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This review features the Speechify’s app for mobile. If you want to try it out, you can download it for iOS or Android. We’ve also tested Speechify against other similar apps – check out our review on 3 of the best AI reading companions here.

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Speechify is a tech startup founded in 2017 by Cliff Weitzman, who struggled with reading due to his dyslexia. He started the company with the goal of “making reading accessible for everyone.” Initially, Speechify was just a text-to-speech app (TTS), but it’s evolved a lot since then, exploring things like using AI for voice cloning and reading.

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Speechify’s reader app can be used for leisure or work, it basically makes any content you come across on the web accessible in audio form! Personally, I enjoy using the Speechify reader during long walks— having an article or book read back to me can sometimes be just as enjoyable as listening to music. 

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I highly recommend Speechify to those looking for a tool to make reading more practical, whether for multitasking or making learning more accessible for individuals with difficulty reading. The free plan gives you access to most of its basic features, but is limited to 10 standard voices which aren’t nearly as pleasant as the 30+ high quality voices you get on the premium plan. In addition to more and better quality voices, the premium plan text to speech for 20+ different languages. If you end up using Speechify a lot and decide to upgrade, I’d recommend going for the annual plan as it’s most cost-effective (compared to paying monthly). 

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What I liked

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It integrates seamlessly with websites and apps. I’ve used the Speechify app to read different kinds of articles from various news websites. I’ve even tried having it read out PDF files and documents on my Google Drive folder, and I was amazed at how easy it was to access files and integrate websites with the app.

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It has a scanner feature. The scanner feature comes in handy, especially when you want to continue reading your book but your eyes are too tired to do so. You can take a snap of the page you’re currently on, and bam—let your preferred voice narrate the continuation of the story you’re reading.

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It has plenty of voices to choose from. With Speechify Premium, you can pick from various voices in the app. This can add new enjoyment to your listening experience. Having Snoop Dogg read out my e-books was great and indeed—a bit of a surreal experience. You can also clone your own voice and have it read out any text, which is a neat feature if you prefer listening to yourself.

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It's a great reading companion. I love using Speechify while doing regular activities like cleaning. With Speechify, I can accomplish two tasks in one go—keeping my apartment clean and progressing with the book I’m reading. I’ve also integrated it into my daily commute, where most of us would find it impractical to carry a book due to the hassle of reading on a moving bus.

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What I didn’t like

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It has issues when reading websites. While Speechify is a great tool, it still has its imperfections. For example, when reading websites, the AI sometimes reads out all the content present—even the advertisements. This can be distracting and catch you off guard, as it did with me.

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It needs to work on emotional expressions. After listening to its AI voices for a while, I found that it sometimes sounded flat or didn’t read certain parts of the text the way an average person would. Some voices work better than others, but it’s a recurring theme—they sometimes sound monotonal.

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It can be distracting. Speechify can help you multitask, but when you’re preoccupied with something that requires focus, you might find yourself getting off track with what you’re listening to. It’s best to use Speechify with tasks that require a lot less focus.

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It's expensive. While the free plan can get you most of the features you’ll need, it has limitations. To get the best experience with Speechify, signing up for its premium plan would be your best bet. But the premium plan does come at a high cost—it costs $29/mo for the monthly plan and $138.96/yr or $11/mo if you subscribe to the annual plan.

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Who could benefit from this product?

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Speechify can work for everyone, especially those heavily into reading or who prefer learning through listening. Whether you’re a student or a professional looking for an easier way to digest written content (books, reports, articles, anything) or just enjoy the experience of audio more than reading, Speechify might well be for you.

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Based on my experience, I found that Speechify works best if you’re doing something repetitive and requires little focus. It shines when doing activities like washing the dishes, cleaning or rearranging your furniture at home, or riding the bus—times when reading a book wouldn’t be ideal or might hassle you.

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In those scenarios, Speechify would surely help a lot with multitasking. But if you’re doing something that needs your focus, you might often find yourself distracted and lose track of what you’re listening to, just as you would if you’re listening to music. For example, I often find myself in this situation when I try to write something for my work while listening to audiobooks.

You can download the Speechify app for iOS or Android.