alongside the text |
| Tap-a-word translation | Yes — instant vocabulary in 12 languages, free | No built-in translations |
| Comprehension exercises | Yes (Pro) — auto-graded exercises per article and level | Discussion questions under articles, answered in comments |
| Offline audio | MP3 + subtitle downloads (Pro) | Via paid mobile apps |
| Price | A1–B1 reading with audio and translations free; Pro from $4.99/mo unlocks B2/C1, word-sync, and exercises | Website free (ad-supported); Level 1/2/3 mobile apps sold separately |
News in Levels grades by vocabulary size; Read in Levels uses the CEFR scale that teachers and exam boards use. The mapping is simple — and because every story here is published at all 5 levels, you can step up whenever you are ready.
≈ News in Levels Level 1
Short sentences built from the most common English words.
Browse A1 stories≈ News in Levels Level 2
Everyday vocabulary with slightly longer sentences.
Browse A2 stories≈ News in Levels Level 3
If you read Level 3 comfortably, start here.
Browse B1 storiesNo News in Levels equivalent
The step beyond Level 3 — richer vocabulary, complex sentences.
Browse B2 storiesNo News in Levels equivalent
Near-original journalism with idiomatic, nuanced phrasing.
Browse C1 storiesA fair comparison cuts both ways. If these matter most to you, News in Levels is a fine choice:
New to graded reading? Start with our guide to graded news for language learners — what it is, how CEFR levels work, and how to pick your starting level.
The fastest way to compare is to read one story. Every story below is available in all 5 CEFR levels — no signup needed for A1–B1.
Apple has taken OpenAI to court. OpenAI made ChatGPT. Apple says OpenAI stole its secrets. These are Apple's private plans. Apple also blames two men. They used to work for Apple. Now they work for OpenAI.
Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash
Photo by Mauro Romero on Unsplash
Photo by Niketh Vellanki on Unsplash
Photo by Tobias Flyckt on Unsplash
About switching from News in Levels, level equivalents, and what is free on Read in Levels.
Yes, for the levels most learners need. A1, A2, and B1 articles — with audio narration and tap-a-word translations in 12 languages — are completely free, no signup required. The optional Pro plan (from $4.99/month) unlocks B2 and C1, word-by-word audio sync, comprehension exercises, and offline MP3 downloads.
News in Levels defines Level 3 as roughly the first 3,000 English words, which corresponds to about B1 on the CEFR scale. Level 1 (first 1,000 words) is roughly A1, and Level 2 (first 2,000 words) is roughly A2. If you read Level 3 comfortably, start at B1 on Read in Levels — and try B2 when you are ready for the next step.
No. News in Levels publishes at three levels, and Level 3 tops out around B1 (about 3,000 words). If you are upper-intermediate or advanced, Read in Levels publishes every story at B2 and C1 as well, so you can keep reading graded news past the intermediate plateau.
News in Levels sells separate mobile apps for Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, while their website is free with ads. Read in Levels has no separate app to buy — the full experience works in any browser on your phone, tablet, or computer, and A1–B1 is free.
Yes — every article at every level has audio, free. News in Levels uses human recordings in American and British accents; Read in Levels uses natural-sounding TTS voices. The difference is sync: with Read in Levels Pro, each word highlights as it is spoken, so you can read along karaoke-style and tap any word to replay it. News in Levels audio plays alongside the text without highlighting.
Just map your level: Level 1 → A1, Level 2 → A2, Level 3 → B1. Pick your level, open today's story, and read with the audio. There is no account or import needed — and you can switch any article between all 5 levels without losing your place.
Both work well for beginners. News in Levels gives you two short Level 1 stories a day with human audio. Read in Levels A1 adds tap-a-word translations in 12 languages, which means you can read without a dictionary from day one. Try a story on each and keep the one you enjoy — enjoying your daily reading is what actually builds the habit.
Coming from News in Levels? Level 3 readers feel right at home at B1 — free, no signup.
Start reading at B1Last updated: 2026-07-13 · Competitor details as of July 2026
