The arena · AI voice tool review
Speechify
by Speechify Inc.
Polished text-to-speech reader for listening to anything, with a Studio add-on for voiceovers
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From $12/mo
Premium $139/yr (≈$11.58/mo effective; $29 billed monthly); Studio Starter $19/mo
Reader: 10 basic voices, 1.5x speed. Studio: 600 credits (~10 min voiceover), no cloning or commercial rights
1000+
60+ (reader) / 20 (Studio)
Yes
Yes
What is Speechify?
Speechify is a consumer text-to-speech platform that reads articles, PDFs, emails and books aloud with 1,000+ AI voices in 60+ languages across iOS, Android, Chrome and desktop apps. A separate product, Speechify Studio, targets content creators with voiceover generation, dubbing, voice cloning and an API, billed on a per-second credit system. Premium (the reader) costs $139/year or $29/month; Studio runs Free, $19 or $49 per month.
Speechify pros & cons
Pros
- 1,000+ natural voices in 60+ languages on the Premium reader (Studio covers 20 languages)
- Best-in-class reading apps with OCR scan-and-listen; won Apple Design Award for Inclusivity 2025
- Up to 5x listening speed with synced text highlighting: strong for dyslexia/ADHD and students
- Instant voice cloning from a 10-30 second sample on Studio paid plans ($19+/mo)
- High overall Trustpilot score: 4.6/5 from ~4,700 reviews
Cons
- Trial requires a credit card and auto-converts; surprise $139+ charges and cancellation friction dominate negative Trustpilot reviews
- Annual-first pricing: $139/yr up front, or a steep $29 month-to-month
- Little fine-grained control over emotion, pauses or emphasis compared with ElevenLabs or Murf
- Studio credit system burns fast (1 credit/sec voiceover, 3 credits/sec dubbing); heavy creators outgrow the $19 tier quickly
- Android app is notably buggier and lower-rated than the iOS version
The arena’s verdict
Pick Speechify if your main goal is consuming written content by ear: it is the most polished TTS reader on the market, and the accessibility features genuinely justify Premium for students and heavy readers. Creators needing professional voiceover or cloning can use Studio, but ElevenLabs and Murf offer finer voice control and more transparent value at similar prices. Skip it if you only listen occasionally (free built-in phone/browser TTS covers most of that) or if credit-card-first trials and annual-first billing are dealbreakers. Billing complaints are Speechify's single biggest reputation issue.
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Top Speechify alternatives
All alternativesThe realism benchmark for AI voices: best-in-class TTS and cloning at a premium price
Voiceover studio with a timeline editor: built for e-learning, not emotional narration
All-in-one TTS studio: 500+ voices in 100 languages plus a built-in video editor
Compare Speechify head-to-head
What the crowd says
“Speechify's mobile app is slick but the web editor lags.”
“Speechify if you just want to listen. Murf if you want to produce.”
“Speechify's best voices are locked behind the priciest tier. Sneaky.”
“1000+ voices and the speed control is unbeatable for studying.”
“Speechify reads my PDFs and articles while I commute. Different use case, love it.”
Speechify: frequently asked questions
Is Speechify free?
Speechify offers a free tier (Reader: 10 basic voices, 1.5x speed. Studio: 600 credits (~10 min voiceover), no cloning or commercial rights). Paid plans start at $12/mo.
How much does Speechify cost?
Speechify starts at $12/mo (freemium). Premium $139/yr (≈$11.58/mo effective; $29 billed monthly); Studio Starter $19/mo
Does Speechify support voice cloning?
Yes, Speechify supports voice cloning.