AI Tools 
Speechify review
Listen to anything with text to speech, type by talking, and ask a voice AI assistant.
⚡ Quick verdict
Speechify is the most polished way to listen to your reading: PDFs, articles, emails and books in natural voices at high speed, on every device. It's grown into a voice assistant with voice typing, summaries and AI podcasts. The free plan is basic (robotic voices, 1.5x); Premium is $29 a month billed monthly, and yearly billing saves 60%, which is the way to go if you'll use it daily.
Key takeaways
- Free: listen at up to 1.5x speed with 10 robotic-sounding voices; text-to-speech features only.
- Premium: $29/month billed monthly, with 1,000+ high-quality voices in 60+ languages.
- Yearly billing saves 60% compared with monthly, according to Speechify's pricing page.
- Voice typing works across apps like Google Docs, Gmail, Slack, Outlook and Cursor on desktop.
- Listen up to 4.5x speed, summarize PDFs, create podcasts from documents and ask the Voice AI Assistant questions.
At a glance
| Best for | Students, professionals and people with dyslexia or low vision who prefer listening |
|---|---|
| Pricing from (USD) | $29/mo billed monthly (Premium) |
| Free plan | Yes — 10 voices, up to 1.5x speed |
| Platforms | Web, Chrome and Edge extensions, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows |
| Company | Speechify |
| Category | Audio, Voice & Music |
| Last checked | October 16, 2026 |
On this page
What Speechify is
Speechify started as a text-to-speech reader and has become a broader “Voice AI Assistant.” It reads anything aloud—PDFs, web pages, emails, documents—in lifelike voices, so you can listen instead of reading. You can also talk instead of type with voice typing across your apps, summarize documents, turn any document or description into a podcast, and ask the assistant questions about what you’re reading.
It suits students, busy professionals and anyone who prefers listening to reading.
Key features
Text to speech
1,000+ voices in 60+ languages, at up to 4.5x speed.
Voice typing
Dictate polished text in Google Docs, Gmail, Slack, Outlook, Cursor and other apps on Mac and Windows.
PDF and document tools
Upload a PDF to the web app to have it read aloud, summarized or turned into a podcast.
Voice AI Assistant
Ask questions about anything you’re reading, in the browser side panel or on mobile.
Everywhere
Web app, Chrome and Edge extensions, iOS, Android, Mac and Windows.
Pricing breakdown
From Speechify’s pricing page, checked October 16, 2026.
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 1.5x speed, 10 robotic voices, TTS only |
| Premium | $29/mo billed monthly | 1,000+ natural voices, 60+ languages, full features |
Speechify states yearly billing saves 60% versus monthly.
Best use cases
- Students: listen to readings and lecture notes.
- Professionals: catch up on reports during a commute.
- Writers: proofread drafts by ear.
- Accessibility: reading support for dyslexia and low vision.
How to get started
- Sign up free at speechify.com.
- Install the Chrome or Edge extension.
- Open an article and click play.
- Upload a PDF to the web app.
- Upgrade to Premium for natural voices and higher speeds.
Tips and tricks
- Increase speed gradually to build listening stamina.
- Use summaries before listening to long PDFs.
- Try voice typing for first drafts.
- Pick a voice you enjoy for long sessions.
Example use:
Upload a 40-page research PDF, ask for a five-bullet summary, then listen to the methods section at 2x on your commute.
Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Natural, high-quality voices
- Works on every major platform
- Voice typing across apps
- Great for accessibility
- Free plan available
👎 Cons
- Monthly Premium is pricey
- Free voices sound robotic
- Best features require Premium
- Many features may overwhelm simple users
Who should (and shouldn't) use Speechify
✅ A good fit if you…
- Listen to long documents and articles
- Dictate instead of typing
- Need reading support for dyslexia or low vision
⛔ Look elsewhere if you…
- Need voiceovers for videos (consider ElevenLabs or Murf)
- Only need dictation (consider Wispr Flow)
- Need meeting transcription (consider Otter.ai)
Speechify alternatives
- ElevenLabs — Lifelike AI voices for text to speech, voice cloning, dubbing, music, sound effects and conversational voice agents. (from $6/mo (Starter); Creator $22)
- Wispr Flow — AI voice dictation that turns speech into polished text in any app. (from $12/mo billed annually (Pro, $144/year))
- Murf AI — Studio-quality AI voiceovers, a fast text-to-speech API, dubbing and voice agents. (from API from $0.01 per 1,000 characters; Studio plans on pricing page)
- Descript — Edit audio and video by editing the transcript, with an AI co-editor called Underlord. (from $16/person/mo billed annually (Hobbyist))
- Otter.ai — AI meeting agent that transcribes, summarizes and answers questions about your meetings. (from $8.33/user/mo billed annually (Pro))
FAQ
Is Speechify free?
Yes. The free plan lets you listen at speeds up to 1.5x with 10 robotic-sounding voices and includes text-to-speech features only.
How much does Speechify Premium cost?
Premium is $29 per month when billed monthly. Speechify says yearly billing saves 60%; check the pricing page for the exact yearly amount.
How many voices and languages does Speechify have?
Premium includes 1,000+ high-quality, natural voices in 60+ languages.
Can Speechify type for me?
Yes. Voice Typing turns your speech into polished text in apps such as Google Docs, Gmail, Slack, Outlook and Cursor.
Which devices does Speechify support?
Web, Chrome and Edge extensions, iOS, Android, Mac and Windows.
How fast can Speechify read?
Up to 4.5x speed on supported apps; the free plan is limited to 1.5x.
Sources
This is an editorial review based on research of official Speechify pages and documentation, not hands-on benchmark testing. Prices are in USD and were checked on October 16, 2026; vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official pricing page before buying.
