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Whether you prefer articles read to you while you do something else or trying to grasp a new foreign language or even for specially abled students, TTS (short for text-to-speech) has proved to be very useful.

In our previous articles we saw some of the best text to speech apps for Windows and Android. And today, we take a look at some of the best TTS options available for Macs.

Text To Speech For Mac

1. macOS TTS

Before we get too ahead of ourselves and start downloading third party apps, it is very trivial to know that macOS itself comes with a built-in TTS and you can use it anywhere on your computer from the Notes app to any browser.

To get started, highlight or select the text which you want to be read and then right click, go to Speech and then to Start Speaking; and your Mac should start reading the text to you. It also supports a lot of other languages other than English and there are a lot of voices to choose from in all the languages. To change the language option simply go to Accessibility > Speech. Although some voices are very robotic, there are a few which aren’t and sound more like a human.

But the TTS is far from perfect; it is very basic and barebones and lacks options like pause/play, picking up from a selected word instantly and a lot more.

Quick Tip: It blew my mind and might even blow yours to know that the native TTS on Mac also supports converting your text into audio files. Just select the required text, right click and go to Services > Add to iTunes as a spoken track. The text will be converted to an audio track and added to your iTunes library.

Pros:
– Built-in system wide
– Lots of voice options
– Converting text to iTunes track

Cons:
– No Pause/Play
– Have to select manually all the words to be read
– No instant pickup

Verdict:
Overall, the TTS that comes with macOS is very barebones without all the bells and whistles and should be perfect for somebody looking for a basic TTS experience without even buying or installing any third party software.

2. Invicta TTS

Invicta TTS is a very simple free Text To Speech app available on the Mac App Store.
Once you open up the app, it presents you with a text box where you can enter or paste any text which will be then converted to speech. The app is very lightweight and minimal in nature with everything being to the point.

Although the app is very basic, unlike the built in TTS of Mac OS, it does add the option of playing or pausing the audio which becomes crucial when listening to long texts or articles. The voice settings cannot be changed but the in built voice does the job pretty good enough.

Pros:
– Minimal and Light
– Play/Pause Option

Cons:
– Cannot read documents automatically
– Supports only English

Verdict:
If you need a simple and light TTS app and might be listening to long articles, Invicta TTS does the job pretty well but do remember that it can only read English.

Link: Get Invicta TTS on the App Store

Price: Free

3. Natural Reader

The next app on our list is Natural Reader which is an extremely powerful TTS software available not only on Mac OS but also on Windows, iOS, Android and even has an online reader.

The app comes in many flavours, each with its fair share of features for the price. The free version comes with basic TTS features along with the ability to read directly from file formats such as Docx, PDF, ePub and Txt. It also has a floating bar which can be used to read text while you are in other applications. The next option or the Personal version, at a steep $100, allows you to read web pages directly, converting text to audio files and syncing everything between your phone apps. There are also Professional and Ultimate versions which add OCR support and a bunch of natural voices.

Pros:
– Support for file formats
– Convert to audio files
– Cross Platform
– OCR Support

Cons:
– Pricey
– No instant pickup

Verdict:
All the features of Natural Reader definitely come at a price and you should be able to decide whether it is a suit for you with respect to your investment in TTS, but even for a casual user the free version works really well. Overall, Natural reader is not just best text to speech software with natural voices, but since it also support PDF, it’s also a good option for those who are looking for PDF Voice Reader for macOS.

Pricing Options: Pricing for Natural Reader

Link: Download Natural Reader from here

4. Read Aloud

Read Aloud is not exactly a stand alone Mac app but instead a Chrome extension which might appeal to some people. Considering how many posts and articles are read on the internet everyday, we had to include Read Aloud.

It is completely free and once you install it, its icon will appear in the extension bar which you can now use to read any webpage or any online article, just by a single click. When it is in work, you get a play/pause button along with a forward or rewind button which can be used to advance or backtrack paragraphs. Considering it is free, the voice options are really good and feel very natural and premium.

Pros:
– Great natural voice
– Forward or rewind by paragraphs
– Listen to webpages

Cons:
– Works only on Chrome

Verdict:
Suggesting Read Aloud is very straight forward; if you are someone who reads a lot on the internet and are looking for a free TTS software for that, nothing beats Read Aloud.

Price: Free

Link: Download Read Aloud from the Chrome Store

5. Capti Voice

Capti Voice is probably the most polished and well rounded TTS software available for the Mac and the award are only there to justify that. Starting off, Capti Voice uses your browser for the app to function instead of a stand alone Mac application. Don’t worry, you can still use it while you are offline as it stores all its data locally and personally I have had no issues.

Capti Voice has a subscription based model and even the free version has a lot to offer from various file format supports to text search while the premium versions add features like creating playlists, OCR Support and intelligent dictionary lookup. The voices offered across all the platforms are very high quality and commendable.

Quick Tip: Don’t forget to use the Chrome extension which allows you to save articles or webpages to be read later by Capti Voice.

Pros:
– Cross platform with mobile apps
– Create Playlists
– Dictionary lookup
– Shortcuts to get around

Cons:
– No standalone app
– Syncs only when you add to cloud storage

Verdict:
Overall, Capti Voice is a really compelling app with features packed to the brim and is very similar to natural Reader but with a subscription based model. It is really the best TTS experience you can get on Mac OS.

Pricing Info: Pricing Options for Capti Voice

Link: Download Capti Voice from here

6. Honorable Mentions

CereProc has some of the most natural sounding computer speeches available on the market, which you can use to replace the default voice on your Mac (also available for other platforms). There are a lot of high quality voice packs to choose from and each costs around $35.

Zamzar is a free online service which you can use to convert your text to audio files or mp3s. Unlike the iTunes spoken track which you can use only on Apple devices, you can use it on any platform without any hassle.

Wrapping up: Best Text to Speech for Mac

So these were some of the TTS software available on the Mac and we hope we made your decision a little bit easier. If you are someone who reads mainly on the internet, Read Aloud is by far the best free option. Although a little limited, the built-in TTS feature seems to work just fine, but it can be a pain for long stretches of texts or long articles for which there is Invicta which is also free.

Natural Reader and Capti Voice both are spectacular TTS apps with a lot of plans to choose from, but I guess what it comes down to is the paying model. Natural reader is a one time purchase and should be better if you feel you will be invested in TTS for a long time whereas Capti Voice follows a subscription based model also with a one week free trial. Thanks for reading and do comment below which one is your favorite TTS app on Mac OS.

Read: Make your Devices Read Out Text, With Text to Speech

As the rapid development of the technology of speech recognition, a bunch of dictation software are getting much more popular among computer users especially those who used to spend a lot of time in typing. With the help of dictation software, you can convert your voice into written words automatically. There is no doubt that it will free your hand, speed up your writing and improve your working efficiency.

Best Free Speech Recognition Software For Mac

In the following part, I will share best 6 free user-friendly speech-to-text software for you. All these software are easy to get started, so you needn’t worry they are complicated. All you need is to prepare a microphone and then open your mouth! These dictation tools can be divided into two categories:

1. Online Speech-to-Text Tool
2. Speech-to-Text Software to Download

Free Speech To Text Software For Windows

Online Speech-to-Text Tool

All this type of speech-to-text tools are free websites used in a browser (Chrome suggested) to turn your voice to text without downloading or installing any software. You just need an internet connection.

1. Google Docs Voice Typing

Nowadays Google Docs gets more popular among office personnel because of its function of cloud synchronization. It’s worth mentioning that there is a dictation tool called voice typing in it. When you don’t want to type, you can click “Tools” and then “voice typing”. Then a microphone box appears. If you are prepared for speaking, just click the mic and it will change into a red button. Please remember to speak clearly at a natural speed and volume, and also make sure you have a good network.

2. Dictation. io

Unlike Google Docs Voice Typing, Dictation. io is often for one-time use. This website has clean interface and design since you just need to click “start” to speak. When I was testing this tool, it worked rather accurately. Thus, I highly recommend this dictation tool if you want to dictate for once or you’re looking for a rare language since this tool supports more than 120 languages. Also, when you finish your dictation, you can copy your work into anywhere, save it as text format, tweet it, email it or print it.

3. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is the last online speech-to-text tool I want to share with you. This free tool not only works along with Google Chrome but also Android devices. Speechnotes claims to be a free alternative to Dragon Naturally Speaking by providing the best free online dictation tool and offering the most accurate results.

When you start speaking, just click the microphone at the bottom-right , and it will turn your voice into words automatically. There exists a disadvantage about this service, that is, some ads in the interface. However, they don’t influence your user experience. Especially, ensure that you have copied your document since it won’t save it after you leave the website.

Speech-to-Text Software to Download

1. Windows Speech Recognition (plus Cortana)

Windows Speech Recognition is a free and built-in application in windows system. It’s easy to set up it. You just need to type “speech recognition” in the search bar, select “start speech recognition” and follow the procedure.

After successful setup, the voice box appears. Click on the speaker and it will turn into blue. Now it’s time for you to speak, and what you have just spoken will convert into written words. During my process of testing, I must admit that it didn’t respond so quickly and its accuracy is comparatively lower than the others like the two which I am going to share with you next. If you are looking for a staring program about dictation software, Windows Speech Recognition plus Cortana, an AI assistant, can be a good choice. If you want to know more about its operation, please click here for windows 7&8 and for windows 10.

2. Speech to Text Converter

Speech to text Converter is a very simple but powerful dictation tool to convert voice into plain text. Compared with Windows Speech Recognition, it has faster reaction speed and higher accuracy. Every time you want to open it, just type “speech to text converter” in the search bar and you’ll find it quickly. It’s worth mentioning that the words in the box cannot be edited or saved, but you can copy them anywhere you need. Given its faster reaction and high accuracy rate, it’s definitely worthwhile for you to download.

Download Speech To Text Software

3. Dictate

Dictate is an add-in for Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. After downloading and installing, Dictation ribbon will appear in your Office software. In addition to the function of speech to text, what you speak can be turned into another language in written words. For example, you need to write French, but you can only speak English. Don’t worry! Dictate can help you. Just settle the language options from English to French, your requirement will be satisfied. I’m sorry to tell you that this add-in is only supported on Windows versions of Office. If your computer is equipped with windows system and office software, Dictate can be a considerable choice for you.

Conclusion

As you can see, each dictation tool or software above has its own features and advantages. They can satisfy different people with different requirements. All in all, online dictation tools can be used without downloading and installing, and what I highly recommend is Dictation. io due to its concise interface. As for the dictation software belong to the second category, I commend Speech to Text Converter for its high accuracy rate and fast reaction speed. But finally, it’s up to you to choose one since you may have different demand. The most important is that all these speech-to-text tools I share today are free.

Bonus Tips

1. When you need punctuation in sentences, you can say period/comma/question mark/exclamation/semicolon and etc.

2. Be prepared with a good-quality microphone and internet connection, which guarantee your success of converting speech to text.

3. Try your best to speak like a broadcaster. This doesn’t mean that you should speak like a robot, but you ought to speak as clearly and naturally as possible. Also, it’s better for you to keep practice, in order to train the software to be familiar with your speech habits. When you have done this, your working efficiency can be ensured.

4. If you have any trouble in using these software or have any other better suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact us or give us comment below.

5. If you are looking for a free tool to convert DRM-protected Audible aax/aa audiobooks to DRM-free MP3, you can try Epubor Audible Converter. All you need to do is to drag and drop the audiobooks to the software, click the Convert button to start the conversion. For more detailed information, you can read Ultimate Ways to Convert AAX to MP3 [Infographic].

Free Speech To Text Software For Mac

Michelle loves reading very much. She seeks the methods to enjoy eBooks and audiobooks more freely and wants to share everything new she has got with you.