Imagine being able to turn any written text into spoken words with just a few clicks. With the advancements in technology, text-to-speech software has become an incredibly useful tool for various purposes. Whether you’re a content creator looking to add a professional audio touch to your videos or someone with reading difficulties in need of an accessible way to consume content, text-to-speech software can be a game-changer. In this article, we will compare and review the top text-to-speech software available in 2022, helping you make an informed decision and find the perfect fit for your needs.
1. Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services
Overview
Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services is a comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools and services designed to enable developers to add cognitive capabilities to their applications. One of the services offered is Text to Speech, which provides developers with the ability to convert written text into natural-sounding speech. With Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services, you can create applications that can speak and interact with users, enhancing the overall user experience.
Features
Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services offers a range of features for its Text to Speech service. Firstly, it provides a wide selection of voices and languages, allowing you to choose the most appropriate voice for your application. The service also supports the customization of voices, enabling you to create unique voices that match your brand or application’s personality. Furthermore, Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services includes advanced speech synthesis capabilities, such as the ability to add emphasis and emotion to the generated speech, making it sound more natural and engaging.
Pricing
The pricing for Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services Text to Speech is based on a pay-as-you-go model. It offers a free tier that provides up to 5 million characters per month for the first 12 months. Beyond that, pricing starts at $4 per 1 million characters for standard voices and $16 per 1 million characters for neural voices.
Pros
- Wide selection of voices and languages
- Customization options for creating unique voices
- Advanced speech synthesis capabilities
- Integration with other Azure Cognitive Services
Cons
- Pricing can be expensive for high-volume usage
- Limited free tier usage for the first 12 months
2. Google Cloud Text-to-Speech
Overview
Google Cloud Text-to-Speech is a powerful and user-friendly service offered by Google Cloud. It allows developers to easily integrate text-to-speech functionality into their applications, enabling natural and lifelike speech synthesis. With Google Cloud Text-to-Speech, you can transform written text into spoken words and create engaging and interactive experiences for your users.
Features
Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers a wide range of features to enhance the quality and flexibility of the generated speech. It provides a variety of voices with different accents and languages to choose from, allowing you to cater to a global audience. The service also includes speech customization options, such as pitch, speed, and volume adjustments, giving you greater control over the generated speech. Additionally, Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers the capability to generate speech in real-time, making it suitable for applications that require dynamic speech synthesis.
Pricing
Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers a flexible pricing structure based on usage. It offers a monthly free tier that provides 1 million characters of speech synthesis per month. Beyond that, pricing starts at $4 per 1 million characters for standard voices and $16 per 1 million characters for WaveNet voices.
Pros
- Wide range of voices and languages
- Customization options for adjusting speech characteristics
- Real-time speech synthesis capabilities
- Seamless integration with other Google Cloud services
Cons
- Pricing can be expensive for high-volume usage
- Limited free tier usage compared to some competitors
3. Amazon Polly
Overview
Amazon Polly is a cloud-based text-to-speech service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is designed to enable developers to convert text into lifelike speech with a wide variety of voices. Amazon Polly offers a reliable and scalable solution for integrating speech synthesis into applications, making it a popular choice among developers.
Features
Amazon Polly offers a rich set of features to deliver high-quality and natural-sounding speech. It provides a diverse selection of voices in different languages, allowing you to create localized experiences for your users. The service also includes advanced speech synthesis capabilities, such as the ability to control intonation, lexicons, and speech marks, providing greater control over the generated speech. Amazon Polly also offers a feature called Neural TTS, which uses machine learning to enhance the naturalness and expressiveness of the speech.
Pricing
Amazon Polly provides a pay-as-you-go pricing model for its text-to-speech service. It offers a free tier that provides up to 5 million characters of speech synthesis per month for the first 12 months. Beyond that, pricing starts at $4 per 1 million characters for standard voices and $16 per 1 million characters for Neural TTS voices.
Pros
- Wide selection of voices and languages
- Advanced speech synthesis capabilities
- Neural TTS for enhanced naturalness
- Integration with other AWS services
Cons
- Pricing can be expensive for high-volume usage
- Limited free tier usage for the first 12 months
4. IBM Watson Text to Speech
Overview
IBM Watson Text to Speech is a cloud-based text-to-speech service that leverages IBM’s powerful Watson AI technology. It enables developers to convert written text into natural-sounding speech in multiple languages. IBM Watson Text to Speech offers a reliable and flexible solution for integrating speech synthesis into various applications.
Features
IBM Watson Text to Speech offers a range of features to enhance the quality and customization of the generated speech. It provides a variety of voices with different styles and accents, giving you the flexibility to create engaging and personalized experiences. The service also includes the ability to customize speech parameters, such as pitch, speaking rate, and volume, allowing for fine-tuning of the generated speech. IBM Watson Text to Speech also offers the option to add prosody tags to the input text, enabling more expressive and dynamic speech synthesis.
Pricing
IBM Watson Text to Speech offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model based on the number of characters processed. It provides a free tier that includes 10,000 characters per month. Beyond that, pricing starts at $2 per 1,000 characters.
Pros
- Variety of voices and accents
- Customization options for speech parameters
- Support for prosody tags
- Integration with other IBM Watson services
Cons
- The free tier has limited usage compared to some competitors
- Pricing can be expensive for high-volume usage
5. NaturalReader
Overview
NaturalReader is a popular text-to-speech software that offers both online and offline solutions. It provides a simple and intuitive platform for converting written text into spoken words, making it suitable for a wide range of users, including individuals with visual impairments and language learners.
Features
NaturalReader offers a range of features to enhance the accessibility and usability of the generated speech. It provides a variety of high-quality voices in multiple languages, allowing users to choose the most suitable voice for their needs. The software also includes customizable pronunciation dictionaries, enabling users to add and modify words to ensure accurate pronunciation. NaturalReader supports the import of various document formats, making it easy to convert text from documents, e-books, and webpages into speech.
Pricing
NaturalReader offers different pricing plans based on the user’s needs. It offers a free version with limitations, such as watermarking and limited access to voices. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month and provide access to more voices, offline usage, and advanced features.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive platform
- Wide selection of voices and languages
- Customizable pronunciation dictionaries
- Support for multiple document formats
Cons
- Free version limitations
- Some advanced features are only available in paid plans
6. Acapela Group
Overview
Acapela Group is a leading provider of text-to-speech solutions. They offer a comprehensive range of voices and solutions for various industries, including accessibility, transportation, and gaming. Acapela Group focuses on creating voices that are natural, expressive, and engaging.
Features
Acapela Group offers a wide selection of voices in multiple languages, providing a diverse range of options for different applications. Their voices are designed to sound highly natural and expressive, making the generated speech more engaging for users. Acapela Group also offers the ability to customize voices and create unique voices that match your brand or application’s personality.
Pricing
Acapela Group offers different pricing options depending on the user’s requirements. The pricing details can be obtained from their website or by contacting their sales team directly.
Pros
- Wide selection of voices in multiple languages
- Natural and expressive speech synthesis
- Voice customization options
Cons
- Pricing information not readily available
7. ReadSpeaker
Overview
ReadSpeaker is a leading provider of text-to-speech solutions, offering a range of products and services for different industries and applications. ReadSpeaker aims to make online content accessible to all by providing high-quality and lifelike speech synthesis capabilities.
Features
ReadSpeaker offers a variety of features to enhance the accessibility and usability of the generated speech. It provides a diverse selection of voices in multiple languages, allowing users to choose the most suitable voice for their needs. The software also includes functionality for adjusting speech parameters, such as speed and volume, providing customization options for a better user experience. ReadSpeaker’s solutions can be easily integrated into websites, mobile apps, and other platforms, making it a versatile choice for developers.
Pricing
ReadSpeaker offers different pricing options depending on the user’s requirements and the specific product or service chosen. Detailed pricing information can be obtained from their website or through contacting their sales team.
Pros
- Wide selection of voices in multiple languages
- Customization options for speech parameters
- Easy integration into various platforms
Cons
- Pricing information not readily available
8. Nuance Communications
Overview
Nuance Communications is a leading provider of speech and imaging solutions, offering a range of products and services for various industries, including healthcare, enterprise, and automotive. Nuance Communications focuses on delivering highly accurate and natural speech synthesis capabilities.
Features
Nuance Communications offers a suite of text-to-speech solutions with advanced features. Their solutions provide a variety of voices in multiple languages, with a focus on high-quality and natural-sounding speech synthesis. Nuance Communications also offers custom voice creation services, allowing you to create unique and branded voices tailored to your specific requirements.
Pricing
Nuance Communications offers different pricing options depending on the user’s requirements and the specific product or service chosen. Detailed pricing information can be obtained from their website or through contacting their sales team.
Pros
- High-quality and natural speech synthesis
- Custom voice creation services
- Industry-specific solutions available
Cons
- Pricing information not readily available
9. iSpeech
Overview
iSpeech is a software company that specializes in speech technology solutions. They provide a range of text-to-speech and speech recognition products and services. iSpeech aims to deliver highly accurate and lifelike speech synthesis capabilities for various industries and applications.
Features
iSpeech offers a range of features to enhance the quality and flexibility of their text-to-speech solutions. They provide a diverse selection of voices in multiple languages, allowing users to choose the most suitable voice for their needs. iSpeech also offers customization options for adjusting speech parameters, such as speed and volume. Additionally, their solutions support the integration of speech synthesis into various platforms, including web browsers and mobile apps.
Pricing
iSpeech offers different pricing options depending on the user’s requirements and the specific product or service chosen. Detailed pricing information can be obtained from their website or through contacting their sales team.
Pros
- Diverse selection of voices in multiple languages
- Customization options for speech parameters
- Integration support for various platforms
Cons
- Pricing information not readily available
10. CereProc
Overview
CereProc is a leading provider of voice synthesis technology, offering high-quality and natural-sounding text-to-speech solutions. CereProc’s technology is based on artificial intelligence and deep neural networks, enabling the creation of highly realistic voices.
Features
CereProc offers a range of features to deliver lifelike and expressive speech synthesis. They provide a variety of voices in multiple languages, with a focus on high-quality and natural-sounding speech. CereProc’s solutions also include customization options for adjusting speech parameters, allowing for personalized and unique voice characteristics. Additionally, CereProc offers voice creation services, enabling the creation of custom voices tailored to specific requirements.
Pricing
CereProc offers different pricing options depending on the user’s requirements and the specific product or service chosen. Detailed pricing information can be obtained from their website or through contacting their sales team.
Pros
- High-quality and natural-sounding speech synthesis
- Customization options for speech parameters
- Voice creation services available
Cons
- Pricing information not readily available
In conclusion, there are several top text-to-speech software options available in 2022. Each software has its own unique features, pricing plans, and pros and cons. Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services, Google Cloud Text-to-Speech, Amazon Polly, IBM Watson Text to Speech, NaturalReader, Acapela Group, ReadSpeaker, Nuance Communications, iSpeech, and CereProc are all reputable providers that offer a wide range of voices, customization options, and integration capabilities. When choosing a text-to-speech software, it is important to consider your specific needs, budget, and the target audience of your application or project.