Best text to speech for Android

If you own an Android and are looking for only the best Text-to-Speech apps, we've curated only the best that are available for Android. See the list.

Accessibility is more important than ever before and today's users need a wide variety of customizable text-to-speech options. Whether you're reading an eBook, navigating a web browser, or shopping on Amazon, a quality text-to-speech app for Android can make it easier by transforming written text into a narrator's voice that you can listen to.

Below we compare which app is the best text-to-speech for Android and discuss how to choose the best text-to-speech app to suit your individual needs.

1. Speech Central

Speech Central is a great text-to-speech app with a user-friendly interface and engaging design that makes it one of the best text to speech for Android programs. However, the ads can sometimes be annoying when using the free version and there is also a limited number of articles you can upload each day to listen to.

Cost

• Free with ads
• Ad-free version is available for a one-time purchase of $4.99

Features

• 40 settings and customization features
• Use online or offline
• Adjust pitch, reading speed, text size and font, and more

2. Voice Aloud Reader

The Voice Aloud Reader is a basic text to speech app that provides multiple features that work well for the Android operating system. However, these tools are relatively limited and the user interface is significantly clunkier than other similar applications. Even so, many people choose to use this app because it is free with ads and easy to install.

Cost

• Free with ads
• Paid ad-free version available

Features

• Can read text aloud over speakers, corded headphones, or a Bluetooth headset
• Create playlists for uninterrupted listening
• Record a spoken article in .MP3 or .WAV file format

3. Voice Dream Reader

The Voice Dream Reader is a popular app that is considered one of the best text-to-speech for Android programs. Its speech feature list is impressive, with numerous tools that help make reading comprehension easier for people of all ages. Customizable font size and style also help individuals with dyslexia, low vision, and other similar issues to see written content more clearly.

Cost

• $9.99 for lifetime use and limited voice options
• Premium voices are an additional cost

Features

• More than 200 different voices to choose from with in-app purchases
• Supports over 30 different languages
• Multiple reading modes
• Audio controls and customization
• Reading speeds of 50 to 500 words per minute

4. Motoread

The Motoread web browser extension allows users to upload text documents generated online or offline and save them to a personal playlist to listen to later. While this is a handy feature, the app has a few bugs that can make it a little difficult to use. Language and dialect may not be smooth, and there may be issues with populating the correct articles in your playlist.

Cost

• Free

Features

• Drag-and-drop articles in your playlist and rearrange them as desired
• Delete articles that you no longer want and favorite articles you like best
• Add content to be read aloud to you directly from applications like Dropbox

5. Speechify

Speechify is a top downloaded text-to-speech app on the Google Play store and one of the top translation programs in the industry. The title is well-earned – Speechify's AI playback can read text up to 9 times faster than human speech! The Speechify app uses state-of-the-art AI technology to help readers focus and comprehend text better than reading alone. Readers are able to remember more of what they read in the same amount of time and the app makes multitasking while reading possible.

Cost

• Limited free version available
• Full paid version is $139 per year
• Import and Export text and audio files in various compatible formats

Features

• Fastest speech output of all industry voice-to-text applications
• Human-sounding voices in English and 60+ different languages
• Also available on iOS, iPad, iPhone, Apple devices, and Windows
• Multiple file format options, including but not limited to web pages, .doc files, .txt files, text messages, HTML, EPUB, PDF files, and more
• Access to VIP customer support

Try Speechify free, today!

FAQ

Which text-to-speech apps have a free version?

There are a few free options that may be considered on a list of apps that are the best text-to-speech for Android. Speechify has a limited free version with basic speech functionality that has many more features than even some paid text-to-speech apps.

How do I get an Android device to read aloud?

You can get an Android device to read aloud by downloading a text-to-speech app or by using a text-to-speech browser extension.

Which text-to-speech software has the best premium voices?

Speechify has a vast selection of premium voices, including celebrity voices like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gwyneth Paltrow. Speechify also has over 60 different languages, many of which are completely exclusive to the app and not available on other text-to-speech programs.

Which third-party apps for TTS are best for dyslexia?

Natural Reader and Speechify are both excellent third party apps that can be used by dyslexic individuals to make reading easier. These apps feature powerful AI-driven software that translates text from photographs, graphics, PDFs, and other text-based documents to spoken word to help enhance reading comprehension, memory retention, and topical understanding. Speechify has a leading edge over Natural Reader because its founder, Cliff Weitzman, was a dyslexic immigrant who created the app to help resolve reading difficulties and language barriers for children who have similar issues to his own.

Which Android app has the most natural-sounding voice?

Most text-to-speech applications and extensions have natural-sounding voices that are less robotic than the text-to-speech voices of the past. However, some apps have more human sounding voices than other apps. Natural Reader, Speechify, CereProc, and Speechelo are all great apps for human-like text-to-speech.

Can I take dictation with an Android text-to-speech app?

Many text-to-speech apps on Android, like Speechify, allow users to take dictation for a variety of purposes, such as work or school.

What is the most realistic text-to-speech engine?

Text-to-speech engines today are more realistic and human-like than ever before. Sometimes, you may not even be aware that you are listening to an AI voice and not the voice of a real person. Some apps have more realistic voices than others, like Natural Reader and Speechify. Natural Reader has over 100 different voices. However, many of them sound very similar to one another and some of them sound canned or tinny. Speechify offers more than 60 high-quality voices, each of which are unique, and many more that sound realistic enough to mimic an actual human being.

Is there a text-to-voice app for Android?

There are multiple text-to-voice apps for Android on the market today, each with different features and pros and cons. The right app or extension for you depends on your individual needs, budget, what the app will primarily be used for, and other considerations.

Which speech-to-text apps allow users to talk free and create free text files?

The Voice Aloud Reader and Speechify both have free versions that allow users to transcribe spoken word and create free text files with some limitations. Speechify has a friendlier user interface and more customization options than the Voice Aloud Reader.

Final thoughts on what's the best TTS apps for Android

The clear choice here for the best text-to-speech app is Speechify with its many features, premium voices, and affordability. Its translation capabilities exceed Google Translate, and its versatility as a web browser extension puts this app above the competition.

Other great text-to-speech apps not listed above include TK Solution TTS, TalkBack ( part of the Android accessibility suite), and Pocket. Google Cloud also offers Google Text-to-Speech: Lifelike Speech Synthesis. Visit the Google Play store to bookmark options for the best text-to-speech for Android today.