Speech Central is the ultimate text-to-speech app, transforming any text into clear, natural-sounding speech. Listen to articles, eBooks, PDFs, web pages, and documents effortlessly—perfect for productivity, accessibility, and multitasking.
WHY CHOOSE SPEECH CENTRAL?
• Exceptional Text-to-Speech Experience:
Proprietary engine enhances Apple and AI voices (OpenAI, Azure, Google) with emotion and variation for superior realism.
• Best PDF Experience:
AI intelligently removes distractions like footnotes, headers, citations, and web links, preserving your reading flow. Even scanned PDFs import seamlessly with recognized titles.
• Superior Web Integration:
Listen to full articles and headlines (including RSS feeds). Easily add content by sharing from Safari or browsers.
• Comprehensive Document Support:
PDFs (scanned and regular), Microsoft Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), OpenOffice (.odt, .odp), .html, .mhtml, .webarchive, .txt, .rtf, .md, and ePub eBooks.
• Hands-Free Convenience:
Listen during commuting, exercise, or daily chores and save valuable time.
• No Subscription Required:
Unlock all premium features with a simple, one-time upgrade—no hidden fees.
• Customizable Experience:
Extensive options for adjusting reading speed, voice preferences, playback controls, and appearance.
• Accessibility First:
Fully accessible and free with VoiceOver, ideal for visually impaired, dyslexic users, and those managing ADHD or reducing screen time.
• Multi-Device Sync:
Seamlessly synchronize playlists and reading positions across Apple devices, including macOS.
• CarPlay Integration:
Enjoy effortless listening and convenient control directly from your car’s media dashboard.
• Built-In Knowledge Tools:
Annotate and enhance your texts effortlessly, perfect for studying and deep reading.
• Independent Apple Watch App:
Listen without needing your iPhone nearby.
• Document Export:
Annotated texts exportable to .docx format; text also exportable to audio files.
• Enhanced Privacy:
Absolutely no data collection, even with sync enabled.
• Health Integration:
Track mindfulness time in the Health app.
ACCESSIBILITY PROFILES FOR DYSLEXIA, ADHD & VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
Industry-leading, scientifically designed profiles instantly adapt the app, providing a distraction-free, reading-friendly environment specifically tailored for dyslexic users, people managing ADHD, and those with visual impairments. Featuring hundreds of detailed, evidence-based adjustments, Speech Central is the only text-to-speech app that deeply customizes the reading experience to these needs.
FREE FOR SCHOOLS
Committed to empowering every child to unlock their full potential, Speech Central is completely free when deployed through Apple School Manager as a managed app. Research shows up to 40% of students can improve academic performance with text-to-speech solutions. Speech Central brings these powerful accessibility tools directly into classrooms, benefitting all students.
WHO BENEFITS FROM SPEECH CENTRAL?
- Busy professionals converting articles and reports to audio.
- Students and researchers listening to textbooks, papers, and PDFs.
- Users requiring assistive technologies for dyslexia, visual impairment, or ADHD.
- Anyone preferring hands-free, distraction-free multitasking.
Download now and unlock the ultimate text-to-speech experience!
Notes:
- Free version limited by the number of daily articles; unlimited access available with Pro upgrade.
- Some features require the latest OS version.
- License valid only on iOS/watchOS; separate licenses required for other platforms.
- DRM-protected books (e.g. Kindle) are incompatible.
- AI features may occasionally perform unexpectedly.
I have always aspired to be a reader, but struggled to read. My work around was to use iPhone’s integrated text to speech accessibility function. What is helpful about this app is that it highlights the words as it reads so you can read along. This is similar to Microsoft’s Immersive Reader. I would suggest adding a couple features that are already integrated in Microsoft’s Immersive reader like more variety on the background colors that are easier on the eyes (Microsoft has a soft green that helps with the contrast between words). Opportunities for improvement to the current functionalities: 1) User friendly integration of RSS feeds - the website following functionality is clunky and confusing. Look at how the RSS Reader App collects unread articles from your favorite sites and then you can click read more for the entire article. It would be niece to have that automation integrated into this app. 2) The most useful thing would be Smart scan camera integration. You can already input already scanned pdfs. But imagine being able to take a picture with your phone’s camera of a piece of physical paper for the app to be read to you. I currently use a third party scanner. But it would be nice to have it all integrated into the app.
Developer Response
Hi, first thank you for overall positive review. I understand that you may be a new user and still exploring the app so you will probably find more in the future, but at the moment I have to mention that stated facts aren’t correct. The app does have the dyslexic friendly font - somewhat interesting is that it is called exactly like that in the app though it is not its original name as the app tries to be user friendly. Second you can also change the background. Third, you can scan the page to read it. Finally I am not sure what would be more user friendly way to integrate rss feeds, but if you have some specific implementation on mind feel free to suggest it, I am quite open to improvements.
Wonderful app
Deccanxx
I already reviewed this app once but after using it for a few more months I felt the need to review it again. Because I use this app every day. Multiple times a day. I truly feel like I got an absolute steal when I paid one time for this app.I have a ADHD and if I am listening to a book or a article or a story then I have to do something with my hands. I can't just sit there and listen. And I really really enjoy listening to stories and things that I don't have the patience to sit down and read. So I listen and I clean or I cook or… Basically it helps me get things done because I wanna keep listening and so I have to keep moving. Lol.When I'm cooking I will have it on the counter and I can listen as I get everything ready and I don't get bored the same way so I'm more liable to actually do it. I also use it most days at work just to have something in my ear while I'm working. Artificial voice can be a little offputting but honestly at this point I hardly notice. The value I've gotten is beyond any other app I can think of
Developer Response
Thanks. Look into help on how to setup Microsoft Azure voices so you will also get higher quality voices from their free tier.
The best deal around
DyslexiaPerson
I have mainly used two reading apps before this one, ElevenReader and then Capti. ElevenReader was free, then it started trying to change insane amounts of money, so I had to find an alternative. I used and loved Capti (which was completely free, and unlimited) for a while, but then the company shut down the service. I was heartbroken about it, as I have very long days and love having something to listen to besides just music. I was searching for an alternative that wasn’t over priced for simple text to speech, but also wasn’t extremely robotic and unlistenable. Then I found Speech Central on the App Store, and while I didn’t have high hopes, I tried it out. I was very pleasantly surprised, not only are the voices free, but they’re good! After a few days, I bought the $10 upgrade, which is a one time payment! A rarity theses days! It’s compatible with car play, which I greatly appreciate because I drive long hours often. I have noticed a few issues / glitch’s here and there, such as there being soft static in the background of the audio when used in the car, but other than that the rest are very manageable and barely noticeable when they do happen. This app is 100% worth the $10 payment, and I hope that the dev(s) keep up the great work!
Finally
California2019
I’m so thankful that this app understands that text to speech software is an accessibility tool and not a cash grab. With that being said, I bought premium even though I definitely didn’t need it to use this app. I usually use text to speech software on my pc, but I really also needed something portable that I could use with headphones. This app reads me PDFs in a decent voice. And some of the voices are a little rough but you can fix that by adjusting the pitch and speed. There are so many customizations that I was able to fine tune one of the free voices to sound really good. I also love that it saves your progress so that you can click back into the app and open up a PDF and continue reading where you left off. The few glitches that have come up are fixed quickly because the developer really cares about this project. The one time I reached out because of an issue it was already being fixed. Before this I was using the free iOS assessability feature for text to speech, but it usually stops reading a PDF halfway through the document and it’s a huge hassle to pick up where you left off. And then I’ve tried other apps, but it seems like everything else is very very very expensive, and has the same features as this app. Plus reading limits which as far as I’ve experienced this app doesn’t have. This is my dream app at a really good price. I am so thankful that this app exists.
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Version 17.0.2
The developer, Labsii, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
The developer indicated that this app supports the following accessibility features. Learn More