Rebuild Index / Reader Mode Pro
Build your own Reader Mode Pro
DEAL ENDEDProductivity
Reader Mode Pro Strips a page to the article and reads it aloud. It sold on StackSocial as a lifetime deal at $9.99. The deal is sold out and cannot be bought at any price. Below: what it cost, what it did, and the prompt to build the same thing yourself.
Deal status verified 2 August 2026 against the live listing.The deal record
| Product | Reader Mode Pro |
|---|---|
| What it is | Strips a page to the article and reads it aloud. |
| Category | Productivity |
| Sold on | StackSocial see the original listing |
| Deal price | $9.99 one time |
| Product site | readermode.io |
| Current status | DEAL ENDED |
| Estimated build | StackSocial |
| Last verified | 2 August 2026 |
What it takes to build your own
The question this page answers is what it costs to own the same core functionality yourself, with the source code in your hands afterwards.
The starter prompt
Build a Chrome extension that reformats any article into distraction-free reading: extract the main text, let me set font, width and theme, and add a text-to-speech play button that highlights each sentence as it reads.How to build it yourself
- Describe the extension. Paste the starter prompt on this page into PlugThis. It generates a working Manifest V3 Chrome extension from that description.
- Connect your own keys. If the extension needs a model or a database, connect your own OpenAI, Gemini or Supabase credentials so usage is metered to you rather than to a vendor's monthly cap.
- Iterate in plain English. Ask for changes the way you would describe them to a person. Builds that error do not count against your allowance.
- Install and own it. Download the folder, load it unpacked in Chrome, or publish it to the Chrome Web Store under your own developer account. The source is yours.
Licensing it versus building it
| Reader Mode Pro lifetime deal | Your own build | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $9.99 one time | Build time, plus your own model usage |
| Availability | Sold out | Available now |
| Source code | Not included | Yours, downloadable |
| If the vendor stops | Licence ends with the product | Keeps working, you hold the code |
| Custom changes | Feature request, then wait | Describe the change, rebuild |
| Polish on day one | Mature product | Rougher until you iterate |
Frequently asked questions
Is Reader Mode Pro still available?
No. The Reader Mode Pro lifetime deal on StackSocial is sold out and cannot be bought at any price, verified 2 August 2026. The product itself may still operate on its own pricing.
How much did Reader Mode Pro cost?
Reader Mode Pro was listed at $9.99 as a one-time lifetime purchase on StackSocial.
What does Reader Mode Pro do?
Strips a page to the article and reads it aloud.
What is a good Reader Mode Pro alternative?
You can build an equivalent Chrome extension and own the source code instead of licensing it. PlugThis generates a working Manifest V3 extension from a plain English description. The starter prompt on this page is the exact text to begin with. Our estimate for this one is StackSocial.
Has PlugThis rebuilt Reader Mode Pro?
Not yet. This page is a record of the deal and a specification for building an equivalent. When we rebuild it on camera, the recording and our measured build time will be added here.
What happens to a lifetime deal after it sells out?
Existing buyers keep their licence, but nobody new can buy at any price, and buyers hold no source code and no leverage over the roadmap. If the vendor changes direction the licence ends with it. Building an equivalent avoids that dependency because the code sits in your own repository.
Sources and verification
Where these numbers come from
- Deal price, tiers and availability: StackSocial listing for Reader Mode Pro, read 2 August 2026
- Product description: readermode.io
- Category and build estimate: The PlugThis Rebuild Index, our tracked dataset of Chrome extension lifetime deals
- Build specification: first-hand, from building Chrome extensions of this shape with PlugThis. We have not rebuilt Reader Mode Pro itself.
Written by Udaya Prakash, founder of PlugThis. Updated 2 August 2026. We are not affiliated with Reader Mode Pro and this page is not sponsored.
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Other Chrome extension lifetime deals in the index.