Read Aloud review (2026): is it any good?
Open-source browser extension that reads web pages aloud
Read Aloud report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for reading web pages aloud in the browser
Read Aloud is a free, open-source browser extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox that reads the current page with one click. It uses your browser's own voices, so the sound depends on your system, and nicer cloud voices need your own API key or a purchase with no price listed.
Who Read Aloud is for
- Fits if you want a free way to hear web articles read out in your browser
- Works for people comfortable bringing their own cloud voice key for better sound
Who Read Aloud is not for
- Skip it if you want natural voices out of the box: the free setup uses whatever voices your system has
- Not for you if you read on a phone, because there is no mobile app
- Too light for books: EPUB reading depends on a separate extension from another publisher
- Watch out: cloud voices may need an in-app purchase or your own API key, and the pages state no prices
Why Read Aloud gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree and open source under an MIT license. Anyone can install it, so it counts as free and substantial.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright with no account. The only paid parts are optional cloud voices.
- CFeaturesReads pages, selected text, PDFs, Google Docs and Kindle pages, with speed, pitch and highlighting. Cloud voices need a provider key, and EPUB depends on a separate extension.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. Install it and click the toolbar icon, with nothing to set up.
- CPlatforms and integrationsBrowser extension only: Chrome, Edge and Firefox. No phone or desktop app, though it can plug into Polly, Azure, OpenAI and other voice providers.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from LSD Software's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/read-aloud#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/read-aloud.svg" alt="Read Aloud: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Read Aloud stands among AI voice generators
Read Aloud's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 71 of the 72 other AI voice generators we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 72 of 72) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Read Aloud has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 73 AI voice generators we grade, cut by the letter each got. Read Aloud’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 68 of 72, level with 4
- AFree plan and trialAbove 72 of 72
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 72, level with 43
- BEase of useAbove 63 of 72, level with 8
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 72, level with 37
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 52 AI voice generators. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Read Aloud, or make your own?
Keep it
Read Aloud is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 71 of the 72 other AI voice generators we grade.
What you could not
- A voice model, which you can rent by the minute but not make.
- It plugs into other products, Google Wavenet, Amazon Polly and IBM Watson among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Read Aloud’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Read Aloud?
Read Aloud is a browser extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox that reads the current web page aloud with one click. It uses the voices built into the browser and can also connect to cloud voice providers. The code is open source under an MIT license, and the extension is made by LSD Software.
Worth knowing
- Voice quality with the free setup depends on the voices your browser and operating system provide.
- Cloud-based voices may need an in-app purchase or your own provider API key; the pages do not state prices.
- It runs only as a browser extension, with no mobile or desktop app.
- EPUB reading depends on a separate extension from another publisher.
Key features
- One-click page reading
- Click the toolbar icon or use a keyboard shortcut to read the current article, or only the text you have selected.
- Browser and cloud voices
- Uses native browser voices, and the Chrome Web Store page says it can use cloud voices from Google Wavenet, Amazon Polly, IBM Watson, Microsoft Azure and OpenAI.
- 40+ languages
- The store listing says it supports more than 40 languages.
- Reading controls
- Voice, speed and pitch can be changed, text highlighting can be turned on, and the popup has a dark mode.
- Documents and books
- Reads PDF, Google Docs, Google Play Books and Kindle pages, and EPUB through a separate extension.
Read Aloud pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Read Aloud is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The extension is installed from the browser stores and reads pages with the browser's own voices.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Extension | $0 | Reads pages with the browser's built-in voices. Cloud voices may need an in-app purchase or your own API key, with no prices stated. |
Read from chromewebstore.google.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Read Aloud before you buy.
Works with
- Google Wavenet
- Amazon Polly
- IBM Watson
- Microsoft Azure
- OpenAI
Read Aloud alternatives
- Read Aloud vs Speaktor
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
- Read Aloud vs TTSReader
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
- Read Aloud vs NaturalReader
Free plan · from $9.92/mo
- Read Aloud vs Speechify
Free plan · from $29/mo
- Read Aloud vs ElevenReader
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
Common questions
Does Read Aloud have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Read Aloud is listed for no platform we could confirm.
Does Read Aloud have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Read Aloud is listed for no platform we could confirm.
Is Read Aloud open source?
Yes. Read Aloud is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.