writing to speech app

The Best Dictation and Speech-to-Text Apps for Writers (2024)

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If you're more comfortable talking through your ideas than typing them out, you may want to try one of these speech to text apps for writers. Dictation and transcription provide quick solutions for everything from working through interviews to recording story ideas and chapters. Check out our guide by guest writer Jamie Biggs and see which one is the best fit for you! 

Welcome to one of our favorite community members and writers Jamie Biggs who loves to use dictation as she writes. You can read more about Jamie at the end of her article, and for a full run-down of the Best Book Writing Software, see our post here . 

What is dictation software?

Dictation software is a type of speech-to-text technology that allows you to create written documents without having to type or write them out. The voice recognition software converts your speech into text and then saves the document in an easily shareable format.

It’s perfect for writers, students, and professionals who need to get their ideas down quickly. With dictation software, you can save yourself time by speaking your thoughts rather than writing them out.

Why use dictation?

Want an edge in writing? I gave speech-to-text dictation a try, and find it’s a must-have for anyone who wants to up their creativity game and work smarter.

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, prepping interview transcripts for ghostwriting, or just trying to get your ideas out of your head fast, dictation software can expedite the process.

Many people find it easier to express their thoughts and ideas aloud, and speaking is quicker than typing (in most cases). It's perfect for writers who want to record their story ideas, and it can also be a useful tool to overcome writer’s block. When you’re having trouble organizing your thoughts, speaking those ideas instead of facing a blank page can be helpful.

Dictation is also an effective way to decrease physical strain. Typing for long periods can lead to physical discomfort or repetitive strain injuries. If you're spending hours behind a keyboard, consider trying it out. Dictation software provides an alternative method of text input, helping to ease strain on the fingers, hands, and wrists.

And of course, the convenience of writing on the go. Dictation software on mobile devices allows you to capture ideas or notes while on the move without needing to stop and type. We can capture writing during a walk outside, commuting to and from work, or even while waiting in line at a gas station using an app on your phone. 

Features of a strong dictation app

There are a few features that I looked at when testing these apps out. Here are the features I found most important: 

Accuracy: The most critical factor in any dictation app is its ability to accurately convert spoken words to written text. A great app needs accurate voice recognition for diverse accents and speech styles.

Real-time Transcription: Real-time transcription can provide writers with instant feedback on their dictation, enabling them to identify areas where they need to improve their writing skills.

Punctuation and Formatting: An app’s punctuation and formatting controls can make it possible for you to speak naturally without naming each punctuation mark.

Customization: The ability to control saving, sharing, and navigating through voice commands is available on some dictation apps. Customization options, such as language models or personalized dictionaries, can also improve accuracy. Adding an unusual name or unfamiliar word to your personalized dictionary will save you editing time.

Let's take a look at the best dictation apps I tried for writers. Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. 

The best dictation apps for writers:

Dragon naturally speaking (dragon professional individual).

Dragon NaturallySpeaking (now called Dragon Professional Individual) has been a leading force in the speech-to-text software market for a long time. The tool provides high accuracy, advanced punctuation and formatting options, support for multiple languages, and can be easily integrated with writing tools.

Initially, there is a learning curve for using this software. You will need time to train it to recognize your voice and speech patterns accurately. Learning how to use voice commands effectively can also take time.

Nuance Communications, the makers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking no longer supports iOS. They offer it for Windows only. However, they have an Apple application called Dragon Anywhere Mobile that is available on both iOS and Android devices. It is a scaled-down version of the Windows application.

I don't have a Windows PC and have not used the Dragon Professional Individual version for Windows. However, I use the Dragon Anywhere Mobile App on my iPad Pro.

The menu is easy to navigate and aside from a couple of missed words, it does a good job transcribing my voice.

Dragon is a little pricey compared to the other apps, but its level of accuracy and customization options might make it an investment worth making as a writer.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking – single user license Price: $699.00

Dragon Anywhere Mobile App Price: $150 yearly subscription or $15 monthly subscription

Here are some of the main pros and cons for the Dragon Apps: 

Otter.ai transcribes speech in real-time, making note-taking easy during interviews, or brainstorming sessions. Writers can easily record and organize content with this feature and not forget important details.

Otter.ai integrates with writing apps, allowing easy transfer of transcribed text. Writers can keep their writing workflow while using speech-to-text technology for productivity and creativity.

You can access Otter.ai by visiting their website (otter.ai) using a web browser on your computer. It is also available for both iOS and Android devices.

I found Otter.ai to be user-friendly, and it accurately transcribed speech. It automatically added punctuation, and did not require me to give punctuation commands as I dictated. 

The app added a time stamp with every start and stop. It was designed for meeting transcription and can identify multiple speakers within the meeting.

Writer’s will need to copy and paste the transcribed text into an editing software application to edit and remove the time stamps. If you are on a budget, the Basic subscription is a great place to start.

Otter.ai is available as a monthly or annual subscription based on monthly transcription minutes. BASIC – 300 monthly transcription minutes; 30 minutes per conversation. Price: Free

PRO – 1200 monthly transcription minutes: 90 minutes per conversation. Price: $99.99 yearly subscription or $16.99 monthly subscription

Otter.ai is a strong place to start if you're new to speech-to-text apps, as you can try those free features before committing to the larger subscription. 

Speechnotes

Speechnotes offers a user-friendly interface for quick and effortless dictation. Real-time transcription provides instant feedback, improving productivity and usability.

This website application was easy to navigate allowing me to immediately jump in and begin. You have the option to speak punctuation as you go, or to go back and insert by clicking the needed punctuation from the side menu.

You can dictate offline with Speechnotes, but with limitations. Multiple languages are supported, catering to diverse backgrounds and accommodating native language dictation.

It also offers a few ways to move your newly transcribed document from the dictation screen to upload into a Google Doc, Word Doc, or txt file. It also gives you the option to email or print your work from the same screen.

I liked this app. If you get past the ads at the bottom of the screen, then the price is definitely right.  But if ads are bothersome for you, the Premium subscription is very affordable.

Speechnotes Plans Dictation – Online dictation notepad and voice typing Chrome extension Price: Free

Dictation Premium – Premium online dictation notepad and voice typing Chrome extension. Support from the development team. No Ads. Price: $1.90 per month

Transcription – Pay as you go – no subscription Audio & Video recordings. $0.10 per minute of audio

Google Docs Voice Typing

Google Docs Voice Typing is a built-in feature of Google Docs that offers real-time transcription, offline support, and extensive language options. It also integrates seamlessly with Google's productivity suite, making it a convenient choice for writers who use Google Workspace.

Google Docs Voice Typing is a built-in feature of Google Docs, available to all Google account users at no additional cost. It's easily accessible and user-friendly for Google Docs users.

The feature transcribes spoken words into text in real-time.

Text-to-Speech with Google Voice is easy to set up from the Google Docs file menu. Select “tools” from the menu bar, and select “voice typing” from the drop down.

It is simple to use. click the microphone to start and stop transcribing. Google Voice Typing accurately transcribed for me, but required me to give punctuation voice commands which slowed the process, but you can even dictate and apply text styles using voice commands.

If you regularly use Google Docs for writing, this is can be easily added to your work in progress.

Google Docs Voice Typing Price: Free with any Google account

The price is right for this one, but it doesn't have the additional features or accuracy and sensitivity as some of the other paid app services. 

Apple Pages Dictation

Apple Pages Dictation offers users a hands-free writing experience with real-time transcription. It supports multiple languages and dialects.

There is some set-up required in order to utilize speech to text on Apple Pages. You will need to access settings from your Apple menu, click keyboard settings and turn on Dictation. Once this is completed, voice transcription is activated by double tapping the control key on the keyboard.

It has basic punctuation command capabilities like adding a comma or period. But it was not able to add a new paragraph or new line on command. I had to stop and add the new line manually and then restart by double clicking the control key again.

If you are testing the waters with speech to text, this is an option worth experimenting with if you are an Apple user. Pages comes with every Apple system.

Apple Dictation Price: Included in all Apple Devices

What is transcription?

Transcription and dictation are two related yet distinct processes. While dictation involves directly speaking into a program that instantly converts your words into text on the page, transcription follows a slightly different path.

For transcription, you provide the app with an audio file, which it then meticulously transcribes, transforming spoken content into written form. 

Why use transcription?

Using a transcription service offers a straightforward and user-friendly alternative voice recognition software. Transcription services eliminate the need to memorize and execute specific voice commands for punctuation, formatting, and editing. Instead, you simply upload your audio files, and the service handles the transcription process, delivering accurate written content.

This approach is particularly advantageous for individuals who may not be comfortable with or have the time to master complex voice commands. Transcription services cater to a wide range of users, including those without technical expertise. The process is as simple as submitting an audio file and receiving a transcribed text in return.

In contrast, mastering speech-to-text commands requires familiarization with a set of commands, which might vary across different platforms or software. It involves a learning curve that might not align with everyone's preferences or requirements.

Ultimately, utilizing a transcription service streamlines the process, making it accessible to users of varying technical skill levels. It allows individuals to focus on content creation, without the need to navigate intricate command structures, resulting in a smoother and more efficient transcription experience.

Do you need any special recording equipment?

In most cases, special recording equipment isn't necessary for using voice dictation and transcription. Modern voice dictation software is designed to work with the built-in microphones of devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets. These microphones are generally sufficient for capturing your spoken words accurately. However, if you're in an environment with significant background noise, using an external microphone or a noise-canceling headset can improve the accuracy of the transcription.

For professionals who require high-quality recordings, such as podcasters or journalists conducting interviews, investing in a good-quality external microphone might be beneficial to ensure clear and crisp audio. Additionally, using a quiet environment without excessive ambient noise can enhance the accuracy of voice dictation.

Ultimately, while specialized recording equipment can enhance the quality of your recordings, it's not a strict requirement. 

The best transcription services for writers

Writers are increasingly turning to transcription services as invaluable tools to streamline their work processes and enhance productivity. Here are four online transcription services, features and benefits to consider.

Rev is a popular transcription service that provides accurate and quick transcription for audio and video files. They offer human-generated transcriptions and have options for different turnaround times.

Rev's interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate. select the type of order you would like to place and then upload your file.

Rev Services Pricing:

TranscribeMe

TranscribeMe offers both automated and human-powered transcription services. They specialize in providing accurate transcriptions for various industries.

Uploading an audio file was simple and straightforward, drag and drop.

TranscribeMe Services Pricing:

Happy Scribe

Happy Scribe offers both automated and human-assisted transcription services. They also provide options for translating transcripts into different languages.

The website is easy to navigate and upload your audio file. They offer the first 5 minutes of your audio file transcribed for free, giving you an opportunity to test drive their service.

Happy Scribe Pricing:

Scribie is another transcription service that offers human-generated transcriptions. They focus on providing accurate transcriptions and offer a variety of turnaround options.

 I have used Scribie for my own transcription needs and found the service quick and accurate. The have recently changed their pricing to a flat rate for human verified transcripts, no longer offering the AI transcribed files option. 

Scribie pricing:

Useful tips for dictation or transcription

By following these tips, you can make your dictation and transcription processes more efficient and accurate, ensuring that your spoken content is accurately transformed into written text.

Dictation tips

• Speak Clearly and Calmly : Enunciate your words clearly and speak at a moderate pace. Avoid speaking too fast or mumbling to ensure accurate transcription.
• Punctuation and Formatting Commands : Learn and use voice commands for punctuation (“period,” “comma,” “new line”) and formatting (“bold,” “italics”) to maintain proper structure in your text.
• Practice Makes Perfect : Familiarize yourself with the voice recognition system's response time and accuracy by practicing dictation with shorter passages before tackling longer content.
• Break Down Complex Sentences : For complex sentences, break them into smaller, manageable phrases to enhance accuracy.
• Proofread and Edit : After dictating, proofread and edit the transcribed text for any errors or discrepancies that might have occurred during dictation.
• Minimize Background Noise : Choose a quiet environment to reduce background noise that could interfere with accurate transcription.

Transcription tips

• Use Quality Audio : Provide clear and high-quality audio file recordings for accurate transcription. Minimize background noise and ensure the speakers' voices are distinct.
• Speaker Identification : If multiple speakers are involved, indicate speaker changes or use timestamps to differentiate speakers during transcription.
• Provide Context : Give transcribers context by sharing any relevant information about the subject, speakers, or terminology used in the recording.
• Accent and Jargon Awareness : If you have an accent or are using industry-specific jargon, consider using a transcription service or software that's familiar with these nuances.
• Review and Edit : After receiving the transcription, review and edit it for any errors or inconsistencies. Sometimes, context-based errors can occur.
• Time Management : Transcribing can be time-consuming. Consider using transcription services or software to expedite the process, especially for longer recordings.
• Backup and Security : Keep your audio recordings secure and backed up to prevent loss of valuable content.
• Regular Breaks : If you're transcribing for extended periods, take regular breaks to avoid fatigue and maintain accuracy.

Speech to text apps for writers can be incredibly useful tools, allowing them to quickly transcribe their spoken words into written form. By following these simple tips, you can make sure that your dictation and transcription processes are more efficient and accurate.

Pick a favorite paragraph or scene from your work in progress and convert it using a speech-to-text software or a transcription service.

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Best text-to-speech software of 2024

Boosting accessibility and productivity

• Best overall
• Best realism
• Best for developers
• Best for podcasting
• 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 .

• ^ Back to the top

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. You can 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. 

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.

You can find him online on Threads @johnloeffler.

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Speechify Text to Speech Audio 4+

Read aloud web, docs & pdf, speechify inc., designed for ipad.

• #1 in Magazines & Newspapers
• 4.6 • 243.5K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Text to speech from Speechify lets you listen to docs, articles, PDFs, email, and various other formats — anything you read. With 20M+ users, it is the top rated TTS app in the AppStore. Sir Richard Branson Loves Speechify. It helps him read with Dyslexia ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Speechify is brilliant. I’m so glad to have it today.” – Sir Richard Branson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our users have listened to 6.5 billion words. FEATURES YOU'LL LOVE • Listen at Any Speed Our high-quality AI voices can read 4.5x faster than the average reading speed, so you can learn even more in less time. Ease into 300 words per minute & slowly increase the speed to as fast as you need it to be. • Natural-sounding Human Voices Our text to speech voices sound more fluid & human-like than any other AI reader. • Active Text Highlighting The text is highlighted and perfectly synced, word for word, with the voice reader to help you read along. Reading & listening helps you retain more. • Listen to Any Book on Your Shelf Use the app to snap a pic of a page in any book or printed material and hear it read out loud to you. Your favorite book sitting on your bookshelf? Turn it into an audiobook. • Screenshot Image to Audio Find an image with text on it, no matter the length, with one click, you can easily take a screenshot and sync it to your cloud. Speechify will read the text out loud. Letters from loved ones? Scan them and turn them into audible notes. • Desktop or Mobile Anything you’ve saved to your Speechify library instantly syncs across devices so you can listen to anything, anywhere, anytime. * Hundreds of Free Timeless Audiobooks Titles you get with Speechify: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; Moby Dick by Herman Melville; A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens; Ulysses by James Joyce; War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy; The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; Great Expectations by Charles Dickens; Beowulf; Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy; The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Les Misérables by Victor Hugo; Walden by Henry David Thoreau; Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Gwyneth Paltrow Uses Speechify to Listen to Scripts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Speechify lets me listen to Goop blog posts out loud in the car and gets my friends through grad school. It's amazing for scripts." – Gwyneth Paltrow ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Features • Note taking tools • Save audio bookmarks • Floating widget • Exemplary customer experience • Inline player seamlessly integrates into all your websites • Get hundreds of timeless audiobooks for free • Cloud sync makes for a seamless listening experience across all your devices We created Speechify so that reading is never a barrier for anyone again. Designed to help people with dyslexia, ADHD, low vision acuity, concussions, and other reading disabilities. Speechify now helps hundreds of thousands of people to consume their reading content with ease. From those with reading disabilities to auditory learners, productivity fanatics, second language learners, hobbyists, and more, we love all of our users and strive every day to create a reading assistant that empowers them to read more and succeed in life. We can't wait for you to join the family :) Install Speechify today, for free! Privacy Policy: https://speechify.com/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://speechify.com/terms/

Version 3.3.2

We update Speechify every week to make it even better. Recent improvements: - Speechify – our biggest update yet tailored to you. Add widgets to your home screen, and dive into the Explore tab. - Snoop Dogg and Gwyneth Paltrow’s voices added to Speechify - Improved ability to scan anything and have it read out loud to you in 100+ human-sounding voices - Critical Google Drive fixes - Automatic Speed Ramping feature - Several crash fixes - Different UI/UX improvements Like the app? Rate us! Thanks to your feedback, the Speechify app is growing. Have a question? Write to us at [email protected]

Ratings and Reviews

243.5K Ratings

Audible or Speechify?

I spent hours comparing text to speech apps, and by far, Speechify has some of the best premium HD voices. I even considered dropping Audible, so that I could pay for an unlimited amount of HD voice listening time; however, while the HD voices are great, they’re not reliable enough for me to consider them as a replacement for Audible just yet. At times, they’re slow to load or glitchy. I wasted a good 200 or so words listening to Gwyneth lisp her way through sentences as if she was lapsing into a different language. I fiddled with her speech rate trying to remedy the problem, but it was to no avail. I had to switch to Michael. Michael read through everything perfectly, but he too had trouble staying on task. Even though I had plenty of of HD listening words left, he would intermittently cut out and be replaced by the British Male speaking voice. With all things considered, this is an app worthy of downloading. It does a respectable job transferring words from pictures—better than most. Sometimes, to my astonishment, it can read my handwriting. It hasn’t crashed, and apart from the HD voices, the standard voices seem quite reliable. I like that I can earn HD words the more I listen, and that there’s enough to stay entertained with in the free version. With a bit more perfecting, Audible might find itself facing the boot in favor of this nifty little app. For now, Audible is safe from the chopping block.

Developer Response ,

Hey Manxiepoo! Thanks so much for sharing your Speechify experience. We've received reports of the Gwyneth and Narrator voices skipping words or changing into different languages. We've already reported this to our Devs Team for a review and fix. The fix wouldn't be anytime soon but we'll keep you updated once it's out. In the meantime, please choose the other HD voices. Please reach out to us via your app messaging and we're happy to refill the lost HD words due to the Gwyneth voice issue.

I too have dyslexia. And I hated school for this reason. I couldn’t read stuff like my friends. I was always behind. I took so long to do homework because of it I couldn’t go out and play with my friends. I hated it. I cried and fought with my mom a lot. They put me in a special reading class to try to teach me how to turn the letters and words around. I even reverse numbers sometimes. When I was in first grade I had a teacher who would yell at me for not being able to read instead of trying to help me. So my parents held me back and put me in a different school. Where the teacher had seen it before and knew the signs for dyslexia. And I was tested and found out that’s what it was. I appreciate so much you creating this app. I do wish it didn’t cost so much. I understand you have to pay for the development and to keep it up to date. But that is a lot. I did teach myself to read and I do read books. But it does take me a lot longer than everyone else because of the dyslexia. But I do it anyway and even enjoy reading now. When I was a kid you would never see me read. But again thanks for creating an app that helps with that. I just wish the cost was lower I can’t afford that much a year at one time. Or if you had smaller monthly costs too that would be better for someone like me. Thanks again. I will use the free version for now. 👍🏻

Thanks for sharing your story! Your concern about the pricing is valid. The cost is actually to support the creation and maintenance of all our premium voices, they cost a lot really. You can use the non-HD voices for free but making the HD voices has a lot of server costs. The annual subscription of $140 comes to $11.66/mo which is actually really cheap ($2.7/wk) - that’s less than the price of a textbook, less than one coffee a week. Please feel free to use the app as a free user! 😊 If you have any other questions, drop us a message via "Message us" from your Speechify app. We're happy to help. By the way, thanks for the 5 stars! ❤️

That’s the absolute truth I’ve had severe ADHD and as you get older… i’m a 55 year-old still teaching part-time teacher… And it’s very hard for me to read because I’m 25 steps ahead now I’m naturally 100% auditory/visual learner… I’ve been an artist since I was four years old prodigy… And I’m not bragging, but Dev this program you can process and I write now to professionally… Can you believe that I barely graduated high school because my reading comprehension was terrible… Actually, my high school as well as many other Towson like Raven high school very myopic in the administration in the upper levels extremely poor… Baltimore at that time had one of the worst reading scores, but as Einstein says books are a mass production to scheme…. He was terrible at math, but love physics and you think I’m to see three dimensions just like my Angelo… And many other great people who have studied in the 3D world…. of the mindset that all of us have the ability to leave our monkey mind sets behind completely once we hit about 20% of our brain usage. It’s like magic… The government in the military knows this and they are keeping us in a state of war and they are trying to keep the world and this is not just the US. This is everybody…. and entrance and vines these we don’t need in sleeves just sitting behind the desk all day long….. anyway check out Stephen Greer, Dr. Stephen Greer.

Glad you like it! :)

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English, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese

• Premium $139.99
• Speechify Premium $159.99
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• Dyslexia Donation $79.99
• $160 Donation No HD voices $9.99
• Dyslexia Donations $29.99
• Dyslexia Donation $29.99
• Speechify Premium $139.99
• Audiobooks + Speechify TTS $249.99
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