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Speechify

Audiobooks and coversFreemiumFiction and nonfiction

Text-to-speech for hearing a draft read back, which is a legitimate editing trick, plus production voices if you want audio of an article or short piece. It is less of a performance studio than ElevenLabs and more of a pair of ears. Hearing a clunker is the feature.

Best for

Hearing your own manuscript, and straightforward narration that does not need a directed performance.

Pricing

Freemium. Free listening with limits. Premium unlocks more voices and higher-quality playback.

Listing checked 14 October 2026. Plans move. The vendor's page wins an argument with this one.

Visit SpeechifyMore audiobooks and covers tools

In-depth review

Speechify review

Last checked 14 October 2026 against the vendor's public pages. Prices and features change; check the vendor before you buy.

Writer's Toolbelt review

Speechify

A text-to-speech reader that reads your drafts aloud on every device. A proofreading secret weapon.

users (vendor figure)
natural voices on Premium
Premium per month, billed monthly

What it is

Speechify is a text-to-speech app that reads "PDFs, docs and more" aloud on iPhone, iPad, Android, Chrome, Edge, the web, Mac and Windows. It has added voice typing dictation ("write 5× faster"), AI podcasts, a Voice AI Assistant and creator tools such as an AI voice generator, voiceover, dubbing and Studio Voices. It claims 60M+ users and cites a 2025 Apple Design Award.

Screenshot of Speechify's public home page
Speechify's public home page, captured 14 October 2026.

Who it's for

  • Every writer who proofreads. Hearing your text exposes typos, clunky rhythm and repeated words.
  • Writers who dictate. Voice typing helps draft away from the keyboard.
  • Readers with dyslexia or visual fatigue.

Key features in practice

  • Read aloud any document or web page, with speed control.
  • Voices: 10 robotic voices on Free and 1,000+ natural voices on Premium.
  • Voice typing dictation.
  • Voice AI Assistant on Premium: "talk to Speechify about anything, including any website or book."
  • Creator tools (voiceover, dubbing, studio voices) as separate products.
Screenshot of Speechify's public home page, scrolled further down
Speechify's public home page, scrolled further down, captured 14 October 2026.

Pricing (checked 14 October 2026)

Plan Price Includes
Free $0 Speeds up to 1.5x, 10 robotic voices, text to speech only
Premium $29/month billed monthly 1,000+ natural voices, Voice AI Assistant

Yearly billing advertises "Save 60%". Check the yearly price on the vendor site.

Pricing at a glance

  • Free10 robotic voices, up to 1.5x speed
    Free
  • Premium1,000+ natural voices, Voice AI Assistant
    $29/mo
US$ per month billed monthly as listed on speechify.com/pricing on 14 October 2026. The page advertises 60% savings on yearly billing; check vendor site for the yearly price.
Screenshot of Speechify's public pricing page
Speechify's public pricing page, captured 14 October 2026.

Using it as a writer

  1. Listen to every chapter before you send it out. Mark stumbles in your manuscript as you hear them.
  2. Use a natural voice if you can. Robotic voices hide rhythm problems.
  3. Dictate first drafts on walks with voice typing.
  4. For publishable audiobooks, use a production tool such as ElevenLabs. Speechify is mainly a reader.

Strengths

  • Works on every device.
  • Excellent for proofreading by ear.
  • Free tier for basic listening.

Writer's Toolbelt editorial scores

Speechify scorecard

7.6/10

  • Proofreading by ear9/10
  • Voice quality8/10
  • Device coverage10/10
  • Audiobook production5/10
  • Value for money6/10
Editorial judgment by Writer's Toolbelt, not vendor data or user ratings. Scores are relative to other tools in this directory.

Weaknesses

  • Premium is expensive on monthly billing.
  • The free voices are robotic.
  • Not primarily an audiobook production tool.

How it compares

  • Speechify vs ElevenLabs. ElevenLabs creates audio for publishing. Speechify reads to you.
  • Speechify vs Murf. Murf focuses on voiceover production.
  • Speechify vs built-in OS readers. Free system readers can do basic read-aloud.

Feature comparison

AI voice and audio tools compared

FeatureElevenLabsMurfSpeechifyDescript
Free planYesYesYesYes
Lowest listed paid priceYes$6Not listedYes$29Yes$16
All paid tiers have published pricesYesPartlySome tiers: contact sales or check vendor siteYesYes
Competes with ProseEngine (we disclose)NoNoNoNo
Derived from each review's pricing table (vendor pricing pages, checked 14 October 2026). Lowest price is per month (or per unit where stated) on the cheapest listed billing option. "Not listed" means the vendor page does not publish it; check the vendor site.

Verdict

Speechify is the most convenient way to hear your manuscript anywhere. The free plan covers basic proofreading, and Premium is worth it on yearly billing if you listen daily.

FAQ

Is Speechify free? Yes, with 10 robotic voices and up to 1.5x speed.

How much is Premium? $29 a month billed monthly as of 14 October 2026. Yearly billing is cheaper.

Can I publish audiobooks with Speechify? It has voiceover tools, but its core is reading aloud. Check the licence terms first.

Sources

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    Descript

    Edit recorded audio by editing the transcript. Cut a retake by deleting a sentence. Overdub can patch a flubbed word in your own voice, which is either a gift or a temptation depending on how honest the recording should stay. Built for people who record themselves, not for fully synthetic casts.

    Best for Authors who record their own audiobook or podcast and want to edit sound the way they edit a document.

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