Review
Speechify review
Speechify is the best-known text-to-speech app, and it now does far more than read aloud. It is also $29 a month, or about $139 a year. Here is what you get, what it costs, how the trial works, and who would be better off with something else.
By the SpeechBee team, who make a competing app. Facts checked on 12 October 2026
Speechify
On this page
What Speechify is
Speechify turns text into speech. You give it a web page, a PDF, a document or a photo of a printed page, and it reads it aloud in a natural voice. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, Windows, the web, and as Chrome and Edge extensions, all tied to one account.
It has grown well beyond reading. Premium now includes AI summaries and chat about what you are reading, AI podcasts made from your documents, a voice AI assistant, and voice typing for dictation.
What it does well
- A huge choice of voices. More than 1,000 natural voices in over 60 languages on Premium.
- Fast listening. Premium goes up to 5x speed, for people who skim by ear.
- Reads almost anything. Web pages, PDFs, documents, and printed pages through Scan & Listen.
- Everywhere you are. Phones, tablets, both desktop systems, the web and browser extensions.
- Cloud-drive imports. Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive connect on Premium.
Where it falls short
- The free plan is a taster. Up to 1.5x speed and 10 voices Speechify itself calls robotic. The natural voices are what you pay for.
- It is expensive for occasional use. $29 a month, or about $139 a year. There is no one-time price.
- You pay for the bundle. If you only want to hear your own emails and drafts, most of Premium's AI features go unused.
- The trial converts quickly. Premium starts with a 3-day trial that turns into a yearly charge unless you cancel in time.
Price
- Speechify Premium, monthly$348
- Speechify Premium, yearly$139
SpeechBee Yearly$79
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Reading at up to 1.5x, 10 basic voices |
| Premium, monthly | $29 a month | Everything below |
| Premium, yearly | $11.58 a month, about $139 a year | 1,000+ voices, 60+ languages, 5x speed, Scan & Listen, AI summaries and chat, cloud-drive imports, voice typing, AI podcasts, voice assistant |
Speechify's help center says you need to cancel before the 3-day trial ends to avoid the yearly charge, and that App Store and Google Play subscriptions are cancelled through those stores. We found no public student discount code. Speechify sells education plans to schools instead. The full breakdown is in our Speechify pricing guide.
Privacy
Speechify's privacy policy says it collects "User Content": the text, documents and other content you upload or enter. That is how a cloud reader works, since the text has to reach Speechify to be read in its voices. The policy also says Speechify does not and will not sell your information. If you plan to listen to confidential documents, read the policy and check your employer's rules first.
Who should use Speechify
- Students and professionals who get through long reading lists by ear.
- People who listen across phone, tablet and computer, including Windows and Android.
- Anyone who needs printed pages scanned and read.
- People whose school or employer already pays for it.
Who should pick something else
- You mainly want to hear your own writing on a Mac. macOS Speak selection is free. SpeechBee, which we make, reads selected text in any Mac app with natural voices that run on your Mac, and adds dictation, for $79 a year or $99 once. It does not import whole books or scan pages.
- You want audiobooks for less. ElevenReader has a free plan with 10 hours of audio a month.
- You want a free browser reader. NaturalReader has a free plan.
We compare these in Speechify alternatives for Mac and head to head in Speechify vs SpeechBee.
Hi Maya, I'll send the revised proposal tomorrow morning.
Most people read faster than they speak. SpeechBee reads the sentence you selected out loud, while you keep working.
Hear your own text, privately. 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.
Questions
Is Speechify worth it?
If you listen to a lot of text across several devices, or need scanning, many people find it is. If you only want occasional read-aloud on a Mac, the free Speak selection or a cheaper app does that job.
How much does Speechify cost?
Premium is $29 a month, or $11.58 a month billed yearly, about $139 a year. There is a free plan with basic voices.
Is Speechify free?
There is a free plan with 10 basic voices at up to 1.5x speed. The natural voices and AI features need Premium.
Does Speechify work on Mac?
Yes. Speechify lists a Mac app, a web app and Chrome and Edge extensions.
Is Speechify safe and private?
Speechify's privacy policy says it collects the content you upload and does not sell your information. Because it is a cloud service, your text goes to Speechify to be read. Apps that read on your device, such as macOS Speak selection and SpeechBee, keep the text on your Mac.
Can Speechify do dictation?
Yes. Voice typing is part of Premium.
Keep comparing
- Speechify pricing, plan by plan
- Speechify vs SpeechBee
- Speechify alternatives for Mac
- How to make your Mac read text aloud
Sources
All checked on 12 October 2026.