Text to speech tools are popular, especially due to their general utility for visually impaired users of computers. This has seen more text to speech software being introduced to meet the growing demand. With text to speech AI tools also making a mark, it can be hard to know which one will serve you better. This article reviews the 10 best text to speech tools and points out how each stands out.
2024 Best Free Text-to-Speech Software: 10 Tools for Effortless Text-to-Voice Conversion
The technology behind text to speech (TTS) tools involves taking document text and converting it to an audio format. This innovative approach is used as an assistive technology for speech synthesis, which makes text discernable through audio. You may have heard TTS being referred to as read-aloud technology, allowing more people to know what is on the screen. With artificial intelligence (AI) enhancing this technology further, TTS tools are now more effective. Here is our top list of the best text to speech tools you can use today:
- Speechify
- Filmora Text to Speech
- Murf.ai
- Synthesia
- Descript
- Listnr
- Flikki
- FreeTTS
- Lovo
- WellSaid Labs
1. Speechify
Speechify is an innovative text-to-speech tool that allows you to read faster and retain more information. Multitaskers and people with reading difficulties find this tool useful because of its simplistic design. As an assistive TTS application, Speechify can read text to personal users efficiently with human and natural-sounding voices.
Pros
- Supports 20+ languages
- Works effectively via Chrome extension, desktop, iOS/Android apps
- Can read pictures of text using optical character recognition (OCR)
- Users can select voice and speed for optimal comprehension
- Reads web pages loudly while you scroll
- A library for saving documents and listing across devices
Cons
- Limited offline functionality
- Varying voice quality, depending on the content
Best for
Speechify works best to address the needs of individuals, students, and professionals. It is a great choice for those looking for audio over written text or individuals struggling with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. Easily integrates with other popular apps and browsers for seamless.
2. Filmora Text to Speech
Filmora Text to Speech comes with a Text to Speech AI feature that converts text files to voiceovers. This helps you to enrich your videos with speech and engage the audience more accurately. With just a click, Filmora will automatically convert your text to speech with high levels of accuracy.
Pro
- Easy to use for beginners and amateurs
- Integrated with Filmora editor to seamlessly add voiceovers to your video projects
- Multiple voice options are available in different languages and accents.
- Background music integration to accompany the voiceover
- Incredibly accurate transcription of text to speech
- Convert SRT files to 40 different voices in a just click
Cons
- Limited voice customization options for speed, pitch, and emphasis
Best for
Filmora Text to Speech is ideal for basic video projects and educational content creation. It allows you to add simple voiceovers to explainer videos and presentations. You can also use the tool for experimenting with text-to-speech or when your project is on a budget.
3. Murf.ai
Murf.ai is one of the most powerful AI-drive text to speech tools. It lets users convert text into natural-sounding audio using a variety of voice options. The online Saas can also be used to convert audio speech files to text files.
Pros
- Over 120 natural-sounding voices
- Can transcribe spoken voices from video or audio formats
- Supports 20+ languages for text-to-audio conversion
- Collaborative editing environment for teams
- Full HD audio export quality
Cons
- Limited emotional range and nuance
- Sometimes produces inaccurate pronunciations
Best For:
Murf is best for e-learning professionals, content creators, and businesses interested in a versatile and easy-to-use TTS solution. The collaborative editing environment allows multiple users to work on the same project, editing and perfecting markdown text for the best possible speech.
4. Synthesia
Synthesia is an AI video generation website that allows users to generate video content using text-to-video features. The platform lets you output audio from your text in minutes. You can also turn your text into a virtual avatar to offer more engaging videos.
Pros
- Customizable virtual avatars for your videos
- Turns text transcripts into avatar-speaking videos
- Packaged as a Web app and saves everything in the cloud
Cons
- Avatars used currently lack natural facial expressions and gestures
Best for:
Synthesia is a great tool for content creators and businesses interested in creating engaging videos without professional presenters or complex video production.
5. Descript
Descript is an audio and video editing software that also comes with a text-to-speech feature. The platform works by importing audio files that are then converted into text. Users can also edit the text that automatically edits the original audio file. In other words, you will be editing your audio just the same way you would a document draft.
Pros
- Edit audio like a document to remove filler words
- Automatic transcription of your videos and audio
- Overdub voice cloning technology for creating realistic TTS audio files
- Full-featured audio and video editor
Cons
- Limited voice customization
- Potential quality inconsistencies
Best for:
Descript works perfectly for video creators, podcasters, and professionals needing transcription and editing capabilities with text-to-speech features. The Overdub voice cloning technology lets users create customizable and realistic voiceovers with their own voice, which is a great feature for most projects.
6. Listnr
Listnr is an innovative AI voice generator that comes with text-to-speech capabilities. The platform helps you turn written content into engaging audio files and podcasts using high-quality AI-generated voices. You can also adjust things like voice, speed, and accent, and add pauses.
Pros
- Supports multiple languages and accents
- Wide range of realistic AI-generated voices
- Podcast hosting and audio file export with an embeddable audio widget
Cons
- Limited free plan
- Voice quality variations
Best for
Listnr works best with marketers, bloggers, and content creators interested in expanding their audience reach through podcasting.
7. Fliki
Fliki is an AI-powered TTS platform for generating realistic human-like voices. It allows you to easily convert written text into high-quality spoken content.
Pros
- AI-generated human-like voices reading the inputted text
- Stock media library for overdubbed video content
- 75 languages and 900 accents available to choose from
- Powerpoint to video and AI art
Cons
- Credit-based pricing and limited testing on free plan
- Limited voice customization and quality
Best for
Fliki is a great choice for content creators who are interested in realistic text-to-speech audio, especially for simple video creation. It is also an excellent option when looking for commercial rights to audio and video material that has been created with AI.
8. FreeTTS
FreeTTS generates natural-sounding voices from text in multiple languages and accents. It is a great choice when you are on a budget and has one of the simplest interfaces to use. You only need to submit your text and the platform will create a simple audio file from that.
Pros
- Supports multiple languages
- Free to use
- Easy-to-use interface
Cons
- Limited character usage of 10,000 characters per week or conversion
- No offline functionality:
Best for
FreeTTS is a perfect choice for students, educators, and anyone on a budget. Although a simplified tool, it does a great job in functionality.
9. Lovo
Lovo is an AI voice generator with realistic voices to choose from. It also comes with several language and accent options, and tones such as serious and amazed.
Pros
- Support over 100 languages and accents
- Over 400 AI-generated voices
- Over 25 emotions for modulating the tone
- Easily control phoneme level and pauses in natural places
Cons
- Limited voice customization
- Potentially higher costs when you upgrade to a paid plan
Best for
Lovo is a great TTS option for content creators looking to make high-quality spoken audio. You get to choose from different languages, voices, and emotional ranges.
10. WellSaid Labs
WellSaid Labs is a powerful text to speech software. Once you sign up, you get access to amazing features to generate audio from your written text. It also comes with voice cloning and API integration, making it a versatile tool for anyone.
Pros
- High-quality and natural-sounding voices that resemble human speech
- Extensive customization option, including pace, emphasis, pitch, pronunciation
- Variety of delivery styles from narration to promotional tones
- API integration into their applications for hands-free voice functionality
- Voice cloning with avatars
Cons
- Limited control over emotion and intonation
- Not real-time voice generation
Best for
WellSaid Lab is perfect for creating professional voiceovers. You can use the voice in your videos, presentations, eLearning modules, marketing materials, and more.
Part 2. Recommendation and Conclusion
The following table compares the 10 texts to speech tools in terms of their applicability and outstanding features.
Recommendation
Choosing the right text to speech tool can be a challenge. However, the decision depends on the purpose of the tool. The 10 text to speech tools reviewed in this post have their own strengths and weaknesses. However, Filmora stands out as the top choice based on its overall performance and customer satisfaction. With integration with other features, Filmora allows you to generate speech from your text and use it directly for your video projects. This saves you the time and effort you would have spent when using multiple tools.
Conclusion
Text to speech tools play an important role in content consumption. Choosing the right software based on your needs and preferences will make sure you get the best and your goals are met. We recommend using Filmora because it is a reliable and versatile free text to speech software. You can do a lot more with less effort and present your content better.
