# Listening: Text to Speech — Read aloud Papers, Web & PDFs

> Converts text documents and web content into natural-sounding audio for listening. (iPhone/iPad app by The Listening App Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-text-to-speech/id1635430768 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [The Listening App Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635259485)
- Category: Productivity, Education
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.40/5 from 1,310 App Store ratings · 236 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: +4
- Requires: iOS 15 · 154 MB
- Languages: European Spanish, American English
- Released: 2022-09-23
- Data updated: 2026-08-30
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-text-to-speech/id1635430768/reviews.md

## What is Listening?

Listening transforms articles, research papers, books, and PDFs into high-quality, natural-sounding audio. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply love learning on the go, Listening offers a seamless way to consume written content effortlessly.

Key Features:

Versatile Content Conversion: Turn a wide range of text—whether it’s academic papers, business reports, articles, or eBooks—into audio, making it easy to listen wherever you are.

Natural Voices: Enjoy human-like voices, even for complex or technical terms, that make listening more engaging and easier to follow.

One-Click Note-Taking: Capture key ideas with just one tap while listening. Perfect for keeping track of important points during your commute or workout.

Efficient Multitasking: Listen while you exercise, drive, or relax, freeing up time for other activities without missing out on important reading.

Custom Listening Experience: Adjust playback speeds from 0.5x to 4x to suit your needs. Speed through easier content or slow down for detailed comprehension.

Multi-Format Support: Convert PDFs, Word documents, articles, and more into audio, supporting a wide variety of formats.

Who Is Listening For? Whether you’re a busy professional trying to stay on top of the latest reports, a student balancing a heavy reading load, or simply someone who enjoys audiobooks and podcasts, Listening makes it easy to turn written text into a hands-free, on-the-go experience.

Pricing:

Premium Plans: Unlock unlimited listening and enhanced features with flexible monthly or yearly subscriptions.

Join thousands of users who are transforming the way they read and learn with Listening.

[:mav: 5.1.2]

## Key features

- Convert articles, papers, books, and PDFs to audio
- Natural-sounding human-like voices
- One-click note-taking while listening
- Adjustable playback speed (0.5x to 4x)
- Supports PDFs, Word documents, and articles
- Efficient multitasking during listening

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $139.99 | per year |
| Unlimited, Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Unlimited, Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Unlimited, Yearly | $39.00 | per year |
| Unlimited, Yearly | $39.00 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $99.00 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $119.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Yearly | $124.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Listening, Monthly | $19.99 | per month |


## What do users think of Listening?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Clear and natural-sounding voice
- 📚 Helpful for academic papers and articles
- 🚶‍♀️ Convenient for listening on-the-go
- 🔖 Skips citations and formatting
- 🧠 Game-changer for students and researchers

**Cons**

- 🐛 Buggy PDF conversion
- 🔀 Jumbles paragraphs and sentences
- 🔢 Struggles with technical terms and numbers
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 📂 Lacks organizational features like folders

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Inconsistent performance across PDFs
- Login and password reset issues
- Unexpected charges after cancellation
- Inability to delete or manage uploaded files

**Most requested features**

- Multiple voice options
- Ability to edit and annotate text
- Improved section detection and navigation
- Offline mode for downloading content
- Better integration with cloud storage
- More affordable pricing options

## Recent user reviews (10 of 236)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-text-to-speech/id1635430768/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Log in issues

*2026-07-14, version 5.3.1*

Speech is great and affordable! However it logs you out too often, which is especially a pain on desktop

### 5/5 — Cool

*2026-03-31, version 4.1.6*

Cool

### 5/5 — Are you listening?

*2026-03-27, version 4.1.6*

If not, then you should be. I have tried several similar apps, but always come back to this one. It’s super intuitive and is a joy to use. The people behind it are great and so is the apps future, it’s only going to get better! The developer is  constantly honing and improving what by any standard is already a killer app! Their customer service is second to none also!

### 1/5 — Update Cancelled my Subscription

*2026-03-23, version 4.1.3*

I paid for a year-long membership but after updating the app, it says I no longer have a subscription and it’s asking me to pay again. Scam

### 1/5 — iOS app is useless. Only the web app works

*2026-03-20*

I upload a file from the iOS app. The uploader just keeps spinning. And nothing shows up on the iOS app. Then I check the web app and only there I see the audio. When I come back to iOS app, nothing is synced between web app and iOS app. Pretty much a useless app. Need to get my money back.

**Developer response:** Hi Thyag Sundaramoorthy! We’re really sorry for the frustration, that’s definitely not the experience we want you to have.

We’ve recently released an update that fixes syncing and upload issues. Please try uninstalling and reinstalling the app, everything should be working now. If not, reach out to us at support@listening.com and we’ll help right away.

### 2/5 — It worked Great Until it didn’t work at all!

*2026-03-15, version 4.0.19*

Going to school and having to read 3-4 professional article a week this was great. And then nothing blank screen, won’t open, or when it did couldn’t access my drive to upload a new article. And now nothing nothing. 
Year subscription and can’t do anything about it! And boy do I feel silly cause I must have referred 20 people to this app before it went bad!

### 2/5 — Barely usable

*2026-03-04, version 4.0.14*

App does not perform properly with basic functions. Hit or miss with actually converting to audio. Then the obstacle course to actually go through with subscription cancellation is just scam tactics. I always think of my grandparents with things like this - hoping they never sign up for these manipulative platforms 😔

### 1/5 — Not worth the money, only white voices??

*2026-02-28, version 4.0.14*

I was deciding between this and speechify, and I did end up going with listening because of the lower price. Speechify was appealing because of its celebrity voices, which would be familiar and more theatrical readers, but I figured that was something I could give up. Listening has many voices to choose from- but turns out I’m not a huge fan of any of them. Exclusively white profiles, all American accents plus a few British. Thought that was pretty weird, and disappointed I didn’t notice that before I bought my subscription. The voices are alright but honestly still a bit too robotic for my liking. Horrible pronunciation of any non English words, I was mostly using the app for my readings in my Modern Art in Mexico class, and the pronunciation of Spanish words was just awful. Not to mention it would always read the words at the header of every page, usually the title and author of the article, which was annoying. Besides that, the app is alright, easy to import PDFs and quick to upload. I do regret the purchase though, wish I spent a little bit more on speechify instead.

### 1/5 — Fake issue* off line

*2026-02-24, version 4.0.14*

Several months the app started crashing and started working weird. It said that it is an “off line, please reconnect and try again”, that files taken forever to upload and get stock at 90%. Don’t waste your time and money

### 1/5 — Do NOT purchase!!!!!!

*2026-02-19, version 4.0.14*

One of the buggiest apps I’ve ever used. Somehow worked fine until I got the subscription. It crashes constantly so I’ve repeatedly had to delete and redownload. Randomly pauses as it’s reading, even if you download the document, but it keeps going as soon as you click the next word so clearly it’s not a buffering issue, just a bug. It takes forever to upload documents (if it works at all, which it doesn’t always). No way to stop it from reading the header of each page so you hear the title of the book or article every page. No way to fix mispronunciation, you can flag it but nothing happens so you’ll hear the same word or name mispronounced over and over. Just avoid at all costs.

## Frequently asked questions about Listening

### What does the Listening app do?

Listening transforms written content such as articles, research papers, books, and PDFs into high-quality, natural-sounding audio. It allows users to consume text hands-free, making it easier to learn and stay informed while multitasking.

### What are the key features of Listening?

Key features include versatile content conversion from various text formats, natural-sounding voices, one-click note-taking, efficient multitasking capabilities, customizable playback speeds, and multi-format support for PDFs, Word documents, and articles.

### How much does Listening cost?

The app offers premium plans with flexible monthly or yearly subscriptions to unlock unlimited listening and enhanced features. There are also free features available, and the app may contain ads.

### What devices is Listening compatible with?

While specific device compatibility is not detailed, the app is designed for mobile use, suggesting compatibility with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Users can check their respective app stores for precise compatibility information.

### Who would benefit from using Listening?

This app is beneficial for busy professionals needing to stay updated on reports, students managing heavy reading loads, or anyone who enjoys audiobooks and podcasts. It turns written text into an accessible, on-the-go audio experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.3.1 — 2026-07-04

- New reader setting: adjust line spacing for a more comfortable reading experience
- Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 5.3.0 — 2026-06-29

- Fresh new look: redesigned home screen, tab bar, and mini player for a smoother listening experience
- Better on iPad: full-width carousels that make the most of your screen
- Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 5.2.0 — 2026-06-15

- New: Zotero integration — connect your Zotero library and listen to your papers on the go
- Faster and more reliable syncing of your library
- Improved audio playback stability
- Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 5.1.5 — 2026-06-11

- More reliable audio playback, with fewer interruptions on slower connections
- Fixed an issue where downloads could finish incomplete
- Stability improvements and bug fixes

### 5.1.2 — 2026-06-04

- Improved sign-in reliability for existing accounts
- Updated app foundation for better stability
- Bug fixes and performance improvements

## Apps similar to Listening

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Peech: Text to Speech Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/peech-text-to-speech-reader/id1429704005) | 4.4 (8,374) | Free | Productivity |
| [Speechify – Text to Speech PDF](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speechify-text-to-speech-pdf/id1209815023) | 4.7 (515,593) | Free | Productivity |
| [Text to Speech PDF Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-to-speech-pdf-reader/id1519637964) | 4.5 (551) | Free | Productivity |
| [Speech Central – Voice Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speech-central-voice-reader/id1127349155) | 4.6 (1,543) | Free | Productivity |
| [Synthy: Read Aloud Doc & Scan](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthy-read-aloud-doc-and-scan/id1579863833) | 4.2 (384) | Free | Productivity |
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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*