Sure, this whole text-to-speech thing has been around for quite a while, but if you want quality results from an online tool, then you’d surely have to pay the price, and usually, it is expensive. Then what’s the solution? Well, it is not like there aren’t free options available, there are a bunch of them, but the thing is, it is the quality that matters when it comes to text-to-speech tools. And today, we are here with the list of the top 5 free text-to-speech online tools in 2024, which are surely the best and top ones right now without costing anything. So, let’s get to the list.
1. Natural Reader
First on the list is Natural Reader, the most popularly used free text-to-speech tool as of 2024. You know, its standout feature is its Optical Character Recognition (OCR) facility which can read texts out of scanned documents and images as well. Just so you know, the free version of the software offers natural-sounding voices, more than sufficient for the casual user to convert PDF, ebook, or Word document files into speech. Although the premium-grade voices are behind a paywall, the free voices are more than enough in our opinion.
2. Murf AI
Next on the list is Murf AI, popularly known for its almost human-like sounding voices that make it a go-to software or online tool for high-quality voice overs. The best thing about this one is that there are not only different types of voices, but you get accents as well. The free plan though, gives you 10 minutes of voice generation that are more than enough for short projects. Just so you know, a unique thing about Murf is that it can sync the voice overs with videos or images, which is not common in free tools. However, audio downloads will be limited unless you pay but you are still able to preview your projects for free.
3. Balabolka
Customization is the main reason why Balabolka makes it to number three on our list. For example, if you are the one who likes to have control of it, this is the right tool for you. With this one, Microsoft’s Speech API integration allows you to play around with various factors like speech rate, pitch, and so on. The free version is compatible with all the voices installed on your device and it supports file formats such as PDF and DOC.
4. Play.ht
If we were to talk about stunningly realistic AI-controlled voices, then for sure Play.ht would rank at the top of this list. Not just that though, it actually supports more than 60 languages, which is just insane if you think about it for a sec. You can use this tool both for producing voice overs and for read-aloud text if you would rather listen to the text than read it, the results are the same, all the sounds are lifelike aka human-like. You sure have limitations with the free plan, but that would be enough for occasional requirements.
5. Speechify
Finally, we have Speechify, built primarily for people who have difficulties with reading due to conditions such as dyslexia, you know? Just like the others, it has clear, natural-sounding voices in more than 30 languages. The Speechify app is extremely convenient and allows you to use multiple devices to listen to the content on both desktop and mobile devices. The free version provides limited voice options, nevertheless, they are suitable, even for casual usage, including transforming complex and lengthy text in PDF, Word documents, or websites into speech.
Conclusion
If text-to-speech is what you are after for now, then we’d suggest you try out all of these tools one by one, experience different features, and see which one fits your needs and which one sounds the best or closer to the natural speech.
