Office365 and Edge both let you open PDF's and use Microsoft's natural voices, that requires an Internet connection I think. If you want to go offline, some of the Piper voices are quite good for longer-form reading, although not designed for screen reader use I think. Eleven Labs seems to be the current gold standard for naturality, but of course not free. I'm sure there will be competition in terms of quality and pricing from other places soon. Answer from retrolental_morose on reddit.com
PCMAG
pcmag.com › home › best products › productivity
The Best Text-to-Speech Apps We've Tested for 2025 | PCMag
1 month ago - You can paste text into the app or open almost any document directly, including ebooks, text files, and Word documents. You can then press play to start listening to the app read aloud or export an audio file if you prefer. Balabolka doesn't have many voices by default, and the ones it does have are fairly robotic. You can add more voices, though, and thoroughly customize the application. Even though the app is a bit clunky, it’s the best Windows-specific app I’ve found outside of the one built into Edge and Microsoft Office (which I prefer).
Top answer 1 of 3
2
Office365 and Edge both let you open PDF's and use Microsoft's natural voices, that requires an Internet connection I think. If you want to go offline, some of the Piper voices are quite good for longer-form reading, although not designed for screen reader use I think. Eleven Labs seems to be the current gold standard for naturality, but of course not free. I'm sure there will be competition in terms of quality and pricing from other places soon.
2 of 3
2
online and Free Text-to-speech Converter Same as Speechify and Most Paid Converters https://youtu.be/RORvb1lA6fM
Best Text to Speech software purely for having text read out loud to me, the reader
Hey! We’ve just launched a text-to-speech app built for academic articles. Upload any PDF, or simply paste a URL, and the app converts it into clear, well-structured audio. You can pause, resume, or jump to any point in the article, and the on-screen text is highlighted as it’s read aloud, so you never lose your place. Download the narration as an MP3 in a single click.Give it a try and tell us what you think! iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/frateca-text-to-speech-audio/id6741859465 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.texttospeech.app&hl=en_US&pli=1 More on reddit.com
57
15
October 18, 2024What's the best professional text-to-speech software, and what's the best professional speech-to-text software? | PC Gamer Forums
I also want to buy speech-to-text software so I can type with my voice. What the best one? Ideally it can learn names and new slang also. Currently use PC. Could buy Mac only if there is big benefit for this. Ty. ... Welcome to the forum You'll probably get more answers over at Windows Central. More on forums.pcgamer.com
Best "speech-to-text" software/solution...?
The app Reppi has by far worked best for me. Its unlimited (most charge per minute) and built on Whisper AI so extremely accurate. More on reddit.com
37
14
March 30, 2023Speech-to-text software
You won't find a better transcriber than the new whisper AI: https://whisper.ggerganov.com/ More on reddit.com
81
45
February 15, 2023Videos
21:59
RIP ELEVENLABS! Here's The BEST TTS AI Voices LOCALLY For FREE! ...
28:01
My Top 5 Open-Source AI Text-to-Speech Models - YouTube
My Top 5 Open Source Text to Speech Softwares Starting off ...
15:48
Possibly THE BEST Open Source Text-to-Speech Model - VibeVoice ...
07:32
How to use Voice Typing in Windows, Microsoft 365, & Google Docs ...
08:25
BEST Dictation Software Voice Typing Google Docs FREE! - YouTube
MeetJamie
meetjamie.ai › blog › 10-best-speech-to-text-software
10 Best Speech-to-Text Software [Updated August 2025] | Jamie
5 days ago - Available for MacOS and Windows. ... Google Docs Voice Typing lets you use your voice to type and edit documents hands-free. This feature is compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Edge, and Safari.
Microsoft Store
apps.microsoft.com › detail › 9p870pxxwj0r
Text-to-Voice - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store
The text-to-voice converts text to speech. You can enter your own text, and convert. Text you can store and play button again. The voices are dependent on Windows 10 extra votes can be added to the Windows settings.
Cross+A
cross-plus-a.com › balabolka.htm
Balabolka
Balabolka is a text-to-speech application (freeware)
Quora
quora.com › What-is-the-best-text-to-speech-software-with-a-natural-sounding-voice
What is the best text-to-speech software with a natural-sounding voice? - Quora
It comes down to just: OpenAI, PlayHT, and ElevenLabs Then there are tier 2 players but they just use an API from OpenAI and some even use the PlayHT API but the top 3 pioneer the voices.
TechRadar
techradar.com › pro › software & services
Best speech-to-text app of 2025 | TechRadar
Dragon Anywhere
Best mobile speech-to-text app ·
Price $14.99
Microsoft Azure
azure.microsoft.com › en-us › products › ai-services › ai-speech
Azure AI Speech
Explore Azure Speech in Foundry Tools(formerly AI Speech) for voice recognition and text to speech. Build multilingual AI apps with customized speech models.
Movavi
movavi.com › home › learning portal › 20+ best speech-to-text software in 2025 – movavi
20+ Best Speech-to-Text Software in 2025 – Movavi
4 weeks ago - Here are the top online voice-to-text Windows 10 applications: ... Speechnotes is a browser-based app that works somewhat like a notepad. You just click the microphone icon, start talking, and your words appear as text in the browser window. It’s fairly accurate when you speak clearly at a moderate pace. Fast talkers will find it more error-prone, so speaking at a slower pace is best for this program to catch everything being said.
Speechify
speechify.com
Speechify: Free Text to Speech & Voice Typing AI Assistant | 50M+ Users
You can try Speechify text to speech free via its iOS or Android mobile apps, its web app on Windows or Mac, or its extensions for Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Semantix
semantix.com › home › blog › text to speech software and apps: the complete guide › how to use text-to-speech for windows devices
How to use text-to-speech for Windows devices | Semantix
December 1, 2023 - This converter is among the best options and most helpful text-to-speech apps for Windows users.
Zapier
zapier.com › app picks › best apps
The 9 best dictation and speech-to-text software in 2026
December 24, 2018 - The best app to use it on is, of course, Microsoft Word: it even offers file transcription, so you can upload a WAV or MP3 file and turn it into text. The engine is the same, provided by Microsoft Speech Services.
PCMAG
pcmag.com › home › best products › productivity
The Best Speech-to-Text Apps We've Tested for 2025 | PCMag
1 month ago - Dragon is worth considering if you need a business-grade speech-to-text tool that's more powerful than the default software that comes with your operating system. Business professionals: Dragon Professional is extremely expensive, so it's likely best to obtain it through your company. Volume licensing is available. People who need more than Voice Access offers: Dragon Professional goes deeper than the Voice Access feature in Windows 11.
Microsoft Community Hub
techcommunity.microsoft.com › microsoft community hub › communities › products › windows › windows insider program
What is the best voice to text software for Windows 11/10 PC? | Microsoft Community Hub
I've done some initial research and found options like Windows’ built-in "Voice Typing" feature, which is simple to use but may vary in accuracy depending on language and accent. Which free voice to text software have you tried? How's your experience been on Windows 11/10?
Reddit
reddit.com › r/texttospeech › best text to speech software purely for having text read out loud to me, the reader
r/TextToSpeech on Reddit: Best Text to Speech software purely for having text read out loud to me, the reader
October 18, 2024 -
I'm trying to find the best Text to Speech software purely for having text read out loud to me, the reader. It seems everything is complicated by people wanting to have voices for videos and podcasts, and stuff like that. I don't care about any of that. I just want something that will read the text to me, in the best voice possible. I don't mind paying for the software, so doesn't need to be free. However, I do need it to be unlimited, or enough so as to read a *substantial* amount of text.
Which software do you recommend?
Top answer 1 of 5
10
Hey! We’ve just launched a text-to-speech app built for academic articles. Upload any PDF, or simply paste a URL, and the app converts it into clear, well-structured audio. You can pause, resume, or jump to any point in the article, and the on-screen text is highlighted as it’s read aloud, so you never lose your place. Download the narration as an MP3 in a single click.Give it a try and tell us what you think! iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/frateca-text-to-speech-audio/id6741859465 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.texttospeech.app&hl=en_US&pli=1
2 of 5
4
Define best. Do you expect the equivalent of a professional audiobook narrator, with emotional intonation? Or is clarity enough? How high are your expectations? There are a number of free local options. What kind of machine do you have?
Wispr Flow
wisprflow.ai
Wispr Flow | Effortless Voice Dictation
You're making texting actually delightful right now! Can see it becoming a can't live without product fast. ... This is the best AI product I've used since ChatGPT. ... I've been using Wispr almost every day since I downloaded it. It's probably my favorite part of the day, especially at the end when I go through my inbox with Wispr. ... I can make quick edits while speaking to it because flow really understands me perfectly and can make the necessary changes.
PC Gamer Forums
forums.pcgamer.com › home › computer hardware › gaming accessories
What's the best professional text-to-speech software, and what's the best professional speech-to-text software? | PC Gamer Forums
March 16, 2024 - TTSReader is a free online text-to-speech reader compatible with modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari). It supports multiple languages, accents, and even Google’s voices if you’re using Chrome4. (Suggestions by CoPilot) Click to expand... very informative i was looking for a software that can read pdf ... Click to expand... Those arent the best.
Illinois
dres.illinois.edu › accommodations › ams › assitive-technology › dictation-software
Dictation Software – Disability Resources and Educational Services
Dragon is among the best-selling dictation programs on the market, and consistently rates among the most accurate in terms of speech recognition. Dragon NaturallySpeaking can also be trained to your voice, increasing accuracy the more you use it. It’s available to DRES students with a ...
TTSReader
ttsreader.com › text to speech (tts) reader. online. accurate. free.
TTSReader | Text To Speech Reader Online. Accurate & Free
September 4, 2025 - TTSReader enables exporting the synthesized speech with a single click. This is available currently only on Windows and requires TTSReader’s premium. Adhering to the commercial terms some of the voices may be used commercially for publishing, such as narrating videos. For individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties, listening to textual ...
Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › use-voice-typing-to-talk-instead-of-type-on-your-pc-fec94565-c4bd-329d-e59a-af033fa5689f
Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC - Microsoft Support
Use dictation to convert spoken words into text anywhere on your PC with Windows.