TextAloud review (2026): is it worth $34.95?
Windows text-to-speech program that reads documents and saves audio
Black Friday: is there a TextAloud sale?
TextAloud report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for Windows text-to-speech with a one-time price
TextAloud is a Windows program that reads documents, email and web pages aloud and saves them as audio files, for $34.95 once. It uses the voices already on your PC unless you buy premium ones, and it runs on Windows only.
Who TextAloud is for
- Fits if you are on Windows and prefer to pay once instead of every month
- Works for people who want to turn long text into audio files in batches
Who TextAloud is not for
- Skip it if you use a Mac, iPhone or Android, as it is Windows only
- Tight if you want better voices: premium voices from other companies are paid extras
- Watch out: the trial length isn't stated on the pages we read
- Watch out: the home page mentions a limited-time upgrade discount without giving its price
- Not for you if you want a web or cloud tool, since the Edge extension only works with TextAloud 4 installed
Why TextAloud gets a 2.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for money$34.95 one time, well under a year of the category's middle subscription at about $10 a month. Premium voices are extra, for example $25 for AT&T Natural Voices.
- CFree plan and trialA free download trial is offered, but the length isn't stated. A 30-day money-back guarantee is a refund, not a trial.
- CFeaturesReads documents, email, web and PDFs, saves audio with a splitter and batch converter, highlights words. Without premium voices you get the Windows voices already installed, and the Edge extension needs the program installed.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. You install it and start reading, with nothing to set up.
- DPlatforms and integrationsWindows only, Vista through 11. No Mac, phone or web version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from NextUp Technologies'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/textaloud#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/textaloud.svg" alt="TextAloud: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where TextAloud stands among AI voice generators
TextAloud's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 47 of the 72 other AI voice generators we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 68 of 72) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 73 AI voice generators we grade, cut by the letter each got. TextAloud’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 68 of 72, level with 4
- CFree plan and trialAbove 22 of 72, level with 40
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 72, level with 43
- BEase of useAbove 63 of 72, level with 8
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 72
Keep TextAloud, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace TextAloud you would be making a voice model, which you can rent by the minute but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $34.95, paid once.
What you could not
- A voice model, which you can rent by the minute but not make.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Word among them.
What this rests on. TextAloud’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 TextAloud?
TextAloud 4 is a one-time-purchase Windows program that speaks text from documents, email and web pages and can save it to audio files. It uses the Windows voices already on the PC unless premium voices from companies such as Acapela, Ivona, Cerence or ReadSpeaker are bought separately. It is made by NextUp Technologies.
Worth knowing
- Windows only, listed as Vista through 11; there is no Mac or mobile version.
- Without extra voices it uses the Windows voices already installed, and premium voices are extra purchases.
- The Edge extension is free but works only with TextAloud 4 installed.
- The site says it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and the homepage mentions a limited-time upgrade discount whose price it does not state.
Key features
- Speak from many sources
- Reads text from documents, email, web pages and PDF files, with extensions for Chrome, Edge and Microsoft Word and a floating toolbar for selected text.
- Save to audio files
- Saves reading as audio files, with a file splitter and a batch converter for working through a book chapter by chapter.
- Word highlighting
- Highlights words as they are spoken, which the vendor pitches for dyslexia, ADD and low vision.
- Optional premium voices
- Sold separately from Acapela, Ivona, Cerence and ReadSpeaker, in more than 29 languages according to the homepage.
- Pocket and Instapaper import
- Bookmarked articles from Pocket and Instapaper can be imported into TextAloud.
TextAloud pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, TextAloud is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $34.95 one-time, uses the Windows voices already on the PC.
- Starts at
- $34.95 one-time, uses the Windows voices already on the PC
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- Free download trial of TextAloud 4; the page does not state its length
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| TextAloud 4 | $34.95one-time purchase | Uses the Microsoft voices already on the PC. Premium voices are optional extras; AT&T Natural Voices Mike and Crystal add $25. |
Read from nextup.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with TextAloud before you buy.
Works with
TextAloud alternatives
- TextAloud vs NaturalReader
Free plan · from $9.92/mo
- TextAloud vs Speechify
Free plan · from $29/mo
- TextAloud vs TTSReader
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
- TextAloud vs Voice Dream Reader
Free trial · from $4.99/mo
Common questions
Does TextAloud have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. TextAloud is listed for Windows.
Does TextAloud have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. TextAloud is listed for Windows.
Is TextAloud open source?
TextAloud is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does TextAloud work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.