Speechify is an AI "text reader": it reads a web page, PDF, email, Google Doc or even a photo of a page from a paper book aloud in a natural voice. It was originally built for people with dyslexia, and millions of students and professionals now use it to "listen instead of read." In recent years it has added tools such as summarizing, asking questions about text and turning a document into a podcast. Its main difference from voiceover tools like ElevenLabs is that it is built for people who consume content, not those who produce it.
What is Speechify good for?#
- Reading papers for students: a graduate student listens to PDF papers while commuting.
- Scanning paper books: take a photo of a book page with your phone camera and the text is read aloud.
- Language learning: a learner reads and hears English text at the same time and picks up pronunciation.
- Reducing eye strain: a programmer or office worker who is at a monitor all day listens to long documentation and emails.
- Support for dyslexia or low vision: reading along with word highlighting makes the text easier to follow.
Strengths and weaknesses#
Strengths:
- Works nearly everywhere: mobile, browser, Mac and a Chrome extension
- Natural English voices and adjustable speed
- Text recognition from photos for paper books
- Summary and question tools in the same environment
Weaknesses:
- The good voices and main tools sit behind a relatively expensive subscription
- Reading quality is weaker outside English
- A subscription in the mobile app can renew automatically, so cancelling needs care
- It is not built for professional video voiceover
Free plan and pricing#
Speechify is freemium. The free plan has basic voices and limited speed and is enough for simple reading. The premium plan unlocks more natural voices, higher speed, text scanning, audio download and AI tools. It also has a separate product for voiceover and an API. Check the official site for current prices.
Language support#
Speechify has voices in several languages and reads non-English text, but quality is lower than for English. Ambiguous spellings, numbers and dates can be mispronounced, and text recognition from photos is less reliable for some scripts. Its best use is listening to English content.
Getting started in three steps#
- Install the Chrome extension or mobile app from the official store.
- Open an English article or a PDF file and press play.
- Start at normal speed and raise it a little every few days.
Speechify alternatives#
- ElevenLabs: higher voice quality and broader language coverage, but aimed more at producing audio than everyday listening.
- Murf AI: a voiceover studio for video and presentations.
- NotebookLM: turns your document into a podcast-style audio conversation, and is free.
If you work with a lot of long documents, working with long documents using AI: summaries, questions and comparison explains complementary methods.
