NaturalReader - Text To Speech 4+

Better value than speechify.

I have ADHD. Meaning TTS readers like NaturalReader are good for better absorbing the meaning and maintaining focus while reading. However, I need a TTS software that can accurately parse through text and not mess it up/jump all over excessively.

I found that NaturalReader can accurately parse through scanned text pages from my Iphone images. Better than Speechify could Now I can reliably read through my book while also using audio as it helps me to comprehend the subject better. Speechify struggled to format through the same document, and to get it to work, you have to jump through a whole bunch of hoops and perform gymnastics to get the software to parse the text correctly. NaturalReader gets it right the first time through.

Also has a monthly sub plan which means less risk from trialing the software, vs Speechify only has annual sub. Only thing Speechify got going for it is the celebrity voices...

Great app, could use a couple minor adjustments

The Good: I personally think the subscription is worth it, I use this for my college coursework. I have a difficult time sitting down and reading something without having to read the same sentence repeatedly without recalling what I just read, but with a more human-sounding voice in my ear I retain the material so much better and I can do other mindless tasks while I listen. It has been such a time-saver. The interface across my different devices is pretty seamless, too and I really appreciate that as someone who uses both Apple devices and Microsoft devices.

The Not So Good: The user interface with the camera scanning could use some tweaking, I don’t like having to click a button with every new page if I am scanning a longer document. I also didn’t have any luck when I tried to upload pictures from my photo library. The AI couldn’t figure out any of the text, I’m not really sure what went wrong there. The subscription is also a little pricey, every useful service just drains my bank account every month. I wish there was a student discount for us poor college peasants.

Huge disappointment

I’ve used every version of NR since version 4. On my phone. On my desktop. On my laptop. I used the paid version and bought the premium voices. In short I loved most everything about It. Last week I upgraded my phone to an iPhone 12Pro and most apps transferred seamlessly except for Natural Reader. It did transfer sort of but my library was erased and new books wouldn’t load so it was essentially useless. I went to the App Store and downloaded the new version. It’s cloud based and the interface is much different and of course it is now subscription based. I hate that but whatever I use it regularly especially when I travel so I purchased it with a year subscription. I’ve tried to use it several times now and it regularly locks up after reading a few paragraphs. Today I stuck with it through several lockups and it reached the daily 20 minute limit for the unpaid version and it displayed the upgrade screen. What? I just paid $60 for a yearly subscription. I checked the profile page and it says I’m logged in but it won’t read anymore. I haven’t called customer service yet and am disappointed that I even have to. NaturalSoft the online version needs a lot of work. Please make the personal version available on the iPhone.

Developer Response ,

Thanks very much for the feedback. Please sign in using the App ID you used to subscribe and then tap "Refresh" button in NaturalReader app. After it refreshes, log in again, it will swith to the yearly plan. If you have any other questions, please tap "?" icon on the left bottom, or contact us at support@naturalreaders.com, thanks.