In recent years, converting text to audio was somewhat costly, but nowadays there are excellent free options available. We are here to help you find the best tools that make converting written documents to audio files as easy as possible. Text-to-speech software can be very useful for visually impaired individuals, or those with conditions like dyslexia that make reading on screens difficult. It can also help overcome language barriers for people who read a language but do not speak it, or are in the process of learning.
A text-to-speech program is also perfect if you want to listen to a document while doing something else, as you may find it easier to retain information that you have heard, or if you want to verify something you have written. In this post, we will discuss the best free tools for reading texts aloud, whether individual paragraphs or entire documents.
Balabolka:
There are two ways to use the free Balabolka text-to-speech program for speech output. You can either copy and paste text into the program, or you can directly open various supported file formats (including DOC, PDF, and HTML) in the program. In terms of output, you can use a full SAPI 4 with eight different voices to choose from, SAPI 5 with two different voices, or use the Microsoft Speech Platform if you download and install the necessary files. You can also adjust the speech rate, pitch, and volume to create a customized voice. In addition to reading words aloud, this free software can also save the narration as audio files in a variety of formats such as MP3 and WAV. For long documents, you can create bookmarks to facilitate navigation to a specific location, and there are excellent tools to help you customize word pronunciation as desired. With all these features to make life easier, Balabolka is the best free text-to-speech program.
Natural Reader:
Natural Reader is a free text-to-speech tool that can be used in two ways. The first option is to upload documents to its library and have them read aloud from there. It also features OCR functionality, which allows you to upload an image or scan of text and have it read to you. The second option takes the form of a floating toolbar. In this mode, you can highlight text in any application and use the controls in the toolbar to start and customize the text. This means you can easily use the feature in your web browser, word processor, and a range of other programs. There is also a built-in browser to make converting web content to speech even easier.
Panopreter Basic:
This program provides free text-to-speech conversion, accepts plain and rich text files, web pages, and Microsoft Word documents, and exports the output in WAV and MP3 formats. The default settings work well for quick tasks, with options to change the language, save destination of the audio files, and set custom interface colors. The program can even play a music piece once it finishes reading, which is a great and nice feature not found in other free text programs.
Written by: Charbel Kabrial
