Speechify vs. Hoopla

If you’re looking for digital content, there’s an abundance of options available on the market. You can find books, movies, music, and more through different services.

Speechify and Hoopla stand out among the crowd, each in its way. Both services can offer something other competitors can’t or, at least, can’t provide in the same way. But if you had to choose between Speechify and Hoopla, which one should you pick?

This article will give you the essential details about each service, compare them by crucial features, and give you a final recommendation.

What is Speechify?

Speechify is an advanced text to speech tool. AI algorithms allow the app to read any text out loud, smoothly, and naturally.

Speechify works with any text format. It can read MS Word documents, web pages, PDFs, and various other files aloud. Speechify also uses optical character recognition (OCR) to read text from photos or your camera.

Designed as an assistive TTS service, Speechify is an excellent tool for people with dyslexia. The service can help dyslexic students in their academic pursuits and make it easier to retain information. 

Apart from an online version for real-time text conversion, Speechify works on all Android and iOS devices. The service is also available as a Google Chrome extension.

What is Hoopla?

Hoopla is a streaming service for different media types. Hoopla Digital, the service’s app, provides access to e-books, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, music, and more.

Hoopla provides content by connecting to your local library. You must sign in with your library card to use the service. After that, all of your public library’s available material will be ready for streaming or downloading.

Depending on your library’s catalog, Hoopla may have everything you need in one place. The service represents a useful option for general entertainment and learning purposes, although it might have issues satisfying specific demands. For instance, if you’re an avid audiobook listener, you might not find everything you want in Hoopla’s library.

Hoopla is available through the app’s website. Plus, there are mobile apps for Apple and Android mobile devices.

Speechify vs. Hoopla – the comparison

Let’s look at how Speechify and Hoopla compare in terms of essential features:

• Function
• Versatility
• Ease of use
• Function

Hoopla works primarily as a digitized library platform. The service provides access to media from your library without you having to go there physically. Media availability will depend on whether your library signed up with Hoopla and what titles from the library catalog are in the app.

Speechify founder, Cliff Weitzman, is a dyslexia advocate who created the service to assist people with learning disabilities. While that function is still primary for Speechify, the TTS tool can boost the reading experience for everyone, turning any text into speech. 

Versatility

Hoopla has a wide variety of content that includes different media types. In that sense, the service is quite versatile. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll find everything you’re looking for within each category. Hoopla adheres to the library catalog and may not have the specific audiobook or e-book you want.

Speechify is a text to speech app, which means it can read all types of text out loud. The service doesn’t work with other media types – you can’t use it to stream movies or as an e-book reader. However, what Speechify does, it does perfectly. 

Ease of use

Using Hoopla is relatively straightforward. The service has a mobile version, available from your app store. You can browse content by categories and choose which titles you’d like to borrow. Mobile versions also allow you to download content for offline use. If you view, read, or listen to any content through the app, you won’t need to install any additional software as Hoopla includes proper format support.

Speechify is very easy to use on all platforms. The service isn’t limited to a particular OS like Apple’s Siri might be, nor exclusive to desktop computers. You can use Speechify on your browser, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or tablet. Each version will provide the same functionality through an intuitive user interface. You’ll be able to bookmark your favorite texts, adjust the reading speed, choose narrator voices, and much more.

Choose Speechify 

Hoopla offers a wide variety of content to satisfy its user’s broader interests. But if you’re interested in text to speech, Speechify can provide seamless TTS service for any document you want. The app is the best solution for avid readers to listen to their favorite works.

You can try the Speechify app for free. Visit the official Speechify website and sample the app’s incredible possibilities.

FAQ

What are some alternatives to Speechify and Hoopla?

Finding the right app for the job will be quite a challenge if you want to replace Speechify or Hoopla completely. However, you may try other services like Librivox, NaturalReader, Google Play Books, Goodreads, Spotify, Kindle Unlimited, Scribd, Amazon’s Audible, or Overdrive’s Libby.

Did Hoopla get rid of audiobooks?

Hoopla still has audiobooks along with the service’s other content.

Does Speechify work on all books?

Speechify supports many formats, including text documents, PFDs, e-book formats like ePub, and many more. Chances are you won’t find a book that doesn’t work with Speechify.

Is Speechify free?

Speechify has a free version that anyone can use immediately. While that version provides some functionality, it doesn’t show the full power of AI-powered voice synthesis.

Is Speechify worth the price?

Speechify Premium provides numerous advanced features for a reasonable $11.58 a month. If you want the best listening experience possible, the benefits are more than worth that amount.

Is Speechify the same as Hoopla?

Speechify and Hoopla have little in common. One is a powerful text to speech service, while the other is a digital library.

What are the limitations of Speechify?

Speechify only deals with text, whether written, imported, or scanned with OCR. The service doesn’t deal with other media like video or graphics.