In recent years, the advancement of AI technology has somewhat revolutionized how people work with the internet. In this wave, text-to-speech softwares are assisting professionals from diverse backgrounds. Developing an AI produced speech out of written text, these apps and software are saving time and effort. Here’s a list of some efficient text-to-speech software. Let’s explore their features, pros, cons, and prices.
7 Popular Text-to-Speech Software and Apps in 2024
Listening
If you’re looking to convert natural-sounding, high-quality academic texts to speech, then Listening might be the perfect solution for you. The platform specializes in natural-sounding speeches that mimic human emotions.
Currently Listening can convert to speech from direct docs, journal articles, and even PDFs. There’s a large pool of AI voices to choose from as well as extensive language support. The pricing plan for Listening is $19.99/month or $125/year with three days of trial period.
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Pros:
- Easy-to-navigate interface
- Realistic voice
- Extensive selection of languages
- Customizable voices
Cons:
- The free version offers limited features
Software link: https://www.listening.com/
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Balabolka
Balabolka is one of the best free text-to-speech software out there. It can be used in several ways. Firstly, users can directly input the text into the platform. Concurrently, any Word doc, PDF, or HTML file can also be uploaded to the platform.
On the output end, the platform supports SAPI 4 with eight different voices, SAPI 5 with two voices as well as Microsoft’s native speech platform. The outputs can be time-stamped for ease of navigation.
Pros:
- It's completely free
- Wide range of voice options
- Wide range of text options.
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Cons:
- Dated interface
Software Link: https://balabolka.en.softonic.com/
Natural Reader
Natural Reader is another freemium text-to-speech software geared for those looking for a host of customization and editing options. The software has two versions, a desktop one and a cloud-based one.
The desktop version offers a host of customizability with a standard working mechanism. You upload a text file and convert it into a speech file. But things get interesting with their cloud platform.
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Here users can make use of the floating bar. You can highlight any text on any platform and use the floating bar to customize the speech output. It's pretty neat in terms of easing the workload.
Pros:
- OCR compatible
- Interface choices
- Can be added as a browser extension.
Cons:
- Cloud-based
- The free plan has limited voice options.
Software Link: https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/
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Cloud Google Text-to-Speech
As one of the leading companies working with speech recognition AI, it's no surprise that Google has a text-to-speech feature under their Cloud service. And it's one of the best in business. The feature uses Google’s state-of-the-art AI integration to detect and use hyper-realistic speech voices to create output.
The feature is available as an API that can be integrated into any project. There is a monthly cap on the free version. However, the pay-as-you-go plan would work best for anyone looking for a human-like speech for their texts.
Pros:
- Wide range of language support
- Options for pitch, speaking rate, and volume gain
- Easy-to-use API.
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Cons:
- Not a standalone software
- Requires Google Cloud account.
Software Link: https://cloud.google.com/text-to-speech
Panopreter Basic
Panopreter basic works best for those who are new to the world of text-to-speech conversion. The interface of the software is designed in a way that is easy to navigate and quick to learn. The text input supports a host of options including direct web pages.
The output however is limited to either MP3 or WAV formats. There’s a premium plan that brings additional customizability.
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Pros:
- Ability to integrate web pages
- Supports speech dictionary
- Easy to navigate.
Cons:
Only available for the Windows platform.
Software Link: https://www.panopreter.com/en/products/pb/index.php
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WordTalk
WordTalk is designed for those who exclusively work in the Microsoft Word platform. The software is developed by the University of Edinburgh as an extension of Microsoft Word.
The extension interface is fairly simple and basic. However, the converter does support SAPI 4 and 5 voices with limited customizations.
The use of narration and keyboard shortcuts are also nice additions to this simple converter.
Pros:
- Can be used as an extension
- SAPI 4 and 5 supported
- Speech dictionary.
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Cons:
Only works with Microsoft Word.
Software Link: https://www.wordtalk.org.uk/
ReadAloud
ReadAloud is designed as a text-to-speech converter on the go. It can be primarily used as a browser extension for real-time text-to-speech conversions. ReadAloud has been tested to work perfectly with web pages, PDFs, and Google Docs among others.
For real-time conversions, ReadAloud highlights the part of the texts being read for ease of following along.
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The free version has limited features. Users can choose a lifetime licensing for a one-time payment of $99.99 or subscribe to their monthly plan for $4.99.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Supports up to 55 languages
- Text highlighting feature
- Integrates seamlessly with any browser.
Cons:
- Downloads are available only with the premium plan
- Currently, it only works with Chrome and Firefox browsers.
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Software Link: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/read-aloud-a-text-to-spee/hdhinadidafjejdhmfkjgnolgimiaplp?hl=en&pli=1
