Our verdict
Being tested. An editor is using Speechify hands-on; the verdict and score appear here once they sign it off.
What it does
Speechify reads text aloud. Open a document, PDF, web page or email in its app or browser extension, and it reads it to you in a natural-sounding voice, at whatever speed suits you. On the paid plan it can also read a photo of a printed page.
It suits people with dyslexia or ADHD, students with a lot of reading, and anyone who prefers to listen on the move.
Why use it
- Listen to documents and articles on the move.
- Change the reading speed and follow the highlighted words.
- On the paid plan, photograph a printed page with your phone to hear it.
- It helps people with dyslexia and other reading difficulties.
How it works
- Install the app or the browser extension and sign up.
- Open a document, PDF or web page, or, on the paid plan, photograph a printed page.
- Press play, then choose a voice and a speed.
- Follow the highlighted words, or just listen.
How hard is it to use?
Beginner Easy to start. You need an account, not any technical know-how.
Press play on whatever you are reading, which is why we rate it Beginner.
What it costs
Free plan; paid plans. A free plan with standard voices and a limited reading speed. A paid Premium plan adds more natural voices, higher speeds, scanning printed pages and other features.
Prices change often, so check Speechify’s own site before you pay.
Watch out for
- The free voices sound more robotic than the paid ones.
- Check how the paid plan is billed, and its full price, before you subscribe.
Your data
Check Speechify’s privacy policy for what it keeps from the documents it reads aloud before you open anything confidential.
We haven’t confirmed that Speechify can keep your data in the UK, so check where it keeps your data before you share anything private or about other people.