Which free extension lets me read with the OpenDyslexic font?
The OpenDyslexic for Chrome extension is free and replaces page fonts. Helperbird (free version) also offers dyslexia-friendly fonts, and Nexily EasyRead (free version) the OpenDyslexic font, with other settings.
Several extensions change how pages are displayed to make reading more comfortable: a dyslexia-friendly font, the start of each word in bold, a reading ruler, background colours. They do not offer the same features or the same prices, and they do not process text in the same place.
On the same day, on their official pages, we checked the same information for each one. This page does not claim that any tool treats or corrects dyslexia: it compares display and reading-comfort features.
Nexily EasyReadComfortable reading: start of words in bold, OpenDyslexic, ruler.
Discover EasyReadFree: start of words in bold and reading ruler, no time limit
The extensions, criterion by criterion
| Extension | Browsers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Nexily EasyRead | Chrome, Firefox | €12, lifetime licence, one payment |
| Helperbird | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari | Pro: €35 a year (3-day trial). School: €1,250 a year |
| BeeLine Reader | Chrome, Firefox | Pro: $2/month for 1 browser (website FAQ); class, school and district licences from $99 to $1,999 a year |
| Bionic Reading | Chrome (the publisher’s extension) | Premium: $1.95/month billed annually or $2.25 month-to-month, excluding VAT |
| OpenDyslexic for Chrome | Chrome; Edge under the publisher name “Helperbird” | Free |
Nexily EasyRead
- What the free version does: Start of words in bold (low and medium strength), OpenDyslexic font, reading ruler, backgrounds, line and word spacing
- What the paid version adds: Bold at high strength, Lexend and Atkinson Hyperlegible fonts, reading mask and Focus mode, colour filters and text width, per-site settings
- Price: €12, lifetime licence, one payment
- Browsers: Chrome, Firefox
- Where text is processed (according to the publisher): Settings stay in your browser. Only the Pro licence check and reading the launch-licence counter contact our server; your email address is sent only if you sign up for the newsletter
- Chrome listing language: 5 languages, including English
- Extension launched in 2026.
Helperbird
- What the free version does: Dyslexia-friendly fonts, text to speech, ruler, reading guide, colour overlays, PDF reader
- What the paid version adds: Natural voices, voice typing, word prediction, AI features (summarise, simplify)
- Price: Pro: €35 a year (3-day trial). School: €1,250 a year
- Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari
- Where text is processed (according to the publisher): Nothing collected on the free plan, except Immersive Reader, which sends text to Microsoft Azure. On Pro, the chosen text is sent to OpenAI (AI) or Microsoft (voices)
- Chrome listing language: 61 languages (list not shown)
BeeLine Reader
- What the free version does: Colour gradient from one line to the next, on a list of favourite sites
- What the paid version adds: All sites; separate PDF extension
- Price: Pro: $2/month for 1 browser (website FAQ); class, school and district licences from $99 to $1,999 a year
- Browsers: Chrome, Firefox
- Where text is processed (according to the publisher): The website uses Google Analytics; the Chrome listing declares identification and payment information
- Chrome listing language: English
Bionic Reading
- What the free version does: Unlimited website conversion to Bionic Reading format; text up to 2,000 characters
- What the paid version adds: File conversion (EPUB, DOCX…), PDF download, sync
- Price: Premium: $1.95/month billed annually or $2.25 month-to-month, excluding VAT
- Browsers: Chrome (the publisher’s extension)
- Where text is processed (according to the publisher): The chosen text or file is uploaded for conversion and kept 24 hours on the free plan; the Chrome listing declares “User activity” and “Website content”
- Chrome listing language: English
OpenDyslexic for Chrome
- What the free version does: Replaces page fonts with OpenDyslexic, with a low-contrast aid
- What the paid version adds: No paid plan
- Price: Free
- Browsers: Chrome; Edge under the publisher name “Helperbird”
- Where text is processed (according to the publisher): The Chrome listing declares no data collection
- Chrome listing language: 49 languages (list not shown)
The “OpenDyslexic for Chrome” listing says it is maintained by the founder of Helperbird; its Edge version is published by Helperbird. The OpenDyslexic font itself is free, and Nexily EasyRead offers it too.
When to choose another tool
- You want text read aloud: Helperbird includes text to speech in its free version. EasyRead does not read text aloud.
- You mostly read PDFs: Helperbird has a PDF reader, BeeLine a separate PDF extension. EasyRead works on web pages.
- You are equipping a class or a school: Helperbird and BeeLine have school licences, with managed deployment for Helperbird. EasyRead does not offer one.
- You want to convert books or documents: Bionic Reading converts EPUB, Word or text files, and has mobile apps.
- You only want the OpenDyslexic font, for free: the OpenDyslexic for Chrome extension is enough.
- You want the start of words in bold, a ruler and adapted fonts in one extension, with no subscription and your settings kept in the browser: that is what EasyRead was built for.
Our method
Checked on 25 October 2026, between 18:40 and 18:56 (Paris time), on the publishers’ public pages and the official store listings, without signing in and without installing anything. Each fact is kept with a dated screenshot. Prices are the ones shown that day, in their original currency. Helperbird’s store listings show other prices than its pricing page: we quote the pricing page. Publishers’ health claims are not repeated. Facts are rechecked every three months.
Pages consulted: chromewebstore.google.com, addons.mozilla.org and microsoftedge.microsoft.com (listings Helperbird, BeeLine Reader, Bionic Reading, OpenDyslexic, Nexily EasyRead) · helperbird.com/pricing · helperbird.com/privacy · beelinereader.com/education · beelinereader.com/education/register · beelinereader.com/privacy · bionic-reading.com/br-pricing · bionic-reading.com/privacy-policy · opendyslexic.org.
