Speech Central vs ElevenReader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Speech Central
This app transforms digital text into spoken word, supporting various document formats and offering customizable voices. It's designed for focused reading, productivity, and accessibility across Apple devices, with an optional one-time upgrade for unlimited use.
- Reads PDFs, ePubs, and web articles
- Supports multiple document formats
- Offline and cloud AI voices
- Customizable reading experience
- Syncs across Apple devices
- 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.
ElevenReader
Listen to books, PDFs, and documents with incredibly natural AI voices. Access thousands of free audiobooks or convert your own files into audio. Offers a wide range of customization for a personalized listening experience.
- Listen to books, PDFs, and documents
- Thousands of AI voices in 30+ languages
- Convert text files and web links to audio
- Offline listening support
- Adjustable playback speed
- Text highlighting for learning support
- Customizable voice creation
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Listen to anything — bestsellers, PDFs, docs, articles — in stunningly natural voices you'll love. ElevenReader is one of the highest-rated reader apps that lets you read books aloud, turn PDFs into audio, and listen to thousands of best-selling audiobooks. Hear the difference as one of the most natural-sounding text to speech (TTS) apps — powered by leading voice technology in 30+ languages. WHY READERS CHOOSE ELEVENREADER Thousands of Audiobooks Your next obsession is waiting. Bestselling audiobooks, eBooks, and hidden gems — many read aloud in voices you choose. Romance, fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi, and more, with new titles every week. 1,000+ AI Voices You Choose Pick your narrator for your uploaded files or select eBooks and audiobooks. Choose from 1,000+ voices in 30+ languages that actually sound human. No robotic narration. Just natural listening. Read PDFs Aloud Instantly Upload any PDF, doc, ePub, or article link. ElevenReader transforms text to audio in seconds. Iconic Voices Hear classics narrated by legendary voices — Michael Caine, Judy Garland, James Dean, Burt Reynolds, Maya Angelou, Richard Feynman, and more. AI audio at its most magical. TURN ANYTHING INTO AUDIO • Read books aloud — bestsellers, romance series, and classics • Read PDFs aloud — reports, study notes, research papers • Listen to news, blogs, and newsletters like podcasts • Import from other text files, docs, web links, or paste text • Read aloud fluently in 30+ languages with natural-sounding accents FEATURES YOU'LL LOVE • 1,000+ voices — choose by accent, tone, and style • Text highlighting — perfect for dyslexia, ADHD, and learning support • Adjustable speed — 0.25x to 4x playback • Offline listening — download and listen anywhere • Create your own voices — Design and customize your narrator's voice • Sleep timer — drift off to your favorite book • Pronunciation dictionary — customize pronunciations for names or words • Bookmarks — never lose your place and add notes • Sync across devices — start on phone, continue on tablet or web THOUSANDS OF FREE BOOKS Explore timeless audiobooks and eBooks at no cost: The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, Anna Karenina, Moby Dick, Alice in Wonderland, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, War and Peace, The Odyssey, Don Quixote, and thousands more. BETTER THAN EXPENSIVE AUDIOBOOK SUBSCRIPTIONS ElevenReader gives you more listening for less. No confusing credits. No overpriced subscriptions. Just thousands of premium audiobooks and eBooks for less, plus content you bring. ULTRA MEMBERSHIP Access thousands of audiobooks and ebooks, unlimited TTS, and powerful features like offline mode and voice design with ElevenReader Ultra. If you're new to ElevenReader, you can try membership for free and take your listening to a new level. PERFECT FOR • Anyone who prefers listening to reading • Bookworms who want to listen to audiobooks • Commuters who want to read more • Students turning PDFs and textbooks into audio • Professionals listening to reports and articles Powered by ElevenLabs — the leading AI voice model trusted by millions. Terms of Service: https://elevenreader.io/elevenreader-terms Privacy Policy: https://elevenlabs.io/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is chart position: ElevenReader at #59 against Speech Central's unranked. ElevenReader also leads on ratings volume (11K vs 1.6K). Speech Central's advantage is review sentiment (69% vs 58%) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 ElevenReader sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $10.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Speech Central against 4.7 for ElevenReader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ElevenReader has 11K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Speech Central's written reviews are positive against 58% of ElevenReader's.
Speech Central ships an update every 9 days, ElevenReader every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Speech Central | ElevenReader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (1.6K ratings) | 4.7 (11K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews — better | 58.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | 11K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #59 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 124 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +12 |
| Developer | Labsii | ElevenLabs, Inc. |
Customer experience
Speech Central
ElevenReader
User reviews
Speech Central
From 1.6K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Life-saving app
- 👍 Nice app
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Affordable and full-featured
- 👍 Excellent app for accessibility
Room to improve
- 🐛 Not great
- 🐛 Trash
- 🐛 Robotic voices
- 🐛 Terrible voices
- 🐛 Buggy
ElevenReader
From 11K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Incredible voices
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🔓 No hidden fees or subscriptions
- 🎨 Wide range of voice options
- 💡 Turns PDFs/ebooks into audiobooks
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔄 Buffering and loading problems
- 🔇 Playback stops unexpectedly
- 📚 Issues with importing/syncing files
- 🔍 Lack of search/bookmarking features
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
ElevenReader
Reported bugs
5 issues- Login/sign-in issues after updates
- Inconsistent voice quality and tone
- Text highlighting not working properly
- Compatibility problems on older devices
- Inability to use custom/user-created voices
Requested features
6 requests- Offline listening/download option
- Customizable voices and pronunciations
- Bookmarking and note-taking features
- Sleep timer and continuous playback
- Support for more file formats (Kindle, Markdown, etc.)
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- Improved sync and cross-device functionality
In-app purchases
Speech Central
- Speech Central Pro$9.99
ElevenReader
- Plus Monthly$10.001 Month
- Ultra Monthly3 Days trial$11.001 Month
- Plus Annual7 Days trial$96.001 Year
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- Ultra Annual3 Days trial$99.001 Year
- Book$2.99
- 10 Hour Pack$5.00
- 20 Hour Pack$10.00
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- Book Purchase$25.00
Questions
Is Speech Central free?
Is ElevenReader free?
Which has better reviews, Speech Central or ElevenReader?
Do Speech Central or ElevenReader have ads?
Which is updated more often, Speech Central or ElevenReader?
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