SpeechBee

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NaturalReader vs SpeechBee

SpeechBee is our own app. NaturalReader is a long-running reader for documents and web pages, with MP3 export and OCR on paid plans. SpeechBee reads whatever text you select on your Mac with voices that run there, and turns your speech into text too.

By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Prices checked on 13 October 2026

  • NaturalReader
  • SpeechBee
On this page
  1. Side by side
  2. Documents or any app
  3. Privacy
  4. Price
  5. Questions
  6. Keep comparing
  7. Sources

Side by side

NaturalReaderSpeechBee
PriceFree with daily AI-voice limits; Lite $13.90/mo or $79/yr; Plus $119/yr; Pro $159/yr$9/mo, $79/yr, or $99 once
What it readsDocuments and web pages you open in itText you select in any Mac app; pasted text on iPhone and iPad
Where the voice is generatedNaturalReader's service; offline mode in mobile appsOn your device
On a MacWeb app and Chrome extensionNative Mac app
MP3 exportPaid plansNo
OCR for scansPaid plansNo
DictationNoYes, into any app
What it costs over timeOver three years, NaturalReader Lite costs $237 on yearly billing. SpeechBee costs $99 once and dictates too.

1 year

  • NaturalReader$79Yearly · Lite · + free tier
  • SpeechBee$79Yearly

2 years

  • NaturalReader$158Yearly · Lite · + free tier
  • SpeechBee$99One-time

3 years

  • NaturalReader$237Yearly · Lite · + free tier
  • SpeechBee$99One-time

Cheapest published way to keep each app: monthly, yearly or a one-time license. US dollars before tax, prices checked on 13 October 2026.

Documents or any app

NaturalReader is built around documents: open a file or a web page and it reads with focus mode highlighting, exports MP3 on paid plans, and scans printed text with OCR. It runs in any browser, through a Chrome extension and in its mobile apps.

SpeechBee is built around your selection. Select text in Mail, Word, a PDF or a web page, press your reading key, and a natural voice reads it, up to 200,000 characters at a time on the Mac. It does not export audio files.

Voice to text
New message

Hi Maya, I'll send the revised proposal tomorrow morning.

SpeechBee's listening indicator on Mac
Hold your key, talk, let go. The text lands at the cursor.
Text to speech
Article

Most people read faster than they speak. SpeechBee reads the sentence you selected out loud, while you keep working.

SpeechBee's Read Aloud player on Mac
Select text, press your reading key, listen.

Privacy

NaturalReader's AI voices are generated on its service; its mobile apps have an offline mode. SpeechBee generates the voice on your Mac, so the text you select is never uploaded or saved, and reading works offline.

Price

NaturalReader's free plan includes 20,000 characters a day of Lite AI voices. Lite is $13.90 a month or $79 a year, Plus $119 a year and Pro $159 a year. SpeechBee is $9 a month, $79 a year or $99 once, with dictation included.

Compare any apps in the interactive tool

Try SpeechBee free for 7 days.

Voice to text and Read Aloud on your Mac, iPhone and iPad. After the week, $9 a month, $79 a year, or $99 once. Every plan has every feature.

Download for MacGet it for iPhone & iPad

Questions

Can SpeechBee export MP3 files?

No. For audio files, NaturalReader's paid plans or macOS's own tools are the way; see text to speech as MP3 on Mac.

Does NaturalReader have a Mac app?

On a Mac it runs as a web app and a Chrome extension.

Which is cheaper?

NaturalReader Lite and SpeechBee both cost $79 a year. SpeechBee also has a $99 one-time option and includes dictation.

Keep comparing

Sources

Checked on 13 October 2026.