![]() We also want to test the accessibility features of these tools to see how they work for every kind of user out there. Our testing process of TTS software is thorough, examining all of their respective features and trying to throw every conceivable syllable at them to see how they perform. How we test the best free text-to-speech software Ultimately, however, MP3 files with a bit rate of 256 kbps and above should more than suffice, and you'll struggle to tell the difference when it comes to speech audio between them and WAV files. WAV files are uncompressed, meaning fidelity is preserved as best as possible, at the cost of being considerably larger in size than MP3 files, which do compress. The main difference between the two is quality. The WAV format is also highly compatible too. MP3 is the most common audio format, and compatible with pretty much any modern device capable of playing back audio. Many free TTS programs give you the option to download an audio file of the speech to save and transfer to different devices. ![]() In the context of TTS software, there are more SAPI 4 voices to choose from, whereas SAPI 5 voices are generally of a higher quality. First used in its own applications such as Office, it is also employed by third party TTS software such as those featured in this list. It was developed by Microsoft to generate synthetic speech to allow computer programs to read aloud text. SAPI stands for Speech Application Programming Interface. However, the best free software on this list come with all the bells and whistles that will be more than enough for the average user. For instance, Zabaware gives you two for free, but you have to pay if you want more. ![]() These include the amount of choices you get for the different amount of voices in some case. Best free text-to-speech software FAQs What are the limitations of free TTS software?Īs you might expect, some free versions of TTS software do come with certain limitations. We do have a separate guide that includes TTS programs that you have to pay for. With free versions, naturally you'll want to take into account how many advanced features you get without paying, and whether any sacrifices are made to performance or usability.Īlways try to keep in mind what is fair and reasonable for free services - and as we've shown with our number one choice, you can get plenty of features for free, so if other options seem bare in comparison, then you'll know you can do better. These include how many voice options and customizations are present, how and where they operate in your setup, what formats they are able to read aloud from and what formats the audio can be saved as. How to choose the best free text-to-speech softwareĭespite how simple the concept of TTS is, there are many different features and aspects to such apps to take into consideration. We've also listed the best transcription services (opens in new tab). Additional voices are available for an additional fee which seems rather steep, holding it back from a higher place in our list. Unfortunately the selection of voices is limited, and the only settings you can customize are volume and speed unless you burrow deep into settings to fiddle with pronunciations. One of the best free text-to-speech software right now, this can also convert text files to WAV format. You can open numerous file formats directly in the program, or just copy and paste text.Īlternatively, as long as you have the program running and the relevant option enables, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader can read aloud any text you copy to the clipboard – great if you want to convert words from websites to speech – as well as dialog boxes that pop up. ĭespite its basic looks, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader has more to offer than you might first think. Read our guide: How to convert text-to-speech with Balabolka. With all these features to make life easier when reading text on a screen isn't an option, Balabolka is the best free text-to-speech software around. For lengthy documents, you can create bookmarks to make it easy to jump back to a specific location and there are excellent tools on hand to help you to customize the pronunciation of words to your liking. In addition to reading words aloud, this free text-to-speech software can also save narrations as audio files in a range of formats including MP3 and WAV. Whichever route you choose, you can adjust the speech, pitch and volume of playback to create a custom voice. In terms of output, you can use SAPI 4 complete with eight different voices to choose from, SAPI 5 with two, or the Microsoft Speech Platform. There are a couple of ways to use Balabolka's free text-to-speech software: you can either copy and paste text into the program, or you can open a number of supported file formats (including DOC, PDF, and HTML) in the program directly.
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