Top Speechify alternatives you should explore

Speechify is a well-known, high-quality text-to-speech app used by individuals and businesses. However, since there are several other similar platforms on the market, it's no surprise that many users find themselves exploring alternatives. 

Whether it's seeking a different set of features, pricing options, or better voice quality, the abundance of choices in the TTS app market can leave you wondering if there’s something “better” out there. Naturally, it’s important to remember that what’s "better" is subjective — it all depends on your specific needs and preferences. 

In this article, we look at three strong alternatives —  our own ElevenReader app, Veed.io, and Murf.ai. Here’s how they compare to Speechify.

Why look for Speechify alternatives? 

Limited free listening time

Speechify’s free plan limits users to 100 minutes of voice generation per month, which can be restrictive for daily listeners of articles, PDFs, or emails. For example, an average audiobook lasts 6–12 hours, meaning free users can't even finish one book. 

Students and professionals may also find this frustrating, especially since unused minutes don't roll over. This often leads users to upgrade to Speechify Premium for unlimited voice generation, but the price is high. 

A monthly plan costs $29. There’s a more affordable yearly subscription of $139 ($11.58/month), but not all free plan users are ready for such a long-term commitment. That’s why some search for other text to speech apps like Speechify instead.

Standard, lower-quality voices (compared to AI options)

Speechify offers natural-sounding voices, particularly in its premium plan, which includes AI-enhanced voices that mimic human speech well. However, some users have noted that the free-tier voices can sound robotic compared to more advanced AI options. 

Though Speechify offers multiple accents and languages, a few users feel that intonation and pacing can seem unnatural, especially in complex sentences. 

One user shared their frustration, saying, “Speechify does have a top limit for the premium voices, which I hit at the 3-week mark. The whole point of premium is to access the voices. I won’t be renewing.” 

In comparison, Speechify competitors like ElevenLabs use deep learning models, offering smoother intonation and emotional depth. These platforms allow for more customization, including tone, speed, and style adjustments. While Speechify remains a solid choice, those in need of more lifelike, realistic AI voices might find these alternatives better suited for professional or long-form content.

Waiting for reset

One major inconvenience of Speechify’s 100-minute monthly limit is the waiting period before the listening time resets. Once users hit the cap, they must wait until the next billing cycle to regain access — unless they upgrade to a paid plan. 

This can be particularly frustrating for students, professionals, or audiobook listeners who rely on text-to-speech regularly. If they run out of minutes mid-task, they either have to switch to another tool or pause their workflow until the reset.

Unlike some alternatives that offer daily or weekly refreshes, Speechify’s rigid monthly limit leaves users without flexibility. This restriction often forces those who need continuous access to consider upgrading or seeking a tool with a more generous free-tier structure.

Paywalls on features

Beyond the 100-minute limit, Speechify’s free plan also locks several other key features behind a paywall. This can frustrate users expecting more from a basic version. Playback speed control, for example, is restricted, meaning free users can’t adjust reading speed beyond a certain limit. This is something Speechify competitors often provide for free.

Other premium-only features, like camera-based text import and access to higher-quality voices, further limit the free experience. 

Here’s an opinion from a former Speechify user: “Speechify used to be my go-to app to get required readings done, but the app doesn’t even work for me anymore. Ever since everything has been paywalled the app will constantly lag and freeze over. Needless to say, I don’t want to pay a small fortune just for an app that I can’t even use.”

Criteria for a great Speechify alternative

While searching for an app that is better than Speechify, consider the following factors:

• Voice quality – look for lifelike, natural-sounding voices with clear intonation and accurate pacing. High-quality voices are necessary for a pleasant listening experience, especially for long-form content.
• Pricing – compare free vs. paid plans in text to speech apps like Speechify to check value for money. A great alternative should offer a generous free tier and affordable premium options, ensuring access to essential features without breaking the bank.
• Features – consider supported formats (like PDFs, web pages), language options, and customization features including playback speed, voice selection, and text highlighting.
• Ease of use – the platform should be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly upload and start listening without a steep learning curve.
• Platform availability – ensure the tool is available on the devices and platforms you use most, whether that’s web, mobile, or desktop, for seamless integration into your routine.

Top Speechify alternatives – ElevenReader, Veed.io, and Murf.ai

ElevenReader

Strengths:

• Unlimited premium voices for free – ElevenReader provides access to hundreds of unique voices and can be used in 32 languages. Meanwhile, Speechify only lets you choose from 10 standard reading voices with 5 languages. 
• Unlimited listening time - Today ElevenReader provides unlimited listening per month for free, compared to Speechify at only 100 minutes (less than 2 hours) per month for free
• Superior AI voice quality – ElevenReader voices are optimized for natural intonation, emotions, and contextual adaptation. They feature subtle variations in speech, such as pauses, inflections, and emphasis, making voices sound more authentic. In contrast, Speechify voices often sound more robotic or synthetic, especially if you run out of credits on the free plan. 
• AI podcasts – with ElevenReader, you can create AI podcasts for free using GenFM
• Iconic voices – this makes ElevenReader stand out not only from Speechify, but also other TTS tools on the market. We’re proud to have some of the world’s most iconic voices exclusively, in partnerships with their estates. Voices include Burt Reynolds, John Wayne, and James Dean. Meanwhile, Speechify only offers a handful of voices, like MrBeast and Snoop Dogg.
• Personalization & advanced tools – ElevenReader lets you choose the “ideal” voice as per your preferences, for each story you listen to. With ElevenReader, you can adjust advanced controls, playback speed, sleep timer, and bookmarks at no cost — Speechify charges for these advanced controls. 
• Self-publishing opportunities – we let indie authors and self-published writers add their books to ElevenReader, allowing users to discover thousands of new, fresh stories not available in audio format elsewhere. 

Weaknesses:

• If you’re not a tech-savvy person, then you might be slightly overwhelmed with all the customization options. Overtime, however, these allow for a better experience than Speechify.

Key features:

• Content library – you don’t have to import all your content. You can also find an expansive collection of AI audio-narrated literary classics, articles, and even newsletters directly in the ElevenReader app.
• Smart podcasts – you can create personalized podcasts with an AI-powered co-host. This option is currently available on ElevenReader for iOS. 
• Iconic voices – On top of our AI avatar voices, you can choose an iconic voice for your content. Listen to stories narrated in voices from legends like Maya Angelou, Judy Garland, or Deepak Chopra.

Pricing:

The ElevenReader app is currently 100% free. We do plan to eventually launch some premium version of the app, but even them we’ll maintain a generous free plan. All paid plans will also be crafted so that they offer significantly more usage value than Speechify, at a lower price.

VEED.IO

Strengths:

• Customizable voice options – Veed offers a range of AI voices with more control over tone and pacing, which can produce more dynamic, engaging podcasts. While Speechify offers premium voices that sound natural, its customization options are more limited than Veed's.
• Podcast-ready format – the feature is specifically designed for converting text into podcast episodes, making it easier to create professional audio content directly.
• Multi-language support – Veed supports multiple languages, which can be useful for reaching a wider audience across different regions. Speechify also offers multiple languages but may not provide as extensive options for podcast creation as Veed.
• Editing tools – it offers built-in audio editing tools, allowing users to easily adjust the audio output, cut unwanted parts, or add effects. 

Weaknesses:

• Limited free tier – while Veed offers a free version, many advanced features, like longer podcast episodes or premium voices, are locked behind a paywall.
• Less focus on text-to-speech – compared to Speechify, Veed is more focused on video and podcast creation, so it may not be as optimized for simple text-to-speech tasks like reading documents or articles.

Key features:

• Text-to-audio conversion – quickly converts any text (articles, scripts, blogs) into podcast-style audio files. It’s ideal for content creators who want to produce podcasts from written content.
• Customizable AI voices – VEED offers a variety of AI voices, allowing users to customize the tone, pitch, and pace of speech to match the desired style and podcast engagement level.
• Multilingual support – you can produce podcasts in multiple languages to expand reach to global audiences and enable diverse content creation.

Pricing:

VEED offers 3 pricing packages. Lite, the most basic one starts at $12 per month if billed yearly, or $24 on a monthly renewal plan. 

Murf.AI

Strengths: 

• Advanced customization – it stands out for its voice customization features, enabling users to adjust pitch, tone, and speed, as well as clone their own voice. This provides greater flexibility for users creating professional audio content like podcasts, voiceovers, or presentations. Speechify lacks this level of customization, offering more static voices in its free plan.
• Voice cloning – Murf.ai offers voice cloning, a feature that allows users to create custom AI voices, ideal for content creators needing personalized audio. Speechify does not offer this feature, making Murf.ai a better option for anyone seeking highly tailored voiceovers.
• Professional-grade quality – Murf.ai’s voices are designed to sound more lifelike and dynamic, especially in voiceovers. Speechify focuses more on simple, functional text-to-speech. If high-quality voiceovers are crucial, Murf.ai stands out for its polished output.

Weaknesses:

• Focus on content creation – Murf.ai is designed primarily for voiceover and audio content creation (e.g., podcasts, presentations), which means it's less suited for everyday text-to-speech tasks like reading articles or documents. Speechify, on the other hand, is optimized for such tasks, offering quick, easy text-to-speech functionality.
• Learning curve – Murf.ai’s extra customization options and editing features may require more time to learn and adjust compared to Speechify’s simpler, user-friendly design.
• Limited text-based features – Murf.ai, while strong in audio production, does not focus as much on the ease of importing and reading various document formats like Speechify. 

Key features:

• Customizable voices – Murf.ai provides a diverse selection of voices with options for adjusting pitch, tone, and speed, giving users control over the sound and feel of the audio.
• Collaboration features – users can collaborate with team members, sharing projects, making edits, and reviewing the work in real-time. This is useful for group-driven content creation
• Advanced audio editing – it comes with built-in tools for editing the audio, allowing users to fine-tune the sound, add pauses, and adjust speech cadence.

Pricing:

Murf offers a free plan, which is similar in value to what Speechify offers. You can use the AI voice generator for 10 minutes/month, and you can’t download the audio. If you wanted access to unlimited audio capabilities, then you’d have to upgrade to a $19/month plan.

Comparison table: Speechify vs. alternatives

Here is a quick overview of the platforms that might be better than Speechify. 

Choosing the right alternative for you

When choosing the best Speechify alternative, consider your individual needs and priorities. First, check voice quality — if you need lifelike, natural-sounding voices with control over tone, pitch, and speed, focus on alternatives that offer advanced voice customization. 

If you’re on a budget, look for solutions with free or affordable plans that still provide solid quality and functionality. However, keep in mind that higher-quality voices and additional features often come with premium plans.

Next, think about the features you require. Do you need basic text-to-speech for documents, or are you looking for more advanced tools like audio editing, voice cloning, or multilingual support? 

For casual listening and study, simple features may suffice, but for professional content creation, you may need more robust capabilities. Finally, consider the platform availability and ease of use to ensure the solution fits seamlessly into your workflow.

Final thoughts: explore your options beyond Speechify, and Experience AI Voices

While Speechify is a good option for audio content listeners, it’s worth knowing what other options you can choose from.

ElevenReader, Veed.io, and Murf.ai are all strong alternatives to Speechify. However, what’s best for you depends on your exact needs, i.e., the volume of audio content you want to listen to and the voice quality that you find sufficient.

In short:

• ElevenReader stands out in voice quality, offering more realistic and expressive speech than Speechify.
• Veed.io is better for content creators looking to turn their own text into podcasts rather than for podcast listeners themselves.
• Murf.ai excels in professional voiceovers, providing greater customization and editing tools.
• Speechify is ideal for casual users needing a simple tool for reading articles and documents, but its free plan is restrictive and key features are locked behind paywalls.

Right now, we’re offering the ElevenReader for free — but this might change, so be sure to give it a try. Explore the features we offer and download the iOS and Android app on our site.