Speechify is a read-aloud app that also does voice typing, AI summaries and AI podcasts, and it suits people who want documents and web pages read to them in a natural voice. The catch, as of Oct 2026, is that the free tier is text to speech only, at up to 1.5x with 10 robotic sounding voices.
Speechify gets searched a lot by people who've heard it reads anything aloud and want to know if the free version will do. I read Speechify's own pricing page, its voice typing page and its homepage, and the honest answer depends on which half of the product you want.
Speechify plans side by side
| Plan | Price as listed | What's included | The limit that bites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Nothing to pay | Listening at speeds up to 1.5x, listening anywhere, 10 voices | Text to speech features only, and the page calls the voices robotic sounding |
| Premium | 29 dollars a month, or 139 dollars billed yearly | 1000+ natural voices, 60+ languages, 5x listening speed, Scan and Listen, AI summaries and chats, voice typing, AI podcasts, the voice AI assistant | The monthly option is where the bill climbs; the page advertises a 60% saving on yearly |
| Enterprise and education | Not listed | Separate routes for Enterprise and EDU, Access to Work, DSA and developers | You'll need to go through those routes rather than the plan cards |
Prices are in US dollars as Speechify's pricing page shows them, as of Oct 2026. Check the vendor's pricing page before you buy, because the toggle between monthly and yearly changes what you see.
Where the free Speechify plan stops
Here's what most write-ups gloss over. The free plan isn't a lighter version of Premium; it's a different product. You get a reader, and that's it. The pricing page lists the free tier as listening at up to 1.5x, listening anywhere and 10 robotic sounding voices, with the line "Text to speech features only". Everything people tend to buy Speechify for now sits in Premium: the 1000+ high quality voices, 60+ languages, 5x listening speed, Scan and Listen, AI summaries and chats, cloud integrations, voice typing, AI podcasts and the voice AI assistant.
There's a second wrinkle that's easy to miss. Speechify's voice typing page says it's "Free to use, No credit card required. Just download and talk." Yet the pricing page lists Voice Typing in the Premium column, next to "Write 5x faster with dictation". Those two pages read differently, so if dictation is the reason you're here, install it, see what you get without paying, and only then decide on Premium.
The third thing is billing. Premium is listed at 29 dollars a month, or 139 dollars billed yearly, and the page puts "SAVE 60%" on the yearly toggle. Its default view says prices are "shown per month, billed monthly". If you know you'll use it for months, the yearly line is the one to look at, and if you're unsure, that's an argument for living with the free reader for a while first.
What Speechify does once you pay
At its core Speechify reads text aloud: documents, PDFs, books and web pages, through apps for iPhone and iPad, Android, Mac and Windows, a web app and extensions for Chrome and Edge. Premium adds Scan and Listen, so you can photograph printed text and hear it, plus integrations with Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive. The AI side covers summaries and chats about what you're reading, AI podcasts made from your material, and a voice AI assistant you can talk to about a website or a book.
Voice typing is the newer push. The homepage leads with "Speechify is Launching Voice Typing Dictation", and the voice typing page describes holding a key, talking the way you'd talk to a colleague and letting go, with filler words, false starts and corrections removed before the text lands in your app. Speechify says it'll make you write 5x faster; that's its claim, not something I can confirm. If you're comparing readers more widely, my walkthrough on how to turn text into speech with free AI tools covers the no-cost route.
Speechify also sells separate products, Speechify Studio and a Speechify API, which sit outside the consumer plans on this page.
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Who Speechify suits, and who'd be better off skipping it
- People who want long documents, PDFs and articles read aloud in a natural voice and are willing to pay for Premium to get those voices.
- Anyone who'd like voice typing and a reader in one app instead of two.
- Students and employees who can go through the education, Access to Work or DSA routes listed on the pricing page.
- Anyone who only wants a free read-aloud tool: you'll be listening to robotic voices at up to 1.5x.
- People who only need dictation. A dedicated dictation or transcription tool may fit better; this roundup of AI transcription software is a good place to compare.
- Anyone who wants AI voiceovers for videos rather than a reader, where free voiceover tools compared side by side is the more useful read.
My verdict on Speechify
I'd try the free reader first and see whether the robotic voices bother you. If they do, and you know you'll listen most days, Premium is the version that makes sense, and I'd look hard at the yearly line rather than paying month to month. If what you want is dictation, install it and check what's free before paying, because Speechify's own pages don't agree on that. I'd skip it if you only need occasional read-aloud and can live with a basic voice.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Speechify free?
There's a free plan, but it's text to speech only. Speechify's pricing page lists listening at speeds up to 1.5x, listening anywhere and 10 robotic sounding voices, as of Oct 2026.
How much is Speechify Premium?
The pricing page lists Premium at 29 dollars a month, or 139 dollars billed yearly, with the yearly toggle marked as a 60% saving.
Does Speechify do voice typing?
Yes. Voice typing is listed in Premium on the pricing page, while the voice typing page says it's free to use with no credit card required, so check what you get after you install it.
What does Speechify Premium add?
1000+ natural voices, 60+ languages, 5x listening speed, Scan and Listen, AI summaries and chats, cloud integrations, voice typing, AI podcasts and a voice AI assistant.
