In today’s digital world we have some fantastic technologies that allow us to use text and read out loud technology in different ways. A popular form of software that is seeing an increased usage is text to speech software. Such voice generator software translates text documents into audio files.
Windows Speech Recognition. Windows (7 or later) also has free device-based speech recognition software available. To turn this feature on, go to your Windows Control Panel and click the Settings icon.Click on the Ease of Access settings, the click the Speech menu option.Make sure that the toggle button for Speech Recognition is turned on. Press the Windows key + H to start using the. There are plenty of apps for iOS that allow for ebook, document, or direct text import; however, there are only a few that offer easy-listening voices, extended language support, and a modern user interface. Plus, some text to speech apps even offer some accessibility options. This list will go over the best of the free apps available for. The best text to speech apps will provide a seamless audio experience for converting text. While traditionally this has been in the realm of professional dictation and transcription services. 10 Best Text to Speech Software Download Text to speech software has become a common choice for many to read web contents, eBooks, PDF files, clipboard contents etc. It is very helpful for people suffering from dyslexia, students pursuing eLearning and even content editors who have to read a large amount of content on computers daily. The best text to speech apps will provide a seamless audio experience for converting text. While traditionally this has been in the realm of professional dictation and transcription services.
These programs use incredibly advanced technology and algorithms to analyze text and form it into coherent audio files. In ages past, the text to voice technology was limited as the software could not account for things like punctuation or understand the meaning of sentences.
Text to speech software has now progressed beyond that, however. As you will see below from the 6-best read text aloud programs we have feature. The audio files created now flow naturally, and read your text in an organic manner that sounds like an actual human – not a programmed set of coding!
1. Voice Reader Home – the most efficient text to speech app
Voice Reader Home is our top choice for best TTS reader. It can be brought for a one-off fee, and after that, you are free to use it as often as you wish.
This impressive voice generator has support for 45 different languages. Also, it has 67 different voices which account for different accents and dialects. We love the simple interface and the quick processing times of text to voice. You can use this program to improve productivity and convert large text files in no time at all.
Voice Reader Home also supports various file uploads including PDFs, Word Documents, and EPUBs.
OS: Windows, Mac
Licensing: Shareware, starts at $49.00, Demo version available
Our Rating:10 / 10
Licensing: Shareware, starts at $49.00, Demo version available
Our Rating:10 / 10
But before that, you should check all the system requirements like memory requirement, operating system, GUI requirements and others to make sure that the software will be able to run on the system. https://oonaiyp.weebly.com/kitchen-design-app-mac.html.
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2. Amazon Polly – enjoy text to speech online
Forget about Amazon Alexa – we’re looking at Amazon Polly. This is part of the Amazon AWS services and provides a comprehensive text to speech reader. It is a web-based application and can be used for both personal usage, and development.
Amazon Polly has deep learning techniques and can effectively translate text into realistic audio outputs. It supports various file formats including MP3, PCM, and Vorbis. Also, it has support for a large number of languages including French, German, Italian, and Russian.
OS: Web-based
Licensing: Shareware, price is variable depending on usage
Our Rating:9 / 10
Licensing: Shareware, price is variable depending on usage
Our Rating:9 / 10
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3. NaturalReader – free text to speech service
Natural Reader is an excellent web-based text to voice app. The browser-based platform is simple to use. It has a clear text upload box and a control panel that clearly shows different options like voice generator and playback speed.
There is a premium version of the TTS reader too that offers a greater array of features, but the free version is comprehensive. We love the dyslexic font feature too which provides additional utility for those who struggle reading. You can use Natural Reader as either a full web browser text to speech online application or a floating toolbar.
OS: Web-based
Licensing: Free plan, 3 paid plans starting from $99.5
Our Rating:9 / 10
Licensing: Free plan, 3 paid plans starting from $99.5
Our Rating:9 / 10
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4. Capti Voice – online TTS reader
Capti Voice is another excellent browser-based text to speech online service. Like Natural Reader, it has a simplified interface that enables you to quickly enter text to be read out loud. This is a great tool that is often used for educational purposes.
Although it is a web-browser text to speech application, it can be used both online and offline. Also, it has connectivity to different cloud platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. The free version has minimal personal usage, but to use the read text aloud software freely, you will need to buy one of the subscription plans.
OS: Web-based
Licensing: Shareware, price is variable depending on the plan chosen
Our Rating:9 / 10
Licensing: Shareware, price is variable depending on the plan chosen
Our Rating:9 / 10
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5. Panopreter Basic – completely free text to speech tool
Panopreter Basic is an extremely simple but highly functional text to voice program. It has a basic interface that you can use to read out loud. It supports direct text inputs, but also provides support for file uploads.
Using the software you can translate text to speech and alter settings like playback speed and volume. You can also export as an audio file. Panopreter Basic also supports various languages including German, Chinese, and Italian.
OS: Windows
Licensing: Freeware
Our Rating:9 / 10
Licensing: Freeware
Our Rating:9 / 10
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6. Balabolka – well-known free text to voice reader
Balabolka is a fantastic free text to speech reader. It is one of the best freeware TTS readers available and has support for numerous file formats – both import and export. You can enter text manually, or you can upload files that the software will analyze.
The software is simple to use with a large text area and a clear toolbar for playback and editing. It supports upload documents such as DOC, PDF, and HTML, and you can read text aloud in eight different voices – all of which sound realistic.
OS: Windows
Licensing: Freeware
Our Rating:9 / 10
Licensing: Freeware
Our Rating:9 / 10
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We hope you have found this guide useful. You should now have a clear idea of the best text to speech software available. Voice Reader Home is an excellent program and we rate this as the top choice. However, the other 5 options are highly usable too and have some fantastic features.
If you require text translations, using the TTS readers offers a viable method. Instead of using your recording equipment and voice, you can simply use this software and generate audio files in seconds. Our guide for the best OCR software will help if you need to turn scanned documents to text for further reading.
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Whether you prefer articles read to you while you do something else or trying to grasp a new foreign language or even for specially abled students, TTS (short for text-to-speech) has proved to be very useful.
In our previous articles we saw some of the best text to speech apps for Windows and Android. And today, we take a look at some of the best TTS options available for Macs.
Text To Speech For Mac
1. macOS TTS
Best Text To Speech Apps For Mac Students
Before we get too ahead of ourselves and start downloading third party apps, it is very trivial to know that macOS itself comes with a built-in TTS and you can use it anywhere on your computer from the Notes app to any browser.
To get started, highlight or select the text which you want to be read and then right click, go to Speech and then to Start Speaking; and your Mac should start reading the text to you. It also supports a lot of other languages other than English and there are a lot of voices to choose from in all the languages. To change the language option simply go to Accessibility > Speech. Although some voices are very robotic, there are a few which aren’t and sound more like a human.
But the TTS is far from perfect; it is very basic and barebones and lacks options like pause/play, picking up from a selected word instantly and a lot more.
Quick Tip: It blew my mind and might even blow yours to know that the native TTS on Mac also supports converting your text into audio files. Just select the required text, right click and go to Services > Add to iTunes as a spoken track. The text will be converted to an audio track and added to your iTunes library.
Pros:
– Built-in system wide
– Lots of voice options
– Converting text to iTunes track
– Built-in system wide
– Lots of voice options
– Converting text to iTunes track
Cons:
– No Pause/Play
– Have to select manually all the words to be read
– No instant pickup
– No Pause/Play
– Have to select manually all the words to be read
– No instant pickup
Verdict:
Overall, the TTS that comes with macOS is very barebones without all the bells and whistles and should be perfect for somebody looking for a basic TTS experience without even buying or installing any third party software.
Overall, the TTS that comes with macOS is very barebones without all the bells and whistles and should be perfect for somebody looking for a basic TTS experience without even buying or installing any third party software.
2. Invicta TTS
Invicta TTS is a very simple free Text To Speech app available on the Mac App Store.
Once you open up the app, it presents you with a text box where you can enter or paste any text which will be then converted to speech. The app is very lightweight and minimal in nature with everything being to the point.
Once you open up the app, it presents you with a text box where you can enter or paste any text which will be then converted to speech. The app is very lightweight and minimal in nature with everything being to the point.
Although the app is very basic, unlike the built in TTS of Mac OS, it does add the option of playing or pausing the audio which becomes crucial when listening to long texts or articles. The voice settings cannot be changed but the in built voice does the job pretty good enough.
Pros:
– Minimal and Light
– Play/Pause Option
– Minimal and Light
– Play/Pause Option
Cons:
– Cannot read documents automatically
– Supports only English
– Cannot read documents automatically
– Supports only English
Verdict:
If you need a simple and light TTS app and might be listening to long articles, Invicta TTS does the job pretty well but do remember that it can only read English.
If you need a simple and light TTS app and might be listening to long articles, Invicta TTS does the job pretty well but do remember that it can only read English.
Link: Get Invicta TTS on the App Store
Price: Free
3. Natural Reader
The next app on our list is Natural Reader which is an extremely powerful TTS software available not only on Mac OS but also on Windows, iOS, Android and even has an online reader.
The app comes in many flavours, each with its fair share of features for the price. The free version comes with basic TTS features along with the ability to read directly from file formats such as Docx, PDF, ePub and Txt. It also has a floating bar which can be used to read text while you are in other applications. The next option or the Personal version, at a steep $100, allows you to read web pages directly, converting text to audio files and syncing everything between your phone apps. There are also Professional and Ultimate versions which add OCR support and a bunch of natural voices.
Pros:
– Support for file formats
– Convert to audio files
– Cross Platform
– OCR Support
– Support for file formats
– Convert to audio files
– Cross Platform
– OCR Support
Cons:
– Pricey
– No instant pickup
– Pricey
– No instant pickup
Verdict:
All the features of Natural Reader definitely come at a price and you should be able to decide whether it is a suit for you with respect to your investment in TTS, but even for a casual user the free version works really well. Overall, Natural reader is not just best text to speech software with natural voices, but since it also support PDF, it’s also a good option for those who are looking for PDF Voice Reader for macOS.
All the features of Natural Reader definitely come at a price and you should be able to decide whether it is a suit for you with respect to your investment in TTS, but even for a casual user the free version works really well. Overall, Natural reader is not just best text to speech software with natural voices, but since it also support PDF, it’s also a good option for those who are looking for PDF Voice Reader for macOS.
Pricing Options: Pricing for Natural Reader
Link: Download Natural Reader from here
4. Read Aloud
Text To Speech
Read Aloud is not exactly a stand alone Mac app but instead a Chrome extension which might appeal to some people. Considering how many posts and articles are read on the internet everyday, we had to include Read Aloud.
It is completely free and once you install it, its icon will appear in the extension bar which you can now use to read any webpage or any online article, just by a single click. When it is in work, you get a play/pause button along with a forward or rewind button which can be used to advance or backtrack paragraphs. Considering it is free, the voice options are really good and feel very natural and premium.
Pros:
– Great natural voice
– Forward or rewind by paragraphs
– Listen to webpages
– Great natural voice
– Forward or rewind by paragraphs
– Listen to webpages
Cons:
– Works only on Chrome
– Works only on Chrome
Verdict:
Suggesting Read Aloud is very straight forward; if you are someone who reads a lot on the internet and are looking for a free TTS software for that, nothing beats Read Aloud.
Suggesting Read Aloud is very straight forward; if you are someone who reads a lot on the internet and are looking for a free TTS software for that, nothing beats Read Aloud.
Price: Free
Link: Download Read Aloud from the Chrome Store
5. Capti Voice
Capti Voice is probably the most polished and well rounded TTS software available for the Mac and the award are only there to justify that. Starting off, Capti Voice uses your browser for the app to function instead of a stand alone Mac application. Don’t worry, you can still use it while you are offline as it stores all its data locally and personally I have had no issues.
Capti Voice has a subscription based model and even the free version has a lot to offer from various file format supports to text search while the premium versions add features like creating playlists, OCR Support and intelligent dictionary lookup. The voices offered across all the platforms are very high quality and commendable.
Quick Tip: Don’t forget to use the Chrome extension which allows you to save articles or webpages to be read later by Capti Voice.
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Pros:
– Cross platform with mobile apps
– Create Playlists
– Dictionary lookup
– Shortcuts to get around
– Cross platform with mobile apps
– Create Playlists
– Dictionary lookup
– Shortcuts to get around
Cons:
– No standalone app
– Syncs only when you add to cloud storage
– No standalone app
– Syncs only when you add to cloud storage
Verdict:
Overall, Capti Voice is a really compelling app with features packed to the brim and is very similar to natural Reader but with a subscription based model. It is really the best TTS experience you can get on Mac OS.
Overall, Capti Voice is a really compelling app with features packed to the brim and is very similar to natural Reader but with a subscription based model. It is really the best TTS experience you can get on Mac OS.
Pricing Info: Pricing Options for Capti Voice
Link: Download Capti Voice from here
6. Honorable Mentions
CereProc has some of the most natural sounding computer speeches available on the market, which you can use to replace the default voice on your Mac (also available for other platforms). There are a lot of high quality voice packs to choose from and each costs around $35.
Zamzar is a free online service which you can use to convert your text to audio files or mp3s. Unlike the iTunes spoken track which you can use only on Apple devices, you can use it on any platform without any hassle.
Wrapping up: Best Text to Speech for Mac
So these were some of the TTS software available on the Mac and we hope we made your decision a little bit easier. If you are someone who reads mainly on the internet, Read Aloud is by far the best free option. Although a little limited, the built-in TTS feature seems to work just fine, but it can be a pain for long stretches of texts or long articles for which there is Invicta which is also free.
Natural Reader and Capti Voice both are spectacular TTS apps with a lot of plans to choose from, but I guess what it comes down to is the paying model. Natural reader is a one time purchase and should be better if you feel you will be invested in TTS for a long time whereas Capti Voice follows a subscription based model also with a one week free trial. Thanks for reading and do comment below which one is your favorite TTS app on Mac OS.
Read: Make your Devices Read Out Text, With Text to Speech