Best text to speech software in 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

ReadSpeaker

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.

Specifications

• Desktop (Window, Mac)
• Mobile (iPhone, Android)
• MP3 devices
• PDA devices
• Gaming consoles

Reasons to buy

• 200 different voices
• 50+ different languages
• Male and female voices

Reasons to avoid

• Sometimes the punctuation is not registered
• Some of the less known languages sound less authentic than, say, English

Google Cloud text to speech

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.

Specifications

• Cloud-based

Reasons to buy

• Lots of languages and voice options (WaveNet, SSML, etc.)
• Supports lots of audio files and file formats
• Pitch and volume tuning
• Innovative pricing solutions
• Reasons to avoid
• Cloud-based
• Somewhat inaccurate when used with less known languages

Wideo

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.

Specifications

• Online tool

Reasons to buy

• It’s fantastic for video content creators
• You can download Mp3 files separately
• The quality is terrific

Reasons to avoid

• Too pricey if you want the full app and not just the TTS tool
• Online-based

Murf

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.

Specifications

• Online-based (SaaS)

Reasons to buy

• Natural-sounding voices
• Lots of pricing plans for companies
• Teamwork features
• Sound effects

Reasons to avoid

• Too expensive for individual users
• Online-based only

Speechify

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.

Specifications

• Desktop app (most major platforms)
• Mobile app (Android, iOS)
• Browser extension (Chrome, Safari, Firefox)

Reasons to buy

• 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…)

Reasons to avoid

• None

FAQs

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
• Read Aloud
• Speechify
• Balabolka

Is there a software that reads to you?

Yes, there is. The best voice generator is Speechify.