Whether you are using an Android or iOS mobile device, there are many free and paid text-to-speech apps with varying capabilities and features you can go for. While this is true, finding the right app from these kinds of options in the market can prove difficult especially if you are a newbie.
Well, this article walks you through some of the best free text-to-speech apps worth trying.
In this article
Benefits of Using Text-to-speech Technology
Text-to-speech has become quite important especially in the business world as it now provides a flexible and cost-effective way to mimic a real human voice with the right tone, emotion, and rhythms. It brings a lot of convenience to our life:
- Creating narrations for corporate videos is easier
- Lower costs than hiring voice actors
- Take your content to another level
- Save time for content creation
- No need to worry about language barriers
Best Text-to-Speech Apps in 2024
Now that you know a thing or two about TTS technology and its benefits, here is a list of top text-to-speech apps you can use in 2024.
1. T2S Reader
T2S Reader is a simple yet functional Android app that lets you open texts/ePub/PDF files and convert them to respective audio files or read them depending on your need. This app can load URLs and extract messages on the respective pages then translate them into voice/audio files. You can also enable the Floating Speak feature that allows you to paste content from other apps and convert it into a speech.
Compatibility: Android
User Ratings: 4.4 out of 5 (Google Play)
2. Just Press Record
Although primarily designed as a voice recorder, Just Press Record can also double up as an excellent TTS app for iOS devices. This app brings all your recordings, transcription, and iCloud syncing into one platform.
With this app, you can convert your recordings into texts and edit them to meet your needs. It supports over 30 different languages and lets you turn your speech into searchable and editable text.
Compatibility: iOS
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (Apple Store)
3. Voice Aloud Reader
Voice Aloud Reader as the name suggests is an Android TTS app for reading books, documents, emails, articles, web pages, and other lengthy documents. You can import saved articles or content from other apps, paste text on the interface for listening, and share them as WhatsApp voices. With this tool, you can conveniently adjust voice aspects like volume, rate, and pitch based on your needs. Additionally, you can pause and resume the content when you need to.
Compatibility: Android
User Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (Google Play)
4. TTS Reader
TTS Reader now referred to as Speech Recognition and Synthesis from Google provides both text-to-speech and speech-to-text features. This Android app is simple and supports several languages including English, Chinese, Danish, and Dutch among others. It provides speech-to-text functionality to Google and other third-party apps. Therefore, you can use it for Google Maps, recorder apps, phone app call screen features, dictation apps, language learning apps, and accessibility apps among others.
Limitations of Text-to-Speech Apps
While text-to-speech apps are useful in myriads of scenarios, these tools always have inherent flaws that limit their usage. Some of the common limitations include:
- Limited voice and language options - Compared to desktop software, text-to-speech apps offer limited voice options and languages to choose from. Therefore, it makes them unsuitable for applications that require extensive voice options and multiple languages.
- Limited voice editing options – Text-to-speech apps are always designed to convert text to audio or read texts aloud. Users can only tweak basic voice aspects like volume, pitch, and rate. If you want advanced voice editing features such as audio effects and background noise removal, you will need a desktop tool.
- Lack of extensive customization - Most of the text-to-speech apps are rigid and don't give you the option to customize your voice to meet your needs.
- Lower voice quality - The quality of voices from text-to-speech apps is lower compared to desktop versions. They suffer much from background noise and often lack features to correct errors for better quality.
- Device specific - Most Text-to-speech apps are designed for specific operating systems and hence difficult to use across other devices.
It is now clear that although text-to-speech apps are useful, their limitations will oblige you to go for a dedicated text-to-speech software for PC. However, finding reliable and effective tools is not always a walk in the park.
Bonus: Best Text-to-Speech Software for PC
Wondershare Filmora is another powerful, easy-to-use, and incredibly fast text-to-speech software for various user needs. It combines myriads of functionalities in one platform and makes it suitable for all types and sizes of text-to-speech or speech-to-text needs including dubbing and subtitle editing.
With this tool, you can translate your texts into speeches in different languages and voice options.
Furthermore, you can tweak the parameters of these voice options to meet your needs without a quality drop. If you have a video that you created from other apps and are not satisfied with the voice, you can import it as an SRT file and fine-tune it accordingly. Once you are through, you can use the array of editing features to further make your voice more appealing and of high quality.
Key Features:
- Supports more than 28 languages.
- It allows users to import SRT files and edit the voice in their videos to meet desired quality and standards.
- It provides tons of different voice options for different scenarios.
- It allows users to adjust parameters like voice speed and pitch by simply dragging the scroll bar.
- It provides plenty of titles, animations, transitions, and effects that enhance the quality of voice.
- It supports background noise removal for better voice quality.
- It offers voice-changing features and a bunch of voice effects to apply.
How to Convert Text to Speech Using Wondershare Filmora?
Step 1. Download, install, and open Wondershare Filmora on your computer.
Step 2. Now, go to the "Titles" section and choose the desired title. Proceed to the "Tools" menu and choose the "Text to Speech" option from the list displayed.
Alternatively, you can simply upload your SRT file and drag it to the timeline, then Right-click the file and choose the "Text-to-Speech" option.
Step 3. After activating the text-to-speech feature, you will see the option at the right-hand interface. Search and choose the language according to your requirements, and adjust parameter settings like speed and pitch to reflect your needs. Pre-listen the voice options to the list and choose the one you like.
Step 4. Once satisfied, click the "Try free" button to confirm and trigger text-to-speech conversion.
Step 5. Play the voices on the timeline and Export if you are satisfied.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many text-to-speech apps you can try out in 2024. However, mobile apps are always limited in voice and language options, extensive voice editing features, and customizing options. In that case, we also suggest you try Wondershare Filmora's text-to-speech features, which collect more than 28 different voice options and cover many different languages. Download Wondershare Filmora today and try to convert texts to speeches for free.
