# Text to Speech vs Speak

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Speak at 76% against Text to Speech's 31%. Speak also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (3K vs 685). Text to Speech's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Text to Speech sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Speak sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Speak holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 685 and 3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Text to Speech's written reviews are positive against 76% of Speak's.

Text to Speech ships an update every 2 weeks, Speak every 4 months. Both last shipped on September 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Text to Speech | Speak |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (685 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-to-speech-ai-book-reader/id739280962/reviews) | **[4.6 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-speech-synthesizer/id806819422/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 685 | **3K** |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **76.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 125 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dzionis Brek](https://appshunter.io/developer/525602569) | [Loic Verrall](https://appshunter.io/developer/1047105452) |

## What reviewers say

### Text to Speech

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-to-speech-ai-book-reader/id739280962)

This app converts text into natural-sounding speech across 38 languages with over 140 customizable voices. It offers offline functionality, pitch and rate adjustments, and the ability to transform photos into text. Users can also convert speech to text and enjoy unlimited exports and sharing.

**Highlights:** 38 languages supported, 140+ natural voices, Adjustable pitch and rate, Offline functionality, Photo to text conversion (OCR), Speech to text conversion, Unlimited export and sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $9.99 | per month |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $11.99 | per month |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $14.99 | per month |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $29.99 | per year |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $29.99 | per year |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $39.99 | per year |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $39.99 | per year |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $49.99 | per year |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $49.99 | per year |
| Text to Speech Unlimited | $49.99 | per year |
| 25 Extra Action | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎙️ Natural-sounding voices compared to Google Translate
- 📝 Handles longer text passages effectively
- 🎛️ Customizable voice, pitch, and speed settings
- ⬇️ Download functionality for created content
- ✍️ Helpful for writing and editing workflow

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Robotic and unnatural voice quality
- 🐛 Small buttons difficult to tap on mobile
- ⚪ White flash when switching between pages
- 💰 Expensive pricing ($40-59 AUD annually)
- 🚫 No free trial before purchase

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- Lag and stuttering during text scrolling
- Highlighting misaligned with audio playback
- Bluetooth/AirPods forced to phone speakers
- Selected voice doesn't match actual output

**Requested features**

- Additional new voice options
- Document upload and scanning capability
- Improved voice naturalness and quality
- Better character limit allowance


### Speak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-speech-synthesizer/id806819422)

Transform typed text into spoken words with customizable voice settings. This app offers a modern interface, adjustable pitch and rate, and the ability to save favorite phrases. It's designed to be accessible and can even help users who have lost their ability to speak.

**Highlights:** Adjustable volume, pitch, and rate, Change accent/language, Save favorite phrases, Specify phrase repetition count, Share audio recordings, Background audio playback, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for communication
- 👍 Variety of voices
- 👍 Clear and natural sounding voices
- 👍 Useful for vocal rest or loss of voice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recording feature not working
- 🐛 Crashes or stops working after updates
- 🐛 Inability to pause or resume speech
- 🐛 Inability to export recordings
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Recording feature not working
- Crashes or stops working after updates
- Inconsistent behavior across devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to save and export recordings
- Pause and resume speech functionality
- More voice options, including Siri-like voices
- Highlight or follow along with text during playback
- Ability to copy text from app to other apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Text to Speech free?

Text to Speech is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Speak free?

Speak is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Text to Speech or Speak?

Speak is rated higher. Text to Speech averages 4.4 out of 5 from 685 ratings, while Speak averages 4.6 from 3K ratings.

### Do Text to Speech or Speak have ads?

Both Text to Speech and Speak show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Text to Speech or Speak?

Text to Speech ships an update every 2 weeks, and Speak every 4 months. Most recently, Text to Speech was updated on September 21, 2026 and Speak on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*