The TextAloud Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about TextAloud in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
TextAloud
The Insider’s Guide
Windows text-to-speech program that reads documents and saves audio
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI voice generators, read from TextAloud’s own pages.
Made by NextUp Technologies, LLC · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from TextAloud’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on TextAloud’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 47 of the 72 other AI voice generators we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about TextAloud, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install it and start reading, with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for Windows text-to-speech with a one-time price
It uses the voices already on your PC unless you buy premium ones, and it runs on Windows only.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $34.95 one-time, uses the Windows voices already on the PC.
- 3
You can try it first
Free download trial of TextAloud 4; the page does not state its length
- 4
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
Word highlighting
Highlights words as they are spoken, which the vendor pitches for dyslexia, ADD and low vision.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 47 of 72
That is against the other AI voice generators we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
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.
TextAloud at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $34.95 one-time, uses the Windows voices already on the PC
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free download trial of TextAloud 4; the page does not state its length
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- NextUp Technologies, LLC, since 2000
- Category
- AI Voices & Text to Speech
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $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. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free download trial is offered, but the length isn't stated. A 30-day money-back guarantee is a refund, not a trial. |
| Features | C | Reads 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. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. You install it and start reading, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Windows only, Vista through 11. No Mac, phone or web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Windows users who want a one-off purchase instead of a subscription
- Proofreading documents and email by hearing them read back
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$34.95 one-time
To start
TextAloud is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $34.95 one-time, uses the Windows voices already on the PC.
A free download trial is offered, but the length isn't stated.
TextAloud 4
$34.95
one-time purchase
Uses the Microsoft voices already on the PC. Premium voices are optional extras; AT&T Natural Voices Mike and Crystal add $25.
Trying it first
Free download trial of TextAloud 4; the page does not state its length
Read from nextup.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Windows
Windows text-to-speech program that reads documents and saves audio. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, text to speech.
Reads documents, email, web and PDFs, saves audio with a splitter and batch converter, highlights words.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Word
- Instapaper
- iTunes
TextAloud is made by NextUp Technologies, LLC, and has been around since 2000.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
47/72
Other AI voice generators it is graded above
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
- CFree plan and trialAbove 22 of 72
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 72
- BEase of useAbove 63 of 72
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 72
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
NaturalReader, Speechify, TTSReader, Voice Dream Reader and Cepstral
The 5 tools TextAloud is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
NaturalReader
Free plan · from $9.92/mo
Text-to-speech reader for listening to documents, with a voiceover app.
- NaturalReader has a free plan. TextAloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NaturalReader lists a web app.
- Only NaturalReader lists iOS, Android and macOS apps.
- 2.8GPA
Speechify
Free plan · from $29/mo
Text-to-speech reader for listening to documents and web pages.
- Speechify has a free plan. TextAloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Speechify lists a web app.
- Only Speechify lists iOS, Android and macOS apps.
- 2.6GPA
TTSReader
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
Online text reader with free voices, premium AI voices and MP3 export.
- TTSReader has a free plan. TextAloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TextAloud lists a Windows app.
- Only TTSReader lists a web app.
- 2.2GPA
Voice Dream Reader
Free trial · from $4.99/mo
Accessibility-minded reader app that speaks PDFs, books and web pages.
- Only TextAloud lists a Windows app.
- Only Voice Dream Reader lists iOS and macOS apps.
- TextAloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 1.4GPA
Cepstral
Paid
Desktop and phone-system text-to-speech voices and engines.
- Only Cepstral lists macOS and Linux apps.
- TextAloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Cepstral also covers business phone line.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is TextAloud free?
No, TextAloud is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free download trial of TextAloud 4; the page does not state its length.
How much does TextAloud cost?
TextAloud lists one plan. TextAloud 4: $34.95 one-time purchase.
What platforms does TextAloud work on?
TextAloud is available on Windows.
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.
What does TextAloud integrate with?
TextAloud's listing names Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Word, Pocket, Instapaper and iTunes.
Who makes TextAloud?
TextAloud is made by NextUp Technologies, LLC. It dates from 2000.
What are the alternatives to TextAloud?
The closest alternatives to TextAloud in our directory are NaturalReader, Speechify, TTSReader, Voice Dream Reader and Cepstral.
How does TextAloud compare with other 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.
Could I make my own version of TextAloud?
To replace TextAloud you would be making a voice model, which you can rent by the minute but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from TextAloud’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by NextUp Technologies, LLC. Prices change, so check nextup.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- TextAloud, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/textaloud
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "TextAloud: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/textaloud
Know someone choosing between AI voice generators?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/textaloud/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI voice generators after TextAloud, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Voices & Text to Speech Insider's GuideEvery one of the 73 AI voice generators we grade, compared
- ElevenLabs Insider's GuideAI voice platform for speech, voice cloning, dubbing and voice agents3.0 GPA
- Read Aloud Insider's GuideOpen-source browser extension that reads web pages aloud3.0 GPA
- ElevenReader Insider's GuideReader app that reads your files and audiobooks aloud in AI voices2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what TextAloud’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. TextAloud is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by NextUp Technologies, LLC. Prices and plans change: check nextup.com before you buy.