Speech Central vs Text Reader
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 Reader
This AI-powered app converts any written text into natural-sounding speech. Listen to books, articles, or documents on the go, making content consumption more accessible and convenient. It's ideal for multitasking or for those who prefer auditory learning.
- AI-powered text to speech conversion
- Reads aloud any text, document, or book
- Built-in screen reader functionality
- Supports English and over 40 languages
- Adjustable reading speed control
- Scans and reads text quickly
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What is SPEAKTOR? SPEAKTOR is a text to speech converter that takes any text file, turns it into a speech, and reads it to you. This AI-powered text to speech app converts any written word into a speech. Speech has become more convenient to consume and share thoughts and ideas. The digital world sees more of this conversion through text to speech converters. The emergence of text to speak converters has made it easier for all kinds from researchers to travelers tirelessly waiting at the airport. There are multiple benefits of the text to speak communication. TTS can be excellent for businesses that operate at a fast pace. Why do People Love SPEAKTOR? See the speech synthesizer read aloud for you Convert English text to speech to be more productive Automatically convert text to voice within minutes with the natural reader Work faster in school and work with the text to speak converter SPEAKTORS text reader can help you read any article Listen to lessons and books with text to voice converter Scan a book and watch SPEAKTOR read out loud Has a built-in screen reader It takes SPEAKTOR only minutes to scan and read text I want an app to read to me! Do you want to listen to a book on the go but don't have time or simply don’t like reading? Have you ever thought, “I wish someone would read to me”? Then SPEAKTOR is for you. With SPEAKTOR you can enjoy stories and articles by listening to them. It reads aloud any text, content, document, or book given to it making it possible for anyone who cannot read or may not be able to read well. With speech synthesizer technology you will never be bored with your audiobook again. How do TTS apps read to me? This text reader picks up not only the rhythm and speed but also the tone in which someone would pronounce words. SPEAKTOR sounds unlike any other text reader on the market right now. With innovative advancements in speech synthesis technology, you can speechify texts to audio that you can listen to anywhere. Just use this new text reader service. You don’t need anything special to access SPEAKTOR. Just upload a text or book that will be read aloud wherever and whenever you want. Speaktor is a natural reader. It’s the best screen reader on the market. Some people prefer to have their phones read out loud; this kind of text reader technology is often called “text to voice.” It allows those who can’t type on a screen to hear the words before them and make any necessary changes. This content consumption mode has been considered for people who don't want to use their eyes to a large extent. SPEAKTOR provides English text to speak and a reading speed control. SPEAKTOR can be your companion, helping you speechify websites much faster when you're in a hurry. A TTS program that has a screen reader feature Make SPEAKTOR speechify your texts - it turns text into speech in English and more than 40 languages. With SPEAKTOR you can hear content in any subject area or format and listen to it as if you read out loud. This tts tool can be used as a screen reader for online text content that is often difficult to scan and read. TTS (Text to speech) overcomes the problems of screen fatigue. Brightness, font size, or color may not suit some users. When you take a book picture, SPEAKTOR’s speech synthesizer scans and reads aloud for you in only a few minutes. SPEAKTOR has also introduced tts for businesses and organizations so that they can make information more accessible for everyone. Convert text to voice Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Speech Central at 4.6 against Text Reader's 4.2. Speech Central also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 109). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Speech Central sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Text Reader sells 22 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Speech Central holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Speech Central has 1.6K ratings behind it against 109, 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 63% of Text Reader's.
Speech Central ships an update weekly, Text Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Speech Central | Text Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (1.6K ratings) — better | 4.2 (109 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.6% of reviews — better | 62.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 109 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 128 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Labsii | Torapp |
Customer experience
Speech Central
Text Reader
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 Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Speech Central
- Speech Central Pro$9.99
Text Reader
- 300 Minutes (2 Dollar Weekly)$1.997 Days
- 300 Minutes (5 Dollar Weekly)$4.997 Days
- 300 Minutes (Monthly) 1.5x$4.991 Month
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- 300 Minutes (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- 300 Minutes (Weekly)$4.997 Days
- 300 Minutes (6 Dollar Weekly)$5.997 Days
- 300 Minutes (7 Dollar Weekly)$6.997 Days
- 300 Minutes (Monthly) 0.75x$7.491 Month
- 300 minutes/month (Monthly)$9.991 Month
- 300 Minutes (Weekly)$9.997 Days
- 300 Minutes (Monthly) 1.5x$14.991 Month
- 3000 Minutes (Monthly)$24.991 Month
- 2400 Minutes (Monthly)$24.991 Month
- 300m per week (30 USD Yearly)$29.991 Year
- 300 minutes/month (Yearly)$29.991 Year
- 300 Minutes (Yearly)$29.991 Year
- 300 Minutes per week (Yearly)$29.991 Year
- 300 minutes/month (Yearly)$44.991 Year
- 300 minutes/month (Yearly)3 Days trial$59.991 Year
- 300m per week (60 USD Yearly)$59.991 Year
- 300 minutes/month (Yearly)$59.991 Year
- 300 Minutes per week (Yearly)$59.991 Year







