- What Speechify Free includes
- Speechify Free vs Speechify Premium
- The catch: the free voices are the basic ones
- How to start with Speechify Free
- Good ways to use the free plan for work
- Speechify is more than one product
- Who Speechify Free suits
- Where you can listen with Speechify Free
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Speechify has a free plan. Speechify Free reads text aloud at speeds up to 1.5x with 10 voices that Speechify itself describes as robotic sounding, and it covers text to speech features only.
Speechify is a text to speech app that reads documents, web pages and PDFs out loud. It's built for people who'd rather listen than read, and for anyone who wants to get through a pile of articles while walking or driving. The free version is a sensible way to see whether listening works for you. The limits are clear once you know where to look, and they're mostly about voice quality and speed.
What Speechify Free includes
Speechify's plans page lists four things for the free plan:
- Listening at speeds up to 1.5x.
- Listening anywhere, across Speechify's apps.
- 10 voices, which Speechify labels as robotic sounding.
- Text to speech features only.
Speechify offers apps for iPhone and iPad, Android, Mac and Windows, plus a web app and browser extensions for Chrome and Edge. The free plan's listen anywhere line means you can use it on those, rather than being tied to one device.
Speechify Free vs Speechify Premium
| Feature | Speechify Free | Speechify Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Voices | 10 robotic sounding voices | 1000+ natural voices |
| Top listening speed | 1.5x | 5x |
| Languages | Not listed | 60+ languages |
| Scan and Listen | No | Yes |
| AI summaries and chats | No | Yes |
| Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive | No | Yes |
| Voice typing | No | Yes |
| AI podcasts | No | Yes |
| Voice AI assistant | No | Yes |
The catch: the free voices are the basic ones
The biggest difference isn't hidden in small print. Speechify's own plans page calls the 10 free voices robotic sounding, while Premium gets more than 1000 natural voices. If you're hoping to listen to a long report for an hour, the voice matters, and the free ones are the plain end of the range.
The second limit is speed. Free stops at 1.5x. Fast listeners who already play podcasts at double speed will notice that ceiling quickly, because Premium goes up to 5x.
The third is everything outside basic reading. Scanning printed pages with your phone camera, pulling files from Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive, AI summaries, voice typing and the voice assistant are all listed under Premium. Free is text to speech and nothing else.
How to start with Speechify Free
- Install the Speechify app on your phone or computer, or add the Chrome or Edge extension.
- Create an account and choose the free option rather than starting Premium.
- Open a web page, document or PDF and press play.
- Try a few of the 10 free voices to find the one you can listen to longest.
- Nudge the speed up gradually towards 1.5x as you get used to listening.
Good ways to use the free plan for work
Even with the basic voices, there's plenty of value in the free plan if you run a business:
- Listen to industry articles in the browser while you tidy your inbox.
- Proofread your own blog posts and emails by ear, which catches clunky sentences your eyes skip.
- Get through long supplier terms or reports on your phone while you're out.
- Check how your website copy sounds read aloud, which is how screen reader users hear it too.
The proofreading one is my favourite. Hearing your words read flatly by a robotic voice is a brilliant test, because a sentence that still works like that will work anywhere.
Speechify is more than one product
It's worth knowing that the Speechify you get in the app isn't the whole company. Speechify's menu also lists Speechify Studio, for voiceovers and dubbing, and a separate developer API. Those sit outside the free reader plan, so if you were hoping to make voiceovers for videos for free, the free app isn't where that happens.
If you're comparing it with other readers and voice tools, my round-up of Speechify alternatives covers options with different free allowances. And if you mostly need a voice on short videos, CapCut's built-in reader can do the job, as I explain in my guide to text to speech on CapCut.
Who Speechify Free suits
Speechify Free suits people who want to listen to web pages and documents at a normal pace and don't mind a basic voice. It's a good fit for proofreading by ear and for getting through reading on the move.
It's a weaker fit for fast listeners, for anyone who wants to scan paper documents, and for people who need their cloud files read straight from Google Drive or Dropbox.
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Where you can listen with Speechify Free
Speechify lists apps and extensions for most of the places you read. That matters on the free plan, because listening anywhere is one of its four listed features:
- iPhone and iPad app for listening on the move.
- Android app.
- Chrome and Edge extensions for reading web pages aloud in the browser.
- Web app for documents and PDFs without installing anything.
- Mac and Windows apps for your desktop.
The browser extension is the quickest way to try it. Install it, open an article and press play, and you'll know within a few minutes whether the free voices work for you.
My verdict: Speechify is free for straightforward reading aloud, and that's enough to find out whether listening suits you. Upgrade only if the robotic voices or the 1.5x ceiling start getting in the way.
Frequently asked questions
Is Speechify free forever?
Speechify offers a free plan alongside Premium. The free plan covers text to speech only, with 10 voices and listening speeds up to 1.5x.
How many voices does Speechify Free have?
Speechify's plans page lists 10 voices on the free plan, which it describes as robotic sounding. Premium lists more than 1000 natural voices.
How fast can Speechify Free read?
The free plan goes up to 1.5x speed. Premium goes up to 5x.
Can Speechify Free read PDFs?
Speechify reads documents, web pages and PDFs aloud. Scanning printed pages with Scan and Listen and connecting Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive are listed as Premium features.
Does Speechify Free work in Chrome?
Speechify offers a Chrome extension and an Edge extension, and the free plan includes listening anywhere across its apps.
Does Speechify Free include voice typing?
No. Speechify lists voice typing dictation as a Premium feature.
Is Speechify Studio part of the free plan?
No. Speechify Studio, for voiceovers and dubbing, is a separate Speechify product from the free reader plan.
