Top 5 text to speech tools for audiobooks

Not everyone has the time, energy, or resources to hire a professional audiobook narrator or narrate their book from scratch. When it comes to audiobook narration, natural sounding voices provided by advanced text to speech technology may be the solution for you.

1. Text to speech software has undergone rapid advancements and transformations thanks to AI.
2. From improved accessibility to better time management, text to speech tools serve an important purpose in the digital landscape.
3. Whether you're looking for the best TTS tool to narrate your audiobook or upgrade your listening experience as a reader/listener, we've compiled a list of the top TTS tools on the web to enhance your narration experience.

What are text to speech tools?

Text to speech software incorporates read-aloud technology to generate audio based on written content. Think of text to speech technology as digital narration, enabling people to listen to a piece of text instead of reading it if they wish to do so.

Text to speech technology has experienced rapid advancements over the last decade, mainly with the help of artificial intelligence. It's an excellent tool for people with visual impairments or reading difficulties, but it also comes in handy for practical reasons, such as multitasking, time management, and eye strain prevention.

Moreover, some people find spoken words more digestible in comparison to written content, especially when the text to speech software produces natural sounding voices that accurately replicate human speech.

With a wide variety of text to speech tools on the market, choosing the best one for audiobook listening can seem overwhelming. However, with the right information, you'll be able to select the best text to speech tool for yourself in no time.

In this article, we've compiled a list of five advanced text to speech tools for audiobook narration purposes. Whether you're an avid audiobook listener searching for the perfect natural reader or an author looking to narrate your audiobook through advanced technology, look no further than our text to speech technology list below.

But first, let's delve deeper into the advancement of text to speech software over time - from robotic-sounding voices to natural human speech.

The advancement of TTS software: from robot voices to natural-sounding voices

Due to the rapid advancement of AI technology, TTS software has transformed from robotic sounding voices to ones barely distinguishable from the real deal. But it wasn't always like this.

Millennials and early Gen Z-ers likely remember robotic text to speech tools of the early 2000s and 2010s, and many continue to incorporate robotic-sounding speech voices into viral memes and jokes.

Prior to advanced TTS technology, text to speech software lacked the subtleties of authentic human speech, including emotion, inflection, natural pauses, emphasis, and so on.

From text to speech integrations provided by software like Microsoft Word to online speech converter tools, TTS outputs tended to have the same monotone, robotic narration. With only a handful of voices to choose from, TTS software was often rough on the ears.

Thanks to AI advancements, TTS software has developed to produce natural-sounding narration over time. Platforms like ElevenLabs now provide a wide range of AI voices based on voice cloning technology, significantly transforming text to speech technology through their Voice Library.

Without further ado, let's explore some of the best text to speech tools on the market.

The best text to speech tools for natural audiobook narration

Whether you're an author looking to provide a natural-sounding audiobook listening for your readers or an audiobook enthusiast searching for better narration options, look no further than the text to speech software options below.

ElevenLabs

When it comes to the art of audiobook narration and natural text to speech synthesis, ElevenLabs is your best bet.

With hundreds of voices to choose from and the option to upload and clone your own voice, ElevenLabs is ideal for authors looking to publish high-quality audiobooks narrated by a human voice without spending extensive time or resources.

Give the sharpness of the ElevenLabs AI voices a listen here:

Through advanced TTS technology and voice cloning tools, ElevenLabs provides excellent voice quality, multiple voices, custom voice options, and narration in multiple languages. Appeal to audiobook listeners worldwide and generate speech that is indistinguishable from natural human narration.

Authors can easily convert text files, including extensive manuscripts, into audio files and generate authentically human narration without compromising on the output quality.

Speechify

Designed to enhance reading and listening experiences, Speechify is another leading text to speech application. Perfect for audiobook narration, reading comprehension, and increased productivity, Speechify's user-friendly interface appeals to readers and listeners worldwide.

Users can tweak specific parameters, such as voice, speed, and other narration aspects, to suit their individual requirements. Likewise, Speechify provides seamless integration across all devices through device syncing, allowing users to access audiobooks through different platforms.

However, the sharpness and accuracy of the AI Speechify voice doesn't quite match up to the quality offered by ElevenLabs. Some of their voices sound robotic and unnatural - a turn-off for passionate audiobook listeners.

NaturalReader

NaturalReader is another widely used text to speech software that provides natural-sounding speech synthesis. Designed with audiobook narration in mind, NaturalReader offers a rich selection of human voice options in multiple languages and accents without compromising quality.

Users can also adjust key parameters such as voice pitch, speed, and pronunciation for a customized listening experience, perfect for authors seeking to narrate audiobooks or educational content. Similar to the tools mentioned above, NaturalReader is also known for its user-friendly interface and customizable features.

Convert written text, create audiobooks, or simply incorporate NaturalReader into your daily reading obligations.

Microsoft Edge

If you enjoy listening to audiobooks on your laptop or desktop computer, Microsoft Edge's Read Aloud feature is the solution for you.

Whether you're looking to listen to the next big audiobook, browse the web for news stories, or use a natural reader for educational content, Read Aloud effectively converts written content into speech while implementing a natural-sounding voice.

Although Read Aloud is excellent for enhancing accessibility and providing a listening experience across different devices and web pages, it has fewer customization options compared to the tools detailed above.

Google Cloud Text to Speech

A cloud-based text to speech tool offered by Google, this software is designed to convert written text into natural-sounding speech through advanced machine-learning techniques. Although it's primarily intended for developers, Google Cloud Text to Speech can also be used for audiobook narration due to its advanced speech synthesis, output clarity, and quality.

Users can also customize parameters like pitch, speed, and volume and listen to audiobooks in multiple languages, making it a reliable and accessible tool for many reading enthusiasts.

Final Thoughts

AI voice technology has become increasingly popular among content creators of all backgrounds and budgets. Generative AI tools like ElevenLabs offer creative scalability for a wide range of applications, including videos, podcasts, audiobooks, customer service interactions, and much more.

We hope the text to speech tools we covered above provide you with a more pleasant audiobook listening experience or a powerful narration experience, depending on which one you need the most.

Feel free to explore further and test each tool to find the one that best suits your needs.

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