App Comparison
RecitID vs Ayat
Ayat is the free Quran reader from King Saud University with deep tafsir and multiple Mushaf layouts. RecitID is the AI platform for reciter identification, Smart Scanner, and Live Khutbah Translation. Here is how they compare in 2026.
Quick Verdict
Ayat is an academic reference. Published by King Saud University as the Electronic Moshaf Project, it is fully free, has no ads, and ships with Mushaf Al-Madina, Mushaf Al-Tajweed, and Mushaf Warsh alongside eight Arabic tafsirs and three in other languages. If you want a free, university-published reader with classical commentary, Ayat fits. RecitID solves a different set of problems. It identifies 300+ reciters by voice, translates Friday khutbahs live in 52 languages, scans Quran pages and posters with the camera, and generates AI verse explanations on demand. The apps do not overlap much, so having both installed makes sense.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
How RecitID and Ayat stack up across the features that matter most.
| Feature | RecitID | Ayat (KSU) |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | AI identification, scanning, live translation | Academic reading and audio library |
| Price | Free tier, Pro $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr (7-day free trial) | Completely free |
| Reciters for playback | 130+ | Multiple (Hafs and 2 Warsh) |
| Full-surah player | Yes, follows the ayah | Recitations with verse repeat |
| Reciter ID by voice | 300+ identified | × |
| Qira'at readings | Hafs an Asim | Hafs and Warsh (Mushaf Warsh) |
| Reading translations | 41 | 20+ text, 2 voice (EN, UR) |
| Tafsir library | Tafsir al-Jalalayn, AI Explain Ayah, AI Chat | 8 Arabic, 3 in other languages, plus I'rab |
| Islamic Q&A with sources | Ask RecitID | × |
| Smart Scanner (Quran OCR) | Yes (Quran, hadith, dua; verified sources) | × |
| Live Khutbah Translation | 52 languages | × |
| AI verse explanations / AI chat | Yes | × |
| Mushaf layouts | Tajweed (KFGQPC), verse-by-verse, compact | Madina, Tajweed, Warsh |
| Auto-Detect & Live Activity | Yes (Live Activity on iOS) | × |
| Daily Reminder | Verse, dua, adhkar | — |
| Prayer times | Coming soon | — |
| Qibla finder | Coming soon | — |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Windows, web |
| Free tier | Yes | Fully free |
RecitID figures verified against the shipping apps in October 2026; Ayat data as of October 2026, sourced from the King Saud University Electronic Moshaf Project and official app store listings.
Where Each App Shines
Different strengths for different needs.
RecitID
AI identification and live understanding
- Identify a recitation from up to 15 seconds of audio (130+ reciters for playback, 300+ identified by voice)
- Live Khutbah Translation in 52 languages during Friday prayer
- Smart Scanner for Quran OCR from a photo or camera, plus hadith and dua with verified sources
- AI Explain Ayah and AI Chat (Ask RecitID, with sources) for contextual insight on any verse
- Auto-Detect in the background with a notification on a match, and Live Activity on iOS for hands-free use
Free tier available · Monthly Pro $9.99/mo or Annual Pro $59.99/yr (7-day free trial on both) · No ads, ever · iOS and Android
Ayat (KSU)
Free academic Quran reference
- Three Mushaf layouts: Mushaf Al-Madina, Mushaf Al-Tajweed, and Mushaf Warsh
- Eight classical Arabic tafsirs, including Al-Sa'di, Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, Al-Qurtubi, Al-Tabari and Al-Waseet
- Voice translations in English and Urdu synced verse by verse
- 20+ text translations of Quran meanings
- Fully free, no ads, backed by King Saud University
Completely free · iOS, Android, Windows desktop, web · King Saud University Electronic Moshaf Project
The Key Differences, Explained
What separates these two apps in day-to-day use.
Reciter Identification: RecitID Only
Ayat is a library. You pick a reciter from a list, then press play. If you hear a recitation at the mosque or in a video and want to know who it is, Ayat has no way to answer that. RecitID does exactly this. Tap the mic, let it listen for a few seconds (up to 15), and the app returns the surah, the exact verse, and the reciter, with 300+ reciters identified by voice. Playback covers 130+ reciters for in-app listening.
Read more about how that works on the reciter identification page or try it on the Identify tab.
Tafsir and Translations: Ayat's Home Turf
For traditional commentary, Ayat is very strong. Eight Arabic tafsirs (among them Al-Sa'di, Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, Al-Qurtubi, Al-Tabari and Al-Waseet) plus Maududi's Tafheem al-Quran in English, and I'rab al-Quran by Qasim Da'aas for grammatical study. Text translations cover 20+ languages. Voice translations are available in English and Urdu and sync with the recitation.
RecitID takes a different route. Instead of bundled classical tafsir volumes, it uses AI Explain Ayah, a plain-language explanation grounded in Tafsir al-Jalalayn with the source named, and AI Chat, which can bring up related hadith with their source collection. It is faster for a first look. It is not a substitute for reading Ibn Kathir directly.
Qira'at and Mushaf Layouts
Ayat ships with Mushaf Al-Madina, Mushaf Al-Tajweed (colour coded), and Mushaf Warsh, plus two Warsh an Nafi reciters in addition to its Hafs library. If you read in the Warsh tradition, Ayat gives you a free Warsh Mushaf and Warsh audio.
RecitID centres on Hafs an Asim with a Tajweed colour coded KFGQPC Mushaf across all 604 pages. For a deeper look at the different readings, see the ten qira'at explained.
Smart Scanner and Live Khutbah Translation: RecitID Only
Ayat does not offer camera scanning or real-time speech translation. RecitID covers both. The Smart Scanner reads Quran pages, posters, and calligraphy with the camera and returns the matched verse with translation. It also recognises hadith and dua from a photo with verified sources, and says “Source not verified” when it cannot confirm one. Live Khutbah Translation transcribes Arabic speech and translates it into 52 languages on the fly during Friday prayer, lectures, and classes.
This is why the two apps sit in different categories. Ayat is for the shelf. RecitID is for the moment.
Pricing and Access
Ayat is fully free, published by a public university, with no ads, no subscription, and no upsells. That is rare, and it matters.
RecitID has a free tier, and two paid tiers: Monthly Pro at $9.99/mo and Annual Pro at $59.99/yr, both with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. See the full breakdown on the pricing page. No ads on any plan. You are paying for the AI models that run identification, OCR, and real-time translation, not for the Quran text.
Platform Reach
Ayat is broader: iOS, Android, Windows desktop, and a web interface at quran.ksu.edu.sa. RecitID runs on iOS and Android. If you need a desktop or browser-based reading experience, Ayat is the easier fit. If you want the AI features in your pocket, RecitID is where they live.
Which One Should You Pick?
Guidance based on what you need.
Pick Ayat if...
- You want a fully free Quran reader with no ads
- You read or study in the Warsh tradition
- You rely on classical tafsir volumes by name
- You prefer desktop or web reading over mobile only
- You want a reader published by a public university
Pick RecitID if...
- You want to identify reciters by voice (300+ supported)
- You attend khutbahs in Arabic and want live translation in your language
- You want to scan Quran pages, posters, and calligraphy with your camera
- You want AI verse explanations and AI chat for quick study
- You want Auto-Detect in the background, with Live Activity on iOS
- You want a Daily Reminder (prayer times and Qibla finder are coming soon)
Using both is a sensible split. Ayat for quiet reading and tafsir. RecitID for discovery, identification, scanning, and live moments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about RecitID and Ayat.
Is the Ayat Quran app free?
Yes. Ayat is published by King Saud University as part of its Electronic Moshaf Project and is free on iOS and Android, with a Windows desktop version and a web interface at quran.ksu.edu.sa. There is no premium tier, no subscription, and no ads.
Does Ayat identify reciters by voice?
No. Ayat is a reader and audio library. It lets you play recitations from a fixed list of reciters, but it cannot listen to external audio and tell you who is reciting. RecitID is the app built for that job. It identifies 300+ reciters by voice and returns the surah, verse, and reciter after listening for up to 15 seconds.
Does RecitID support multiple qira'at for playback?
RecitID ships with Hafs an Asim as the primary reading for its 130+ playback reciters. If you specifically want Warsh audio, Ayat offers it: it includes Mushaf Warsh along with two Warsh an Nafi reciters. For reading in a Warsh layout, Ayat remains a good companion tool.
Which app has more translations?
They are close, and the comparison depends on what you count. Ayat advertises text translations of Quran meanings in 20+ languages plus voice translations in English and Urdu. RecitID provides 41 reading translations inside its Mushaf and Live Khutbah Translation into 52 languages in real time. For static reading, both libraries are deep. For live translation of a khutbah or lecture, only RecitID handles that.
Which app has more tafsir?
Ayat has the broader classical tafsir library. It includes eight Arabic tafsirs (among them Al-Sa'di, Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, Al-Qurtubi, Al-Tabari and Al-Waseet), three in other languages (including Tafheem al-Quran by Maududi in English), and I'rab al-Quran by Qasim Da'aas. RecitID takes a different angle: it shows Tafsir al-Jalalayn, AI Explain Ayah summarizes it in plain language with the verse's themes, and AI Chat (Ask RecitID, which shows its sources) can bring up related hadith on demand. For traditional study, Ayat has more to offer. For quick contextual insight, RecitID is faster.
Can I use both apps together?
Yes, and it is a sensible setup for serious students. Keep Ayat for deep reading sessions with classical tafsir, the Madina and Warsh Mushafs, and sync between audio and text. Use RecitID when you hear a reciter and want to know who it is, when you want to scan a Quran page or poster with your camera, when you want the khutbah translated live, or when you want an AI summary of an ayah you are studying.
Why pay for RecitID when Ayat is free?
Ayat and RecitID do not overlap much. Ayat is a free reading and listening reference from a university. RecitID runs AI models for audio identification, OCR scanning, and real-time speech translation, which are paid to operate. Monthly Pro is $9.99/mo with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, and Annual Pro is $59.99/yr. You pay for features Ayat does not offer at all, not for the Quran text itself.
Last updated: October 31, 2026. We review and update this comparison regularly. If you spot anything outdated, let us know.
Explore RecitID Features
Ready to Try RecitID?
Download RecitID free on iOS or Android and try reciter identification, Smart Scanner, AI Explain Ayah, and Live Khutbah Translation alongside your usual reading app.