Speech Central vs Text to Speech Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Speech Central
This app transforms text from various documents and web pages into speech, offering a distraction-free reading experience. It supports numerous file formats and provides customizable voices, including offline and AI options. Designed for productivity and accessibility, it syncs across Apple devices and offers study tools.
- Optimized PDF & Web Reading
- Broad Document Support (PDF, EPUB, DOCX)
- Offline and Cloud AI Voices
- Cross-device Sync
- CarPlay & Apple Watch Support
- Accessibility Profiles
- Annotation and Export Tools
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Speech Central has been built for focused, serious reading since 2014. It works across PDFs, web articles, books, and documents. Designed for productivity and accessibility, it combines powerful controls, deep customization, and seamless integration across Apple devices. No subscription. A one-time upgrade unlocks unlimited use. Free access is available for blind users with VoiceOver and for schools deploying the app through Apple School Manager. READING WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS Optimized PDF & Web Reading • Accurate reading order and navigation • Optional cleanup to reduce distractions such as headers, footnotes, citations, and links • RSS support and easy sharing from Safari and other apps Broad Document Support • PDF (including scanned PDFs with two-column layout) • EPUB • Word (.docx) • PowerPoint (.pptx) • OpenOffice formats • HTML, TXT, RTF, Markdown, and more VOICES: OFFLINE AND CLOUD AI • Use high-quality Apple system voices offline • Supports compatible system-wide voices from third-party apps, including offline neural voices from Piper - Neural TTS and ToBe SAID (Pocket TTS) apps • Connect cloud AI voices (OpenAI-compatible APIs, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, xAI) using your own API keys • Proprietary enhancement layer improves realism and streaming playback • Optional AI summarization tools help you review content more efficiently BUILT FOR THE APPLE ECOSYSTEM • Sync reading position and playlists across iPhone, iPad, and Mac • CarPlay support for listening and control in your vehicle • Independent Apple Watch app — listen without your iPhone nearby • Optional Health integration to track mindful listening time ACCESSIBILITY FIRST • Dedicated profiles for ADHD, dyslexia, and low vision • Interface and reading behavior adapt for reduced distraction and improved comprehension • Fully accessible with VoiceOver STUDY & KNOWLEDGE TOOLS • Annotate while reading • Export annotated text to .docx • Export text to audio files for offline listening PRIVACY BY DESIGN • No ads • No tracking • No usage analytics WHO USES SPEECH CENTRAL • Students and researchers • Professionals converting reading into listening time • Users who rely on assistive reading tools • Anyone who prefers distraction-reduced, hands-free reading Notes: - Free version limited by the number of daily articles; unlimited access available with Pro upgrade. - Some features require the latest OS version. - License is valid only on iOS/watchOS; separate licenses required for other platforms. - DRM-protected books (e.g. Kindle) are incompatible. - AI features may occasionally perform unexpectedly.
Text to Speech Pro
Convert written text into natural-sounding speech using a vast selection of voices and languages. Customize the speaking rate and pitch, and even export audio files. This app works offline and allows you to star favorite phrases for quick access.
- 178 different voices
- 63 accents & languages
- Offline functionality
- Adjustable pitch and rate
- Export audio files
- Star favorite phrases
- Mix speech into calls
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Bring your text to life with Text to Speech! Text to speech produces natural sounding synthesised text from the words that you have entered in. With 178 different voices to choose from and the ability to adjust the rate and pitch, there are countless ways in which the synthesised voice can be adjusted. Features ------------------------- - 178 Different voices to choose from - Voices are available in 63 different accents & languages - No internet required - The ability to adjust the pitch and rate - Speak as you type - Highlight spoken text - Star your favourite phrases - Group starred phrases into folders - Export speech into audio files - Mix speech into your phone calls - Supports personal voices (requires iOS 17) Voices ------------------------- Arabic (World) Basque (Spain) Bengali (India) Bhojpuri (India) Bulgarian (Bulgaria) Catalan (Spain) Chinese (China mainland) Chinese (Hong Kong) Chinese (Liaoning, Mainland China) Chinese (Shaanxi, Mainland China) Chinese (Sichuan, Mainland China) Chinese (Taiwan) Croatian (Croatia) Czech (Czechia) Danish (Denmark) Dutch (Belgium) Dutch (Netherlands) English (Australia) English (India) English (Ireland) English (Scotland, UK) English (South Africa) English (United Kingdom) English (United States) Finnish (Finland) French (Belgium) French (Canada) French (France) Galician (Spain) German (Germany) Greek (Greece) Hebrew (Israel) Hindi (India) Hungarian (Hungary) Indonesian (Indonesia) Italian (Italy) Japanese (Japan) Kannada (India) Korean (South Korea) Malay (Malaysia) Marathi (India) Norwegian Bokmål (Norway) Persian (Iran) Polish (Poland) Portuguese (Brazil) Portuguese (Portugal) Romanian (Romania) Russian (Russia) Shanghainese (China mainland) Slovak (Slovakia) Slovenian (Slovenia) Spanish (Argentina) Spanish (Chile) Spanish (Colombia) Spanish (Mexico) Spanish (Spain) Swedish (Sweden) Tamil (India) Telugu (India) Thai (Thailand) Turkish (Turkey) Ukrainian (Ukraine) Vietnamese (Vietnam) Notes ------------------------- - More voices are available in system settings Go Settings -> Accessibility -> Spoken Content -> Voices
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Speech Central at Free against Text to Speech Pro's $9.99. Speech Central also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 33). Text to Speech Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Speech Central is free to download; Text to Speech Pro costs $9.99 up front. Speech Central sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Text to Speech Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.
Speech Central holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Speech Central has 1.6K ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Speech Central's written reviews are positive against 55% of Text to Speech Pro's.
Speech Central ships an update weekly, Text to Speech Pro every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Speech Central | Text to Speech Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.6 (1.6K ratings) — better | 3.8 (33 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.6% of reviews — better | 54.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 33 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Labsii | Gwyn Durbridge |
Customer experience
Speech Central
Text to Speech Pro
Bugs and requests
Speech Central
Reported bugs
6 issues- Crashes when changing advanced settings
- Inconsistent behavior when importing documents
- Fails to recognize some file formats
- Playback issues with high-speed mode
- Repeating chapters unexpectedly
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- Scrolling issues with long documents
Requested features
8 requests- Add more natural-sounding voices
- Improve chapter/section navigation
- Allow custom pronunciation of words
- Add support for more languages
- Integrate with Bookshare library
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- Improve PDF formatting and layout
- Add more customization options
- Improve sync between devices
Text to Speech Pro
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Speech Central
- Speech Central Pro$9.99
Text to Speech Pro
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Speech Central free?
Is Text to Speech Pro free?
Which has better reviews, Speech Central or Text to Speech Pro?
Do Speech Central or Text to Speech Pro have ads?
Which is updated more often, Speech Central or Text to Speech Pro?
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