Speechify vs. Pocket—Learn the key differences between these two assistive apps and their text to speech functions.

Speechify vs. Pocket

With the development of the web, we now have access to an almost unlimited amount of reading materials. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), we can also listen to those materials with text to speech (TTS) technology. Readers can choose from a wide selection of TTS readers, audiobook apps, and platforms for curated content.

Some of these apps include Pocket and Speechify. In this article, we’ll talk about the key differences between these two text to speech apps.

What is Pocket?

Pocket is essentially a bookmarking service formerly known as Read It Later. It allows you to save a web page or an article you want to read later into Pocket’s special remote servers. When you create a Pocket account, it’s automatically synced on all your devices. This functionality lets you save articles for offline reading. Pocket also gives you recommendations based on the articles you save.

What is Speechify?

Speechify is text to speech software that uses artificial intelligence to read aloud written text. Speechify was founded by Cliff Weitzman, whose aim was to make reading easier for individuals with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, but this TTS reader can be used by anyone. With Speechify, you can convert any written text into spoken, natural-sounding speech.

Speechify vs. Pocket—Comparison

Here’s everything you need to know about Speechify and Pocket and what sets them apart.

Difference in purpose

Speechify is an assistive platform that uses text to speech technology to read aloud written text in different voices. On the other hand, Pocket is a bookmarking app. While Pocket isn’t a dedicated text to speech app, it has an audio playback option that reads the articles you save. Therefore, Pocket’s TTS feature is an add-on, while Speechify is a dedicated text to speech app.

Quality of TTS AI voices

Since Pocket’s main feature is bookmarking, it doesn’t place much emphasis on its TTS AI voices, so they can sound robotic. Speechify can read aloud written text using many natural-sounding and different voices, which sound much more natural and fluent. Some TTS voices belong to celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Snoop Dogg.

Playback options

Some of Pocket’s playback options include being able to play, pause, skip, and speed up the recording. When it comes to Speechify, you can increase the reading rate by 4.5 times, which is 900 words per minute. By being able to listen to a text two or three times faster, you can be more time-efficient and focus on other tasks.

App usecases

Is dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346679">Speechify worth the money?

Yes! dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346679">Speechify offers many handy dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346690">TTS features and customization options, making it one of the dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346732">best dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346680">text-to-speechdropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-menu-id-param="menu_term_243346732" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346732"> apps you can find. Not to mention that it makes dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346723">written texts accessible to individuals with dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346688">dyslexia and other learning dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346705">disabilities.

What is the difference between dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346679">Speechify free and premium?

The dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346726">free version of dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346679">Speechify, or dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346679">Speechify Limited, offers 10 standard reading voices, a dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346697">reading speed of up to 1x, and the option to listen to it anywhere. On the other hand, dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346679">Speechify Premium comes with more than 30 dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346691">high-quality dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346715">natural-sounding voices, more than 20 languages, and the option to speed up the dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346696">voiceover by five times. The Premium version also comes with special features, like note-taking, importing dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346699">audio files, and text highlighting.

Can I use dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346681">Pocket to read any text?

You can only use dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346681">Pocket to read any text you find online. In other words, you can only use dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346681">Pocket for dropdown#toggle" data-dropdown-placement-param="top" data-term-id="243346701">web pages and not other types of files or documents.

The main difference between these two platforms is the type of written text they can be used for. While Pocket is restricted to web articles, Speechify has a much larger reach.

Once you install Pocket, its check mark logo will automatically appear on your web browser. So, the next time you want to save an article, which you can read and listen to later, just click on the Pocket icon.

Speechify can be used to convert virtually any type of written text, not just online articles. This includes PDF files, Google Docs texts, EPUB formats, Google Drive texts, Dropbox files, e-books, and more.

Platform availability

Pocket is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. You can either use it as a web browser extension or a mobile app. Pocket is available on the App Store and Google Play.

Speechify can be installed as a desktop app, web browser extension, and mobile app. In terms of web browsers, you can download Speechify as a Safari or Chrome extension. You can find the Android app on Google Play and the Apple version for iPhones, iPads, and other iOS devices in the App Store. If you want to use it as a desktop app, you can install it on your Mac or Windows PC.

Number of languages

The number of different languages Pocket can read aloud depends on the languages built into your iOS or Android device. In other words, if you don’t have a specific language enabled on your mobile device, Pocket won’t be able to recognize an article written in that language.

If you subscribe to Speechify’s Premium plan, you’ll be able to use the TTS tool in more than 20 languages. Aside from English, Speechify is available in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and more. What’s more, the app can automatically translate and read aloud text in more than 60 languages.

Speechify—The TTS app that can read digital and physical text

As a TTS app, Speechify offers many more advanced voiceover and playback features, making it more versatile than Pocket. In addition, you can use Speechify to make podcasts, video tutorials, and audiobooks.

If you want to see how Speechify works, try this TTS reader online for free today.

FAQ

Is Speechify worth the money?

Yes! Speechify offers many handy TTS features and customization options, making it one of the best text-to-speech apps you can find. Not to mention that it makes written texts accessible to individuals with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

What is the difference between Speechify free and premium?

The free version of Speechify, or Speechify Limited, offers 10 standard reading voices, a reading speed of up to 1x, and the option to listen to it anywhere. On the other hand, Speechify Premium comes with more than 30 high-quality natural-sounding voices, more than 20 languages, and the option to speed up the voiceover by five times. The Premium version also comes with special features, like note-taking, importing audio files, and text highlighting.

Can I use Pocket to read any text?

You can only use Pocket to read any text you find online. In other words, you can only use Pocket for web pages and not other types of files or documents.