best text to speech software 2023

Best text-to-speech software of 2024

Boosting accessibility and productivity

• Best overall
• Best realism
• Best for developers
• Best for podcasting
• How we test

The best text-to-speech software makes it simple and easy to convert text to voice for accessibility or for productivity applications.

1. Best overall 2. Best realism 3. Best for developers 4. Best for podcasting 5. Best for developers 6. FAQs 7. How we test

Finding the best text-to-speech software is key for anyone looking to transform written text into spoken words, whether for accessibility purposes, productivity enhancement, or creative applications like voice-overs in videos. 

Text-to-speech (TTS) technology relies on sophisticated algorithms to model natural language to bring written words to life, making it easier to catch typos or nuances in written content when it's read aloud. So, unlike the best speech-to-text apps and best dictation software , which focus on converting spoken words into text, TTS software specializes in the reverse process: turning text documents into audio. This technology is not only efficient but also comes with a variety of tools and features. For those creating content for platforms like YouTube , the ability to download audio files is a particularly valuable feature of the best text-to-speech software.

While some standard office programs like Microsoft Word and Google Docs offer basic TTS tools, they often lack the comprehensive functionalities found in dedicated TTS software. These basic tools may provide decent accuracy and basic options like different accents and languages, but they fall short in delivering the full spectrum of capabilities available in specialized TTS software.

To help you find the best text-to-speech software for your specific needs, TechRadar Pro has rigorously tested various software options, evaluating them based on user experience, performance, output quality, and pricing. This includes examining the best free text-to-speech software as well, since many free options are perfect for most users. We've brought together our picks below to help you choose the most suitable tool for your specific needs, whether for personal use, professional projects, or accessibility requirements.

The best text-to-speech software of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the entries on our best text-to-speech software list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best text-to-speech software overall

1. NaturalReader

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

If you’re looking for a cloud-based speech synthesis application, you should definitely check out NaturalReader. Aimed more at personal use, the solution allows you to convert written text such as Word and PDF documents, ebooks and web pages into human-like speech.  

Because the software is underpinned by cloud technology, you’re able to access it from wherever you go via a smartphone, tablet or computer. And just like Capti Voice, you can upload documents from cloud storage lockers such as Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive.  

Currently, you can access 56 natural-sounding voices in nine different languages, including American English, British English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch. The software supports PDF, TXT, DOC(X), ODT, PNG, JPG, plus non-DRM EPUB files and much more, along with MP3 audio streams. 

There are three different products: online, software, and commercial. Both the online and software products have a free tier.

Read our full NaturalReader review .

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The best text-to-speech software for realistic voices

Specializing in voice synthesis technology, Murf uses AI to generate realistic voiceovers for a range of uses, from e-learning to corporate presentations. 

Murf comes with a comprehensive suite of AI tools that are easy to use and straightforward to locate and access. There's even a Voice Changer feature that allows you to record something before it is transformed into an AI-generated voice- perfect if you don't think you have the right tone or accent for a piece of audio content but would rather not enlist the help of a voice actor. Other features include Voice Editing, Time Syncing, and a Grammar Assistant.

The solution comes with three pricing plans to choose from: Basic, Pro and Enterprise. The latter of these options may be pricey but some with added collaboration and account management features that larger companies may need access to. The Basic plan starts at around $19 / £17 / AU$28 per month but if you set up a yearly plan that will drop to around $13 / £12 / AU$20 per month. You can also try the service out for free for up to 10 minutes, without downloads.

The best text-to-speech software for developers

3. Amazon Polly

Alexa isn’t the only artificial intelligence tool created by tech giant Amazon as it also offers an intelligent text-to-speech system called Amazon Polly. Employing advanced deep learning techniques, the software turns text into lifelike speech. Developers can use the software to create speech-enabled products and apps. 

It sports an API that lets you easily integrate speech synthesis capabilities into ebooks, articles and other media. What’s great is that Polly is so easy to use. To get text converted into speech, you just have to send it through the API, and it’ll send an audio stream straight back to your application. 

You can also store audio streams as MP3, Vorbis and PCM file formats, and there’s support for a range of international languages and dialects. These include British English, American English, Australian English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish and Russian. 

Polly is available as an API on its own, as well as a feature of the AWS Management Console and command-line interface. In terms of pricing, you’re charged based on the number of text characters you convert into speech. This is charged at approximately $16 per1 million characters , but there is a free tier for the first year.

The best text-to-speech software for podcasting

In terms of its library of voice options, it's hard to beat Play.ht as one of the best text-to-speech software tools. With almost 600 AI-generated voices available in over 60 languages, it's likely you'll be able to find a voice to suit your needs. 

Although the platform isn't the easiest to use, there is a detailed video tutorial to help users if they encounter any difficulties. All the usual features are available, including Voice Generation and Audio Analytics. 

In terms of pricing, Play.ht comes with four plans: Personal, Professional, Growth, and Business. These range widely in price, but it depends if you need things like commercial rights and affects the number of words you can generate each month. 

The best text-to-speech software for Mac and iOS

5. Voice Dream Reader

There are also plenty of great text-to-speech applications available for mobile devices, and Voice Dream Reader is an excellent example. It can convert documents, web articles and ebooks into natural-sounding speech. 

The app comes with 186 built-in voices across 30 languages, including English, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese and Korean. 

You can get the software to read a list of articles while you drive, work or exercise, and there are auto-scrolling, full-screen and distraction-free modes to help you focus. Voice Dream Reader can be used with cloud solutions like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, Pocket, Instapaper and Evernote. 

The best text-to-speech software: FAQs

What is the best text-to-speech software for youtube.

If you're looking for the best text-to-speech software for YouTube videos or other social media platforms, you need a tool that lets you extract the audio file once your text document has been processed. Thankfully, that's most of them. So, the real trick is to select a TTS app that features a bountiful choice of natural-sounding voices that match the personality of your channel. 

What’s the difference between web TTS services and TTS software?

Web TTS services are hosted on a company or developer website. You’ll only be able to access the service if the service remains available at the whim of a provider or isn’t facing an outage.

TTS software refers to downloadable desktop applications that typically won’t rely on connection to a server, meaning that so long as you preserve the installer, you should be able to use the software long after it stops being provided. 

Do I need a text-to-speech subscription?

Subscriptions are by far the most common pricing model for top text-to-speech software. By offering subscription models for, companies and developers benefit from a more sustainable revenue stream than they do from simply offering a one-time purchase model. Subscription models are also attractive to text-to-speech software providers as they tend to be more effective at defeating piracy.

Free software options are very rarely absolutely free. In some cases, individual voices may be priced and sold individually once the application has been installed or an account has been created on the web service.

How can I incorporate text-to-speech as part of my business tech stack?

Some of the text-to-speech software that we’ve chosen come with business plans, offering features such as additional usage allowances and the ability to have a shared workspace for documents. Other than that, services such as Amazon Polly are available as an API for more direct integration with business workflows.

Small businesses may find consumer-level subscription plans for text-to-speech software to be adequate, but it’s worth mentioning that only business plans usually come with the universal right to use any files or audio created for commercial use.

How to choose the best text-to-speech software

When deciding which text-to-speech software is best for you, it depends on a number of factors and preferences. For example, whether you’re happy to join the ecosystem of big companies like Amazon in exchange for quality assurance, if you prefer realistic voices, and how much budget you’re playing with. It’s worth noting that the paid services we recommend, while reliable, are often subscription services, with software hosted via websites, rather than one-time purchase desktop apps. 

Also, remember that the latest versions of Microsoft Word and Google Docs feature basic text-to-speech as standard, as well as most popular browsers. So, if you have access to that software and all you’re looking for is a quick fix, that may suit your needs well enough. 

How we test the best text-to-speech software

We test for various use cases, including suitability for use with accessibility issues, such as visual impairment, and for multi-tasking. Both of these require easy access and near instantaneous processing. Where possible, we look for integration across the entirety of an operating system , and for fair usage allowances across free and paid subscription models.

At a minimum, we expect an intuitive interface and intuitive software. We like bells and whistles such as realistic voices, but we also appreciate that there is a place for products that simply get the job done. Here, the question that we ask can be as simple as “does this piece of software do what it's expected to do when asked?”

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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John (He/Him) is the Components Editor here at TechRadar and he is also a programmer, gamer, activist, and Brooklyn College alum currently living in Brooklyn, NY. 

Named by the CTA as a CES 2020 Media Trailblazer for his science and technology reporting, John specializes in all areas of computer science, including industry news, hardware reviews, PC gaming, as well as general science writing and the social impact of the tech industry.

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The Best 10 Text to Speech Software of 2023-24

By Sneha Mukherjee

October 3rd, 2023

In a world where technology seems to evolve at the speed of light, there’s one fascinating innovation that has taken center stage – text to speech software. Imagine turning your written words into spoken ones with just a click of a button! Whether you’re a busy professional looking to have your documents read aloud, a visually impaired individual seeking accessibility, or simply someone who’s curious about the wonders of AI, text to speech software has something incredible in store for you.

If you’ve ever wondered which TTS software can make your text come alive, you’re in the right place. We’re about to dive into the exciting world of text to speech technology, breaking it down into simple, easy-to-understand terms that even your grandmother could appreciate. In this blog, we’ll be your tour guide through the universe of voice generation , exploring the top 10 text to speech software options that are making waves right now.

But that’s not all – we’ll also uncover how these fantastic tools work, who can benefit from them, and why they’re becoming an essential part of our digital lives. Whether you’re a tech-savvy enthusiast or a complete newbie, our goal is to make you feel right at home in the realm of text to speech, ensuring you leave here with the knowledge you need to choose the perfect TTS software for your needs.

So, sit back, relax, and let’s embark on this exciting journey together. Get ready to witness words transformed into voices, as we introduce you to the Top 10 text to speech Software that are shaping the future of communication and accessibility.

• 1.1 Imagine Your Text, Now Spoken Aloud
• 1.2 How Does It Work?
• 1.3 Why text to speech Matters?
• 1.4.1.1 Features of Wavel AI
• 1.4.1.2.1 1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Truly Free!)
• 1.4.1.2.2 2. Student Plan – $16/ month (Perfect for Learners)
• 1.4.1.2.3 3. Individual Plan – $32/month (Ideal for Solo Producers)
• 1.4.1.2.4 4. Business customized- Contact their experts for pricing 
• 1.4.1.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.4.1.4 Ratings
• 1.4.2.1 Features
• 1.4.2.2.1 1. Pay-as-You-Go Pricing (Ideal for Flexibility)
• 1.4.2.2.2 2. Free Tier (Yes, It’s Actually Free!)
• 1.4.3.1 Ratings
• 1.4.4.1 Features
• 1.4.4.2.1 1. Pay-as-You-Go Pricing (Perfect for Flexibility)
• 1.4.4.2.2 2. Free Tier (Yes, It’s Actually Free!)
• 1.4.4.2.3 3. Custom Pricing (Tailored to Your Needs)
• 1.4.4.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.4.4.4 Ratings
• 1.4.5.1 Features
• 1.4.5.2 Pricing
• 1.4.5.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.4.5.4 Ratings
• 1.4.6.1 Features
• 1.4.6.2 Pricing
• 1.4.6.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.4.6.4 Ratings
• 1.4.7.1 Features
• 1.4.7.2.1 1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Really Free!)
• 1.4.7.2.2 2. Personal Plan – $9.99/month (Ideal for Individuals)
• 1.4.7.2.3 3. Professional Plan – $69.50/year (Great for Professionals)
• 1.4.7.2.4 4. Ultimate Plan – $99.50/year (Unleash Your Creativity)
• 1.4.7.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.4.7.4 Ratings
• 1.4.8.1 Features
• 1.4.8.2.1 1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Truly Free!)
• 1.4.8.2.2 2. Personal Plan – $9.99/month (Ideal for Individuals)
• 1.4.8.2.3 3. Business Plan – $29.99/month (Perfect for Growing Ventures)
• 1.4.8.2.4 4. Enterprise Plan – Custom Pricing (Tailored Solutions)
• 1.4.8.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.4.8.4 Ratings
• 1.4.9.1 Features
• 1.4.9.2.1 1. Free Plan (Yes, Really Free!)
• 1.4.9.2.2 2. Pay-as-You-Go Plan (Flexible Usage, No Commitment)
• 1.5.0.0.1 4. Pro Plan – $30/month (Serious About Quality)
• 1.5.0.0.2 5. Business Plan – Custom Pricing (Tailored for Enterprises)
• 1.5.0.1 Pros & Cons
• 1.5.0.2 Ratings
• 1.5.1.1 Features
• 1.5.1.2 Pricing
• 1.5.1.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.5.1.4 Ratings
• 1.5.2.1 Features
• 1.5.2.2.1 1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Actually Free!)
• 1.5.2.2.2 2. Starter Plan – $9/month (Ideal for Beginners)
• 1.5.2.2.3 3. Pro Plan – $19/month (Perfect for Growing Businesses)
• 1.5.2.2.4 4. Enterprise Plan (Custom Pricing)
• 1.5.2.3 Pros & Cons
• 1.5.2.4 Ratings
• 1.6 The Great Voice-Off: How Do These TTS Tools Stack Up?
• 1.7 What is the Best text to speech Tool? Meet Wavel.ai!
• 1.8 Natural, Human-Like Voices in Over 30 Languages
• 1.9 Express Yourself with 100% Natural Emotion
• 1.10 Ease of Use with Professional Results
• 1.11 A Multilingual Powerhouse
• 1.12 The Perfect Match for Various Content Types
• 1.13.1 Q1: What Exactly Is text to speech (TTS) Software?
• 1.13.2 Q2: Why Would I Need TTS Software?
• 1.14 Q3: Can TTS Software Be Used for Educational Purposes?
• 1.15.1 Q5: Is It Possible to Customize the Voice in TTS Software?

What is Text to Speech Software?

Before we dive into the exciting world of the top text to speech (TTS) software, let’s take a moment to unravel the mystery behind this transformative technology. So, what exactly is text to speech software, and why is it making waves in the digital realm?

Imagine Your Text, Now Spoken Aloud

At its core, text to speech software does something downright magical – it transforms written words into spoken words. Think of it as a digital storyteller, taking the text you type and bringing it to life with the power of speech. It’s like having your very own narrator on demand, ready to read out your documents, articles, or anything else you throw at it.

How Does It Work?

Okay, we’ve established that TTS software makes text talk , but how does it actually do that? Well, the secret sauce lies in cutting-edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing. These clever algorithms analyze your text, understand the nuances of language, and then use synthesized voices to articulate it in a human-like manner. It’s a bit like having a virtual actor, complete with tone, pitch, and emotion, to perform your written words. The result? Your text suddenly sounds as if it’s being spoken by a real person.

Why text to speech Matters?

Now that you know what text to speech software is, you might wonder, “Why does this matter?” The truth is, text to speech has a multitude of real-world applications that can benefit everyone, not just tech enthusiasts. Here are a few compelling reasons why TTS is becoming a game-changer:

• Accessibility: TTS software opens up a world of possibilities for individuals with visual impairments. It ensures they can access written content through speech, making the digital world more inclusive.
• Productivity: Imagine multitasking like a pro. TTS can read out your emails, reports, or study materials while you cook, commute, or relax.
• Learning: TTS can aid in language learning by pronouncing words and phrases accurately. It’s like having a language tutor in your pocket. Its also helps to create e-learning videos.
• Content Creation: For content creators, TTS can be a boon. It helps in proofreading, generating voiceovers , and even adding narration to videos.
• Innovation: Businesses are using TTS to develop cutting-edge applications like voice assistants, audiobooks , and interactive chatbots.

Now that you have a grasp of what text to speech software is and why it matters, let’s explore the top 10 TTS software options that are turning these possibilities into realities. Get ready to be amazed by the power of words brought to life!

Top 10 Text To Speech Software: Turning Text into Talk

Imagine having the power to make your written words come to life with just a few clicks. Thanks to the wonders of technology, this is no longer a fantasy but a reality, and it’s all thanks to text to speech (TTS) software. In this section, we’ll introduce you to the top 10 TTS tools that are making waves in the world of digital speech.

Wavel AI : Where Creativity Meets Text to Speech Magic

Wavel is more than just a text to speech tool ; it’s a creative canvas where your text transforms into lifelike speech. What sets Wavel apart is its emphasis on giving you control over the expression and emotion in the voice, enabling you to craft audio content that truly resonates with your audience. Whether you’re a podcaster , content creator, or storyteller, Wavel unleashes your creative potential.

Features of Wavel AI

• Expressive Voices: Wavel offers a range of voices with various tones and emotions, allowing you to customize your content’s delivery.
• Emotion Control: With Wavel, you can adjust the voice’s pitch, pace, and pauses to convey the exact emotion you want.
• Script Customization: Fine-tune the pronunciation, emphasize specific words, or add pauses for dramatic effect.
• Audio Editing: Beyond TTS, Wavel provides audio editing tools, enabling you to perfect your content’s sound.
• 40+ languages 250+ Text To Speech AI Voices
• Words Focusing: 
• Pitch Feature
• Pause Function
• Multiple file formats
• Easy-to-use interface
• Real-time preview
• Automatic punctuation

Wavel’s pricing caters to different usage needs, with subscription plans and a free trial option available. While it’s not the cheapest option, the creative control and voice quality make it worth considering for content creators. Let’s break down Wavel AI’s pricing structure:

1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Truly Free!)

• 15 credits /yr.
• No additional credits allowed
• 2 Mins Limit on Video Length
• Instant voice cloning with < 1 min audio

2. Student Plan – $16/ month (Perfect for Learners)

• 720 credits / yr
• $0.30 per additional credit usage
•  No limit on video length
•  Instant voice cloning with < 1 min audio
•  10 custom voices or clones

3. Individual Plan – $32/month (Ideal for Solo Producers)

4. business customized- contact their experts for pricing .

• Custom credits
• No limit on video length
• Unlimited custom voices or clones
• Emotion prompting

Pros & Cons

• Creative Control: Wavel gives you the power to craft audio content that’s expressive and emotionally engaging.
• Audio Editing: Beyond TTS, it offers audio editing tools, making it a one-stop-shop for audio content creators.
• Script Customization: You can fine-tune every aspect of the script to match your content’s tone and style.
• Costs May Add Up: For heavy users, subscription costs may become significant.
• Learning Curve: Mastering all the creative features may take some time.

Here’s an overview of how Wavel is rated:

Wavel is your creative playground for turning text into audio content that truly stands out. With its expressive voices, emotion control, and audio editing capabilities, it empowers you to craft audio masterpieces that engage and captivate your audience. Whether you’re a content creator, podcaster , or storyteller, Wavel is your secret ingredient for making your words come alive in a unique and emotionally resonant way.

Amazon Polly : Where Words Come to Life

When it comes to text to speech (TTS) software, Amazon Polly is the name that often leads the conversation. Developed by the tech giant Amazon, Polly is a cloud-based TTS service that combines cutting-edge technology with an array of features. What sets Polly apart is its ability to generate voices that sound remarkably human, thanks to advanced deep learning technologies. Whether you’re looking to add a voice to your app, website, or content, Polly can make it happen seamlessly.

• Realistic Voices: Amazon Polly offers a variety of lifelike voices in multiple languages, ensuring your content is engaging and relatable to your target audience.
• Customization: You have the freedom to fine-tune the speech style, pitch, and rate, allowing you to match the voice to your specific needs.
• Multilingual Support: Polly boasts an extensive library of languages, making it a versatile choice for global applications.
• Integration: Polly seamlessly integrates with Amazon Web Services (AWS), making it an excellent choice for businesses already utilizing AWS services.

Amazon Polly follows a pay-as-you-go pricing model, allowing you to pay only for what you use. There’s even a free tier available, making it accessible for small-scale projects and personal use. Let’s unveil Amazon Polly’s pricing structure:

1. Pay-as-You-Go Pricing (Ideal for Flexibility)

• Cost: Variable, based on usage i.e., $4.00 per 1 million characters
• Usage Limits: Pay only for what you use
• Voice Variety: Diverse voices and languages
• Features: Access to advanced features

2. Free Tier (Yes, It’s Actually Free!)

• Usage Limits: Limited usage
• Voice Variety: Basic voices
• Features: Standard features
• High-Quality Output: Amazon Polly’s voice synthesis is top-notch, creating an immersive experience for users.
• Extensive Language Options: With support for numerous languages, you can reach a global audience.
• AWS Integration: If you’re already using AWS, Polly seamlessly fits into your existing infrastructure.
• Customization: Fine-tune voices to match your brand’s personality and tone.
• Costs Can Add Up: While there is a free tier, extensive usage may lead to significant costs.
• Learning Curve: Mastering all of Polly’s features and customization options may take some time.

Here’s a snapshot of how Amazon Polly is rated on different platforms:

Amazon Polly is your go-to choice if you’re seeking a TTS solution that combines exceptional voice quality with a wide range of customization options. It’s an excellent fit for businesses looking to enhance user experiences or developers wanting to add a human touch to their applications. With its cloud-based architecture and the backing of Amazon, Polly is a powerful contender in the world of text to speech software.

Google text to speech : Your Android Device’s Voice Companion

If you’re an Android user, you’re already acquainted with Google text to speech (TTS), a built-in feature that brings your device to life with spoken words. It is an integral part of the Android operating system, designed to provide a seamless and natural voice experience. It’s your device’s virtual narrator, reading out text from various applications and accessibility features, making it easier for users to engage with content.

• Crystal-Clear Voices: Google TTS offers voices that are not only clear but also quite expressive, making the text sound natural.
• Accessibility: One of its primary functions is to improve accessibility for visually impaired users, making it an inclusive feature for all.
• Multilingual Support: Google TTS doesn’t discriminate based on language, offering a variety of language options for a global audience.

The best part about Google text to speech is that it comes pre-installed on Android devices , which means it’s essentially free for users. There are no additional charges for using this accessibility feature. Let’s demystify Google’s pricing structure:

1. Pay-as-You-Go Pricing (Perfect for Flexibility)

• Cost: Variable, based on usage
• Usage Limits: Pay for what you use
• Voice Variety: A variety of high-quality voices

3. Custom Pricing (Tailored to Your Needs)

• Cost: Custom
• Usage Limits: Scalable usage
• Voice Variety: Customizable
• Features: Tailored enterprise solutions
• Seamless Integration: Google TTS is seamlessly integrated into the Android ecosystem, making it incredibly user-friendly.
• Accessibility: It’s a boon for visually impaired users, making digital content accessible to a broader audience.
• Regular Updates: Google keeps the TTS engine updated to improve functionality and voices.
• Limited Customization: Compared to dedicated TTS tools, customization options are relatively limited.
• Platform-Specific: While it’s fantastic for Android users, it may not be as accessible on other platforms.

Google text to speech consistently receives positive feedback from users. Here’s how it’s rated on the Google Play Store:

Google text to speech is more than just a feature; it’s a valuable accessibility tool for Android users. Whether you rely on it for everyday tasks or require assistance in consuming digital content, this built-in TTS engine proves that technology can indeed make the change in the tech era.

Murf.AI: Where AI Meets Natural text to speech

Enter the world of Murf.AI, a text to speech (TTS) software that’s designed to elevate your audio content to a whole new level. Murf.AI is making waves, especially in the business world. It takes your text and transforms it into high-quality speech, aiming for naturalness and clarity. Whether you’re creating voiceovers, improving accessibility, or enhancing user experiences, Murf.AI has the tools you need.

• Voice Customization: Murf.AI offers the ability to customize voices to suit your specific requirements. You can fine-tune pitch, tone, and pace to match your brand’s personality.
• Multiple Voice Options: With a variety of voices at your disposal, you can select the one that resonates best with your audience.
• High-Quality Output: The output from Murf.AI is known for its quality, making it suitable for a range of applications, from audiobooks to customer support voice responses.
• Batch Processing: For larger projects, Murf.AI offers batch processing, allowing you to convert multiple pieces of text into speech in one go.

Murf.AI operates on a subscription-based pricing model, which means you pay a regular fee based on your usage. It’s worth noting that there’s a free trial available for those who want to test the waters before committing. Let’s unveil the pricing structure of Murf.AI:

1. Free Plan 

2. Basic Plan – $19/month 

3. Pro Plan – $26/month 

4. Enterprise Plan – $75/month

• Excellent Voice Quality: Murf.AI is renowned for its voice quality, creating a seamless and engaging listening experience.
• Customization: The ability to customize voices and adjust parameters gives you greater control over your audio content.
• Versatile Applications: Whether you’re a content creator or a business looking to improve accessibility, Murf.AI caters to a wide range of needs.
• Batch Processing: Ideal for projects involving a large volume of text to speech conversions.
• Costs May Add Up: For heavy users, the subscription-based pricing may become a significant expense.
• Learning Curve: Mastering all the customization options and features might take some time.

Here’s a glimpse of how Murf.AI is rated on user review platforms:

Murf.AI is a compelling choice if you’re seeking top-notch voice quality and customization options for your audio projects. Whether it’s creating engaging voice overs or improving accessibility for your audience, Murf.AI’s AI-powered capabilities are designed to meet your needs with precision and clarity.

Speechify: Your Multitasking Companion

In a world where time is precious and multitasking is essential, Speechify steps in as your loyal companion, transforming text into spoken words effortlessly. Speechify is your productivity-boosting TTS solution, offering the ability to turn written text into audio that you can listen to on the go. Whether you’re a student looking to breeze through your study materials or a professional who needs to digest reports while commuting, Speechify simplifies your life.

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Speechify seamlessly integrates with various platforms and devices, making it a versatile tool for your TTS needs.
• Speed and Voice Customization: You can adjust the reading speed and choose from different voices to find the perfect fit for your listening preferences.
• Highlighting and Annotation: Speechify makes it easy to highlight and annotate text as it’s read aloud, enhancing your comprehension.
• Mobile App: With a mobile app available, you can take your TTS experience with you wherever you go.

Speechify offers a subscription-based pricing model, which includes a free plan. This means you can explore its features without committing financially. For more advanced features and unlimited usage, you can choose from various subscription plans. Let’s demystify Speechify’s pricing structure:

• Speechify Limited- Free
• Speechify Premium- $159 per year
• Productivity Booster: Speechify lets you make the most of your time by enabling multitasking while consuming written content.
• Accessibility: It’s an excellent tool for individuals with dyslexia or visual impairments, making written content more accessible.
• Integration: Speechify integrates well with popular productivity tools, enhancing its functionality.
• Limited Free Plan: Some advanced features, such as unlimited highlighting, are locked behind a paywall.
• Learning Curve: While it’s user-friendly, mastering all the features may take a bit of time.

Here’s an overview of how Speechify is rated:

Speechify is your go-to companion for efficient multitasking and improved accessibility. Whether you’re a student aiming to conquer your study materials or a professional looking to boost productivity, Speechify’s intuitive features and cross-platform compatibility ensure that your written content doesn’t just stay on the page; it comes to life and accompanies you wherever you go.

Natural Reader: Your Versatile text to speech Companion

Natural Reader is your gateway to a world where text magically transforms into lifelike speech. It caters to a wide range of users, from students and educators to professionals and individuals with visual impairments. Natural Reader strives to make written content more accessible and engaging for everyone.

• Multiple Languages and Voices: Natural Reader boasts an extensive library of languages and voices, ensuring that your content resonates with your audience.
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Support: This feature enables you to convert scanned documents and images into spoken words, making it handy for digitizing physical text.
• Integration with Popular Software: Natural Reader plays well with popular applications like Microsoft Word, making it seamless to convert your documents into audio.
• Cloud Storage: You can save your audio files in the cloud, ensuring access from anywhere.

Natural Reader offers a subscription-based pricing model with a free trial. This allows you to test its capabilities before deciding on a suitable plan. Let’s delve into Natural Reader’s pricing details:

1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Really Free!)

2. personal plan – $9.99/month (ideal for individuals).

• Cost: $9.99 per month
• Usage Limits: Generous usage
• Voice Variety: Standard voices
• Features: Enhanced features

3. Professional Plan – $69.50/year (Great for Professionals)

• Cost: $69.50 per year
• Usage Limits: Extensive usage
• Voice Variety: Premium voices
• Features: Advanced features

4. Ultimate Plan – $99.50/year (Unleash Your Creativity)

• Cost: $99.50 per year
• Usage Limits: Unlimited usage
• Features: Comprehensive features
• User-Friendly: Natural Reader is known for its simplicity, making it accessible to users of all technical backgrounds.
• OCR Functionality: The ability to convert scanned text and images into speech is a standout feature.
• Cloud Storage: Storing audio files in the cloud ensures accessibility from various devices.
• Limited Voice Customization: Compared to some competitors, customization options for voices are relatively limited.
• Additional Features May Require Payment: Some advanced features may be locked behind a paywall.

Here’s a snapshot of how Natural Reader is rated:

Natural Reader is your versatile TTS companion, ready to assist you with everything from reading study materials aloud to converting scanned documents into spoken words. Its straightforward interface and support for multiple languages and voices make it an accessible choice for various users. Whether you’re a student, educator, or professional, Natural Reader aims to simplify your relationship with written content by bringing it to life through speech.

Play.ht: Your Gateway to a World of Diverse Voices

Play.ht is a versatile online TTS platform that caters to a wide range of users. Its claim to fame? An impressive variety of voices and accents that can add flair and personality to your audio content. Whether you’re creating content for educational purposes, multimedia projects, or simply need a voice for your app or website, Play.ht has you covered.

• Diverse Voice Options: Play.ht offers a treasure trove of voices, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your content. From accents to tones, you’ll find the perfect fit.
• API for Developers: Developers can tap into Play.ht’s API to integrate its TTS capabilities into their applications, making it versatile for various projects.
• E-Learning Support: Play.ht is an excellent choice for creating audio content for e-learning platforms, making lessons more engaging for students.
• Pronunciation Correction: The platform allows you to customize pronunciation, ensuring that your content sounds exactly as you intend.

Play.ht operates on a subscription-based pricing model, which includes a free tier for testing its features. The subscription plans cater to different usage needs, ensuring flexibility for users. Here, we’ll break down Play.ht’s pricing tiers:

3. Business Plan – $29.99/month (Perfect for Growing Ventures)

• Cost: $29.99 per month

4. Enterprise Plan – Custom Pricing (Tailored Solutions)

• Cost: Custom pricing
• Features: Bespoke enterprise solutions
• Extensive Voice Selection: Play.ht’s diverse voice options and accents are a standout feature.
• Customizable Pronunciation: The ability to adjust pronunciation ensures your content is accurate and engaging.
• API Access: Developers can harness Play.ht’s API to integrate TTS capabilities into their projects.
• Complex Pricing Structure: Some users may find the pricing structure confusing, especially when transitioning from the free tier.
• Heavy Usage Costs: For those with high-volume usage, costs may accumulate.

Let’s take a look at how Play.ht is rated:

Play.ht opens the door to a world of diverse voices, offering you the tools to make your content sound engaging, authentic, and relatable. Whether you’re creating educational content, voiceovers, or enhancing the user experience on your app, Play.ht’s extensive voice selection and customization options make it a compelling choice. It’s a platform that empowers you to infuse your content with the personality and style it deserves, all with just a few clicks.

Descript: Where text to speech Meets Audio and Video Editing Magic

Descript goes beyond simple TTS by seamlessly blending text to speech with audio and video editing capabilities. It empowers content creators to generate voiceovers, captions, and more, all in one platform. Whether you’re a podcaster, YouTuber, or marketer, Descript has a bag full of tricks to elevate your content.

• Audio and Video Editing: Descript provides a comprehensive suite for audio and video editing, allowing you to create polished content from your text.
• Collaboration Features: It’s designed for teamwork, enabling multiple users to collaborate on the same project, streamlining your workflow.
• Script-to-Speech Conversion: Easily convert written scripts into spoken words with Descript’s TTS capabilities.
• Multiple Export Options: Descript offers various export formats, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

Descript operates on a subscription-based pricing model, with a free trial option. Plans are designed to cater to various needs, from individual content creators to enterprise-level teams. Let’s break down Descript’s pricing structure:

1. Free Plan (Yes, Really Free!)

• Features: Basic features

2. Pay-as-You-Go Plan (Flexible Usage, No Commitment)

• Features: Advanced features available

3. Creator Plan – $15/month (Ideal for Content Creators)

• Cost: $15 per month

4. Pro Plan – $30/month (Serious About Quality)

• Cost: $30 per month

5. Business Plan – Custom Pricing (Tailored for Enterprises)

• Content Creator’s Dream: Descript is a one-stop-shop for content creation, offering audio, video editing, and TTS in one platform.
• Collaboration-Friendly: It’s built with collaboration in mind, making it ideal for teams working on content projects.
• Script Conversion: Easily convert your scripts into spoken words, saving time on voiceovers.

Focused on Editing: While great for editing, it may be overkill for those solely seeking a TTS solution.

Learning Curve: Mastering all of Descript’s features may take some time.

Here’s a glimpse of how Descript is rated:

Descript is a game-changer for content creators seeking to streamline their workflow and enhance the quality of their content. With its seamless integration of text to speech, audio, and video editing, it’s a versatile tool that empowers you to bring your ideas to life. Whether you’re crafting podcasts, YouTube videos, or marketing materials, Descript is your creative playground, ready to turn your text into captivating audio and video experiences.

Speechelo: Your Gateway to Lifelike AI Voices

Speechelo is a TTS software that stands out from the crowd thanks to its remarkable AI-generated voices. These voices sound so lifelike that they can easily be mistaken for real human speakers. Whether you’re creating content for videos, podcasts, or any other medium, Speechelo’s voices add a touch of authenticity and professionalism.

• AI-Generated Voices: Speechelo’s standout feature is its AI-powered voices that sound remarkably natural and human-like, making your content more engaging.
• Diverse Voice Selection: You have a range of voices to choose from, allowing you to select the one that best fits your content and style.
• Customization Options: Fine-tune the pronunciation and speed of the voice to match your specific requirements.
• Multiple Export Formats: Speechelo provides various export options, ensuring compatibility with your preferred platform.

Speechelo offers subscription-based pricing with different plans to suit various needs. While it’s not the cheapest option, the quality of its AI voices justifies the cost for many users. 

Speechelo Pricing – $47 (One-Time Payment)

• Cost: $47 as a one-time payment
• Voice Variety: Natural-sounding voices
• AI-Generated Voices: The lifelike quality of Speechelo’s AI voices is its most significant advantage, making your content more engaging.
• Diverse Voice Options: A variety of voices and accents are available to cater to your content’s specific needs.
• Customization: You can fine-tune the pronunciation and speed of the voices to match your preferences.

Costs May Accumulate: For some users, the subscription-based pricing may become a significant expense.

Learning Curve: While it’s user-friendly, mastering all the customization options and features may take a bit of time.

Here’s a snapshot of how Speechelo is rated:

Speechelo is the go-to choice if you’re seeking TTS software with voices so lifelike that they’ll leave your audience wondering if there’s a human behind the scenes. Whether you’re creating content for entertainment, education, or business, Speechelo adds a layer of authenticity that’s hard to beat. It’s the tool that empowers you to make your content come alive with voices that resonate with your audience.

Listnr: Your text to speech Solution for a Personal Touch

Listnr is not your average TTS software; it’s an AI-driven platform designed to bring a more human dimension to your audio content. What sets Listnr apart is its ability to infuse automated voices with personality, making your content sound as if it’s narrated by a real person. Whether you’re a content creator, educator, or business professional, Listnr adds a personal touch to your spoken words.

• AI-Personalization: Listnr’s AI algorithms analyze your content and adapt the narration style to match your brand or content type, adding a unique touch to each reading.
• Custom Voice Branding: You can create and customize a unique voice for your brand, ensuring consistency across all your audio content.
• Multilingual Support: Listnr offers multiple languages and accents, broadening your reach to a global audience.
• Easy Integration: Seamlessly integrate Listnr with your applications, websites, or e-learning platforms to enhance user experiences.

Listnr.ai offers a range of plans to cater to different needs and budgets. Let’s take a closer look at their pricing structure:

1. Free Plan (Yes, It’s Actually Free!)

2. starter plan – $9/month (ideal for beginners).

• Cost: $9 per month
• Voice Variety: Standard and premium voices

3. Pro Plan – $19/month (Perfect for Growing Businesses)

• Cost: $19 per month
• Usage Limits: Ample usage
• Voice Variety: All voices, including custom voices

4. Enterprise Plan (Custom Pricing)

• Personalized Narration: Listnr’s AI personalization adds a unique touch to your content, making it sound as if it’s narrated by a real person.
• Custom Voice Branding: Create a voice that aligns perfectly with your brand, ensuring consistency across all your audio content.
• Multilingual Support: Reach a global audience with Listnr’s support for multiple languages and accents.
• Costs May Add Up: While the personalization is impressive, it can be expensive for users with extensive content needs.
• Learning Curve: Mastering the customization options may take some time.

Here’s a glimpse of how Listnr is rated:

Listnr is your go-to solution if you’re looking to add a personal touch to your audio content without the need for a human narrator. Its AI-driven personalization ensures that your content stands out and resonates with your audience, creating a unique and engaging listening experience. Whether you’re a content creator, educator, or business professional, Listnr offers the tools to make your spoken words more captivating and authentic.

The Great Voice-Off: How Do These TTS Tools Stack Up?

Wavel stands out as the top choice in this comparison due to its emphasis on natural-sounding voices, advanced customization options, support for multiple languages, and various file formats. Additionally, it offers both free and paid plans, making it accessible to a wide range of users.

While other tools like Amazon Polly, Google text to speech, and Speechelo have their strengths, Wavel excels in delivering a user-friendly experience with a focus on naturalness and customization. Its ability to support multiple languages and file formats, along with its API availability, makes it a versatile choice for various applications, from content creation to accessibility needs.

Ultimately, the choice of text to speech tool will depend on individual needs and preferences, but Wavel certainly stands out as a top contender in this comparison.

What is the Best text to speech Tool? Meet Wavel.ai!

In a world brimming with content and countless ways to deliver it, finding the right text to speech (TTS) tool can be a game-changer. Enter Wavel.ai, the AI-powered TTS tool that’s transforming the way we create audio content. Let’s explore why Wavel.ai deserves a top spot in your toolkit.

Natural, Human-Like Voices in Over 30 Languages

When it comes to TTS, voice quality is king. Wavel.ai understands this and offers a treasure trove of over 250 human-like voices in various genders and age groups, including female, male, and child voices. This extensive library ensures you’ll find the perfect voice to match your content, whether it’s for a marketing video, a podcast, or an e-learning video designed for children.

Express Yourself with 100% Natural Emotion

The secret sauce of Wavel.ai lies in its ability to infuse your audio content with emotion. Imagine having a voice that doesn’t just read words but conveys feelings and expressions precisely as you intend. With Wavel.ai, you have full control over pitch, pace, pauses, and emphasis to craft audio that tugs at the heartstrings, delivers a punchline with perfect timing, or narrates a story with cinematic flair.

Ease of Use with Professional Results

Wavel.ai is designed with both novices and professionals in mind. Its intuitive interface ensures that even if you’re new to audio creation, you can start generating professional-quality voiceovers effortlessly. No complex learning curves or technical jargon—just creativity unleashed.

A Multilingual Powerhouse

Whether you’re reaching a local or global audience, Wavel.ai has you covered. With support for over 30 languages, you can easily translate and adapt your content for diverse viewers and listeners.

The Perfect Match for Various Content Types

Wavel.ai isn’t just a one-trick pony. It’s a versatile tool that can breathe life into various types of content, including:

• Marketing Videos: Engage your audience with captivating voiceovers that convey your brand’s personality effortlessly.
• Podcasts: Transform your podcast episodes with voices that resonate with your audience, enhancing their listening experience.
• E-Learning for Children: Create educational content that keeps young learners engaged and eager to explore.

In a nutshell, if you’re on the hunt for a TTS tool that combines the best of AI technology with a human touch, look no further than Wavel.ai. Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, educator, or storyteller, this powerful tool will help you craft audio content that leaves a lasting impression. So, the next time you’re on the lookout for the best TTS tool, remember Wavel.ai—where creativity meets technology to bring your words to life like never before.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: what exactly is text to speech (tts) software.

A: text to speech software, or TTS, is a tool that transforms written text into spoken words. It’s like having a virtual reader that can convert your written content into audio format.

Q2: Why Would I Need TTS Software?

A: TTS software has various applications. It’s incredibly useful for people with visual impairments, content creators looking to convert articles into podcasts, or anyone who prefers listening over reading.

Q3: Can TTS Software Be Used for Educational Purposes?

A: Certainly! TTS software is excellent for e-learning, helping students access text-based content in an auditory format.

Q4: Can TTS Software Read Text in Multiple Languages?

A: Yes, many TTS tools support multiple languages. Wavel AI, for example, offers a wide range of language options.

Q5: Is It Possible to Customize the Voice in TTS Software?

A: Customization varies by tool. Some, like Wavel, offer advanced voice customization options, while others have more limited choices.

Still adding Caption and Subtitles Manually?

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Content and Copywriter at Wavel AI

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Best Text-to-Speech Software (The Ultimate List)

Posted on Last updated: September 7, 2023

Text-to-speech solutions are remarkably transforming how people generate voiceovers these days. And guess what? The industry is saturated with lots of fantastic text-to-speech software you’ll love.

Today’s guide will highlight the best text-to-speech software that is great for both professional and educational use cases. We will also use the opportunity to highlight some core features of these solutions, what makes them stand out, and some pros and cons. 

But before we give you all the juicy details, let’s quickly give you an overview of text-to-speech software. 

⭐The Best Text To Speech Software⭐

We’ve featured a lot of excellent text to speech software in this post. However, the one we recommend is Speechelo. This is because of the quality of voiceovers it delivers. Voiceovers generated by Speechelo are so good and natural sounding that you may not be able to tell if it was generated by an AI and not a real human being. It’s also reasonably priced with a lot of commendable feature. Don’t take our word for it. Listen to a sample text to speech voice that was generated by Speechelo.

You can also read our full Speechelo Review Here

Overview of text-to-speech software

A lot of people prefer listening to reading. This explains why text-to-speech solutions continue to appeal to many people. Even though creating speech content can be pretty expensive and time-consuming, text-to-speech resources are changing how people create speech content these days. Here are some reasons why text-to-speech solutions are becoming a game changer in content creation. 

Usage: Before text-to-speech software became a thing, creating voiceovers and speech content was expensive and time-consuming. But not anymore. With the myriad of text-to-speech software out there, you no longer need to invest in expensive equipment to generate quality voiceovers. Instead, all you need to do is create a script and leverage a text to speech software to convert it to voice. 

While you may need to tweak some finer points when leveraging a TTS solution, we love that it is still easier and faster to create speech content using TTS. 

Using voice computing offers remarkable benefits, especially for e-learning and online business, as it makes text-based content accessible via voice. 

Accessibility: In a world where millions of people struggle with reading and learning difficulties, the need for audio and speech-based content is more important than ever. Thankfully, text-to-speech resources are providing a valuable solution as they continue to make knowledge and data seamlessly accessible for millions of users worldwide. 

Businesses: With the insane competition in the business world, businesses, more than ever before, are continuing to leverage anything that makes it easy to reach potential customers. With many customers too busy to read ads, businesses are now letting their ads speak to potential customers. This use case for text-to-speech solutions is becoming even more relevant as the industry advances. 

Having furnished you with an overview of text-to-speech software, it’s time to take you through our list of best text-to-speech software. So let’s dive right in, shall we?

Top picks: Best text-to-speech software

As we mentioned right from the get-go, the text-to-speech software industry is saturated with lots of exciting text-to-speech resources. Here are some of our top picks.

1. Speechelo

Speechelo ranks as one of the best TTS software for the right reasons. For starters, this software is super easy to use. So you don’t need to have any technical know-how to be able to use the software for your voiceover projects. 

We love that you can use Speechelo to generate high-quality voiceovers, thanks to the sheer number of human voices the platform supports. You can create quality voiceovers using Speechelo in a few minutes. Plus, it only takes a couple of clicks to finish the entire process. 

Speechelo can convert any text into 100% human-sounding voices with only 3 clicks. Simple right? We thought so too. 

With Speechelo, you can kiss goodbye to paying exorbitant fees for professional voiceover artists. Not just that, you can also forget about tacky robotic voices that make your voiceovers sound unappealing. 

Besides supporting over 23 languages, Speechelo supports hundreds of male and female voices . All these superb features ensure that your voiceovers appeal to your target audience. 

How much does Speechelo cost?

Different from the other text-to-speech resources we have highlighted so far, Speechelo doesn’t offer different pricing plans you can choose from. While Speechelo has a standard version with some obvious limitations, Speechelo has a Pro version with many exciting features. 

The Pro version of Speechelo is affordable, so it won’t cost you a fortune to subscribe to it. Ordinarily, Speechelo Pro costs $47 per month, but the company behind this software currently has a special promotion called Founders Special offer. With this offer, you only pay $27 per month for Speechelo Pro. 

Signing up for Speechelo has many incredible benefits, including support for myriads of human-sounding voices, commercial use license, access to a community of professionals, and more. 

Note: Speechelo doesn’t offer a free trial option. So you’d have to sign up for one of their versions before you can access the fantastic perks of this software. 

Call it the best text-to-speech software, and you won’t be wrong. This robust TTS software is trusted by thousands of users who deploy it for creating high-quality speech content. For those just learning about Murf, it is a powerful AI-powered text-to-speech software that can be deployed for creating high-quality voiceovers for presentation videos and text-based e-learning content. 

Asides from that, Murf also provides users access to valuable tools they can use to convert blog posts into a podcast. With Murf, users have unfettered access to over 100 human-sounding AI voices and different accents in 15 languages.

What makes Murf truly special is that it provides you with options you’ll not get with other text-to-speech resources. For instance, Murf lets you record your voice, upload it to the interface and convert it into a high-quality, human-sounding AI voiceover for your content. 

Let us also add that Murf helps convert voiceovers into editable text, making your job easier. 

Murf Studio has an easy-to-use editor and adjustable templates, making it easy for users to get started with the software. All you ever need to do is paste your script into the text editor, choose your preferred voice, select a voice style, and hit the generate button. It’s that easy. Plus, you can also deploy royalty-free background music provided by Murf to give a definitive edge to your content. 

While Murf is a tad affordable, especially compared to other text-to-speech solutions, we love that they provide three pricing plans you can choose from, depending on what you’re looking for and your budget. These pricing plans include Free, Basic, and Enterprise solutions. 

Keep in mind that these plans are priced differently and differ in terms of supported users, the number of voices, and the number of hours of voice generation. Additionally, subscribing to the Enterprise plan offers terrific perks such as unlimited downloads, commercial usage, and chat support. 

How much does it cost?

As we reiterated earlier, Murf is affordable, especially considering pricing for other similar tools. And yes, they have different pricing plans you can choose from. Here, check out their different plans along with their pricing. 

Free plan: Murf’s free plan is exactly what it is. It doesn’t cost anything to signup for this plan. The only caveat with this option is that it has limited features, so you may need more than this for your voiceover projects. 

Basic plan: The Basic plan from Murf costs $13 per month. And if you were to signup for the annual package, you’ll pay $156. This plan has many remarkable features you can leverage for creating high-quality voiceovers. 

Pro plan: Murf’s Pro plan has many fantastic features you’ll love. It is the most popular plan currently offered by the company. In terms of pricing, Murf’s Pro plan costs $26 per month. You can sign up for the yearly package for only $312. 

Enterprise solution: The Enterprise plan from Murf is the most expensive plan from the company. So it doesn’t surprise us that it has more features than all the other plans. Signing up for this package costs $167 monthly. Similarly, opting for the annual package will cost $1999.

3. Synthesys

If you’re out for affordable and easy-to-use text-to-speech software, you’ll be hard-picked to find any software better than Synthesys at the moment, and we aren’t bluffing. It is among the leading text-to-speech software out there. 

Synthesys is unique because it can be deployed to generate professional audio and video content for business, marketing, and educational purposes. Thanks to being cloud-based, you won’t need to download or install the software on your system before you can start using it. And before we forget to mention, Synthesys offers two different versions. 

Using Synthesys to create high-quality voiceovers is easy. With just three clicks, you can leverage this text-to-speech software to create top-notch voiceovers. What’s unique about this AI text-to-speech software is that users have the option to choose between different voiceover artists. This is a brilliant option for people who want to create speech content with specific intonations for different use cases, such as radio ads, commercials, podcasts, storytelling, audiobooks, trailers, and more. 

Synthesys also has AI text-to-video software. Using this software, you can easily convert scripts to real videos. The exciting thing about Synthesys text-to-video software is that you don’t need a camera, microphone, or third-party software to do this. And you can choose a spokesperson, one that fits your business needs for your video content. Converting text to video using Synthesys is super easy. All you need to do is choose a spokesperson for your video, select a voice and tone, paste your script, choose background music and create the video. The entire process only takes a couple of minutes. 

With Synthesys, users have access to many AI avatars they can use as spokespersons for their AI-generated videos. Using this software, you can create high-quality commercials, explainer videos , educational videos, podcasts, tutorials, online courses, and more.

For people looking to create marketing content without spending hundreds to thousands of dollars on an in-house marketing team, you won’t go wrong in giving Synthesys a try. 

Synthesys is arguably one of the most affordable text-to-speech solutions on the market. But don’t just take our word for it. Here is everything you need to know about Synthesys pricing and plans. 

Human Studio Synthesys: This is the cheapest plan from Synthesys. The plan costs $39 per month. And if you have enough money to spare, you can opt for the yearly plan, which comes with some discounts. By signing up for this package, you can generate unlimited videos. You’ll also have access to 73 Humatars. Other features include uploading your voice, access to 66 languages, and 254 general voices. In addition to that, you get to customize your videos. 

Audio Synthesys: This plan from Synthesys costs $29. It is more affordable than the plan we highlighted above. What’s unique about this plan is the insane number of features available to users. This plan supports unlimited voiceover downloads and grants access to 30 authentic human voices. It is entirely web-based, meaning you don’t have to download or install the software before you can start using it. 

Audio and Human Studio Synthesys: This plan is quite expensive, especially compared to the previous plans we explored. Nonetheless, it packs many exciting features users are sure to love. Signing up for this package costs $59 per month. With this package from Synthesys, you’ll get to generate unlimited videos and voiceovers. You’ll also enjoy access to both versions of Synthesys. 

Let us also quickly add that you’ll get a 20% discount when you sign up for the annual package. 

4. Notevibes

Converting text to speech is now easier, especially with robust software like Notevibes. Unlike other text-to-speech tools we have highlighted, Notevibes offers some unique propositions you’ll not enjoy with other text-to-speech resources. 

For instance, Notevibes supports over 18 languages. This means you can create voiceovers in many top languages. And as if that’s not enough, the software lets users generate high-quality voiceovers in over 170 natural-sounding voices. More importantly, you get to download generated voiceovers free of charge. 

Notevibes has a free plan, which you can leverage to test the performance of the software. Unfortunately, because of its 5000-character limit, you won’t be able to do much with the free version. To take things up a notch, you can take advantage of the two pricing plans to generate high-quality voiceovers. 

Notevibes is super affordable. It is giving other text-to-speech solutions a run for their money. Here is how much their plans cost. 

Personal plan: This plan from Notevibes is excellent for casual usage and provides one license. Users who opt for this plan can generate voiceovers with up to 1,200,000 characters. In addition, voiceovers generated via Notevibes can be downloaded in Mp3 format. And you don’t have to pay a fortune to subscribe to this plan as it costs only $7 per month. Compared to other text-to-speech tools we have highlighted so far, you’ll agree that Notevibes has the cheapest plans. 

Commercial plan: This plan starts from $70 per month. Subscribing to this plan comes with many exciting perks. To start with, this plan supports 12,000,000 characters per month. This means you can generate tons of voiceovers for your projects. More importantly, users on this plan get access to multiple advanced features to make their tasks easy. 

Subscribing for this package from Notevibes means you’ll get unfettered access to the team license. This feature makes it possible for multiple users to use Notevibes. Other unique features that come with this plan include an advanced voice editor, WAV/mp3 file download, SSML support, audio files history, and more. 

Are you interested in text-to-speech software for e-learning platforms, audiobooks, podcasts, and voice ads? Then you’ll be satisfied to try Lovo. Since the software launched a few years ago, it has continued to appeal to many content creators. 

What’s incredibly unique about this text-to-speech solution is its simplicity. Whether you have prior experience with text-to-speech solutions or you’re a newbie just getting started, rest assured that you’ll be able to navigate the Lovo interface without hassle. 

With Lovo, you can generate high-quality voiceovers in 33 languages. Plus, you have over 150 voices you can leverage for your voiceover projects. 

While the voices available on the Lovo software are natural sounding, what’s more exciting is that these voices have an emotional touch to them. 

Those who sign up for the premium plan have access to an advanced feature called custom voices. Thanks to Lovo’s top-notch cloning technology, the software only takes a couple of minutes to create a customized voice skin. You can use Lovo’s customized voices to appeal to your target audience. If you don’t want to use the over 150 voices supported by Lovo but prefer your voice, you’ll love the personalized touch that Lovo’s customized voices offer. 

How much does Lovo cost?

Lovo has different pricing plans. So depending on what you want or your budget, we are sure you’ll find one of their pricing plans worth checking out. Like many of the text-to-speech solutions out there, Lovo has a free plan, which is great for personal use. While it offers unlimited text-to-voice conversions, there are some limitations to the download option. Other pricing plans offered by Lovo include personal and freelancer. 

Personal plan : Signing up for this brilliant plan from Lovo has many exciting benefits. And yes, you get a whopping 50% discount. How cool can that be? As per pricing, this plan costs only $17.49 per month. And yes, it unlocks access to powerful features such as unlimited conversion, listening, and sharing, commercial rights, up to 30 downloads per month, and unlimited access to all voices. Plus, users can convert up to 15,000 characters for every download. 

Freelancer plan: The Freelancer plan from Lovo unlocks access to many superb features. While it comes with all the features available in the Personal plan, this plan stretches the download limit to up to 100 per month. And since there is a 50% discount for this plan, you won’t have to pay an exorbitant fee to enjoy all its superb features. 

The most exciting part is that Lovo has a free trial version. So you can test the waters before committing to a plan. 

If your goal is to get sophisticated text-to-speech software that ticks all your boxes, you won’t be disappointed to check out Play.ht. This superb text-to-speech software provides seamless access to up to 260 realistic AI voices from IBM, Google, Microsoft, and even Amazon. Using these voices, you’re sure to generate quality voiceovers that appeal to your target audience. 

Play.ht is miles apart from other text-to-speech resources, and that’s because it has some remarkable features you won’t find with many text-to-speech tools. For instance, Play.ht provides speech synthesis and SSML control. Not just that, users can seamlessly tweak voice pitch, add pauses, alter volume rate, and more to make their voiceovers sound more exceptional. And yes, the software lets you create an RSS feed for the converted audio file. 

To beat its competitor, Play. ht offers a unique listen button you can easily embed on your blogs. What this does is increase accessibility, ensuring that your voiceovers reach more audiences. Whether you’re a blogger or business owner, you’ll enjoy what Play.ht brings to the table. 

With Play.ht, users have the option to choose between a monthly or yearly subscription, depending on what works for them. That said, we always recommend the yearly package, and that’s because you get two months free. And just so you know, Play.ht has been featured on the AppSumo platform, so you’re sure to get an even better deal when you signup via AppSumo. 

Wondering what Play.ht cost? Well, read on as we take a look at the different plans offered by the company. 

Play.ht currently has three distinct pricing plans you can choose from. Each plan costs differently. Here is a brief overview of each plan offered by Play.ht. 

Personal plan: This is the basic plan offered by Play.ht. It is affordable, especially when you compare it to other plans offered by the company. As per pricing, this plan costs only $14.25 monthly. 

Subscribing to this plan unlocks access to many wonderful features, including the ability to generate voiceovers with a combined word count of up to 240,000 words. More importantly, the package also supports standard voices, so you’re sure going to create 100% human-sounding voiceovers. 

In addition to all these, you’ll enjoy unlimited downloads and unlimited previews with this package.

Professional plan: This plan from Play.ht has everything you’re looking for and more. It is the most popular package on the Play.ht platform. Subscribing for this package will cost you $29.25 per month. On an annual basis, you’ll end up paying $351, which is fair. 

Being the most popular plan on the Play.ht platform, the Professional package has many exciting features. While it has all of the features in the personal package, opting for this plan means you’ll be able to generate speech content with a combined word count of 600,000 words per month. 

You also get to generate voiceovers with 100% realistic voices. Other brilliant features include free audio previews, unlimited projects, and a commercial use license. 

Premium plan: The premium plan from Play.ht is great for those who want to access advanced features not available on the Personal or Professional plan. And as you’d guess, this plan costs way more than other plans. 

Signing up for the premium package will cost you $74.25 per month. And opting for the yearly package costs you $891 annually. 

By signing up for this package, you’ll enjoy unlimited voice generation, ultra-realistic voices, white-label audio players, and a pronunciation library. And yes, it has all the other features on the Professional plan. 

7. NaturalReader

Are you on the lookout for the best text-to-speech software that gets the job done without requiring too much input from you? Then say hello to NaturalReader from NaturalSoft Ltd. This superb speech content generation tool is excellent for personal and professional use. 

Even though NaturalReader allows users to explore a range of their text-to-speech program via a free edition, especially for reading text aloud, there are two paid versions of this software that provides seamless access to premium voices and tools. In addition, the paid version is excellent for advanced processing and customization. 

With the free version of NaturalReader, you have access to unlimited voices. But, unfortunately, you only get 20 minutes of premium voices. 

We love that using NaturalReader to generate voiceovers is super easy. All you are required to do is copy and paste your script to the text editor and hit the listen button to hear how it sounds. That said, if you’d love to convert your text into downloaded Mp3 format, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan. 

NaturalReader currently offers monthly subscription options for their pro versions. Subscribing to any of these packages will unlock access to premium voices and the ability to convert text into downloadable Mp3 files. Thanks to its powerful OCR technology, you can deploy NaturalReader to read text from images. 

NaturalReaders supports over 16 languages and hundreds of natural-sounding voices. With these options, you’re sure to generate high-quality voiceovers that appeal to your target audience.

Unlike the other TTS software we have reviewed so far, NaturalReader is unique in the sense that it is available in different options, including a Chrome extension, desktop software, and a mobile app. 

How much does NaturalReader cost?

NaturalReader has different pricing plans you can choose from. Here, check them out. 

Free plan: Just as its name suggests, this package is offered free of charge. Meaning you won’t pay anything. Unfortunately, it is only great for people testing the software to see if it lives up to its hype. 

Some of the features of this plan include access to a pronunciation editor, a unique mini board that allows it to read texts in other applications, unlimited use with Free Voices, and support for different document formats, including TXT, PDF,  Docx, and ePub. 

Personal plan: If you want a rich experience from using this powerful text-to-speech resource, you won’t be disappointed to opt for the Personal plan. With this plan, you’ll be able to access 2 natural voices you can leverage for your voiceovers. And while you also get to enjoy all of the features that come with the Free Version, you also get to convert text to MP3 seamlessly. 

This plan is available as a one-time payment and costs $99.50. What this means is that you won’t need to worry about recurring monthly fees. 

Professional plan: Sometimes, the features available on the Personal plan may not suffice for your voiceover projects. In that case, you can opt for the Professional package, which has extra superb features. 

In terms of pricing, this package costs $129.50. And the cool part is that it is available as a one-time payment. So there will be no need for recurring payments. 

Subscribing for this plan will grant you access to all the features available on the Personal plan. In addition to that, this plan supports 4 natural voices, giving you more options when generating voiceovers. 

The Ultimate plan: This plan is perfect for those looking to make the most of this superb text-to-speech resource. 

Besides supporting all the features available on the Professional plan, subscribing to this plan unlocks access to more advanced features, including 6 natural voices and support for 5000 images per year for its unique OCR technology to read text on images and PDF documents. 

Unfortunately, this package is a tad more expensive than other plans we have highlighted so far, as it costs $199.50. The cool thing is that you only get to pay a one-time fee for this package. So there won’t be any need for recurring monthly payments.

8. Kukarella

Kukarella has established its place as the most powerful text-to-speech software out there. And besides its insane text-to-speech functionality, this TTS software also processes voice-to-text. How cool can that be?  

If you’re looking for a powerful tool that lets you seamlessly transcribe audio and convert voice to text, you’ll fancy everything that Kurella offers. While Kukaralle currently supports 60 languages, making it super easy for users to generate speech content in many languages, it also offers 390 realistic voices you can use to enrich your voiceovers. 

Kukarella lets you experiment with different effects and accents. The goal is to give your voiceovers a definitive edge that is sure to convert. 

Kukarella offers different subscription options, which we will explore in detail shortly. That said, keep in mind that Kukarella has a free plan. So if you’re looking to test the performance of the software before you sign up for their paid plans, you are free to explore the free plan. 

Nevertheless, keep in mind that the free plan has some limitations. For instance, with the free plan, the text-to-voice feature only supports 2000 characters per month. This means if you exceed this character limit, you’d have to opt for a paid plan, which unlocks access to more advanced features. 

How much does Kukarella cost?

Even though Kukarella has a free plan, which we have briefly talked about above, you’ll get the most out of this software if you opt for one of its paid plans. Let’s look closely at each of these plans and how much they cost. 

Pro plan: This package from Kukarrela will suffice for your voiceover needs. It comes with several exciting features that are guaranteed to give your voiceovers an edge. As per pricing, this package costs $15 per month and is perfect for creatives. 

Some of the top features of this plan include support for 100,000 characters per month, 7 voice effects, 60 realistic voices, 60 minutes per month of audio transcription, commercial use license, unlimited projects, and files. 

Premium plan: This plan from Kukarella is uniquely designed for film professionals. Subscribing to this plan is sure to take your voiceover projects to the next level. For starters, this package costs only $35 per month. 

The premium plan from Kukarella unlocks access to many superb features, including 300,000 character support per month, 180 minutes of monthly audio transcription, access to over 752 human-sounding voices, commercial use license, premium support, a 20% discount, and more. 

The studio plan: Do you own a business that requires generating high-quality voiceovers regularly? Then you’re welcome to explore the Studio plan from Kukarella. This awesome plan comes with many robust features you can leverage to churn out quality voiceovers. 

Signing up for this package will cost you $99 per month. With this package, you’ll enjoy access to remarkable features, including commercial use license, 752 human-sounding voice options, 1,500,000 character support monthly, 30% discounts, premium customer support, all effect, 900 minutes of audio transcription, access to project files, and more. 

Talkia is a fantastic text-to-speech software engineered to help people generate 100% human-sounding voices. Because of how easy it is to use this software, you can use it to generate high-quality voiceovers for video sales letters , training videos, educational videos, audiobooks, sales scripts, and more. 

Talkia stands out from other text-to-speech solutions because of its many remarkable features. The most exciting feature of this software is that it supports over 102 voices. And you can extend this significantly to 404 voices when you subscribe to the Enterprise plan. 

Talkia has a clean and intuitive interface. This makes it easy to navigate. So whether you’re tech-savvy or not, you’ll still be able to pretty much find your way around the platform without any assistance. 

In addition to supporting hundreds of human-sounding voices, Talkia also supports multiple languages. Thanks to supporting a variety of languages, you can create voiceovers in different languages without engaging the services of a translator. 

Being a cloud-based software, you won’t need to download and install the software on your laptop or desktop device before you can start using the software. All you need to do is access the Talkia platform via its official website to explore all its functionalities. 

How much does Talkia cost?

Talkia is an intelligent software you can always trust to generate quality human-sounding voiceovers. We love this TTS software because it is affordable, especially compared to other text-to-speech tools on the market. Talkia has two pricing plans you can choose from. Here is all you need to know about these pricing plans. 

Standard plan: Talkia’s Standard plan is great for people who create video content now and then. This package goes for $39 per month and comes with many superb functionalities you’ll love. 

Some of the most exciting features of this plan include support for 102 human-sounding voices, 1000 words per voiceover, 59 female voices, 43 male voices, 30 background music, commercial use license, and 4 youth voices. 

Enterprise plan: The Enterprise plan from Takia has everything you’ll need to generate quality voiceovers. Although it is way more expensive than the Standard plan, when you compare it to the pricing of other software, you’ll agree that it is super affordable. 

As per pricing, this plan costs $69 per month. The cool thing about signing up for this package is that it unlocks access to robust features you won’t find on the Standard package. Some unique features you get with this plan include support for over 5000 words for each voiceover, 150 background music, commercial use license, 404 voices, 23 youth voices, 166 male voices, and 238 female voices. 

For people looking to create voiceovers with a touch of professionalism, you won’t go wrong opting for this package. 

Wideo is a household name in the text-to-speech industry and that’s because of its popularity and ease of use. The platform boasts of having up to 2.5 million active users. If you want software that makes generating voiceovers a stroll in the park, you won’t be disappointed to explore Wideo. While Wideo lets users create videos with voiceovers, what stands out for us is its text-to-speech software program. 

What makes Wideo such a brilliant tool is the flexibility it offers. While users have the option to integrate Google’s text-to-speech API for seamless conversion of text-to-speech, they can also leverage the many exciting voices supported by the platform for their voiceover projects. 

Using Wideo to convert text to speech has to be the easiest thing to do. All you ever have to do is enter your text in the text editor field, choose your preferred voice and hit the generate button. The entire process only takes a couple of minutes so you won’t spend hours converting your text to high-quality voiceovers.  

How much is Wideo?

Besides its free option, which you can explore if you’re looking to test the performance of this software, whether it lives up to the hype or not, Wideo has three distinct pricing plans you can choose from. Read on for all the details of these pricing plans. 

Basic plan: Wideo basic plan costs $19 per month. This plan supports 10 downloads per month. Besides providing access to 33 video templates for converting text to speech, the Basic plan only allows users to create speech content that is 1.5 minutes long. 

Pro plan: I f you’re looking to get more out of this software, we highly recommend opting for the Pro plan. And you don’t have to dig too deep into your pocket to pay for this package as it only costs $39 per month. 

Some of the perks of signing up for this package is that it supports unlimited downloads per month. Plus, users get to create longer voiceovers, thanks to supporting 10 minutes of videos. On top of that, users get to access its full templates gallery. 

Pro Plus plan: If you’re like us and want to explore text to speech software to the fullest, you’ll love everything that the Pro Plus plan offers. Signing up for this package will cost you $79 per month. And if you opt for the yearly package, you’ll end up paying $948 annually. 

While this package supports unlimited downloads, users get to generate voiceovers with videos that are 30 minutes long. And unlike other plans, this plan makes room for one additional account, so two people can use the software simultaneously. 

Note: Wideo has a free trial option. So feel free to test the waters before committing to a plan. 

11. WellSaid 

WellSaid is a powerful text-to-speech software created by WellSaidLabs. The software is a game changer in the TTS space as it comes loaded with powerful features you can deploy for your voiceover projects. If your goal is to create interactive content, you’ll love every bit of what WellSaid offers. 

Though its voice library is a bit laid back, as it only supports fifteen voiceover talents, you can always expect to create high-quality voiceovers despite the lack of variety, especially when you consider that other TTS solutions have hundreds of voice options. 

The cool thing about using a tool like WellSaid is that you can customize the voice option. What we mean is that you can customize your voice and deploy it for your various projects. The icing on the cake is that you can also connect the WellSaidLabs API to your in-house services. 

Although we agree that the languages and voices available on the WellSaid platform are pretty basic, there is so much you can achieve with the myriad of male and female voices supported by the platform. 

What stands out for us is the natural-sounding voices you get with WellSaid. And yes, the software is super easy to use. 

Before signing up for their paid plans, we strongly encourage exploring the platform by taking advantage of their one-week free trial option. The free trial option lets users access up to 4 AI voices, and 50 audio files, in addition to creating one project. 

And to sweeten their deal, WellSaid offers a 10% discount on all annual packages. 

Overall, WellSaid is a bit affordable, especially compared to other TTS software on the market. And yes, they also have a free trial option to get you started. Here are the different plans offered by WellSaid, along with how much it would cost to subscribe to each package. 

Trial options: Opting for the WellSaid free trial option is a brilliant thing to do, especially if you want to gauge the performance of the software before you sign up for a paid plan. The free trial option grants you one week of free access to all of WellSaid’s fantastic features. You can also access 50 voice avatars, 50 audio clips, and more you can deploy for your project. 

Maker plan: If you’re interested in a plan that doesn’t cost too much and unlocks access to fantastic tools you can leverage for your voiceover projects, we recommend checking out the Maker plan from WellSaid. This plan starts from $49 per month.

Subscribing for this plan will unlock access to fantastic features, including commercial use license, 1000 chars/clip, 250 downloads, unlimited retakes, 5 projects, and 4 voice avatars. 

Creative plan: The Creative plan is the most popular plan offered by WellSaid. Besides being affordable, which is why many people opt for it, it also unlocks access to many brilliant features. Signing up for this plan will cost you $99 per month. 

The Creative plan has many fantastic features, including granting commercial use license, access to robust customer support, 53 voice avatars, 750 downloads, Unlimited retakes, 50 projects, and 1000 chars/clips.

Producer plan: If you produce voiceovers very often, then this package from WellSaid is right for you. With this plan, you get to execute unlimited projects and enjoy access to live chat support. It also supports 2500 downloads, 53 voice avatars, unlimited retakes, OGG and WAV file support, and 1000 chars/clips. 

When it comes to pricing, this package costs $99 per month. And when you choose the yearly package, you get to enjoy discounts of up to 10%. 

Team plan: Do you often have to work as a team and looking for TTS software that supports multiple users at a time? Then you’ll love the Team plan option offered by WellSaid. 

WellSaid hasn’t provided definite pricing for this plan on their platform, so you would have to reach out to the company to find out how much it would cost to sign up for this plan. 

The exciting thing about this plan is that it comes loaded with impeccable features that will give your voiceover projects the edge they need. Some of the top features you’ll get with this plan include support for multiple team members, commercial use license, a dedicated account manager, unlimited retakes, volume licensing, team projects, creative training kickoff, live chat support, and more. 

12. Descript

This powerful software has earned a name for itself thanks to its unique proposition. And it’s exciting to know that this software is more than just a text-to-speech converter. Thanks to its collaborative audio and video editing features, you can leverage this powerful tool for editing, transcription, and recording. 

Because Descript has many fantastic features you won’t find on other TTS software, it’s easy to see why it is a tad better than other TTS solutions. 

Whether you’re a small business or podcaster, you’ll love the robust features that Descript offers. And on top of that, the software is affordable, so you won’t spend a fortune to signup for one of its packages. 

While Descript has a free version, which is excellent for those who want to gauge the tool’s performance, they also offer numerous paid options, which we will be looking at shortly. Although users have the option to choose between monthly or annual subscriptions, it’s best to go for the annual option as it saves you nearly 20%. 

Besides the free plan, which is 100% free, Descript offers three paid plans you can choose from. Read on as we provide you with all the details for each plan, along with their features and how much they cost. 

Free plan: As the name suggests, the free plan from Descript is 100% free. It is excellent for people who want to gauge the performance of the software. This plan includes unlimited screen recording, 3 hours of transcription, overdub trail, studio sound effects, full audio, and video editing . 

Creator: This is an affordable plan offered by Descript. We strongly recommend opting for this package if you don’t create speech content often. While this plan includes all the features available on the free plan, it comes with extra benefits, including watermark-free video export and 10 hours of transcription per month. 

When it comes to pricing, this package costs $30 per month. And you can get it even cheaper when you sign up for the yearly package.

Pro plan: Although the Creator plan provides access to many wonderful features, it has some limitations. Good for you; the Pro package has everything you want and more. Besides including all the features on the Creator plan, the Pro package takes things up a notch. To start with, this package offers unlimited overdub, access to filler words pro, 30 hours of transcription per month, audio grams pro, custom drive and page branding, publishing pro, back file export, and more. 

Custom plan: If you’re looking for a better experience with a TTS solution, we suggest opting for the Custom plan. This package has more spectacular features than all other plans put together. By signing up for this package, you’ll get access to a dedicated account rep, overdub enterprise, single sign-on, Descript service agreement, invoicing, security review, onboarding, and training. 

Unfortunately, you’d have to discuss with their marketing team to get an idea of the pricing for this plan, as there isn’t any info on pricing on the company’s official website. 

13. iSpeech

iSpeech is a leading text-to-speech software out there. We love that the software has a brilliant UI, which makes it easy to navigate and use. iSpeech is loved by many creators because of its robust selling point. And yes, the free version of this software offers a lot of unique perks you won’t get with many TTS software. 

Using this software is super easy, so you don’t need to be tech-savvy to be able to use this software for your voiceover projects. All you need to do is paste your text in the editor field, hit the convert button, and download the generated voiceover in your preferred format. The entire process takes only a few minutes to complete. More so, you can download the output in various formats. 

iSpeech currently supports over 30 languages. With this insane option, you can create voiceovers in many languages. Plus, you won’t need to hire the services of a translator to convert your voiceovers to other languages. When creating speech content using this software, you have the option to select different speed options, including slow, regular and fast. 

Some of the top features of this software include eLearning, IVR, voice cloning, publishers, and web readers. 

How much does iSpeech cost?

Compared to other TTS software we reviewed in today’s guide, iSpeech is a tad expensive and you’ll see why soon. For instance, if you want to convert 900 words of text to speech using this software, you’d spend a whopping $100, and it doesn’t end there. Converting 10,000 words of text to speech will cost you $500. 

Additionally, converting 50,000 words of text to audio will cost you an extra $1500, which is way too expensive when you consider that you could do the same with other TTS software for way cheaper. 

If you’re looking for cheap TTS software, we recommend checking out other options, as this one is a tad expensive.

How can I choose the best Text to Speech software?

With the myriad of options on the market, you’ll agree that choosing a text-to-speech resource for your voiceover projects is quite challenging. The reality is that one software may not be great for everyone. While pricing is a big deal when shopping for TTS software, that isn’t the only thing people consider when they shop for reliable text-to-speech software. Other factors to consider include the sound of voices, download options, supported users, and limitations in data usage. 

With text-to-speech solutions evolving quickly, you want to opt for a TTS solution with everything you’ll need to generate quality voiceovers. We recommend robust text-to-speech solutions like Talkia, Speechelo, Descript, and more for podcasters and bloggers, as they make your job super easy. 

For small businesses, we strongly recommend powerful TTS software like NaturalReader, Notevibes, and Murf. We recommend these tools because of the unique edge they provide. 

Frequently asked questions

What is the best text-to-speech solution.

This is a challenging answer as the text-to-speech industry is saturated with many brilliant text-to-speech software. To allow you to make an informed decision, we have gone above and beyond to provide you with a list of the best text-to-speech software on the market. Feel free to go through each software we have highlighted. Pay special attention to their pricing and features. This should help you make an informed decision. 

Are text-to-speech solutions expensive?

With the insane competition in the text-to-speech industry, many text to speech solutions are cutting down their pricing to attract more patronage. Some of the teams behind this software are constantly rolling out massive deals to attract more customers. So, on the contrary, most text-to-speech solutions we have highlighted are super affordable. This isn’t to say there aren’t expensive text-to-speech resources out there. What we are simply trying to say is that you’ll always get a text-to-speech solution that is within your budget. And in case you are confused, today’s guide has provided you with several options you can choose from. 

Is there a realistic TTS software?

Suppose you’re looking for realistic text-to-speech software that delivers 100% human-sounding voices. In that case, you’ll be happy to learn that software like Speechelo, Talkia, and Speechify delivers 100% human-sounding voices. Moreover, while these TTS tools provide access to tons of voice and accent options, they are also super easy to use. So you won’t need any learning curve to navigate these tools. 

Converting text to speech is now easier than ever, thanks to the advancement in text-to-speech technology. Without mincing words, text-to-speech technologies are changing how people create content today. With the advancement in the tech space, computers can now recite texts in voices that mimic humans. Today, you can’t even guess whether a voiceover was generated by machines or humans. 

Sure, voice computing has a pretty long way to go to attain perfection, but with deep fakes advancing at an incredible pace, it is only a matter of time before TTS technologies get the attention they deserve. 

If you are interested in a powerful text-to-speech solution that gets the job done, you won’t be disappointed to explore our list of best TTS solutions. We are sure you’ll find one software that ticks all your boxes, including your budget. Nevertheless, before you opt for any TTS software, we strongly recommend weighing the pros and cons, features, and some limitations of the tool. This would help you make an informed decision. 

We hope today’s post on the best text-to-speech software has been helpful. Feel free to leave us a comment, and we will be happy to respond to your questions. 

Disclosure:  This page may contain a few affiliate links, which means if you buy something through them, we may get a commission (without any extra cost to you).

Create Your Course

The best text to speech tools in 2024 (free & paid), share this article.

Thanks to incredible advancements in AI technology, text to speech software in 2023 is now sounding less and less like a robot – and more like a human reader.

This is great news for any Creator Educators looking to make their content creation process more efficient, without compromising on quality.

Text to speech apps can take your content from dull to dynamic in just one step, helping to transform boring text into natural-sounding audio that improves accessibility, productivity and engagement for learners.

Use text to speech software to open up new revenue streams for your business by transforming your existing content into videos and audio, as well as helping to make your content accessible for everyone. With these tools, you can create professional-sounding audio content in a fraction of the time you’d spend recording yourself. It’s a win-win!

Here’s our top list of the best text to speech software to help grow your business in 2023.

Click the links below to skip ahead:

• Standard TTS vs Neural TTS

The best text to speech software in 2023

Amazon polly, google cloud text-to-speech, microsoft azure speech, natural reader, voiceovermaker, why use text to speech software.

If you’re a Creator Educator looking to convert your text content into audio for videos, audiobooks, social media and more, it’s time to find text to speech software for your business.

Here are some of the top use cases for businesses:

• Enhance accessibility: Use text to speech software across all your content to boost accessibility for all learners and customers
• Convert education content to audio: Make your educational content accessible for learners who are visually impaired, dyslexic, or who learn better with audio
• Add voiceovers to presentations: Bring your content alive by adding professional voiceovers to slides and animations
• Create audiobooks: Open up a new revenue stream by capturing sales from learners who prefer to listen rather than read
• Make content more engaging: Enhance your existing content with more video elements to improve the learner experience
• Repurpose blogs: Turn blog content into narration for engaging videos on YouTube, social media, and more

Turn text into speech to instantly repurpose your existing content into new formats and make sure your content is accessible to all.

Standard TTS vs. Neural TTS

Before diving into the world of text to speech, here’s a quick look at the difference between standard and neural text to speech tools.

• Standard TTS is the older approach to text to speech software. If you think of artificial, stiff-sounding text to speech audio, you’re thinking of standard TTS.
• Neural TTS draws on neural network technology or AI to generate more natural-sounding, humalike speech. Don’t let that creep you out, though – neural TTS can create truly lifelike and listenable audio that cuts out a major chunk of time for businesses and creators, helping you reach more people with your content.

Check out these best text to speech apps in 2023 to create stunning audio content – while saving you essential time and energy.

Best paid text to speech software

The best all-round cloud-based text to speech software for Creator Educators

Pricing Options

• Standard TTS: Up to 5 million characters per month for 12 months
• Neural TTS: Up to 1 million characters per month for 12 months
• Standard TTS: $4 per 5 million characters
• Neural TTS: $16 per 1 million characters

Reasons to buy

• Choose from 100+ voices across 36 languages
• Stream converted speech audio on the go, without downloading files
• Use Speech Marks to sync text and audio

Consistently ranked by users as the best option for text to speech software, Amazon Polly is one of the best TTS tools for generating natural-sounding audio content. Thanks to advanced AI and deep learning technology, Amazon Polly helps creators get high-quality, human-like audio that can be rolled out to a global audience. Choose from both standard and neural services to create your audio – and since it’s pay-as-you-go, there’s no need to worry about subscription fees draining your bank account when it’s not being used. 

Amazon Polly also includes the handy Speech Marks feature, a tool that allows you to match your AI-generated audio with text so learners can follow along with your voiceover. 

Try Amazon Polly

The best alternative with wide range of voices and languages to choose from

• 60 minutes per month
• Standard TTS: $4 per 4 million characters
• 380+ voices in 50+ languages and variants
• Personalize pitch with 20 semitones
• Option to create a one-of-a-kind voice

As a close competitor to Amazon Polly, Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers a comprehensive range of features as part of its text to speech software that lets you customize and control every aspect of your audio. Use voice tuning to personalize the pitch of your selected voice and use SSML tags to add pauses, numbers, and other pronunciation notes to create content that flows.

Google’s text to speech software makes use of their DeepMind speech synthesis expertise to deliver over 380 human-quality voices across a wide range of languages – ideal for tapping into a global audience with your content. Google’s TTS tool also has a custom voice generator that lets you create a unique voice for your brand – that no one else can use.

Try Google Text-to-Speech

The best choice for better data security and compliance

• Neural TTS: Up to 0.5 million characters per month
• Standard TTS: 5 audio hours per month
• Custom TTS: $24 per 1 million characters
• Better data security and privacy than other TTS apps
• Zero code options available
• Create and adapt custom voices for your brand

Take advantage of Microsoft’s AI-driven text to speech software and use their wide range of in-built features to help your content stand out from the crowd. Build your own custom voice and choose between different emotions and speaking styles to craft the perfect personality for your brand. This tool is also ideal for adapting your speech content to different use cases like customer support chatbots and educational content. Their no code tools also mean you don’t need to be a tech expert to take advantage of their top features.  

There’s good news if you’re concerned about data security too – Microsoft’s text to speech tool comes in top for security and compliance. You don’t need to worry about speech inputs being logged during processing and you can breathe easier knowing Microsoft invests heavily in cybersecurity and privacy.

Try Azure Speech Services

The best choice for AI-powered video voiceovers

• Up to 10 mins of voice generation per month
• Starting at $39/month for 4 hours of voice generation per user/month
• Create AI video voiceovers in minutes
• 120+ voices in 20+ languages
• Convert home recordings to professional voiceovers

Specially tailored to video voiceovers, Murf offers text to speech software that lets users create studio-quality audio in minutes. Murf has a wide range of AI-voices to suit every context, with categories ranging from Educator to Corporate Coach to Educator to Marketer and more. Use Murf to convert any text to speech or to turn your home-recorded audio into professional, studio-quality content that’s ideal for videos, podcasts, presentations, and more.

Murf’s in-built video editor lets you add images, music and videos to your audio so you don’t need to switch between multiple platforms and apps to create your content. You can also tweak your AI voiceover to add different pitches, emphasis, and interjections. If you want to add more users and collaborate with multiple members of your team or across different organizations, opt for Murf’s Enterprise plan.

The best stripped-down text to speech software for creators who want simplicity

• 20 minutes of voice per day
• Starting at $9.99/month for personal use
• Starting at $49/month for commercial use

Reasons to Buy

• Over 100 voices on paid plans
• Works on mobile devices for editing on-the-go
• Supports multiple text formats and includes OCR scanning

Designed for small businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike, Natural Reader is known for being extra user-friendly. With a simple user interface and pricing packages free of API frills, Natural Reader is a top choice for generating audio for YouTube videos, social media and education purposes. Simply paste your text into the text to speech tool and export the audio file – it’s instant and code-free.

If you want to make your voiceovers more engaging, experiment with adding extra emotions and effects in the app and use the studio editor to easily alter your audio without switching platforms. There’s one key drawback to note though – thanks to its usability, Natural Voice is popular with YouTube creators so you run the risk of choosing a voice option that’s been heard many times before.

Try Natural Reader

The best for creating multilingual voiceover content fast

• Up to 800 characters per month
• Starting from 9€/month (approx $9 USD/month) for 60,000 characters
• Built-in easy-to-use video editor
• Automatic translation into 30 languages
• Uses Google’s WaveNet technology

If you’re just getting started with video, VoiceOverMaker is a quick and easy text to speech tool to help you get realistic-sounding audio content for your videos. The service uses Google’s neural WaveNet technology to create humanlike voices – and gives you a single, cloud-based app to edit your voice track and videos together. The software includes useful features like automatic translation, background music, and a built-in screen recorder tool. Plus, take advantage of VoiceOverMaker’s pay-as-you-go pricing to keep costs to a minimum.

Try VoiceOverMaker

Best free text to speech software

The best option for free text to speech software for commercial use

• 10,000 characters per month
• Starting from $19/month for 1,000,000 characters

Reasons to use

• Higher character limit than competitors
• Download audio as mp3 in seconds
• Powered by Google machine learning

With no registration or sign-up required, you can start using FreeTTS immediately to convert up to 10,000 characters each month – and it’s completely free! FreeTTS prides itself on being super fast, helping Creator Educators easily convert scripts into mp3 audio files in seconds, so it’s ideal for producing video voiceovers quickly and efficiently. FreeTTS uses Google’s machine learning technology to deliver decent quality results across 50+ languages and the free version is suitable even for commercial use – but it’s important to note that you can only convert 500 characters of text at a time, so it’s best for short videos.

Try FreeTTS

Straightforward, free text to speech software with mobile app

• Unlimited text reading for personal use
• $2/month for commercial use
• Straightforward, no frills tool
• Upload files, PDFs, ebooks,and more
• Use online or download the iOS and Android app

On the surface, the TTSReader free text to speech software may look dated, but their free tool includes an impressive range of features. The TTSReader tool is about as utilitarian as it gets – it’s pared back but powerful, accepting a wide variety of file types that can be converted into simple audio files to listen to in your browser or save for later. The free version supports multiple languages and includes basic editing tools too. To unlock more features, you’ll need to purchase the premium plan – but at just $2 per month it won’t break the bank.

Try TTSReader

Use these top text to speech tools to engage your audience

Once you’ve started using text to speech software, there’s no going back. It’s so easy, efficient, and delivers impressive results – especially thanks to the range of new AI-driven tools on offer. To help you find the best text to speech apps for your needs, take advantage of the free plans and tools in this list and take some time to experiment with different options. Don’t forget, you can even create a unique voice for your brand!

If you’re a Creator Educator looking to earn more from your content, try Thinkific for free .

This post was originally created in 2022, it’s since been updated in June 2023.

Colin is a Content Marketer at Thinkific, writing about everything from online entrepreneurship & course creation to digital marketing strategy.

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13 Best Text-to-Speech Software of 2024 (Free, Paid & Online)

Text-to-speech software can bring tremendous advantages to your workflow.

Imagine being able to listen to a document instead of reading it so that you can multitask. You can just load the document into your phone and listen to it while you run your errands.

Auditory learners who retain more information by listening rather than reading will also find text-to-speech software useful.

Moreover, text-to-speech software is also invaluable to the visually impaired or people with dyslexia . They can help people who improve communication for people who can read a language but don’t speak it, or are trying to learn.

So, we’ve rounded up the 13 best text-to-speech software of 2022 in this post. We’ll review each one, talk about the key features to look out for in text-to-speech software, and explore some frequently asked questions about them.

Best Text-to-Speech Software

1. amazon polly, best overall text-to-speech software..

Amazon Polly is a service by—you guessed it—Amazon that turns text into lifelike speech , allowing you to build speech-enabled products and applications that talk.

With advanced deep learning technology, Polly synthesizes natural-sounding human speech, offering several realistic voices across dozens of languages so that you can build applications that work in many different countries.

Amazon Polly offers Neural Text-to-Speech (NTTS) in addition to their Standard TTS voices . These voices come with advanced improvements in speech quality through a newer, better machine learning approach.

NTTS also supports two speaking styles so that you can match the speaking style to the specific use case. There’s the Newscaster reading style which is suited to news narration applications; and there’s a Conversational speaking style, which is great for two-way communication like in telephony applications.

Finally, you can get a custom voice created for your organization with Amazon Polly Brand Voice . In this engagement, you’ll work with the Amazon Polly team to build an NTTS voice that will be used exclusively by your organization.

On the free trial, Amazon Polly offers 5 million free characters per month for speech or Speech Mark requests for the first 12 months , beginning from the first time you request for speech. For the Neural voices, you get 1 million free characters.

Beyond the free trial, pricing is on a pay-as-you-go model. For $4, you get 1 million characters for Amazon Polly’s Standard voices . For the Neural voices, you get 1 million characters for $16.

• Incorporates lifelike voices
• Cache and replay feature so you don’t have to pay multiple times for the same text
• HIPAA compliant
• PCI DSS compliant
• Supports 60 voices and over 29 languages
• Some features are limited to certain voices or generation type
• Terminology sometimes is different from other similar tools

2. Linguatec Voice Reader

Best alternative to amazon polly text-to-speech..

Based out of Germany, Linguatech has been creating text-to-speech software for over 25 years now. Their flagship product is Voice Reader Home 15. It’s a deceptively simple yet powerful tool.

You can stop the playback at any time and have it resume from where you stopped. You can highlight a section of text and have it reread that section. And if you’d like to generate an audio file from your text, it’s as easy as tapping a button to convert the text to an MP3 file.

That said, you only get controls for speed, tone, pitch, and volume. With these controls, even a small change can be quite significant.

In addition to the reading functionality, there’s also a sophisticated editing function that can be likened to a highly simplified word processor. All fonts installed on your system are available, and you have the freedom to edit styles, highlight sections of text, align text, and do many other things.

The problem with this part of the platform, though, is that you may be introducing errors into the document you’re trying to edit since there’s no spelling or grammar check.

While the conversion of text to voice is often very well executed, this platform does have a few odd flaws.

For one, in English for example, honorifics that have a period after them—as in ‘Mr.’ or ‘Dr’—can be a bit problematic; Voice Reader takes the period as an actual period and flags a brief pause mid-sentence while reading such words. So Mr. Smith ends up being read as Mr…Smith .

The same occurs with soft returns—although this can be useful in detecting soft returns you didn’t intentionally insert into the document. Either way, these interruptions ruin the flow and bring to light the fact that the voice is synthetic.

Another flaw is that you can’t adjust pronunciations. So, heteronyms are often quite problematic. The platform can’t tell Polish apart from polish, for example; in this case, it always goes with the polish , the act of shining a surface, even when the intention is clearly to refer to something that has to do with Poland.

To get Voice Reader Home 15, you only have to pay a one-off purchase price of €49 and you can use it forever from that point onward. But here’s the catch: that will only give you one voice in a single language . Want a different voice or a different language? That’s another €49. And that’s for a private use license.

If you would like to use the software commercially (such as for voiceovers on your videos) or require multiple voices in a single language, you should get Voice Reader Studio 15 instead for €499 .

• Support for 45 languages and 67 voices
• Regional accents supported
• Only one voice and language per private-use license, and one language per commercial license
• No pronunciation adjustment

3. Capti Voice

Best text-to-speech software for people with print disabilities..

Capti Voice Narrator is an app designed to be used by people with print disabilities such as blindness, low vision, and dyslexia.

Users can import all kinds and formats of documents, ebooks, and web pages into the system, and Capti Voice will read them out loud or display them in large text.

However, Capti Voice can also serve as a great productivity tool for people without disabilities. It is available as a browser-based platform, as an app for iOS devices, and as a Chrome browser extension .

Navigating the app is easy. You can import your content into the app with as few as four taps. As the app reads text out loud, it also displays the text and you can follow along if you want to.

But the text on the app menus is quite small; so, those with vision impairment may need to have a VoiceOver screen reader or Zoom magnifier to be able to use it.

Capti Voice Narrator features abundant options for people with disabilities, and it has won numerous awards for this reason. You can choose from six free voices or buy any of the premium voices, most of which cost about $5.

You can also have the content text displayed in a wide variety of fonts —including the widely popular OpenDyslexic font—and you can enlarge the font size as well.

You have the option to set the text to be displayed on high-contrast backgrounds and increase the spacing between words as needed.

As the voice narrator reads, Capti Voice highlights the text, allowing users with visual processing issues or dyslexia to focus more easily on words.

Moreover, Capti Voice offers numerous integrations with different services . Under the Book Libraries menu, you’ll find services like Bookshare and Project Gutenberg , giving readers access to hundreds of thousands of books.

The platform also integrates with cloud storage platforms like OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud, allowing users to import files directly from these platforms. Adding web articles to Capti Voice Narrator can be done with the browser extension or by copy-pasting a link. And there is an OCR scanner built into the app .

You can download the app for free and create a free account — an account is required. But if you would like features such as image viewing, increased file size limits, language translation, and multiple playlists, you would need to pony up $18/year for the premium plan .

There are also premium voices available for purchase, and most of them cost about $5 each.

• The free plan is good enough for most people
• The premium plan is relatively inexpensive
• Offers several useful integrations, including an OCR scanner and other assistive technology
• The app menus on the interface are difficult to read

Best Text-to-Speech Software for Voice-overs.

Murf is a text-based voice-over maker that features hyper-realistic AI voices . Just type in your voice-over script or upload a voice recording and the app will convert it to a studio-quality AI voice-over.

Murf’s voices are trained on professional voice-over artists and checked for quality against several parameters. There’s a wide range of voices available; so, there’s always one that’s appropriate for every use case.

One difficult part of making videos with voice-overs is achieving perfect timing with visuals. Murf makes it easy to sync the timing of the voice-over with videos and presentations.

You can add pauses or alter the narration speed, thereby eliminating the need for post-processing. Murf also allows you to change pitch and even add emphasis to certain words. Bottom line, there’s a lot of flexibility for customization.

You can also convert voice into editable text. In this text, you can select and delete any part—just like a regular word processor—and the audio for the deleted part will be trimmed automatically.

Murf Studio has an AI assistant equipped to check for punctuation, grammatical, and spelling errors. The assistant makes recommendations to improve your script.

The Pause feature comes with three settings: weak, medium, and strong. But if you like, you can customize the duration of the pause or add pauses simply by stretching out the duration of an audio block in the timeline at the bottom of the screen.

Additionally, Murf comes with a wide selection of royalty-free background music for your videos. You can also upload your own music, recorded audio, video clips, and images. And you can trim parts of your video directly in the studio.

Murf allows you to combine multiple images and videos to create your final video . This means that you can add introduction slides and end screens to your video, and also insert images in between video clips.

Finally, the platform can also render videos in standard sizes according to the platform on which you’ll be uploading the video , including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and others.

On the free plan , Murf gives you 10 free minutes of voice-over render time to test voices and other features in the Studio. Priced plans start at $19 for the Basic plan and go as high as $99 and up for the Enterprise plan .

Alternatively, you can pay a one-time fee of $9 for 30 minutes of voice generation and all the features of the Basic plan if that’s all you need.

• Both subscription and one-off plans are available
• Gives users granular control over voiceovers
• Does not support voice recording at the moment

5. Natural Reader

Best text-to-speech software for webmasters aiming to improve website accessibility..

Many internet users may recognize the familiar voices of Natural Reader from several YouTube videos. It’s a popular solution that has become a victim of its success; its popularity detracts from its naturalness because people are now used to the sound of its voices.

Still, it would be a travesty to not include Natural Reader in this list as it is still one of the top text-to-speech solutions on the market today.

Natural Reader’s interface is as simple as it gets ; it’s pretty much a point-and-shoot affair. You simply paste your text into the panel in the center of the screen or drag and drop the text file there. Or you can load the file from your storage.

Or, if you’re using the online version on a Chrome browser, you can highlight text on a webpage and use the Chrome extension to transfer the text for transcription .

At the top of the screen, there’s a bar to control the playback, choose voices, and control the speed of delivery . On the far left, you have a menu with extra options such as controls to edit pronunciations .

Available languages include English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, and Swedish.

One unexpected use of this tool—and most other text-to-speech tools, for that matter—is that it can serve as a great alternative to professional proofreading since it is remarkably easier to hear a botched sentence than to read the errors.

Additionally, Natural Reader provides a WebReader widget that website creators can attach to their website to help users read web pages out loud. This feature is particularly useful for those with sight impairments that need to browse the internet.

When in use, the widget highlights the text being read and marks each word as it is spoken. It will use any of the 61 standard voices in any of the 18 languages available. This feature also works with web pages viewed on mobile, too.

The widget is free for websites that expect to use the widget on less than 2,000 pages per day , and there are subscription plans for those that need more.

In all, the flaws of this software become apparent when it comes to names, technical words, and the pronunciation of historical texts. But this should hardly come as a surprise as even humans have problems with the same things.

And the software even makes it easy to fix these issues by giving you access to a pronunciation editor.

Natural Reader is available in two versions: the Commercial version and the Non-commercial version. With both versions, there’s a free plan.

Beyond the free plan, the Commercial version costs $49/month (annual billing) for a single user . The Team plan starts at $59/month (annual billing) for 2 team members, adding $10 for every additional member .

For the Non-commercial version, Natural Reader starts at a one-time fee of $99.50 for the Personal plan and goes all the way up to $199.5 for the Ultimate plan .

• WebReader widget available
• Available on Windows, Mac, and as a browser-based application
• Free for 20 minutes every day
• Overused on YouTube
• Can sound stiff at times

6. Notevibes

Best text-to-speech software for translation..

Notevibes is a wonderful text-to-speech software with a free version and a feature-packed paid version. It offers 201 unique, natural-sounding voices and 18 languages. Users get 500 characters of translation and the ability to customize pronunciation.

While the free version is great for personal use, you’ll need a commercial license for commercial applications. The number of characters you can translate depends on the plan you purchase. After translation and voice synthesis, you can download the audio in MP3 or WAV format.

The platform supports anywhere from 200 – 1,000,000 characters. The voices generated are realistic and natural sounding. When you need to, you can add a pause with a single click. Changing the pitch and playback speed are also allowed, and you can manually emphasize certain words and control volume.

Notevibes’ free plan allows limited usage. There are two pricing plans; the Personal pack starts at $9/month while the Commercial pack starts at $90/month. Naturally, the Personal pack can only be used for personal projects and activities like e-learning and private listening.

If your plan runs out mid-project, you can refill with a pay-as-you-go option. These one-off packs range from $29.90 for 300,000 characters to $89.90 for 900,000 characters .

• Refill packs are available for when you run out of balance
• The commercial pack is pretty expensive
• The free plan is quite limited
• Refill packs are only available for personal use

7. Voice Dream Reader

Best text-to-speech software for mobile..

Text-to-speech software isn’t limited to computers alone; there are also plenty of great options for mobile and Voice Dream Reader is a standout example. It is a mobile text-to-speech app that offers users a premium Acapela Heather voice. It works on both Android and iOS , although it is primarily designed for iOS.

With this app, you can convert ebooks, web articles, and documents into natural-sounding speech. It comes with 200+ built-in voices and 30 languages that include English, Bulgarian, Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, and several others.

You can have the app read a list of articles while you drive, exercise, or work. There are also auto-scrolling, distraction-free, and full-screen modes to help you focus. And the platform integrates seamlessly with cloud storage solutions like Dropbox, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Instapaper, Evernote, and Pocket.

Even the free version of the application offers a rich feature set, boasting features such as text-to-speech conversion, text highlighting, dictionary lookups, creating & pinning notes, and full-screen reading mode.

As if that isn’t enough, the platform works offline , requiring no internet connection to work its magic. It supports files in several formats including ePub, PDF, Daisy audio & text, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, plain text, and webpage, etc.

Users can control parameters like pitch, speed, pause duration, and voice . There are also controls for font, font size, and font color .

And finally, there’s an integrated OCR module, and library management functionality.

Voice Dream costs $14.99 for iOS users . For Android users, the app is available as Legere Reader on the Play Store for $9.99 .

• Offers the best text-to-speech experience on mobile
• Includes loads of useful features, even on the free plan
• Comes with 36 built-in voices
• Integrates with cloud platforms
• iOS 12 users get 61 free voices
• More suitable for iOS users than Android users

8. Balabolka

Best free text-to-speech software..

Its website may not look like much but Balabolka is one of the best in the business, especially if you’re a developer looking for a free solution . It's available as a download that you install on your computer and supports various file formats including HTML, PDF, and DOC.

To use Balabolka, you can either copy and paste text into the program or open a supported file format in the program directly. You can adjust the speed, pitch, and volume of the playback to create a custom voice.

Besides reading words aloud, this free text-to-speech software can also save your narrations in a wide range of formats that include MP3 and WAV.

It also features bookmarking functionality so that you can jump to specific locations within your longer audio files. And if ever needed, you can customize the pronunciation of words , too.

Balabolka is completely free to use.

• Completely free
• Excellent file format support
• Several voices to choose from
• Can create audio files
• Comes with bookmarking tools

9. Natural Reader Online Reader

A pared-down, free version of natural reader..

Natural Reader Online Reader is the pared-down free version of Natural Reader . It can be used in a couple of ways. You may choose to load documents into its library and have Natural Reader read them aloud from there.

This is a great way to manage several files, especially since the platform supports an impressive number of file formats.

There's also OCR functionality, which allows you to upload an image or scan a piece of text into the app and have the platform read it to you.

Alternatively, Natural Reader Online Reader offers a floating toolbar option. With this feature, you can highlight any text in any application and use the toolbar controls to start and control the narration.

This is a great way to use the app in your web browser, word processor, or other programs. Plus, there's a built-in browser to more easily convert web content to speech.

This version of Natural Reader is completely free to use.

• Built-in OCR
• Choice of interfaces
• Built-in browser
• Dyslexic-friendly font
• Not as full-featured as some other free options

A Powerful Text-to-Speech Software Bundled Together with an Exceptional Video Editing Platform.

Boasting over 2.5 million users across the world, Wideo is a video editing program that offers a free text-to-speech tool to its users. With Wideo, creators can produce professional videos with amazing voice-overs.

You can convert text into a high-quality voice-over that you can download as an MP3 file for use on videos that you create with the platform.

The text-to-speech feature comes bundled for free with Wideo’s editing platform . And while there’s a free version of the platform available, it’s pretty limited. Pricing starts at $19/month (billed annually) for the Basic plan and goes up to $79/month (billed annually) for the Pro+ plan.

• Comes for free with Wideo’s editing platform
• Standout editing features
• Offers concerted text as downloadable MP3 files
• Text-to-speech function not available as a standalone offering

11. Panopreter Basic

Best windows-only text-to-speech software..

Call it simple or basic, a lot can be said about this powerful text-to-speech solution. Panopreter is a Windows-only text-to-speech software . Panopreter offers both 32-bit and 64-bit applications, although it doesn't offer a 64-bit version for Windows 10, which is quite surprising.

While it isn't made for most browsers, Panopreter does come with a toolbar for Internet Explorer (another strange decision seeing as Internet Explorer is now obsolete) and Microsoft Word . The platform is incompatible with the .docx file format; it only works with the .doc file format.

To get started you have the option to purchase Panopreter directly or test drive the software for 30 days free of charge . It's a very easy-to-use piece of software, although its UI is rudimentary at best .

On the home screen, you get all the tools you need to get started. You can cut or copy, paste, delete, and replace sections of text just like with any old-fashioned text editor. Panopreter supports the following file types: TXT, RTF, PDF, DOC, HTM, HTML, and MHT.

Panopreter works with a wide variety of languages that you can choose from the left sidebar. You can also choose from several different voices, adjust volume, speed and pitch.

You can process XML tags and set the application to highlight words as it reads them.

Panopreter can also read the text you paste on your computer’s clipboard . This means that you do not necessarily have to open the application’s UI every time you need it to read something to you.

Finally, Panopreter offers support through the app, FAQs, and email.

There’s a 30-day free trial available after which the software costs a one-time fee of $32.95 . Your experience during the free trial won’t be encumbered by any limitations.

• Very easy to use
• Works with a wide range of document formats
• Integrates neatly with Microsoft Word
• Supports multiple languages
• One-time purchase
• Only available for Windows users
• Unattractive, outdated UI
• No support for modern web browsers
• No support for .docx files

12. WordTalk

Best free text-to-speech plugin for microsoft word..

WordTalk is an add-on developed by the University of Edinburgh that brings text-to-speech functionality to Microsoft Word . It is compatible with all editions of Word and can be accessed via the toolbar or ribbon, depending on what edition you're using.

While it is a barebones offering, it does support SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 voices , all of which you can tweak to your liking. The software can read individual words, sentences, or paragraphs aloud. You can also save your narrations, and there are several keyboard shortcuts for quick and easy access to options that you use frequently.

WordTalk is completely free to use.

• Integrates well with Microsoft Word
• Offers customizable voices
• Speaking dictionary
• Unattractive design

13. Google Cloud Text-to-Speech

Best text-to-speech software for application developers..

Google Cloud Text-to-Speech is not an option for general users. Instead, it is geared towards developers .

With this platform, developers can integrate text-to-speech and other Google apps to create an intelligent and comprehensive app . Developers can also combine Google Cloud Text-to-Speech with Google Translate to create something a lot more advanced.

Google says it can be used for voice response systems in call centers, enable IoT device speech, and convert media like news articles and books into audio format. Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers 100+ different voices in 12 languages and allows users to control pitch, speed, and volume .

There’s a limited 90-day free trial available. After that, you get 4 million free characters per month on the Standard Voices plan and 1 million free characters on the WaveNet Voices plan. Then you’d have to shell out $4 per million characters for the Standard Voices plan and $6 per million characters for the WaveNet Voices plan.

• One of the best text-to-speech APIs on the market
• Great documentation
• Generous free plan
• Text processing can be slow at times
• Not for beginners or non-technical users

Key Features to Look for in Text-to-Speech Software

The features you’ll need in text-to-speech software depend on exactly what you need it for . A student with accessibility issues will need different features than an application developer who needs to add text-to-speech functionality to his latest creation.

As such, it would be impossible to create a one-size-fits-all list of features to look for in text-to-speech software. But there are still a few key factors that apply to text-to-speech software of all kinds; so, let’s explore some of them briefly.

Ideally, you’ll want text-to-speech software that comes with the most natural-sounding voices you can find.

While you might feel like you’re saving yourself a few bucks by going with something the comes with robotic-sounding voices, it won’t be long before you forget the low price you paid and find yourself stuck with a listening experience you don’t enjoy.

You’ll also want something that offers a wide range of customizations to the voices . You’ll want to be able to control the pitch, tone, volume, and speed of delivery , and you’ll also want to be able to customize pronunciations whenever necessary.

Finally, it’s nice to be able to select from a wide range of voices . Some providers offer several voices, some even as many as 200 voices. It’s great to know that you can change voices at any time to freshen the experience.

2. Languages

This is another big one, especially for those who may not speak English as a first language or who may want to use text-to-speech software to help them learn a new language.

You’ll want software that supports a wide range of languages, or at least offers your preferred language . Choosing a text-to-speech tool without checking if it supports your language would be a grave mistake.

3. Download Options

You’ll also want to be able to download narrations in a wide variety of formats such as MP3 or WAV. This will allow you to save your narrations and come back to them later.

Since a lot of providers price their services according to how many characters you have them narrate each month , being able to download your narrations means that you can listen to older narrations over and over again without eating into your character quota.

4. Licensing Options

Licensing is another important factor to consider when choosing text-to-speech software.

If you’d like to use the narrations generated by your text-to-speech software commercially (such as on YouTube videos, marketing material, premium courses, etc), you should opt for a tool that gives you a commercial-use license , not one that only gives you a personal-use license.

And if you only need text-to-speech software for personal use, why pay a premium for a commercial license ?

5. Extensibility

It’s always nice to be able to sync your software tools to one another. This eliminates the need to move data manually from one place to the other.

And it’s no different with text-to-speech software. For example, if you use cloud storage services to store your files, it makes sense to go for a provider that syncs with your cloud storage provider so that you can fetch files that you want to read without leaving the text-to-speech software’s interface .

This also applies to other services like Bookshare and Project Gutenberg, and even word processors .

Plus, it makes sense for the software to be compatible with your web browser, too, especially for visually challenged individuals or people with print disabilities who may have a hard time reading web content on their own.

6. User Experience

This goes without saying; the text-to-speech software you choose has to be easy to use and give you full control over the playback . You want to be able to pause, play, stop, and resume the playback in the most intuitive way possible.

Some providers offer extra features that boost usability, such as text highlighting (the reader highlights words on the screen as it reads them), the ability to control pause duration, and so on.

These extra features are nice to have for some people but may be necessary for others. Students learning a new language or those with reading disabilities looking to improve their reading might find the text highlighting feature particularly helpful , for example.

For visually challenged users, accessibility is a big issue , and providers who offer accessibility-driven features would be preferred.

Finally, OCR functionality is a nice-to-have feature. It allows users to scan printed documents into the software and have it read out the contents to them. This is very useful for accessibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Text-to-speech software is a type of assistive technology that reads text inputted into it aloud. It converts text into audio at the tap of a button. It works with devices and text files of all kinds, and even works with web pages. 

No. Some use AI-generated voices, while others use actual human voices, with some premium offerings using voices of famous narrators like Morgan Freeman and David Attenborough. 

With text-to-speech software, even establishing a pricing range is near impossible , especially since there are many pricing models.  Some providers offer their products 100% free , some charge a monthly fee (some charging as high as $90/month), some charge a one-time fee (some as high as $199), and others charge per character (such as Google Cloud Text-to-Speech and Amazon Polly). At the end of the day, what you have to pay will be decided by what platform you choose to go for, and that will be determined by the features you need from your text-to-speech software. 

Text-to-speech software has a wide range of applications in various fields. Most commonly, it is used by people with learning disabilities, print disabilities, visual impairments, and literacy challenges .  Text-to-speech software is also used to provide queue-free self-service customer care in several industries like banking and finance. It can be used by text editors to detect mistakes and errors that they may have otherwise glossed over while reading.  Content creators— podcasters, YouTubers, online course creators , and others —may use text-to-speech software to create voice-overs for their content .  Even people who need to stay productive use text-to-speech software to read documents aloud while they multitask or run errands. The applications of text-to-speech software are truly wide-ranging.

Which Text to Speech Software Should I Pick?

We already established that choosing the right text-to-speech software depends on your specific needs. One software cannot fulfill everyone’s peculiar needs. Factors ranging from pricing and voices to licensing and download options will all play a role in your final decision.

But we can make a few suggestions based on what category of user you fall

• For bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, online course creators, and other content creators , Murf is an excellent choice.
• For businesses and eLearning projects, NaturalReader is a great option.
• Developers looking to create speech-enabled applications will find Google Cloud Text-to-Speech and Amazon Polly to be particularly useful options.
• Developers looking for a free way to add text-to-speech to their applications would be hard-pressed to find a better option than Balabolka .
• Anyone with print disabilities will find Capti Voice to be indispensable.

And for mobile users, check out Voice Dream Reader .

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Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs by validating the business idea, finding scalable customer acquisition channels, and building a data-driven organization. During his time working in investment banking, tech startups, and industry-leading companies he gained extensive knowledge in using different software tools to optimize business processes.

This insights and his love for researching SaaS products enables him to provide in-depth, fact-based software reviews to enable software buyers make better decisions.

The best dictation software in 2024

These speech-to-text apps will save you time without sacrificing accuracy..

The early days of dictation software were like your friend that mishears lyrics: lots of enthusiasm but little accuracy. Now, AI is out of Pandora's box, both in the news and in the apps we use, and dictation apps are getting better and better because of it. It's still not 100% perfect, but you'll definitely feel more in control when using your voice to type.

I took to the internet to find the best speech-to-text software out there right now, and after monologuing at length in front of dozens of dictation apps, these are my picks for the best.

The best dictation software

Windows 11 Speech Recognition for free dictation software on Windows

Dragon by Nuance for a customizable dictation app

Google Docs voice typing for dictating in Google Docs

Gboard for a free mobile dictation app

Otter for collaboration

What is dictation software?

When searching for dictation software online, you'll come across a wide range of options. The ones I'm focusing on here are apps or services that you can quickly open, start talking, and see the results on your screen in (near) real-time. This is great for taking quick notes , writing emails without typing, or talking out an entire novel while you walk in your favorite park—because why not.

Beyond these productivity uses, people with disabilities or with carpal tunnel syndrome can use this software to type more easily. It makes technology more accessible to everyone .

If this isn't what you're looking for, here's what else is out there:

AI assistants, such as Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Microsoft's Cortana, can help you interact with each of these ecosystems to send texts, buy products, or schedule events on your calendar.

AI meeting assistants will join your meetings and transcribe everything, generating meeting notes to share with your team.

AI transcription platforms can process your video and audio files into neat text.

Transcription services that use a combination of dictation software, AI, and human proofreaders can achieve above 99% accuracy.

There are also advanced platforms for enterprise, like Amazon Transcribe and Microsoft Azure's speech-to-text services.

What makes a great dictation app?

How we evaluate and test apps.

Our best apps roundups are written by humans who've spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing about software. Unless explicitly stated, we spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app as it's intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set for the category. We're never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site—we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps we review. For more details on our process, read the full rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog .

Dictation software comes in different shapes and sizes. Some are integrated in products you already use. Others are separate apps that offer a range of extra features. While each can vary in look and feel, here's what I looked for to find the best:

High accuracy. Staying true to what you're saying is the most important feature here. The lowest score on this list is at 92% accuracy.

Ease of use. This isn't a high hurdle, as most options are basic enough that anyone can figure them out in seconds.

Availability of voice commands. These let you add "instructions" while you're dictating, such as adding punctuation, starting a new paragraph, or more complex commands like capitalizing all the words in a sentence.

Availability of the languages supported. Most of the picks here support a decent (or impressive) number of languages.

Versatility. I paid attention to how well the software could adapt to different circumstances, apps, and systems.

I tested these apps by reading a 200-word script containing numbers, compound words, and a few tricky terms. I read the script three times for each app: the accuracy scores are an average of all attempts. Finally, I used the voice commands to delete and format text and to control the app's features where available.

I used my laptop's or smartphone's microphone to test these apps in a quiet room without background noise. For occasional dictation, an equivalent microphone on your own computer or smartphone should do the job well. If you're doing a lot of dictation every day, it's probably worth investing in an external microphone, like the Jabra Evolve .

What about AI?

Before the ChatGPT boom, AI wasn't as hot a keyword, but it already existed. The apps on this list use a combination of technologies that may include AI— machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) in particular. While they could rebrand themselves to keep up with the hype, they may use pipelines or models that aren't as bleeding-edge when compared to what's going on in Hugging Face or under OpenAI Whisper 's hood, for example. 

Also, since this isn't a hot AI software category, these apps may prefer to focus on their core offering and product quality instead, not ride the trendy wave by slapping "AI-powered" on every web page.

Tips for using voice recognition software

Though dictation software is pretty good at recognizing different voices, it's not perfect. Here are some tips to make it work as best as possible.

Speak naturally (with caveats). Dictation apps learn your voice and speech patterns over time. And if you're going to spend any time with them, you want to be comfortable. Speak naturally. If you're not getting 90% accuracy initially, try enunciating more.  

Punctuate. When you dictate, you have to say each period, comma, question mark, and so forth. The software isn't always smart enough to figure it out on its own.

Learn a few commands . Take the time to learn a few simple commands, such as "new line" to enter a line break. There are different commands for composing, editing, and operating your device. Commands may differ from app to app, so learn the ones that apply to the tool you choose.

Know your limits. Especially on mobile devices, some tools have a time limit for how long they can listen—sometimes for as little as 10 seconds. Glance at the screen from time to time to make sure you haven't blown past the mark. 

Practice. It takes time to adjust to voice recognition software, but it gets easier the more you practice. Some of the more sophisticated apps invite you to train by reading passages or doing other short drills. Don't shy away from tutorials, help menus, and on-screen cheat sheets.

The best dictation software at a glance

Best free dictation software for apple devices, apple dictation (ios, ipados, macos).

Look no further than your Mac, iPhone, or iPad for one of the best dictation tools. Apple's built-in dictation feature, powered by Siri (I wouldn't be surprised if the two merged one day), ships as part of Apple's desktop and mobile operating systems. On iOS devices, you use it by pressing the microphone icon on the stock keyboard. On your desktop, you turn it on by going to System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation , and then use a keyboard shortcut to activate it in your app.

If you want the ability to navigate your Mac with your voice and use dictation, try Voice Control . By default, Voice Control requires the internet to work and has a time limit of about 30 seconds for each smattering of speech. To remove those limits for a Mac, enable Enhanced Dictation, and follow the directions here for your OS (you can also enable it for iPhones and iPads). Enhanced Dictation adds a local file to your device so that you can dictate offline.

You can format and edit your text using simple commands, such as "new paragraph" or "select previous word." Tip: you can view available commands in a small window, like a little cheat sheet, while learning the ropes. Apple also offers a number of advanced commands for things like math, currency, and formatting. 

Apple Dictation price: Included with macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Apple Watch.

Apple Dictation accuracy: 96%. I tested this on an iPhone SE 3rd Gen using the dictation feature on the keyboard.

Recommendation: For the occasional dictation, I'd recommend the standard Dictation feature available with all Apple systems. But if you need more custom voice features (e.g., medical terms), opt for Voice Control with Enhanced Dictation. You can create and import both custom vocabulary and custom commands and work while offline.

Apple Dictation supported languages: 59 languages and dialects .

While Apple Dictation is available natively on the Apple Watch, if you're serious about recording plenty of voice notes and memos, check out the Just Press Record app. It runs on the same engine and keeps all your recordings synced and organized across your Apple devices.

Best free dictation software for Windows

Windows 11 speech recognition (windows).

Windows 11 Speech Recognition (also known as Voice Typing) is a strong dictation tool, both for writing documents and controlling your Windows PC. Since it's part of your system, you can use it in any app you have installed.

To start, first, check that online speech recognition is on by going to Settings > Time and Language > Speech . To begin dictating, open an app, and on your keyboard, press the Windows logo key + H. A microphone icon and gray box will appear at the top of your screen. Make sure your cursor is in the space where you want to dictate.

When it's ready for your dictation, it will say Listening . You have about 10 seconds to start talking before the microphone turns off. If that happens, just click it again and wait for Listening to pop up. To stop the dictation, click the microphone icon again or say "stop talking."  

As I dictated into a Word document, the gray box reminded me to hang on, we need a moment to catch up . If you're speaking too fast, you'll also notice your transcribed words aren't keeping up. This never posed an issue with accuracy, but it's a nice reminder to keep it slow and steady. 

To activate the computer control features, you'll have to go to Settings > Accessibility > Speech instead. While there, tick on Windows Speech Recognition. This unlocks a range of new voice commands that can fully replace a mouse and keyboard. Your voice becomes the main way of interacting with your system.

While you can use this tool anywhere inside your computer, if you're a Microsoft 365 subscriber, you'll be able to use the dictation features there too. The best app to use it on is, of course, Microsoft Word: it even offers file transcription, so you can upload a WAV or MP3 file and turn it into text. The engine is the same, provided by Microsoft Speech Services.

Windows 11 Speech Recognition price: Included with Windows 11. Also available as part of the Microsoft 365 subscription.

Windows 11 Speech Recognition accuracy: 95%. I tested it in Windows 11 while using Microsoft Word. 

Windows 11 Speech Recognition languages supported : 11 languages and dialects .

Best customizable dictation software

Dragon by nuance (android, ios, macos, windows).

In 1990, Dragon Dictate emerged as the first dictation software. Over three decades later, we have Dragon by Nuance, a leader in the industry and a distant cousin of that first iteration. With a variety of software packages and mobile apps for different use cases (e.g., legal, medical, law enforcement), Dragon can handle specialized industry vocabulary, and it comes with excellent features, such as the ability to transcribe text from an audio file you upload. 

For this test, I used Dragon Anywhere, Nuance's mobile app, as it's the only version—among otherwise expensive packages—available with a free trial. It includes lots of features not found in the others, like Words, which lets you add words that would be difficult to recognize and spell out. For example, in the script, the word "Litmus'" (with the possessive) gave every app trouble. To avoid this, I added it to Words, trained it a few times with my voice, and was then able to transcribe it accurately.

It also provides shortcuts. If you want to shorten your entire address to one word, go to Auto-Text , give it a name ("address"), and type in your address: 1000 Eichhorn St., Davenport, IA 52722, and hit Save . The next time you dictate and say "address," you'll get the entire thing. Press the comment bubble icon to see text commands while you're dictating, or say "What can I say?" and the command menu pops up. 

Once you complete a dictation, you can email, share (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox), open in Word, or save to Evernote. You can perform these actions manually or by voice command (e.g., "save to Evernote.") Once you name it, it automatically saves in Documents for later review or sharing. 

Accuracy is good and improves with use, showing that you can definitely train your dragon. It's a great choice if you're serious about dictation and plan to use it every day, but may be a bit too much if you're just using it occasionally.

Dragon by Nuance price: $15/month for Dragon Anywhere (iOS and Android); from $200 to $500 for desktop packages

Dragon by Nuance accuracy: 97%. Tested it in the Dragon Anywhere iOS app.

Dragon by Nuance supported languages: 6 languages and dialects in Dragon Anywhere and 8 languages and dialects in Dragon Desktop.  

Best free mobile dictation software

Gboard (android, ios).

Gboard, also known as Google Keyboard, is a free keyboard native to Android phones. It's also available for iOS: go to the App Store, download the Gboard app , and then activate the keyboard in the settings. In addition to typing, it lets you search the web, translate text, or run a quick Google Maps search.

Back to the topic: it has an excellent dictation feature. To start, press the microphone icon on the top-right of the keyboard. An overlay appears on the screen, filling itself with the words you're saying. It's very quick and accurate, which will feel great for fast-talkers but probably intimidating for the more thoughtful among us. If you stop talking for a few seconds, the overlay disappears, and Gboard pastes what it heard into the app you're using. When this happens, tap the microphone icon again to continue talking.

Wherever you can open a keyboard while using your phone, you can have Gboard supporting you there. You can write emails or notes or use any other app with an input field.

The writer who handled the previous update of this list had been using Gboard for seven years, so it had plenty of training data to adapt to his particular enunciation, landing the accuracy at an amazing 98%. I haven't used it much before, so the best I had was 92% overall. It's still a great score. More than that, it's proof of how dictation apps improve the more you use them.

Gboard price : Free

Gboard accuracy: 92%. With training, it can go up to 98%. I tested it using the iOS app while writing a new email.

Gboard supported languages: 916 languages and dialects .

Best dictation software for typing in Google Docs

Google docs voice typing (web on chrome).

Just like Microsoft offers dictation in their Office products, Google does the same for their Workspace suite. The best place to use the voice typing feature is in Google Docs, but you can also dictate speaker notes in Google Slides as a way to prepare for your presentation.

To get started, make sure you're using Chrome and have a Google Docs file open. Go to Tools > Voice typing , and press the microphone icon to start. As you talk, the text will jitter into existence in the document.

You can change the language in the dropdown on top of the microphone icon. If you need help, hover over that icon, and click the ? on the bottom-right. That will show everything from turning on the mic, the voice commands for dictation, and moving around the document.

It's unclear whether Google's voice typing here is connected to the same engine in Gboard. I wasn't able to confirm whether the training data for the mobile keyboard and this tool are connected in any way. Still, the engines feel very similar and turned out the same accuracy at 92%. If you start using it more often, it may adapt to your particular enunciation and be more accurate in the long run.

Google Docs voice typing price : Free

Google Docs voice typing accuracy: 92%. Tested in a new Google Docs file in Chrome.

Google Docs voice typing supported languages: 118 languages and dialects ; voice commands only available in English.

Google Docs integrates with Zapier , which means you can automatically do things like save form entries to Google Docs, create new documents whenever something happens in your other apps, or create project management tasks for each new document.

Best dictation software for collaboration

Otter (web, android, ios).

Most of the time, you're dictating for yourself: your notes, emails, or documents. But there may be situations in which sharing and collaboration is more important. For those moments, Otter is the better option.

It's not as robust in terms of dictation as others on the list, but it compensates with its versatility. It's a meeting assistant, first and foremost, ready to hop on your meetings and transcribe everything it hears. This is great to keep track of what's happening there, making the text available for sharing by generating a link or in the corresponding team workspace.

The reason why it's the best for collaboration is that others can highlight parts of the transcript and leave their comments. It also separates multiple speakers, in case you're recording a conversation, so that's an extra headache-saver if you use dictation software for interviewing people.

When you open the app and click the Record button on the top-right, you can use it as a traditional dictation app. It doesn't support voice commands, but it has decent intuition as to where the commas and periods should go based on the intonation and rhythm of your voice. Once you're done talking, Otter will start processing what you said, extract keywords, and generate action items and notes from the content of the transcription.

If you're going for long recording stretches where you talk about multiple topics, there's an AI chat option, where you can ask Otter questions about the transcript. This is great to summarize the entire talk, extract insights, and get a different angle on everything you said.

Not all meeting assistants offer dictation, so Otter sits here on this fence between software categories, a jack-of-two-trades, quite good at both. If you want something more specialized for meetings, be sure to check out the best AI meeting assistants . But if you want a pure dictation app with plenty of voice commands and great control over the final result, the other options above will serve you better.

Otter price: Free plan available for 300 minutes / month. Pro plan starts at $16.99, adding more collaboration features and monthly minutes.

Otter accuracy: 93% accuracy. I tested it in the web app on my computer.

Otter supported languages: Only American and British English for now.

Is voice dictation for you?

Dictation software isn't for everyone. It will likely take practice learning to "write" out loud because it will feel unnatural. But once you get comfortable with it, you'll be able to write from anywhere on any device without the need for a keyboard. 

And by using any of the apps I listed here, you can feel confident that most of what you dictate will be accurately captured on the screen. 

Related reading:

The best transcription services

Catch typos by making your computer read to you

Why everyone should try the accessibility features on their computer

What is Otter.ai?

The best voice recording apps for iPhone

This article was originally published in April 2016 and has also had contributions from Emily Esposito, Jill Duffy, and Chris Hawkins. The most recent update was in November 2023.

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Miguel Rebelo

Miguel Rebelo is a freelance writer based in London, UK. He loves technology, video games, and huge forests. Track him down at mirebelo.com.

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7 Best Text-to-Speech Software 2024 (50 TTS Tools Ranked)

by Chris Von Wilpert, BBusMan • Last updated April 28, 2024

Expert Verified by Leandro Langeani, BBA

First-Person Perspective:   We buy, test and review software products based on a 3-step rating methodology and first-hand experience .  If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.  Read our rating methodology and how we make money .

Today there are 63 different text to speech software to convert text to voice with. We spent 72 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to create your voice overs with. 

What is the Best Text to Speech Software?

• Speechify — best of the best
• Synthesys — best for voice overs
• Murf — best for replicating your voice
• Descript — best for content creators
• Speechelo — best bang for the buck
• Amazon Polly — best for devs
• Synthesia — best TTS AI video creator

1. Speechify

Our verdict — best of the best.

Price: Starts with a free plan

Speechify is the best text-to-speech software in the market. We think it’s the best of the best because of its great natural-sounding voices, its flexibility, and the free plan.

The Best Part:

Natural-sounding human voices. Speechify’s reading voices sound fluid and human-like. You’ll never run into those weird intonations.

The Worst Part:

Not the best for massive book reading. If you’re looking for a book reader, be aware that Speechify has a limit of 150,000 words per month,when it comes to the premium voices. Then, you’ll only get the standard voices.

Get it if you want to save some time with stuff you’d spend reading like emails, news, memos, and more.

I recommend you get started on the Speechify Premium plan for $139 per year.

(3-day free trial)

Speechify is best for anyone who wants to listen to stuff they don’t want to spend time reading.

Top Features

• Free plan! Speechify offers 10 standard reading voices that you can use for free! Pretty cool way to get acquainted with how it works.
• Listen to pretty much anything. Have Speechify read your emails, messenger apps, website pages… You can even snap a pic of a page and it will read it out loud for you!
• Use it on any device you own. Pick your weapon: iOS, Android, Web, MacOS, Chrome extension, Safari extension, API… 
• Instant translation. When you paste text into Speechify, you can have it converted into 60+ languages, easy peasy.
• Loved by the people. Speechify has been installed by over 20 million users, with hundreds of thousands of 5 star reviews. is best for anyone wanting to create voice overs for their brand, marketing, social media, or any other purpose.

Speechify offers three pricing plans:

• Free: The most basic version, for those getting started with TTS software.
• Speechify Premium: $139/year for the full power of Speechify.
• Speechify Audiobooks: $199/year for readers looking to get access to actor-narrated audiobooks

2. Synthesys

Our verdict — best for voiceovers.

Price: Starts at $29/month

Synthesys is the best text-to-speech software out there because of the jaw-dropping lifelikeness of its voice overs, the large collection of voices and languages, and an embarrassingly low price tag for unlimited voice overs.

Killer quality. Synthesys delivers the absolute best text-to-speech voices out there. It’s the only one that can go for hours without ever getting noticed as a fake voice. Absolutely incredible.

Synthetic human voices are only available in English. Even though you get 254 voices in 66+ languages, the full power of Synthesys is only available in English, with 38 real human voices.

Get it if you want to create voice overs in English that no one will ever notice are synthetic voices. 

I recommend you get started on the Audio Synthesys Monthly plan for $29 per month, then upgrade to the Yearly plan for a 20% discount.

(14-day money back guarantee)

Synthesys is best for anyone wanting to create voice overs for their brand, marketing, social media, or any other purpose.

• There’s almost nothing to learn. Synthesys requires no special skills because it’s so intuitive. You choose gender, accent, style, tone… And it takes care of the rest.
• Chances are your first version will be spot on. It’s kind of incredible how many times Synthesys can come up with natural sounding outputs on the first try. When it doesn’t, you just make a few simple adjustments to re-create your voiceover.
• Do. It. All. What would you do if you had a team of great voiceover artists to create content for you? Podcasts, radio commercials, greetings…
• It allows you to scale to other countries. With over 66 languages in 254 different voices, you can easily translate your videos to conquer new markets, within a few clicks. Translate that viral video into Spanish, Chinese, and Portuguese, post it on social, and expand into brand new markets.
• It feels like finding money. With $29, you probably can’t even get a single voiceover from an artist that would sound good. For that price, Synthesys gives you unlimited voice overs. Incredible value for money.

Synthesys offers three pricing plans:

• Audio Synthesys: $29/month for unlimited AI voice-over downloads.
• Human Studio Synthesys: $39/month for unlimited AI videos.
• Audio and Human Studio Synthesys: $59/month for access to both “Audio” and “Human Studio” plans, with a 20% discount.

Annual subscriptions provide a 20% discount.

Our Verdict — Best For Replicating Your Voice

Price: $0/month — $249/month

Murf is the best choice for those who want to replicate their voices, or the voices of others, to create content without the need of the expert being there.

Your own voice can be replicated by AI. Keep everything you do in sync with your brand!

No credits carry over. If you don’t use up all your allotted words in a month, you don’t get to use the extra words the next month.

Get it if you need an excellent tool, with natural-sounding voices and the capability of tweaking the speech voices to create lifelike speeches.

If you’re on a budget and still need solid voice quality, go with Speechelo instead.

I recommend you get started on the free plan to give it a shot, then upgrade to the Pro plan (with commercial usage rights) for $26/month.

(10 minutes with the free plan)

Murf is a great option for people who want to create a ton of different voice combos.

120+ voices to narrate your videos in 20+ languages. You can even do your own custom voice, and have your own voice replicated by AI, to keep everything you do in sync with your brand!

Voices are really close to a real human speaking. Murf allows you to create convincing, realistic voice overs that sound like an actual human voice. You can tweak wording emphasis, add pauses, change speech patterns, and much more, to make your voice overs sound like an actual human being.

Conquer the world by translating your voice overs. English, Portuguese, Spanish, and 17+ other languages, with both male and female voices.

Great team collaboration capabilities. When you’re on the Enterprise plan,  you can have your team working to create your voices for your projects, share ideas, and get your job done a lot faster.

Go long form. Audios can be up to 30 minutes long, so you can create in-depth AI generated content for those complex subjects.

Murf offers four pricing plans:

• Free: Get 10 minutes of voice overs to test the software.
• Solo: $19/month for individuals getting started with AI voice generation.
• Pro: $39/month for teams that need commercial usage rights.
• Enterprise: $249+/month for companies that need to scale hard.

Murf only offers a money-back guarantee for 24 hours, for accounts that have used less than 10 minutes of text to speech conversion.

Annual subscriptions provide a 33% discount.

Try Murf today with a free plan.

4. Descript

Our verdict — best for content creators.

Price:   $0/month — $30/month

Descript offers accurate voice generation and many other core features for bloggers, podcasters, online courses creators, and anyone creating online content.

It’s simple and it saves a ton of time. With Descript, you can edit audio and video the same way you edit a Google doc file, so you can quickly find the parts that need editing with text. 

Users report some wonky behavior. You can find some people complaining in review sites that Descript sometimes freezes and you can't access the project you are working on for a while.

Get it if you hate editing your audio and video files inside a multimedia software, and want to visually edit your recordings with text.

If you want AI voice overs without the monthly bill, choose Speechelo instead.

(3 hours with the free plan)

Descript is best for the content creators that wants to cut the time they spend recording and editing their video and audio content.

Buy your time back. With Descript, you can edit audio and video like you would edit a Google docs file. No need for already busy professionals to spend time listening to full audio streams. No extra multimedia editing software needed.

Descript replaces an entire audio and video editing team for content creators. It includes transcription capabilities, a screen recorder, publishing, and incredible artificial intelligence tools.

Descript's Overdub lets you create an AI model of your voice to edit your own recordings. Let’s say that after recording that half-hour training video, you realize you forgot to mention one very important detail. You just have to find the right spot in your transcript, delete what you wish to remove, and replace it with what you’d like to have said. Overdub will replace or add the audio with your own voice. Goodbye, re-recording sessions!

Descript is trusted by big corporations like ESPN, The New York Times and Shopify, to mention a few.

Use their API capabilities to integrate your videos and get your job done even faster. Publish to YouTube, Restream, Vimeo, and others. Send your timeline to your favorite video-editing tool. You can even use Zapier to do pretty much anything you’d like with it.

Descript offers four pricing plans:

• Free: Get 3 hours of free transcriptions to test the software.
• Creator: $15/month for individuals needing up to 10 hours of transcriptions and voice overs per month.
• Pro: $30/month for small teams that need more advanced features.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for companies that need security compliance.

Descript provides refunds if requested within 48 hours of invoice date.

Try Descript today with a free plan.

5.  Speechelo

Our verdict — best bang for the buck.

Price:  $47 one time

Speechelo offers really solid voices without the monthly bill.

Pay one time. You can get the basic version of Speechelo with a single payment. It’s hard to beat their value for money, especially when they offer actual natural voices.

It’s a little limited on the basic plan. You get 30 voices and can only do 5000 words per voiceover. In order to get additional features, such as additional voices (70+ options) and up your limit to 20,000 words, you’ll have to pay $47/quarter for the Pro upgrade.

Get it if you want the best bang for buck you can get on text to speech software.

If you want something more robust, go with Murf instead.

I recommend you get Speechelo for $47, and if you want higher limits or commercial rights, get the pro plan for an extra $47 per quarter.

(60-day money back guarantee)

Speechelo is best for people on a tight budget who want to leverage their time with AI text to speech technology.

Lifetime access. With Speechelo, you only pay the price one time and get access for life. In the long run, you can’t get a better bang for your buck, especially because the prices are surprisingly low.

You can tweak the voice to sound more natural. You can add breaths, pauses and tweak the emphasis of phrases. Even the AI automatic output tends to come out really good, and you’ll only ever do some minor tweaking.

Bye-bye language barriers. Speechelo Tube can take any YouTube link to recreate it as a high-quality professional voiceover with your generative AI power. This is an incredible way to translate your videos into new languages, and reach brand new audiences and markets, even if you don’t speak the language. 

It’s fast. Speechelo creates audio from your text at break-neck speeds. It’s synthetic media heaven, from A to Z.

The user interface feels like home. It looks good, and it’s a breeze to use. You’ll find yourself acquainted with the software in no time. You pretty much type or paste your text into a box, choose the voice, and a few other options. Click “render” and boom. You’ve got your voice over.

Speechelo offers two pricing tiers:

• Standard: $47 one time for 30 voices and 5,000 words per voice over.
• Pro: $47/quarter for 70+ voices and 20,000 words per voice over.

Speechelo offers a 60-day money back guarantee.

Try Speechelo today for $47.

6.  Amazon Polly

Our verdict — best for devs.

Amazon Polly is Amazon’s powerful TTS AI. We think it’s the best for devs because of its generous free plan, its scalability, and its flexibility.

Cost-effective. Amazon Polly comes with a free plan with 5 million characters for 12 months, and then it’s a pay-as-you-go pricing model. No upfront costs, no long term commitments.

Steep-ish learning curve. Despite the fact that Amazon offers extensive documentation, devs who are new to TTS tech may find it challenging to grasp all of Polly’s features and nuances.

Get it if you want the most flexibility to develop with TTS technology.

I recommend you get started with Amazon's Polly free plan with 5 million free characters during 12 months.

(free plan)

Amazon Polly is best for devs who need a scalable TTS system — from 500 thousand free characters for the Long Form voices up to 5 million free characters for the Standard voices.

Flexibility, engage. You have three different voice models with different qualities and prices, dozens of languages, speech editing, all kinds of integrations… you could build an entire ecosystem.

Eerily realistic. Amazon Polly’s Long Form Voices plan offers one of the most lifelike, natural sounding TTS voices in the entire world — don’t get me wrong, the other two plans are also incredibly good.

Mr. Worldwide. Amazon Polly has many languages and accents, making it possible for you to be hyper granular with your applications.

Speech Synthesis Markup Language. Polly supports SSML for you to add pauses, emphasis, and tweak other aspects that improve the lifelikeness of your 

Skyrocket-able. Amazon’s cloud service can scale your app to high volumes easily, never suffering in performance. Plus, you can integrate with other AWS (Amazon Web Services) like S3, Lex, and so on. Plus, with 5 million free characters, Polly could read you the entire bible every month, and still have over a million characters to spare.

Amazon Polly offers four pricing tiers:

• Free tier: 100% free, with 5 million characters per month over the period of 12 months.
• Standard voices: $4.00 per 1 million characters for a quality voice that’s incredibly affordable.
• Neural voices: $16.00 per 1 million characters for an ever higher quality voice that can be edited at will.
• Long-Form voices: $100.00 per 1 million characters for one of the most human-like voices you can find.

Try Amazon Polly today with the free plan.

7.  Synthesia

Our verdict — best tts ai video creator.

Synthesia allows you to create believable talking head videos within minutes, from a few lines of text and a few clicks. We think it’s the best TTS AI video creator because of its great voice and video quality, user-friendly interface, and the audio-sync feature.

Spice up your old content. Synthesia makes it a breeze to turn all of your old written content into talking-head videos. No actors needed.

No ads allowed. Synthesia’s license doesn’t allow any of the talking avatars to be used on paid advertising.

Get it if you want to create video content out of your written content.

I recommend you get started with the Personal plan for $29/month.

(15-day money back guarantee)

Synthesia is best for anyone who wants to create talking-head videos out of their old content.

A world of voices. With 400+ voices in 130+ languages and accents, it’s hard not to find the one you need.

Create entire speeches. Synthesia allows your videos to be up to 30 minutes long. 

Diverse avatars. Right now, there are over 160+ avatars for you to choose from, with all kinds of ethnicities and looks you may need.

Custom voices and avatars. You can purchase add-ons to clone your voice or yourself as an AI avatar that you can create videos with.

Audio sync rocks. Upload a recorded audio and Synthesia will automatically sync up the mouth movements of the avatar to what’s being said.

Synthesia offers three different pricing plans. 

• Personal: $29/month for up to 10 minutes of video per month.
• Creator: $89/month for up to 30 minutes of video per month.
• Enterprise: Custom plans for companies that need unlimited minutes.

Annual subscriptions provide up to a 32% discount.

Get started with Synthesia today.

Our Three Top Picks

Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:

Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:

Here are the top 50 text to speech software tools we considered in this review:

• Amazon Polly
• Natural Reader
• Google Cloud Text-to-Speech
• IBM Watson Text to Speech
• Nuance Dragon Professional
• Linguatec Voice Reader
• iSpring Suite
• Azure Text to Speech
• Capti Voice
• ReadSpeaker
• PollySpeech
• LOVO Studio
• Speechactors
• AI Text to Speech
• Voice Dream Reader
• Spoken Content
• BeyondWords
• Cleartouch Cloud Contact Center Platform
• Immersive Reader
• Cerewave AI
• Select to Speak
• Terra Proxx

What is text-to-speech software?

Text-to-speech (TTS) is a type of assistive technology software which converts written text into spoken word. TTS software speech apps allows users to read aloud documents, emails, web pages, and other types of text. Some TTS digital solutions have a wide variety of incredibly powerful features, enabling users to create their own custom voices, and choose different types of speech in different digital formats and languages. Others allow you to integrate directly with your audio and video editor software.

How does text-to-speech work?

Most TTS software uses artificial intelligence and neural networks technology to convert text into speech. The software reads the text line by line, then combines each line into a single sentence. The best ones can create natural-sounding speech that is human-like.

How do I get my computer to read text aloud?

You can download a free speech reader app with dictation technology on your computer, smartphone or tablet. You can choose from affordable tools to more robust solutions with a lot of fancy features, for a more natural-sounding experience.

Can I clone my voice on any speech program?

Yes! Some speech apps can use deep learning and machine learning to clone your voice, so you can have a natural-sounding voice over that sounds just like you. No need for expensive recording equipment, just deepfake your own voice .

How can I use TTS software?

You can use TTS software to read messages out loud for busy or dyslexic readers, or to help you create content much more easily. For example, if you create AI videos like explainer videos, upload audio recordings, create presentations with voice, or make slide-based courses, TTS software can help you save time. Make sure you look for the right collection of features, as some offer only basic features while others offer advanced features so you can work on your favorite device.

You can deepfake characters and have them speak with synthetic, software-generated voices, and even make AI art for you.

What is a good free text to speech app?

The bottom line.

Here are our top picks for the best text to speech software to try this year:

• Descript— best for content creators

Make Your First $100K Per Month

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• Text To Speech

Best Text to Speech Software (2024)

Here's our pick of the best text to speech (TTS) software online this year, taking into account the lifelikeness of the AI tools’ speech output, multilingual capabilities, and user-friendly interfaces.

Here's our pick of the top text to speech ( TTS ) software this year, taking into account the lifelikeness of the AI tools’ speech output, multilingual capabilities, and user-friendly interfaces.

The text-to-speech sector is bustling with numerous companies vying for a significant market share. Following a comprehensive analysis, There were three clear winners in the text to speech category, from YouTube content creators to Fortune 500 corporations, ElevenLabs' Text to Speech Tool stands out as an excellent choice for enhancing chatbots, videos, or audiobooks.

Below, you'll find examples of voices from each source. Pay close attention to their pronunciation , the spectrum of emotions conveyed, and the clarity of the audio.

1. ElevenLabs

ElevenLabs Text to Speech

Try the highest rated text to speech software ever

ElevenLabs emerges as a front-runner in text-to-speech services, blending advanced artificial intelligence (AI) with an ability to inject emotional nuances. It shines in generating long-form content and fine-tuning voice outputs to harmonise clarity, stability, expressiveness, and utility. Put simply, it delivers speech that's incredibly lifelike.

• High-Definition Audio: ElevenLabs delivers audio at an impressive 96 kbps bitrate for a superior listening experience.
• Contextual Understanding: Its technology grasps text nuances to provide accurate intonation and a rich auditory texture.
• Diverse Language Options: Catering to a global audience, it offers 29 languages, each with unique voice traits.
• Customizable Emotion: Adjust the emotional undertone to create compelling narratives, perfect for audiobooks, podcasts, or YouTube scripts.
• Voice Replication: As a leading solution for AI-based voice replication, ElevenLabs is distinctive in text-to-speech conversion.
• Produces pristine audio quality in almost real-time.
• A broad spectrum of voices, use cases, and functionalities.
• User-friendly interface with easy voice customisation.
• Various pricing levels cater to a range of users, from individuals to enterprises, including a complimentary version.
• Might be excessively comprehensive for basic text-to-speech tasks.

Pricing Plans

• Free Plan: $0/forever
• Starter Plan: $1/mo
• Creator Plan: $11/mo
• Independent Publisher Plan: $99/mo
• Growing Business Plan: $330/mo
• Enterprise Plan: Contact for tailored pricing solutions

PlayHT is a great option for those who prioritize both quality and versatility in text-to-speech services. It boasts a suite of voices so realistic they nearly mirror human intonation and can transform written text into spoken words swiftly. The platform also provides a diverse array of voice styles, ensuring your project strikes the right note.

• Authentic-Sounding Voices: Voices that rival the natural sound of a human speaker.
• Fast Conversion: Instantaneous text-to-speech processing.
• Diverse Voice Styles: A range of styles, such as Newscaster, Conversational, and Customer Support, to infuse your audio with personality.
• Encompasses a vast selection of over 140 languages.
• Speedy conversion for efficient workflow.
• Variety in voice styles provides nuanced audio suited to your content.
• Some languages have limited voice style options.
• Free Plan: $0 monthly
• Creator: $31.20 monthly
• Unlimited: $79.20 monthly
• Enterprise: Contact for a tailored quote

Murf AI features fantastic text-to-speech technology with its extensive customization features and realistic voice synthesis. This tool is ideal for those seeking to elevate their audio content, offering precise controls over narrative elements like pauses and pitch to deliver your message with unmistakable clarity.

• Authentic Voice Reproduction: Handpicked voices ensure a smooth, organic listening experience, devoid of synthetic tones.
• Deep Customization: Tailor voice delivery with adjustable pitch, pauses, and pronunciation to meet your specific requirements.
• Broad Linguistic Reach: A selection of voices across 20 languages is available.
• Voices emulate human speech for an authentic effect.
• Deep customization for pitch and pauses offers a unique audio experience.
• Suitable for various uses, from professional presentations to entertainment.
• The depth of customization options may present a learning curve for some users.
• Free: $0/month
• Basic: $19 per user/month
• Pro: $26 per user/month
• Enterprise: $75 per user/month

4. Speechify

Speechify takes the text-to-speech experience to new heights by integrating unique features like celebrity voice access and impressive reading speeds. Its advanced voice-cloning feature allows creators to tailor-make voices that exude an incredibly authentic and human touch.

• Iconic Voice Library: Features voices from celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Gwyneth Paltrow.
• Adjustable Reading Pace: Capable of reading at speeds up to nine times the norm.
• Effortless Content Sync: Enables seamless library syncing across desktop and mobile devices.
• True-to-Life Voice Quality: High-quality voices that sound genuinely human.
• Diverse Language Offerings: Supports more than 30 languages, enhancing its global appeal.
• Customizable reading speed to fit individual preferences.
• Unique celebrity voices for a novel listening experience.
• Simplifies content organization with its cross-device syncing capability.
• Does not offer an option for offline listening.
• Free: $0 monthly per user
• Basic: $99 monthly per user
• Professional: $129 monthly per user
• Enterprise: Engage with the Speechify team for tailored pricing

5. NaturalReader

NaturalReader converts texts, PDFs, and a multitude of different text formats into audible speech. With a single account, gain access to its mobile application, web platform, and Chrome extension.

• Intelligent Navigation: Skips over non-critical text and menus.
• Textual Highlighting: Enhances comprehension by highlighting spoken words and sentences.
• Compatibility: Works well with several website platforms including WordPress and Squarespace.
• Realistic AI-Generated Voices: Boasts cutting-edge AI voiceovers for natural sound quality.
• Language Versatility: Offers 61 different voices in 18 languages.
• A versatile tool that translates various text and formats into audio.
• Seamless cross-platform access using one account.
• Convenient for listening while on the move or multi-tasking.
• Provides a wide selection of lifelike voices and supports numerous languages.
• The free version has limited unique pageviews, which may be constraining.
• Paid plans also come with a daily cap on unique pageviews, potentially limiting for high-traffic sites.
• The AI Text To Speech feature is restricted to private listening and is not for public use or redistribution.

For individuals:

• Free: $0 per month
• Premium: $9.99 per month
• Plus: $19.00 per month

For multiple users:

• 1 - 5 users: $199/ year
• 6 - 10 users: $299/ year
• 11 - 20 users: $399/ year
• 21 - 30 users: $499/ year
• 31 - 40 users: $555/ year
• 41 - 50 users: $599/ year
• 50+ users: $12/user/year

Video content creators particularly value Lovo for its impressive ability to reduce production time and costs. With its extensive range of voices and language support, it stands accessible to a worldwide audience.

• Quick Voiceover Creation: Effortless steps to generate voiceovers.
• Extensive Language Availability: Provides support for over 100 languages and accents.
• Abundant Voice Options: Access to a library of over 500 voices.
• Enhanced Productivity: Streamlines the process of producing voiceovers.
• The interface is intuitive and simple to navigate.
• Offers a comprehensive selection of voices and languages.
• Contributes to time-saving and cost-reduction in production.
• Information on file export options is not comprehensive.
• Free: $0 monthly
• Basic: $19 monthly
• Pro: $24 monthly
• Pro+: $75 monthly
• Enterprise: Engage with sales for a customised quote

7. Amazon Polly

Amazon Polly is a powerful text-to-speech (TTS) service that excels in creating natural-sounding speech. Utilizing advanced deep learning technology, Amazon Polly transforms the text into lifelike spoken audio, making it an invaluable asset for developers and creators looking to voice-enable their applications or enrich multimedia content with high-quality narration.

• High-fidelity, natural-sounding voices: In numerous languages.
• Customization: Nuanced control of speech outputs using lexicons and SSML tags.
• Range of format: Supports convenient storage and redistribution of spoken audio in popular formats such as MP3 and OGG.
• Rapid response times: Ensuring a smooth conversational experience.
• Quick response times enable conversational user experiences.
• Seamless integration with simple API calls.
• Speech synchronization with visual animations enhances user engagement.
• Diverse streaming options cater to different bandwidth and quality needs.
• Supports a broad set of platforms and programming languages through AWS SDKs.
• Unique features like Newscaster speaking style and time-driven prosody for localization.
• While affordable, costs can accumulate with extensive use beyond the free tier.
• Custom lexicons may require additional setup and understanding of phonetics.
• Some advanced features like Neural TTS voices cost more.
• The Newscaster speaking style is limited to only a few voices and languages.

Pay-As-You-Go Model: Monthly billing based on the number of characters processed.

• Standard voices: $4.00 per 1 million characters for speech or Speech Marks requests.
• Neural voices: $16.00 per 1 million characters for speech or Speech Marks requests.
• For Standard voices: 5 million characters per month for speech or Speech Marks requests for the first 12 months.
• For Neural voices: 1 million characters per month for speech or Speech Marks requests for the first 12 months.

Pricing Examples:

• 1,000 requests with 1,000 characters each: $4.00 for Standard TTS; $16.00 for Neural TTS.
• Shareholder letter (1.3k characters): Approximately $0.005 for Standard TTS; $0.021 for Neural TTS.
• Average email (3.1k characters): Around $0.01 for Standard TTS; $0.05 for Neural TTS.
• "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (165k characters): $0.66 for Standard TTS; $2.64 for Neural TTS.

8. Listnr.ai

Listnr.ai offers a robust solution for creating voice and video content swiftly and efficiently. Catering to a global audience with over 900 voices in 142 languages, it simplifies the production of professional marketing, educational, and audio content. Its platform also facilitates the distribution of audio through embeddable widgets, making it a versatile tool for content creators and marketers.

• Realistic text to speech creation: Turn text into engaging voice and video content with a selection of over 900 voices in 142 languages.
• Text to video generator: Convert text to captivating video content with over a thousand voice options.
• Video sales letters: Streamline the creation of video sales letters for impactful marketing.
• API: Seamlessly integrate realistic AI voices into applications with Listnr's API.
• Audio articles: Transform blog posts into audio articles for distribution on platforms like Spotify.
• Extensive selection of voices and languages catering to a global audience.
• Multiple export formats available, including MP3 and WAV.
• Facilitates creation of various video content types with ease.
• Provides API for integration into different applications.
• Some users have reported unsatisfactory experiences, particularly with Spanish voiceovers in 2023.
• Customer support may not always meet user expectations, causing frustration.
• Specific language outputs, like voiceovers, may have quality issues.
• Free Plan: $0/mo
• Student Plan: $9/mo
• Individual Plan: $19/mo
• Solo Plan: $39/mo
• Agency Plan: $99/mo

FreeTTS is a user-friendly online text-to-speech service that offers entirely free of charge services. It is simple to use, requiring no registrations or setups. Users can instantly convert texts into natural-sounding audio files. 

FreeTTS is underpinned by Google's powerful AI and machine learning technologies, ensuring fast processing and high-quality voice output. Furthermore, it caters to commercial users, allowing the use of audio for a variety of purposes without any cost. The service includes support for Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) to enhance audio with custom pronunciations and controls.

• 100% free and safe: No hidden charges and prioritises user privacy with auto-deletion of audio files.
• Easy and fast: Users can convert text to MP3 files effortlessly with a simple copy-paste action.
• Best partner for videos: A cost-effective solution for adding voice-overs to videos.
• Powerful AI engine: Backed by Google's AI for efficient and quality voice synthesis.
• Free for commercial use: Commercial usage is permitted without any fees, with extensive language and voice options.
• SSML support: Enhances audio with custom pronunciations and controls through SSML.
• Completely free for all types of use, including commercial projects.
• No registration or personal information is required.
• Quick text to speech conversion process.
• Quality voices due to Google's TTS technology.
• Advanced audio customisation with SSML support.
• Limit of 500 characters per conversion for non-subscribed users.
• User restrictions due to server and maintenance costs.
• Free Plan: $0
• Monthly Plan: $19
• Yearly Plan: $99

10. CereProc

CereProc offers rich and natural sounding voices that add personality to spoken text. CereProc caters to a variety of clients, from businesses that wish to humanise brand interactions to developers integrating sophisticated speech technology into their applications, and individuals customising their digital voice experience. 

• Characterful voices : CereProc's text-to-speech voices possess unique personalities, making digital interactions more engaging and personal.
• Voice cloning : Users can clone their voices using an efficient online tool, facilitating custom voice creation.
• Multilingual support : The technology covers a vast range of accents and languages, making it versatile on a global scale.
• High-resolution audio : Voices are available in 48kHz, ensuring high clarity and a natural sound.
• SAPI 5 compatibility : Full compatibility with Microsoft SAPI 5 across various Windows platforms.
• CereWave AI : Features cutting-edge, clear, and natural voice synthesis at 24kHz using advanced AI.
• Developer-friendly : Robust development tools allow for seamless integration into applications.
• Engaging and characterful voice options to enhance brand and user experience.
• Superior audio quality at both 48kHz and 24kHz for exceptional clarity.
• Innovative voice cloning for a personalised digital voice.
• Broad compatibility with numerous Windows operating systems.
• One-time purchase rather than a subscription, potentially reducing long-term costs.
• Initial purchase cost could be high for personal users.
• Voice cloning process may be complex and time-consuming.
• Limited to compatibility with Microsoft SAPI 5, excluding non-Windows and newer platforms.
• Absence of a subscription model, possibly affecting continuous updates and support.
• Personal Use : $25.99
• Commercial Use : $299.99

Understanding Text to Speech

Text to speech technology converts written content into audible speech. Modern advancements in AI have enhanced this technology, making the generated speech sound almost human-like. The progression from robotic voices to more natural and expressive tones has been significant, revolutionizing how we interact with computers.

The Potential of AI Voices

The increasingly naturalistic AI voices have enhanced human-computer interaction, making it easier and more intuitive. They also carry significant benefits for accessibility. For individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties, text to speech technology allows information to be consumed audibly, improving their digital experience.

Multilingual Text to Speech: A Gateway to Accessibility

Multilingual text to speech provides an additional level of accessibility. By translating and converting written text into a range of languages, users across the globe can understand and interact with content in their native language, enhancing their experience and understanding.

Applications of Speech AI

Applications of speech AI extend far beyond computer interaction. It boosts efficiency by automating voice responses in call centers, provides dynamic dialogue in video games, assists in language learning, enables voice assistants, and even automates public announcement systems.

The future of text to speech is here, and it's increasingly lifelike and accessible. At ElevenLabs, we're proud to contribute to this evolution with our advanced voice cloning and design technology, making us the top choice for text to speech software in 2022.

How easy is it to use ElevenLabs' tools for animation voiceovers?

Using ElevenLabs' tools for animation voiceovers is a seamless and user-friendly experience. These tools are designed with simplicity in mind, ensuring that even beginners can navigate and utilize them effectively. With an intuitive interface and clear instructions, users can effortlessly create high-quality voiceovers for their animations. Whether you're a professional animator or a hobbyist, these tools cater to your needs, allowing you to bring your characters to life with convincing and dynamic vocal performances.

How does text to speech improve accessibility?

It allows people with visual impairments or reading difficulties to consume information audibly.

How does multilingual text to speech work?

It translates and converts written text into speech in various languages.

What are the applications of speech AI?

It's used to enhance computer interaction, improve efficiency in call automation, provide dynamic dialogue in video games, and much more.

What are the unique offerings of ElevenLabs in text to speech technology?

ElevenLabs offers Voice Cloning to replicate any voice and Voice Design to create custom voices by adjusting parameters such as age, gender, and accent.

About ElevenLabs

ElevenLabs stands at the forefront of AI voice generation technology. We offer a selection of 120 unique voices in 29 languages. What’s more, our tool's intuitive interface lets you fine-tune your audio, whether you're producing an audiobook or adding flair to video game narration. Trusted by digital creators worldwide, Eleven Labs sets the standard for lifelike, versatile, and secure AI-generated speech.

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10 Best “Text to Speech” Generators (May 2024)

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Table Of Contents

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to a wide range of incredible text to speech (TTS) generators and tools. Text to speech is a speech synthesis application that processes text and reads it out loud like a human. 

TTS generators are used in a variety of ways, including as an assistive technology for people with learning difficulties, and by businesses and creators as a voiceover. These generators are also widely used in gaming, branding, animation, voice assistant development, audiobooks, and much more. And with rapid advancements in the field, the technology no longer requires large volumes of voice samples or even professional equipment to function properly. 

There are many great text to speech generators on the market, with each one offering its own unique set of capabilities and applications. 

Here are the 10 best text to speech generators on the market: 

Lovo.ai is an award-winning AI-based voice generator and text-to-speech platform. It is one of the most robust and easiest platform to use that produces voices that resemble the real human voice.

Lovo.ai has provided a wide range of voices, servicing several industries, including entertainment, banking, education, gaming, documentary, news, etc., by continuously refining its voice synthesis models. Because of this, Lovo.ai has garnered a lot of interest from esteemed organizations on a global scale, making them stand out as innovators in the voice synthesis sector.

LOVO has recently launched Genny, a next-gen AI voice generator equipped with text-to-speech and video editing capabilities. It can produce human-like voices with stunning quality and content creators can simultaneously edit their video.

Genny lets you choose from over 500 AI voices in 20+ emotions and 150+ languages. Voices are professional grade voices that sound human-like and realistic. You can use the pronunciation editor, emphasis, speed and pitch control to perfect your speech and customize how you want it to sound. 

• World's largest library of voices of over 500+ AI voices
• Granular control for professional producers using pronunciation editor, emphasis, and pitch control.
• Video editing capabilities that allow you to edit videos simultaneously while generating voiceovers.
• Resource database of non-verbal interjections, sound effects, royalty free music, stock photos and videos

With 150+ languages available, content can be localized with the click of a button.

Read our Lovo Review or visit Lovo .

2. Speechify

Speechify can turn text in any format into natural-sounding speech. Based on the web, the platform can take PDFs, emails, docs, or articles and turn it into audio that can be listened to instead of read. The tool also enables you to adjust the reading speed, and it has over 30 natural-sounding voices to select from. 

The software is intelligent and can identify more than 15 different languages when processing text, and it can seamlessly convert scanned printed text into clearly audible audio. 

Here are some of the top features of Speechify:

• Web-based with Chrome and Safari extensions
• More than 15 languages
• Over 30 voices to select from
• Scan and convert printed text to speech

30% discount code: SPEECHIFYPARTNER30

Read our  Speechify Review  or visit  Speechify .

Nearing the top of our list for best text to speech generators is Murf, which is one of the most popular and impressive AI voice generators on the market. Murf enables anyone to convert text to speech, voice-overs, and dictations, and it is used by a wide range of professionals like product developers, podcasters, educators, and business leaders. 

Murf offers a lot of customization options to help you create the best natural-sounding voices. It has a variety of voices and dialects that you can choose from, as well as an easy-to-use interface.

The text to speech generator provides users with a comprehensive AI voice-over studio that includes a built-in video editor, which enables you to create a video with voiceover. There are over 100 AI voices from 15 languages, and you can select preferences such as Speaker, Accents/Voice Styles, and Tone or Purpose. 

Another top feature offered by Murf is the voice changer, which allows you to record without using your own voice as a voiceover. The voiceovers offered by Murf can also be customized by pitch, speed, and volume. You can add pauses and emphasis, or change pronunciation. 

Here are some of the top features of Murf: 

• Large library offering more than 100 AI voices across languages
• Expressive emotional speaking styles
• Audio and text input support
• AI Voice-Over Studio
• Customizable through tone, accents, and more

Read our Murf Review or visit Murf .

4. Synthesys

Synthesis is one of the most popular and powerful AI text-to-speech generators, it enables anyone to produce a professional AI voiceover or AI video in a few clicks.

This platform is on the leading edge of developing algorithms for text to voiceover and videos for commercial use. Imagine being able to enhance your website explainer videos or product tutorials in a matter of minutes with the aid of a natural human voice. Synthesys Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Synthesys Text-to-Video (TTV) technology transform your script into vibrant and dynamic media presentations.

A myriad of features is offered including:

• Choose from a large library of professional voices: 34 Female, 35 Male
• Create and sell unlimited voiceovers for any purpose
• Extremely lifelike voices unlike competing platforms
• The choice of emphasizing specific words to be able to express a range of emotions like happiness, excitement, sadness, etc.
• Add pauses when the user wants to give the voiceovers an even more human feel.
• Preview mode to see results quickly and apply changes without losing time rendering.
• Use for sales videos, letters, animations, explainers, social media, TV commercials, podcasts, and more.

Read our Synthesys Review or visit Synthesys .

5. ElevenLabs

ElevenLabs is an AI-powered text-to-speech platform that converts written text into natural sounding speech, the platform features a clean interface and the most realistic AI voices available. Its affordability, dedicated support, and ethical considerations enhance its appeal.

The generated voices are some of the most authentic and expressive AI voices from any tool, so much so that they're difficult to distinguish from authentic human voices. It's the perfect platform for saving time and money recording voiceovers for audiobooks, videos, podcasts, and more!

• The most humanlike AI voice generator on the market.
• Getting started is straightforward; no credit card is required.
• Clean and user-friendly interface.
• A completely free plan with affordable plans for individuals and teams.
• Dedicated and responsive support with plenty of helpful resources.

Read our ElevenLabs Review or visit ElevenLabs .

6. WellSaid Labs

WellSaid is a web-based authoring tool for creating voiceovers with Generative AI Voices.

The tool offers a diverse roster of AI voices always available to generate voiceovers as fast as you can type. Unlike competing options they offer some of the most lifelike AI voices, rated as realistic as human recordings.

Find the right voice for each training module. You can audition over 50 AI voices in different speaking styles, genders, and accents in real time. Get creative! Mix and match voices for scenario-based instruction.

A unique feature is the Pronunciation Library, that enablers users full control on how the AI tells your story by teaching it how to say things specifically how you want.

Some of the features include:

• Variety of voices available 24/7
• Over 50 AI voices
• Train pronunciation when required
• No talent or studio bottlenecks
• Flawless updates and edit in minutes
• Renders twice as fast as spoken script

Read our WellSaid Labs Review or visit WellSaid Labs .

7. Deepbrain AI

The Deepbrain AI tool offers the ability to easily create AI-generated videos using basic text instantly quickly and easily. Simply prepare your script and use the Text-to-Speech feature to receive your first AI video in 5 minutes or less.

There are 3 quick steps to get started they are as following:

• First, create a new project. You can start with your own PPT template or choose one of the starter templates.
• You can manually type in or copy and paste your script. Contents of your uploaded PPT will be entered in automatically.
• Once you select the appropriate language and AI model and finish editing, you can export the synthesized video.

This tool offers the following benefits:

• Easy find a custom-made AI avatar that best fits your brand.
• The Intuitive tool is designed to be super easy to use for beginners.
• Offers significant time savings in video preparation, filming, and editing.
• Cost-saving in the entire video production process.

Read our Deepbrain AI Review or visit Deepbrain AI .

Fliki makes creating videos as simple as writing with its script based editor. Create videos with lifelike voiceovers in minutes, powered using AI. Fliki also features over 2000 realistic Text-to-Speech voices across 75+ languages.

Fliki stands out from other tools because they combine text to video AI and text to speech AI capabilities to give you an all in one platform for your content creation needs.

You can create videos for a wide variety of use cases. This includes generating educational videos, explainers, product demos, social media content, YouTube videos, Tiktok Reels & video ads.

• Use text to turn prompts into videos
• 2000 realistic Text-to-Speech voices
• 75+ Languages
• No video editing experience necessary

Play.ht is a powerful text to speech generator that uses AI to generate audio and voices from IBM, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. It is especially useful for converting text into natural voices. 

The tool allows you to download the voice-over as MP3 and WAV files, and you can choose a voice type before either importing or typing text. The tool then instantly converts the text into a natural human voice, and the audio can be enhanced afterwards with speech styles, pronunciations, and more. 

Here are some of the top features of Play.ht: 

• Blog posts to audio
• Real-time voice synthesis 
• More than 570 accents and voices
• Voice-overs for videos, e-learning, podcasting, and more

10. Resemble.io

Resemble.ai has emerged as a remarkable platform in the realm of text-to-speech (TTS) technology, offering users a suite of tools to generate natural, human-like AI voices with ease. Its advanced TTS models are designed to deliver not just speech, but speech imbued with authentic emotion and dynamic range, bringing content to life in a strikingly realistic manner.

One of the standout features of Resemble.ai is its versatile range of AI voices. Users can access a diverse marketplace of voices suitable for various applications, each meticulously engineered to capture the nuances of human speech. This range includes over 40 ready-to-use AI voices with different characteristics, including international accents.

For those seeking a more personalized experience, Resemble.ai provides a custom AI voice cloning feature. This advanced model allows users to clone any voice with high accuracy and authenticity, either by uploading voice data or recording voice samples through an intuitive self-serve tool.

• Over 40 diverse AI voices in the marketplace, including international accents.
• Custom AI voice cloning for high accuracy and personalization.
• Extensive library of voices for various applications, from corporate to entertainment.
• Advanced voice modulation for dynamic, context-aware narration.
• Easy integration and scalability via user-friendly API.
• Streamlines content creation for professional-grade voiceovers.
• Useful for visually impaired users, converting text to audible content.

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Best text to speech software in 2024

Featured In

Table of contents, readspeaker, google cloud text to speech.

There are a multitude of text to speech apps that you can use online. Learn more about the top TTS apps of 2023.

Text to speech (TTS) software has arguably become the most widespread kind of assistive technology, and for a good reason. TTS uses human voices to read back written text to you. One, it’s fairly simple to use; two, it’s versatile enough to accommodate most users’ needs; and three, it’s available on all sorts of platforms and supports most major operating systems. Need your e-mail read while you sip on your morning coffee? You want to turn your school notes into a lecture or get more audio input in foreign languages? You suffer from dyslexia and aren’t allowed to put any strain on your eyes? You wanna listen to your iPhone or Android device turn your favorite blog posts and epubs into a podcast? Text to speech APIs and online platforms can help. Of course, while TTS readers and speech apps (as well as browser plugins and extensions ) have plenty of academic, medicinal, and business-related uses, not all of them are always up to the task. Luckily, the market is so saturated that you won’t have any trouble finding just the right thing. Your choice of TTS solution will, of course, depend on your needs and tastes, but we’d like to present you with a few options to help you make your decision that much easier. Watson First on our list is Watson, one of the more well-known B2B TTS choices out there. It’s developed by IBM, and it’s actually an API-based cloud solution with rather realistic audio and lifelike voice options. As for the pricing , it will depend on the plan you choose. You can try the Lite version for free, although it’s limited, or you can opt for more premium options that will set you back up to $140 a month.

Specifications

• Cloud-based (works on all platforms and OSs: Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, etc.)

Reasons to buy

• Custom voices
• Adjustable speech parameters
• Customizable pronunciation options

Reasons to avoid

• Cloud-based
• Rather limited if you choose the free version

Next up, we have ReadSpeaker, another popular B2B TTS solution. ReadSpeaker boasts high functionality, versatility, and rather sophisticated speech synthesis that will satisfy most users. You can always try a free trial and see whether you dig the app or not, but should you decide it’s the right choice for you, it’ll cost you anywhere from $4.90 a month (or $49 a year) for the basic and $8.90 a month (that is $89 a year) for the complete premium package.

• Desktop (Window, Mac)
• Mobile (iPhone, Android)
• MP3 devices
• PDA devices
• Gaming consoles
• 200 different voices
• 50+ different languages
• Male and female voices
• Sometimes the punctuation is not registered
• Some of the less known languages sound less authentic than, say, English

Google’s text to speech solution is probably the most well-known B2B TTS tool out there. It’s rather versatile and offers plenty of languages and lots of text to speech voices to choose from, and there is no set price you’ll have to pay each month. Instead, the pricing will depend on the number of words you choose to run through the app.

• Lots of languages and voice options (WaveNet, SSML, etc.)
• Supports lots of audio files and file formats
• Pitch and volume tuning
• Innovative pricing solutions
• Somewhat inaccurate when used with less known languages

The next B2B TTS tool on our list is Wideo . Actually, Wideo is, first and foremost, a video editing platform, but it’s got a fantastic speech technology solution built in, so it’s perfect for everyone looking to make some high-quality voiceovers for their video content. The price? Well, the TTS feature alone is free. But, If you want the full app, get ready to dish out $19 a month for the basic, $39 for the pro, and $70 for the enterprise plan if you choose to pay annually (paying monthly will set you back anywhere from $59 to $199 a month). Of course, there are always free trials for you to check the app out.

• Online tool
• It’s fantastic for video content creators
• You can download Mp3 files separately
• The quality is terrific
• Too pricey if you want the full app and not just the TTS tool
• Online-based

Next up is Murf , a B2C TTS solution (although the Enterprise plan should be classified as B2B). Murf is more than a TTS reader — it is a very intuitive voiceover transcription tool, and you’ll feel like a pro using it no matter your experience levels. It’s got plenty of customization options, and it can even be used as a professional speech tool in team environments. Needless to say, the quality is exceptional. As for the pricing, there’s a free version (although it’s rather limiting) as well as a few other, more premium plans that will cost anywhere between $13 and $249+ a month, depending on your needs.

• Online-based (SaaS)
• Natural-sounding voices
• Lots of pricing plans for companies
• Teamwork features
• Sound effects
• Too expensive for individual users
• Online-based only

Finally, we have Speechify, our top pick for speech readers. Speechify is the most versatile TTS solution and the best free text narrator currently available. It works with all text files, supports dozens of languages, and features only authentic AI voices , making it the perfect choice for language learners, businessmen, and those suffering from reading difficulties.

• Desktop app (most major platforms)
• Mobile app (Android, iOS)
• Browser extension (Chrome, Safari, Firefox)
• Perfect e-learning tool
• Good for both personal use and commercial use
• Can be used directly on the web pages with no downloads
• Customizable
• High-quality, natural-sounding speech
• Lots of supported audio formats (Mp3, Wav )
• Supports many languages (Spanish, Italian, Chinese…)

Which is the best speech to text software?

Speechify is the top-rated text to speech software available on the market, when looking at price, capabilities and customization. Learn more here: https://www.folio3.ai/blog/best-free-speech-to-text-software/

What is the best free text-to-speech?

The best text-to-speech programs include:

• NaturalReader
• Amazon Polly

Is there a software that reads to you?

Yes, there is. The best voice generator is Speechify.

Text to Speech Google Docs: Everything You Need to Know

Everything to Know About Google Cloud Text to Speech API

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

Software Solution Hub

Best text-to-speech software of 2023

The best text-to-speech software makes it simple and easy to convert text to voice for accessibility or for productivity applications.

Text-to-voice apps are a great way to bring on-screen words to life – whether you’re focused on boosting productivity and accessibility, creating artificial voice-overs for videos, or just want to hear your own work out-loud. How often, after all, has a typo gone unnoticed until you heard your copy spoken?

Unlike speech-to-text apps and dictation software, TTS apps convert text documents to audio. The process is streamlined, and each is equipped with an unrivalled toolkit. You can even download audio files, if you’re looking for the best text-to-speech software for YouTube videos or similar.

Some office programs, like Microsoft Word and Google Docs, offer basic text-to-speech (or TTS) tools. In the main, they work well – accuracy is good and seems to be consistently improving. But beyond a limited set of extras, such as accent and language, these word processors lack the full suite of functions found in TTS software.

NaturalReader

• Free for 20 minutes per day
• Windows, Mac and Online modes
• WebReader Widget
• Can sound stilted
• Heavily used on YouTube

If you’re looking for a cloud-based speech synthesis application, you should definitely check out NaturalReader. Aimed more at personal use, the solution allows you to convert written text such as Word and PDF documents, ebooks and web pages into human-like speech.  

Because the software is underpinned by cloud technology, you’re able to access it from wherever you go via a smartphone, tablet or computer. And just like Capti Voice, you can upload documents from cloud storage lockers such as Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive.  

Currently, you can access 56 natural-sounding voices in nine different languages, including American English, British English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch. The software supports PDF, TXT, DOC(X), ODT, PNG, JPG, plus non-DRM EPUB files and much more, along with MP3 audio streams. 

There are three different products: online, software, and commercial. Both the online and software products have a free tier.

• Simple and easy to navigate dashboard
• Over 120 realistic AI voices in 20 languages
• Video editing could be more comprehensive

Specializing in voice synthesis technology, Murf uses AI to generate realistic voiceovers for a range of uses, from e-learning to corporate presentations.

Murf comes with a comprehensive suite of AI tools that are easy to use and straightforward to locate and access. There’s even a Voice Changer feature that allows you to record something before it is transformed into an AI-generated voice- perfect if you don’t think you have the right tone or accent for a piece of audio content but would rather not enlist the help of a voice actor. Other features include Voice Editing, Time Syncing, and a Grammar Assistant.

The solution comes with three pricing plans to choose from: Basic, Pro and Enterprise. The latter of these options may be pricey but some with added collaboration and account management features that larger companies may need access to. The Basic plan starts at around $19 / £17 / AU$28 per month but if you set up a yearly plan that will drop to around $13 / £12 / AU$20 per month. You can also try the service out for free for up to 10 minutes, without downloads.

Amazon Polly

• Easy-to-use
• Supports multiple file types
• Multiple language options
• Requires Amazon account

Alexa isn’t the only artificial intelligence tool created by tech giant Amazon as it also offers an intelligent text-to-speech system called Amazon Polly. Employing advanced deep learning techniques, the software turns text into lifelike speech. Developers can use the software to create speech-enabled products and apps. 

It sports an API that lets you easily integrate speech synthesis capabilities into ebooks, articles and other media. What’s great is that Polly is so easy to use. To get text converted into speech, you just have to send it through the API, and it’ll send an audio stream straight back to your application. 

You can also store audio streams as MP3, Vorbis and PCM file formats, and there’s support for a range of international languages and dialects. These include British English, American English, Australian English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish and Russian. 

Polly is available as an API on its own, as well as a feature of the AWS Management Console and command-line interface. In terms of pricing, you’re charged based on the number of text characters you convert into speech. This is charged at approximately $16 per1 million characters , but there is a free tier for the first year.

• Large voiceover library
• Export audio in various formats
• Non-English voices are of inconsistent quality

In terms of its library of voice options, it’s hard to beat Play.ht as one of the best text-to-speech software tools. With almost 600 AI-generated voices available in over 60 languages, it’s likely you’ll be able to find a voice to suit your needs. 

Although the platform isn’t the easiest to use, there is a detailed video tutorial to help users if they encounter any difficulties. All the usual features are available, including Voice Generation and Audio Analytics. 

In terms of pricing, Play.ht comes with four plans: Personal, Professional, Growth, and Business. These range widely in price, but it depends if you need things like commercial rights and affects the number of words you can generate each month. 

Voice Dream Reader

• 6 built-in voices
• Multilingual
• Integration with cloud platforms
• Works offline
• Apple devices online

There are also plenty of great text-to-speech applications available for mobile devices, and Voice Dream Reader is an excellent example. It can convert documents, web articles and ebooks into natural-sounding speech. 

The app comes with 186 built-in voices across 30 languages, including English, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese and Korean. 

You can get the software to read a list of articles while you drive, work or exercise, and there are auto-scrolling, full-screen and distraction-free modes to help you focus. Voice Dream Reader can be used with cloud solutions like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, Pocket, Instapaper and Evernote. 

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• Accessibility and Aging
• For maintaining independence

The Best Dictation Software

By Kaitlyn Wells

Dictation software makes it easy to navigate your computer and communicate without typing a single phrase.

This flexibility is great if you simply need a break from your keyboard, but it’s especially important for people with language-processing disorders or physical disabilities. Firing off a quick text or typing a memo can be difficult—or even totally infeasible—if you have limited hand dexterity or chronic pain, but this kind of software can make such tasks a relative breeze.

After considering 18 options, we’ve found that Apple Voice Control and Nuance Dragon Professional v16  are more accurate, efficient, and usable than any other dictation tools we’ve tested.

Everything we recommend

Apple Voice Control

The best dictation tool for apple devices.

Apple’s Voice Control is easier to use and produces accurate transcriptions more frequently than the competition. It also offers a robust command hub that makes corrections a breeze.

Buying Options

Upgrade pick.

Nuance Dragon Professional v16

The best dictation tool for windows pcs.

Dragon Professional v16 is the most accurate dictation tool we tested for any operating system—but its hefty price tag is a lot to swallow.

But the technology behind dictation software (also called speech-to-text or voice-recognition software) has some faults. These apps have difficult learning curves, and the inherent bias that humans program into them means that their accuracy can vary, especially for people with various accents, sociolects and dialects like African American Vernacular English, or speech impediments. Still, for those able to work within the technology’s constraints, our picks are the best options available for many people who need assistance using a word-processing tool.

Apple’s Voice Control comes installed with macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, so it’s free to anyone who owns an Apple device. In our testing, it produced accurate transcriptions most of the time, especially for speakers with standard American accents. Competing tools from Google and Microsoft averaged 15 points lower than Apple’s software in our accuracy tests. Among our panel of testers, those with limited hand dexterity loved Voice Control’s assistive-technology features, which made it easy to navigate the OS and edit messages hands-free.

But while the experience that Voice Control provides was the best we found for Apple devices, it often misunderstood words or entire phrases spoken by testers with regional or other American accents or speech impediments such as stutters. Although such accuracy issues are expected for speech-recognition modeling that has historically relied on homogenous data sources , other tools (specifically, Nuance Dragon Professional v16 , which is available only for Windows) performed slightly better in this regard. Apple’s tool may also lag slightly if you’re running multiple processor-intensive programs at once, which our panelists said slowed their productivity.

At $700, Nuance Dragon Professional v16 is the most expensive speech-recognition tool we’ve found, but it’s the best option for people who own Windows PCs. Professional v16 replaces our previous Windows PC pick, the now-discontinued Nuance Dragon Home 15 . It offers added functionality for those working in finance, healthcare, and human services—and is probably overkill for most people. (If you need a free PC option, consider Windows Voice Recognition , but know it has significant flaws .)

Like its predecessor, Professional v16 involves a learning curve at first, but the Dragon tutorial does a great job of getting you started. Our panelist with language-processing disabilities said Dragon was one of the most accurate dictation options they tried, and the robust command features made it possible for them to quickly navigate their machine. Like our Apple pick, Dragon had trouble with various American dialects and international accents; it performed better for those testers with “neutral” American accents. It also struggled to eliminate all background noise, though you can mitigate such problems by using an external microphone or headset. Although Dragon produced the fastest transcriptions of any tool we tested, this wasn’t an unqualified positive: Half of our panelists said that they preferred slower real-time transcriptions to Dragon’s sentence-by-sentence transcription method because they found its longer pauses between sentences’ appearance on their screen to be distracting.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is—and isn’t—for, how we picked and tested, the best dictation tool for apple devices: apple voice control, the best dictation tool for windows pcs: nuance dragon professional v16, other good dictation software, how to use dictation software, should you worry about your privacy when using dictation software, the competition.

As a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, I’ve spent five years covering complex topics, writing articles focusing on subjects such as dog DNA tests , blue-light-blocking glasses , email unsubscribe tools , and technology-manipulation tactics used by domestic abusers . I was an early adopter of dictation software back in the early aughts, with a much less polished version of Nuance’s Dragon software. Like other people I interviewed for this guide, I quickly abandoned the software because of its poor performance and difficult learning curve. Since then, I’ve occasionally used dictation and accessibility tools on my devices to send quick messages when my hands are sticky from baking treats or covered in hair product from my morning routine. While writing this guide, I dictated about a third of the text using the tools we recommend.

But I’m not someone who is dependent on dictation tools to communicate, so I consulted a variety of experts in the AI and disability communities to better understand the role that this kind of software plays in making the world more accessible for people with disabilities. I read articles and peer-reviewed studies, I browsed disability forums that I frequent for advice on my chronic pain, and I solicited input from affinity organizations to learn what makes a great dictation tool. And I brushed up on the latest research in AI technology and voice-recognition bias from Harvard Business Review , the Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute , and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Speech Accessibility Project , among others.

I also chatted with Meenakshi Das , a disability advocate and software engineer at Microsoft, and Diego Mariscal, CEO of the disabled-founders startup accelerator 2Gether-International , about the limitations of dictation tools for people with various disabilities. I discussed the ethics of artificial intelligence with Princeton University PhD candidate Sayash Kapoor . I attended a lecture by Kapoor’s advisor, Arvind Narayanan, PhD , entitled “ The Limits Of The Quantitative Approach To Discrimination .” I spoke with Christopher Manning , co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University, about the evolution of dictation software. And I consulted with Wirecutter’s editor of accessibility coverage, Claire Perlman, to ensure that my approach to this guide remained accessible, nuanced, and reflective of the disability community’s needs.

Lastly, I assembled a testing panel of nine people with varying degrees of experience using dictation software, including several with disabilities ranging from speech impediments to limited hand dexterity to severe brain trauma. Our testers also self-reported accents ranging from “neutral” American to “vague” Louisianan to “noticeable” Indian.

Assistive technology such as speech-to-text tools can help you do everything from sending hands-free texts while driving to typing up a term paper without ever touching your keyboard.

We wrote this guide with two types of users in mind: people with disabilities who rely on dictation software to communicate, and people with free use of their hands who occasionally use these tools when they need to work untethered from their keyboard. However, we put a stronger focus on people with disabilities because dictation software can better serve that population and can ultimately make it easier for them to access the world and communicate.

Users with limited or no hand dexterity, limb differences, or language-processing challenges may find speech-recognition software useful because it gives them the freedom to communicate in their preferred environment. For example, our panelists with learning disabilities said they liked to mentally wander or “brain dump” while using voice-recognition software to complete projects, and they felt less pressure to write down everything perfectly the first time.

Still, our approach had limits: We focused on each tool’s ability to integrate with and edit text documents, rather than to verbally navigate an entire computer screen, which is a feature that some people with cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, quadriplegia, and other neurological disabilities need—especially if they have no speaking issues and limited or no motor control. Our picks offer some accessibility features, such as grid navigation, text editing, and voice commands, that make using devices easier, but not everyone who tested the software for us used those features extensively, and the majority of voice-recognition software we considered lacks these premium options.

Aside from the absence of accessibility features, there are other potential hindrances to these software programs’ usefulness, such as how well they work with a range of accents.

The biases of dictation software

Speech-recognition software first became increasingly available in the 1980s and 1990s, with the introduction of talking typewriters for those with low vision , commercial speech-recognition software, and collect-call processing, according to Christopher Manning , co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence . But “speech recognition used to be really awful,” he said. “If you were an English-Indian speaker, the chances of it [understanding you] used to be about zero; now it’s not that bad.”

As we found in our tests, an individual’s definition of “bad” can vary widely depending on their accent and their speaking ability. And our AI experts agreed that the limitations of the natural language processing (NLP) technology used in dictation software are laid bare when faced with various accents, dialects, and speech patterns from around the world.

Sayash Kapoor , a second-year PhD candidate studying AI ethics at Princeton University, said that NLP tools are often trained on websites like Reddit and Wikipedia, making them biased against marginalized genders and people from Black, indigenous, and other communities of color. The end result is that most dictation software works best with canonical accents, said Manning, such as British and American English. Our experts told us that some speech-to-text tools don’t have fine-grain modeling for different dialects and sociolects, let alone gender identity, race, and geographic location.

In fact, one study found that speech-to-text tools by Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, and Microsoft exhibited “ substantial racial disparities ,” as the average word-error rate for Black speakers was nearly twice that of white speakers. This limitation affects not only how easily speakers can dictate their work but also how effectively they can correct phrases and give formatting commands—which makes all the difference between a seamless or painful user experience.

Inherent bias in speech-recognition tools extends to speech impediments, as well. Wirecutter approached several people with stutters or other types of speech and language disabilities, such as those resulting from cerebral palsy or Parkinson’s disease, about joining our panel of testers. But most declined, citing a history of poor experiences with dictation tools. Disability advocate Meenakshi Das, who has a stutter, said she doesn’t use any speech-to-text tools because more work needs to be done industry-wide to make the software truly accessible. (Das is a software engineer at Microsoft, which owns Nuance , the company that produces our pick for Windows PCs .)

Both Das and Kapoor have noticed a trend of accelerators working to close the bias gap for people with accents, speech impediments, and language-processing disabilities in order to make it possible for those groups to use dictation tools. In October 2022, for example, the University of Illinois announced a partnership with Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and nonprofits on the Speech Accessibility Project to improve voice recognition for people with disabilities and diverse speech patterns.

But until truly inclusive speech-to-text tools arrive, people in those underserved groups can check out our advice on how to get the most out of the software that’s currently available.

We solicited insights on speech-to-text tools from our experts and read software reviews, peer-reviewed studies, disability forums, and organization websites to learn what makes a great dictation tool.

We identified 18 dictation software packages and compared their features, platform compatibility, privacy policies, price, and third-party reviews. Among the features we looked for were a wide variety of useful voice commands, ease of navigation, the presence of customizable commands and vocabulary, multi-language support, and built-in hint tools or tutorials. Those programs that ranked highest on our criteria, generally offering a mix of robust features and wide platform availability, made our short list for testing:

• Apple Dictation ( macOS , iOS , iPadOS )
• Apple Voice Control ( macOS , iOS , iPadOS )
• Google Assistant on Gboard
• Google Docs Voice Typing
• Microsoft Word Dictate
• Nuance Dragon Home 15 (discontinued)
• Windows Voice Recognition
• Windows Voice Typing

We defaulted these tools to the American English setting and rotated using each tool for a couple of hours on our computers and mobile devices. Afterward, we graded their performance on accuracy, ease of use, speed, noise interference, and app compatibility. We placed an emphasis on accuracy rates, performing a series of control tests to see how well the dictation tools recognized 150- to 200-word samples of casual speech, the lyrics of Alicia Keys’s song “No One,” and scientific jargon from a peer-reviewed vaccine study . From there, we advanced the dictation tools with the highest marks to our panel-testing round.

Nine panelists tested our semifinalists over the course of three weeks. Our diverse group of testers included those with disabilities ranging from speech impediments to limited hand dexterity to severe brain trauma. They self-reported accents ranging from American to Catalan to Indian. All the panelists had varying degrees of prior experience with dictation software.

Meet our testers:

• Aum N., 34, who works in quality assurance and has an Indian accent
• Ben K., 41, an editor with a “moderate” stutter and a “standard” American accent
• Chandana C., 64, an analyst with a “noticeable” Indian accent
• Claire P., 31, an editor with a musculoskeletal disability called arthrogryposis
• Davis L., 27, an audio producer with a “vague” Louisianan accent
• Franc C. F., 38, a software engineer from Spain
• Juan R., 52, who survived a car accident that caused severe brain trauma and now has limited short-term memory and limited reading comprehension
• Polina G., 49, an engineering manager with ADHD
• Vicki C., 33, a software engineer with a shoulder injury and repetitive stress injury

The panelists sent text messages, drafted emails, and coded software using the various speech-to-text tools, after which they provided extensive notes on their experiences and identified which tools they would feel comfortable using regularly or purchasing on their own.

To arrive at our picks, we combined the panelists’ experiences with the results of our control round, as well as recommendations from our experts.

Price: free Operating system: macOS, iOS, iPadOS Supported languages: 21 to 64 languages , depending on the settings, including Hindi, Thai, and several dialects of English and Italian.

Apple Voice Control is easy to use, outperforms major competitors from Google, Microsoft, and Nuance, and offers dozens of command prompts for a smoother experience, an especially helpful feature for people with limited hand dexterity. Because Voice Control is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, it’s more accessible than many of the other tools we tested. It’s available for free in macOS , iOS, and iPadOS ; you can activate it by going to Settings > Accessibility on your preferred device. Once you activate it, you may notice that it works similarly to the Dictation and Siri functions on your phone. That’s because they use the same speech-recognition algorithms. This means the learning curve inherent to all speech-to-text tools is marginally less difficult with Voice Control, particularly if you’ve used Dictation or Siri before, as they’re already familiar with your speech patterns. (If you’re wondering how Dictation and Voice Control differ, Dictation is a speech-to-text tool that omits the various accessibility and navigation functions of Voice Control.)

In our tests, Voice Control routinely produced more accurate transcriptions than the competition, including Nuance Dragon, Google Docs Voice Typing , and Windows Voice Recognition . In our control tests, it was 87% accurate with casual, non-accented speech. Comparatively, Dragon was 82% accurate, while Windows Voice Recognition was only 64% accurate. Google Docs Voice Typing performed on a par with Voice Control, but it failed at transcribing contractions, slang, and symbols much more frequently. Most of the tools we tested, Voice Control included, were about 10% less accurate during our jargon-rich control tests that included scientific words from an immunology study. (One notable exception in this regard was Dragon, which showed no noticeable drop-off with more technical language.)

Half of our testers agreed that they would regularly use Voice Control, and that they would even pay for it if they relied on dictation software. Specific words they used to describe the software included “accurate,” “good,” and “impressive.” Still, our real-world tests pushed Voice Control to its limits, and the software often misunderstood words or phrases from testers who had diverse accents or stutters. Unfortunately, such accuracy issues are to be expected for speech-recognition modeling that has historically relied on homogenous data sources. But Voice Control’s performance improves the more you use it , so don’t give up immediately if you find inaccuracies frustrating at first.

Apple’s assistive technology was a standout feature for our testers with limited hand dexterity, as it allowed them to navigate their machines and edit their messages hands-free. These command prompts have a challenging learning curve, so you’re unlikely to have a flawless experience out of the gate. But asking “What can I say?” brings up a library that automatically filters contextually relevant commands depending on your actions. For example, selecting a desktop folder produces a short list of prompts related to file access (such as “Open document”), while moving the cursor to a word-processing tool brings up “Type.” The interface allows you to quickly sort through the relevant commands, a feature that some panelists found useful.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Our panelists with accents experienced mixed accuracy results using Apple Voice Control. Testers with nonstandard English accents or speech impediments said that the performance of Apple’s software improved when they spoke slowly. “When using it to type, sometimes it got things quite off,” noted panelist Franc, a native Spanish and Catalan speaker who tested the software in English. Similarly, my own experience dictating this guide proved challenging: I found that I had to overenunciate my words to prevent Voice Control from capitalizing random words and mistyping the occasional phrase.

Our panelists agreed that Apple Voice Control was the slowest tool they tested for transcribing text, though that difference in speed was a matter of seconds, not minutes. Sometimes speech-recognition software processes a complete sentence, rather than single words, before displaying the text on the screen, a tendency that about half of our panelists found frustrating. “It was really distracting to wait to see whether [Voice Control] had picked up what I said,” noted tester Vicki, who has a repetitive stress injury that makes typing difficult.

Wirecutter’s editor of accessibility coverage, Claire Perlman, who also served on our panel, echoed this sentiment. She said the lag time was marginal at the start of her session but became noticeably painful the longer she used the software. Claire also noted that her 2019 MacBook Pro, equipped with a 1.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, overheated while running Voice Control for extended periods. “The lag that I’m experiencing now is very distracting and makes me feel like I have to slow my thought process in order to have it typed correctly,” she said. We attempted to replicate this issue with a 2019 MacBook Pro equipped with a 2.6 GHz six-core Intel Core i7 processor, and after an hour of use we found that Apple’s Speech Recognition process fluctuated between occupying 54% to 89% of our CPU and that Apple Dictation’s usage ranged from 1% to 35%, confirming that the robust platform requires a lot of processing power. That said, you may find that the lag disappears when you close other CPU-intensive programs, such as Chrome or a game.

As we previously mentioned, successfully wielding Voice Control’s command prompts requires experience and finesse. Testers who read through the quick-start guide and watched YouTube tutorials reported the easiest experience. “There is a learning curve,” said tester Chandana, who has an Indian accent. But the software’s “What can I say?” screen was a big help, Chandana said: “I was able to use many functions that I wanted to use before but did not know that I could.”

Lastly, Voice Control works best within Apple’s own apps, and some people may find that inherent limitation challenging or annoying. “I found it to be more accurate in Pages and iMessage than Google Docs and WhatsApp,” Claire noted. In just one example, although Voice Control correctly captured dictated commands such as “Select line” or “Delete ” in Pages , it couldn’t execute them in Google Docs.

Price: $700 per license Operating system: Windows Supported languages: English, French, Spanish (depending on purchase region)

Nuance Dragon Professional v16 is the best option for Windows PC users because it surpasses the Microsoft Word and Windows dictation tools in accuracy, quickly processes and displays transcriptions, and offers a helpful training module and selection of command prompts to get you swiftly up to speed. Unlike most other dictation software in our tests, it worked well with technical, jargon-heavy language, an advantage that could make it useful for people who work in the sciences. (While we only tested the now-discontinued Nuance Dragon Home 15 for this guide, Professional v16 uses the same technology while making it easier to dictate large amounts of data in a corporate setting. Plus, if you’ve used earlier versions of Dragon in the past, you’ll be happy to know that this version of Dragon represents a significant improvement over previous generations.)

Our panelists said that Dragon was one of the most accurate speech-recognition tools they tried, describing it as “extremely accurate,” “reliable,” and in at least one case, “flawless.” Wirecutter’s Claire Perlman, who has arthrogryposis , said, “I was truly blown away by the accuracy of Dragon. It had only two to three errors the whole time I used it.” Our control tests found similar results. Dragon was 82% accurate in transcribing casual speech (slightly behind Apple Voice Control, which produced 87% accuracy), and in transcribing technical language, it didn’t exhibit the steep decline in accuracy that we saw from other software, including Apple’s Voice Control and Dictation tools.

Dragon’s transcriptions appeared with minimal lag time on testers’ screens, whereas tools like Otter and Windows Voice Recognition took twice as long to produce phrases or sentences. But panelists found Dragon’s sentence-by-sentence transcription to be a mixed bag. Some testers preferred to see entire phrases or sentences appear simultaneously on the screen. “The speed combined with the accuracy meant that I did not feel like I had to pay constant attention to what was happening on the screen and could instead focus on my thoughts and writing,” Claire said. Other testers preferred real-time, word-by-word transcriptions: “There were definitely moments where I was sitting there drumming my fingers and waiting,” said Wirecutter editor Ben Keough. Dragon lets you adjust for less lag time or better accuracy by going to Options > Miscellaneous > Speed vs. Accuracy. But we didn’t notice a difference in performance when we changed this setting during our control tests.

Like all the dictation software we tested, Dragon requires a bit of know-how to get the most out of its features and achieve the best performance, but its multitude of accessibility voice commands were a favorite feature among our panelists. Unlike most of the options we tested, Dragon launches with a brief tutorial that walks you through how to use it, from setting up the best microphone position to dictating text to using punctuation prompts.

You can revisit the tutorial at any point if you need a refresher, which panelist Juan found helpful with his traumatic brain injury and short-term memory problems. “The tutorial gives you a good start on its functionality,” he said. Wirecutter’s Claire Perlman noted, “I used to use Dragon years ago, and back then, training the system to recognize your voice was an onerous process. This time, I found the whole setup and training process genuinely helpful and very quick. And I felt like I could really operate it hands-free.”

The biggest drawback to Dragon is that it costs $700 per license. The experts we spoke with said that this barrier to entry may make using this software infeasible for many people who are disabled, including those who are on a limited income because they can’t find remote work that accommodates their disabilities. Additionally, having to download and enable the software can be a hassle that reminds people with disabilities that their situation is an afterthought in the digital age—especially in comparison with Apple Voice Control or even Windows Voice Recognition, which are integrated into device operating systems.

This software is compatible only with the Windows desktop operating system; you can’t install it on Android, Apple’s operating systems, or ChromeOS. (That is, unless you partition your hard drive, but in that case you run the risk of slowing down the operating system, which one panelist with a drive partition experienced.) Users can subscribe to Dragon Anywhere ($150 a year), which works with iOS and Android devices. But because our panelists didn’t test Dragon Anywhere, we can’t comment on its usability or accuracy.

Dragon isn’t a speech-recognition tool that you can use right out of the box—the first time you load the software, it prompts you to complete a series of short tutorials. This means it’s important to set aside some time getting to know the program before rushing to write, say, an overdue memo or term paper. (That said, regardless of the speech-to-text tool you choose, we recommend familiarizing yourself with it before diving into a text-heavy project.)

Although Dragon was the most accessible and accurate Windows-compatible dictation software we tested, it still faltered in its transcriptions at times, especially for testers who didn’t use a dedicated microphone or headset. Nuance recommends buying its Dragon USB headset ($35) or Dragon Bluetooth headset ($150) for the best experience and says that users can improve the program’s accuracy rate by making corrections to text via voice prompt and running its Accuracy Tuning feature to optimize its language models. Judging from our testing, we can say that any high-quality dedicated mic that’s positioned correctly will improve your results. Even so, one panelist who used a wired headset noticed that Dragon could not capture diverse names like “Yeiser” but had no issues with traditionally Anglo names like “Brady.”

Finally, this dictation software is available in only three languages—English, French, and Spanish—a stark reminder that accessibility isn’t always accessible to all. Within those constraints, you can specify a language region to ensure that the spelling matches your preferred region, such as Canadian English versus American English. (The ability to purchase a preferred-language license may vary depending on where you live .)

If you want a free Windows-compatible option: Consider Windows Voice Recognition . In our tests, its accuracy rate was 64% compared to Dragon’s 82%, but like Dragon you can train Windows to better understand your voice the more you use it. Other free tools we tested that had subpar accuracy rates can’t be trained, including Google Docs Voice Typing .

Our panelists agreed that no dictation software is perfect, but for the most part, such programs’ functionality improves the more you use them. Here’s how to get the most out of your speech-to-text tool:

• Take the tutorial. Seriously. Some of these tools have difficult learning curves, with specialized commands for numerals, punctuation, and formatting. Before dictating your memoir, make sure to review the software’s instruction manual and keep a list of its command shortcuts nearby.
• Set your primary language. Less than half of the tools we tested allow you to set your primary language if it’s outside the country of origin. But if your tool has this option, make sure to use it. This can make the difference between the software transcribing theater or theatre , or even recognizing your accent at all.
• For immediate accuracy, enunciate. For long-term success, speak naturally. Many dictation tools offer vocabulary builders or claim to learn your speech patterns over time, so don’t force yourself to sound like a machine—unless you want to use that stiff voice every time you dictate.
• Consider a dedicated microphone. Speech-to-text tools, including our top picks, work better when you keep your mouth close to the microphone and work in a quiet environment. In general, you can cut out the majority of background disturbances and transcription misfires by using a dedicated external USB microphone or a wireless or wired headset that crisply captures your voice.
• Pay attention to the on/off switch. Some of these tools go into sleep mode after a few seconds of silence, or they may pick up side conversations you don’t want to transcribe. If you pause to collect your thoughts or turn around to answer a colleague’s question, make sure the dictation tool is on the right setting before you speak.

You give up some privacy when you speak into a microphone so that a speech-to-text tool can transcribe your words. As is the case when you’re speaking on the phone, anyone nearby may hear what you say. And many dictation tools feed your audio into their learning algorithms to improve their service or to sell you something. In some cases, a company may even turn over all of your speech-to-text recordings and transcriptions to law enforcement. Ultimately, if you’re dealing with sensitive data and have another means to communicate—which we know isn’t possible for many people who need these tools—it’s best not to share your information with a speech-to-text program. Of course, we could say the same thing about sending unsecured texts or uploading documents into the cloud, too.

Here’s what the makers of our picks do with your data:

Apple’s Voice Control processes dictations and commands only locally, on your device , so no personal data is shared or saved with a third party. But some information that you speak into sibling programs Dictation and Siri may transmit to Apple’s servers. (Because many people, including several of our panelists, use Dictation and Siri, we concluded that the differences are worth calling attention to.)

Typically, Apple can’t access Dictation and Siri audio recordings that you compose on your device unless you’re dictating into a search box or the service requires third-party app access. Apple may collect transcripts of Siri requests, dictation transcripts, IP addresses, and contact information to perform app tasks, improve its services, and market its products. And anytime Apple interacts with a third-party app, such as a transcription service for meeting notes, that voice data may be sent to Apple, or you could be subject to that app’s separate terms and conditions and privacy policy. When you opt in to Apple’s “Improve Siri and Dictation,” the audio recordings and transcripts that Apple saves are accessible to its employees , and data is retained for two years, though the company may extend retention beyond that period at its discretion.

Apple also uses your audio and transcripts to market products and services. You can opt out of allowing Apple to review your audio files under System Settings ( Settings on mobile devices) > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements ; you can delete your six-month history by going through System Settings ( Settings on mobile devices) > Siri & Search > Siri & Dictation History . With iOS 14.6, however, according to Gizmodo , Apple may still collect some analytics data even if you opt out.

As for information shared with third parties, certain providers must delete personal information at the end of the transaction or take undisclosed steps to protect your data. And Apple may disclose your information to law enforcement agencies as required by law.

Nuance, which owns Dragon software, routinely collects dictation data. The service can access any sensitive information you dictate, including medical records or proprietary information, and doesn’t always require your direct consent to do so. For example, in its privacy policy , Nuance says, “If we are processing personal data on behalf of a third party that has direct patient access, it will be the third party’s responsibility to obtain the consent.” And “snippets” of audio recordings are reviewed by people who manually transcribe the data in order to improve Nuance’s services. Nuance retains data for three years after you stop using the services, and you can request that the company delete your data record .

Additionally, although Nuance collects electronic data such as your IP address and registration information to market its products, the company says it doesn’t sell customer data to third parties. However, Nuance affiliates and partners may have access to the data through its sales division or customer service division. And like Apple, Nuance may share personal data to comply with the law .

Beyond considering dictation software in particular, be sure to examine the data-retention policies of any software you’re dictating into (whether that’s Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or whatever else), which fall under the maker’s own privacy practices.

Apple Dictation ( macOS , iOS , iPadOS ) performs similarly to our pick, Apple Voice Control, but it lacks the robust features that many people want in a speech-to-text tool, including key command functions.

We can’t recommend Microsoft Word Dictate  or Otter due to their transcription lag times and subpar accuracy rates, which ranged from 54% to 76%, far behind Apple Voice Control’s 87% and Dragon’s 82%. Additionally, Otter’s platform is not a great choice for document dictation, as it doesn’t integrate well with word-processing tools; it’s better suited for live-event closed captioning.

The Braina Pro tool was popular in the mid-aughts, but its website is outdated, and it hasn’t had any user reviews in years.

The Google Assistant on Gboard interface works only with Gboard-compatible mobile devices, which means it’s useless to desktop users and anyone who doesn’t own an Android or iOS smartphone.

In our tests, Google Docs Voice Typing failed to accurately capture sociolects and casual speech. It also doesn’t work well for people with speech impediments, has poor formatting features, and is nearly impossible to use for anyone who can’t access a mouse and keyboard.

IBM’s Watson Speech to Text is a transcription service that charges by the minute after the first 500 minutes. And the free plan deletes your transcription history after a month of inactivity. We think those shortcomings are enough to disqualify it.

Windows Voice Typing isn’t as robust a tool as Windows Voice Recognition, and we found its accessibility commands to be limiting.

We considered several Chrome-specific apps, including Chromebook Dictation , Speechnotes , and SpeechTexter , but we skipped testing them because of their limited features and usage restrictions that made them inaccessible to most people.

We also considered the following options but quickly learned that they’re designed for specific commercial uses:

• Amazon Transcribe is built for commercial products.
• Speechmatics is designed for commercial products, such as live transcription for video conferences, so it’s too expensive and inaccessible for the average person.
• Suki Assistant is designed for medical dictation.
• Verbit offers transcription services for businesses.

This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.

Meenakshi Das, disability advocate and software engineer, Microsoft , text interview , September 30, 2022

Sayash Kapoor, PhD candidate, Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University , phone interview , October 6, 2022

Christopher Manning, co-director, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford University , Zoom interview , October 5, 2022

Diego Mariscal, founder, CEO, and chief disabled officer, 2Gether-International , Zoom interview , October 26, 2022

Steve Dent, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Google to improve speech recognition for people with disabilities , Engadget , October 3, 2022

Su Lin Blodgett, Lisa Green, Brendan O’Connor, Demographic Dialectal Variation in Social Media: A Case Study of African-American English (PDF) , Proceedings of the 2016 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing , November 1, 2016

Prabha Kannan, Is It My Turn Yet? Teaching a Voice Assistant When to Speak , Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford University , October 10, 2022

Allison Koenecke, Andrew Nam, Emily Lake, Sharad Goel, Racial disparities in automated speech recognition , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , March 23, 2020

Speech Recognition for Learning , LD OnLine, “Tech Works” brief from the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) , August 1, 2010

Arvind Narayanan, The Limits Of The Quantitative Approach To Discrimination , James Baldwin Lecture Series, Department of African American Studies, Princeton University , October 11, 2022

Meet your guide

Kaitlyn Wells

Kaitlyn Wells is a senior staff writer who advocates for greater work flexibility by showing you how to work smarter remotely without losing yourself. Previously, she covered pets and style for Wirecutter. She's never met a pet she didn’t like, although she can’t say the same thing about productivity apps. Her first picture book, A Family Looks Like Love , follows a pup who learns that love, rather than how you look, is what makes a family.

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Best AI Text-to-Speech Tools

• 15 minute read

Over time, text-to-speech tools have been changing the way we consume and interact with digital content. Through its feature, it has been providing aid to many individuals as well as businesses 😀 in every possible faculty. 

As per the research, the text-to-speech market has grown 📈 from USD 2.9 billion in 2022 to USD 4 billion in 2023 . Due to its accessibility, multitasking, language learning , and other features, it has become one of the major necessities in the modern world. 

However, choosing the appropriate tool is essential 😐 as it greatly enhances the value of your work. A suitable tool can offer exceptional support, multiple voices and languages, and many features. 

With its amazing features, the demand for it has always been rising through the roof which has led to problems about which tool to go with. But with the help of this guide, you have a clear vision about which tool to go with. 

🔑 KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Speechify, ElevenLabs, and Lovo.ai are the best AI text-to-speech tools that most businesses prefer. 
• AI text-to-speech simply refers to the use of artificial intelligence to convert text into vocal output.
• AI text-to-speech offers you several benefits such as cost-effectiveness, assisting disabled audiences, and enhanced learning. 
• AI text-to-speech can be used in language translation, increase engagement, and multitasking. 

Table of Contents

What is an AI text-to-speech tool?

Text-to-speech known as TTS in short form, is the process of converting text into vocal output . And the tool that reads digital text using AI algorithms is known as an AI text-to-speech tool.  

You may have used the feature available in Google to convert any words or phrases that you found difficult to a speech form, that is basically what text to speech tool is. 

From the earliest attempts to mimic human speech using mechanical devices to the current day, the development TTS has faced is immense. Through strict research, these tools now understand the text’s tone, pitch, and energy, producing better sound than native speakers. 

How does AI Text-to-speech work? 

Text-to-speech operates with the help of two components: front-end and back-end. 

Front-end is your text-to-speech interface where you can enter text, language, voice, tone , etc. After you have provided the necessary information, it uses the API and plugins to automate the entire conversion process. In minutes, you will have the technology to read the text out loud.

Back End is where the technical stuff happens. It does the work such as breaking down the words, using part-of-speech tags, and pronunciation tags, converting them into acoustic features, and finally converting them into waveform and generating the speech.

Benefits of AI text-to-speech tool

Originally innovated to provide aids to those with learning disabilities , TTS continues to grow beyond everyone’s expectations. With the advancement of neural networks and artificial intelligence in TTS, it has been more than just a tool for those with learning disabilities. 

Here are some ways it benefits individuals and businesses on a day-to-day basis:

• Cost Efficient: Hiring and managing manual speakers may seem costly and hassle compared to any other TTS tool. Nowadays mostly AI manages TTS tools, providing competitive pricing.
• Assist Disabled Audience: Text-to-speech models are used by everyone but it is most beneficial to individuals with visual impairments such as dyslexia and ADHD to assist them in completing everyday tasks.
• Better Reach: Increasing reach is the most essential thing in the business and with the help of TTS tools you can do so. Through TTS tools you can convert written content into audio formats reaching wider audiences through podcasts and audiobooks, expanding audience engagement and interaction. 
• Enhance Learning: Continuous reading books can strain your eyes, leading to different health issues in the future. This is where text-to-speech tools come to your aid. Convert the text to audio and connect your soundbar to make the learning fun. 
• Time Efficiency: Hiring an interpreter or voiceover artist can take a lot of time and effort. However, with the help of text-to-speech software tools, you can get the same information faster compared to the interpreter. 

Key features to look for in text-to-speech tools

Just like how you look for the best features while buying a car the same goes for text-to-speech tools. You want to get access to the best features which are going to be worth your money. 

So, here are some of the key features to look for in text-to-speech tools:

1. Natural Voices 

Sounding like a bot can be a major killer to any engagement. So, searching for a TTS tool that offers a natural voice is the only right thing to do. Ensure that the TTS platform possesses voices capable of pausing and breathing at appropriate intervals, adapting the style or emotion according to the context, and resembling authentic individuals. By doing so, your audio material will become more captivating and pleasurable.

2. Different range of voices

Having a variety of voice options such as gender, age, and language/accent can prove to be beneficial to captivate the right audience. Using the right voice, you can match your audience and engage with them in a more fun way. 

3. Voice Cloning

The usage of voice cloning helps you to create a customized voice, center your brand image around it, and create content at scale. By utilizing this functionality, you can save both time and money that would otherwise be allocated towards coordinating various voice actors, recording studios, re-takes, and post-production processes for these brands.

4. Language Options

Text-to-speech tools are valuable resources that enable you to convert your content into various languages and accents, allowing you to reach a global audience and overcome language barriers . With the help of this feature, it is never complicated to expand your business internationally. 

Having a library of add-ons such as music, non-verbal interjections, and sound effects (SFX) can help you create more engaging content. With just the help of this, your creativity will increase dramatically. 

Top 10 AI text-to-speech tools

The use of text-to-speech tools keeps growing as time passes and to meet the number of users many new tools keep on developing. Due to this, it may cause you confusion about which tool to go with. But don’t worry we got you covered.

To clear your confusion, we have listed down some of the best tools in terms of features, pricing, pros and cons through many reaches and comparisons. Compare and choose the right one which is suitable for you. 

1. Speechify 

Founded by Cliff Weitzman in 2016, Speechify is a text-to-speech tool that helps you convert any text to natural-sounding speech. With the features offered by this tool, you can easily convert PDFs, emails, docs, or articles into audio . 

Speechify is available in the Google Chrome extension, web app, iOS app, and Android app , making it one of the easy-to-use tools out in the market. 

⚡ Speechify Features

• 30+ high-quality, natural reading voices
• 20+ different languages
• Advanced skipping and importing
• Offline Mode
• Playback Options

✔️ Speechify Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Lots of customization options for voiceovers.
• Suitable for both desktop and mobile.
• Enhance reading speed by 5X.
• Supports individuals with dyslexia, ADHD, and general reading challenges.

❌ Speechify Cons 

• Limited feature for the free version.
• The quality of audio generation is dependent upon the quality of the input text.
• Lacks emotional depth and nuance. 
• Lack of key features like an AI Writer and Art Generator.

💰 Speechify Pricing 

2. elevenlabs.

Developed to eliminate language barriers, ElevenLabs has been more than your average text-to-speech tool as it combines advanced AI with emotive capabilities to offer you the most humanlike tone and speech. 

Through the service they offer it has become the first choice tool from users all around the globe when it comes to entertainment purposes such as audiobooks, videos, podcasts , and more. 

⚡ ElevenLabs Features

• Free AI Dubbing & Video Translator
• AI Voice & Text Speech API
• Voce Library
• Voice Cloning
• Projects Feature

✔️ ElevenLabs Pros 

• Easy to use interface.
• Wide Range of Applications
• Most humanlike AI voice generator
• Start for free
• Flexible Text-to-Speech Options

 ❌ ElevenLabs Cons

• Limitation of voices and languages
• Lack of some features like the ability to control the timing of pauses between words, pitch control, etc.
• Limitation of 10,000 characters per month for free users.

💰 ElevenLabs Pricing 

Lovo.ai is a game-changing software for all content creators, marketers, and businesses throughout the world. It offers 500 voices in 100 languages in more than 25 emotions .

Despite being text to text-to-speech tool, you can also get multiple additional features like an advanced voice generator, an online video editor, an auto subtitle generator, an AI writer, voice cloning, an AI art generator, and cloud storage for collaboration.

⚡ Lovo.ai Features

• AI Art Generator
• Over 500+ AI voices
• Online Video Editor

 ✔️ Lovo.ai Pros

• Highly realistic voices
• Wide Range of Voices and Languages
• Voice customization to fine-tune voices
• Easy to use
• Web-based 

❌ Lovo.ai Cons

• Voice cloning only supports English.
• Lack of Integrations
• The presence of background voice may cause errors when recording voice for cloning. 

💰 Lovo.ai Pricing 

Since its launching in 2020, Murf has been offering advanced and user-friendly voice-generating tools for individuals as well as businesses. With the use of artificial intelligence, it produces high-quality audio for different purposes depending upon the user.

Through its reliable service, it has become one of the great TTS tools in the market. It just takes you one minute to create studio-quality voiceovers using Murf’s comprehensive and advanced features. Murf allows you to choose from over 120+ text-to-speech voices in 20+ languages .

⚡ Murf Features

• Google Slides Add-On
• Voice over Video
• Customizable through tone, accents, and more
• Canva Add-On

✔️ Murf Pros

• More than 100 AI voices across languages offered
• Expressive emotional speaking styles
• Free plan for voice generation and transcription
• Easily adjust the pitch, speed, and more
• Impressive customer support

❌ Murf Cons

• Google Slides add-on only offers basic voiceover editing
• Some voice lacks a natural tone
• Limit of accent

💰 Murf Pricing

Headquartered in the UK, Woord is a platform that delivers text-to-speech solutions for software, web, and mobile applications. Since its beginning, it has been offering individuals as well as businesses to convert text to natural-sounding audio . 

With Woord you are sure to get the right voice which is sure to help you bring your projects to life. This tool gives you the freedom to convert any text content you want such as blog posts, news, books, and research papers . 

⚡ Woord Features

• Chrome Extension
• Unlimited Audios
• Smart Voice Technology
• MP3 Download and Audio Hosting
• Custom Voices

✔️ Woord Pros

• Easy-to-use interface
• Over 100 voices in 34 different languages
• Can download audio files in MP3 format and host them with an embedded audio player
• Can adjust pitch, emphasis, pronunciation, and pauses

❌ Woord Cons

• Limited Free Version
• Poor Customer Service

💰 Woord Pricing

6. synthesys.

Synthesys is a powerful AI-powered TTS that uses advanced technology to produce realistic and natural-sounding voiceovers using real human voices. It is an easy-to-use software where with only a few clicks you can generate high-quality voiceovers.

With Synthesys, you can get access to more services than just a normal TTS tool. It is great for creating all types of video content, including sales videos, TV commercials, podcasts, and more.

⚡ Synthesys Features

• AI Voice Generator
• AI Video Generator
• AI Image Generator
• Library of Professional Voices

✔️ Synthesys Pros

• Extremely lifelike voices 
• Over 300 voices in 140 languages with subtitles
• More than 80 human-like avatars to choose from
• Create and sell unlimited voiceovers for any purpose
• Proper customer support

❌ Synthesys Cons

• Limitation customization options for generated videos
• Limited features for free version
• Limited accent

💰 Synthesys Pricing

Trusted by 3.5+ million users across the globe, Fliki is a platform utilizing the power of AI to make it easy for anyone to create and share their own audio and video content. Their service is eligible for individuals to businesses. 

As Fliki uses both text-to-video AI and text-to-speech AI , you can easily generate any text-to-speech or video in a single platform. It has easy to use text to a video editor that offers features like voiceovers. 

⚡ Fliki Features

• AI Voiceover
• Voice Cloning 
• Text to Video

✔️ Fliki Pros

• 75+ different languages
• Large Media Library
• Over 2000 ultra-realistic voices
• Efficient Workflow

❌ Fliki Cons

• Lack of Transparency
• Glitches and Bugs
• Limited Customization

💰 Fliki Pricing

8. resemble.ai.

Using proprietary Deep Learning models, Resemble AI produces high-quality AI-generated audio content using text-to-speech and speech-to-speech synthesis. With Resemble AI, you can experience seamless natural interaction which is sure to meet your expectations.

Resemble AI can also help you to create a unique voice identity for your brand that is sure to stand out against your competitors. Resemble.ai offers personalized AI voices that provide a smooth interaction, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.

⚡ Resemble.ai Feature 

• Watermarking
• Voice Editing
• Neural Audio Editing
• Voice cloning
• API Integration

✔️ Resemble.ai Pros

• Seamless integration and scalability through an intuitive AP
• Audio editing by typing
• Personalization and Customization
• AI Speech Enhancement

❌ Resemble.ai Cons 

• Voice Limitations
• Limited language supports
• Limitations of voice cloning and audio generation tool  

💰 Resemble.ai Pricing 

9. wellsaid labs, inc..

Brought together by the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, WellSaid Labs is an advanced AI voice generator that converts any text to audio in a second. With how they operate and the service they offer, you can easily optimize content production and digital experiences. 

You can also collaborate with colleagues or clients within the platform to ensure that the final voiceover meets everyone’s expectations. 

⚡ WellSaid Labs Features

• Pronunciation Library
• Custom Voice

✔️ WellSaid Labs Pros

• Cost and Time Efficiency
• Collaborative Features
• Simple to use
• Wide Range of Voices
• Ease of Production

❌ WellSaid Labs Cons 

• Limited Emotional Range
• No tool to help with scriptwriting
• Limited features for the free version

💰 WellSaid Labs Pricing 

10. descript.

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Descript is an all-in-one AI-powered tool that enables users to edit video, text-to-speech , and many more. Since its launch, it has been helping many creators to create content with few clicks. 

With the help of their features, you can create engaging and fun content in bulk . Through its fast, cheap, and accurate transcription, it has become the choice of millions of individuals. 

⚡ Descript Features 

• Video Editing
• Remote Recording

✔️ Descript Pros

• Document-Style Editing
• Automatic Filler Word Removal
• Fix recorded speech
• Regenerate audio
• Eliminate annoying noise

❌ Descript Cons 

• Mobile version unavailable
• Occasional Technical Issues
• Limited features for free users

💰 Descript Pricing 

Use cases of ai-to-speech tools.

With how popular and useful AI text-to-speech tools have become the demand and use of it keeps growing daily. Due to this the field in which it can be used also keeps on growing. 

From the field of education to medicine, the field in which it can be used has no bounds. 

Here are some of the reasons why AI text-to-speech tools are utilized: 

• Language Translation: The language barrier has been one of the problems that everyone has come across but with the help of text-to-speech tools you can overcome this with some simple clicks. 
• Increasing Engagement: By offering spoken versions of the text, you can enhance user engagement with content, ensuring that audiences remain focused and attentive to the information being mentioned.
• Media: Creating engaging audio content like podcasts and audio dramas has always been a time-consuming task. That’s where AI text-to-speech tools come to your aid. 
• Multitasking: Converting any useful piece of text to speech enables users to multitask by allowing them to listen to content while doing other activities like driving or exercising. 
• Accessibility: TTS technology offers a multitude of advantages, with one of the most notable being its capacity to enhance accessibility for a wide range of users. This includes users who may have visual, cognitive, or mobility impairments.

AI text-to-speech tools have been transforming the way how we voice over video . Previously, voiceover artists were required to manually translate written text into spoken words, but now text-to-speech AI has automated this process.

AI also can now provide voiceovers in various languages and with different emotional tones. It has grown rapidly in today’s market and the use of AI text-to-speech tools will continue even in the future. The only thing that may change in the future will be the number of features they offer and the number of tools available in the market. 

However, to fully harness the power of AI text-to-speech tools, choosing the right provider is a necessity. In terms of features and pricing, Speechify, ElevanLabs, and Lovo.ai are considered the best provider for business. 

So, choose and use the right text-to-speech tools and look forward to the way they change your world. 

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