Compare
Voice Dream vs SpeechBee
SpeechBee is our own app. Voice Dream Reader has been the accessible reading app for years, with a library, highlighting and support for VoiceOver and braille displays. SpeechBee reads whatever you select in any Mac app, with no import step, and turns your speech into text too.
By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Prices checked on 13 October 2026
Voice Dream
SpeechBee
Side by side
| Voice Dream | SpeechBee | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free download with in-app purchases (voices from $4.99) | $9/mo, $79/yr, or $99 once |
| What it reads | PDFs, EPUBs, Word and PowerPoint files and web pages in its library | Text you select in any Mac app; pasted text on iPhone and iPad |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes, after the voice downloads once |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Highlighting and notes | Yes | No |
| Accessibility | VoiceOver throughout, Dynamic Type, Voice Control, braille displays | Standard macOS and iOS accessibility |
| Dictation | No | Yes, into any app |
Library or any app
Voice Dream imports documents into a library and reads them with a voice, speed and pronunciation you choose. You can highlight, add notes and export your work, and pick up on another device. It was designed for people who read differently, and every screen is labelled for VoiceOver.
SpeechBee has no library. Select text in any Mac app and press your reading key, and a natural local voice reads it, up to 200,000 characters at a time, with a small player to pause and skip. Hold another key to dictate.
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.
Privacy
Voice Dream works offline, and how voices are delivered varies by voice. SpeechBee generates its voices on your device, so the text you select is never uploaded or saved.
Price
Voice Dream Reader is a free download with in-app purchases; additional voices are sold individually, for example $4.99 each on the App Store. SpeechBee is $9 a month, $79 a year or $99 once, with every feature on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
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.
Questions
Is Voice Dream available on Mac?
Yes. Voice Dream lists iPhone, iPad and Mac, and your library carries across them.
Is SpeechBee accessible for blind users?
SpeechBee follows standard macOS and iOS accessibility, but Voice Dream was designed around VoiceOver and braille from the start and remains the stronger choice there.
Can SpeechBee import books?
No. It reads text you select or paste.
Keep comparing
Sources
Checked on 13 October 2026.
- Voice Dream and Voice Dream Reader on the App Store
- SpeechBee facts from our homepage and privacy policy