Can NaturalReader Replace Audiobooks? I Tested It

Is NaturalReader Worth It?

★★★★★ 3.9/5

Quick Verdict: NaturalReader is a solid text to speech tool for personal use. It turns PDFs, documents, and web pages into natural sounding audio. The free version is great for casual users. But the paid plans feel expensive for what you get. If you need AI voices for listening on the go, it’s worth a try.

✅ Best For:

Students, professionals, and people with learning disabilities who want to listen to documents and web pages

❌ Skip If:

You need commercial voice-over audio or studio-grade AI voices for YouTube videos and podcasts

📊 Monthly Users	10 Million+	🎯 Best For	Personal reading & accessibility
💰 Price	Free — $79/month	✅ Top Feature	1000+ AI voices in 100+ languages
🎁 Free Trial	Free plan with limits	⚠️ Limitation	Premium voice time limits daily

How I Tested NaturalReader

Tired of reading long documents on your screen?

Your eyes hurt. Your focus fades. You read the same page three times.

What if your computer could read everything out loud?

Enter NaturalReader.

This AI text to speech tool turns any text into audio. I tested it for 90 days. Here’s what I found.

NaturalReader

Turn any text, PDF, or web page into natural sounding audio. NaturalReader gives you access to over 1000 AI voices in 100+ languages. Used by 10 million people worldwide. Free plan available to get started.

TRY NATURALREADER NOW →

NATURALREADER TUTORIAL →

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What is NaturalReader?

NaturalReader is a text to speech tool that reads text out loud for you.

Think of it like having someone read your documents to you.

You paste text, upload a PDF, or open a web page. NaturalReader converts it into speech using AI voices.

It supports over 20 file types. That includes PDF, TXT, DOCX, and EPUB.

You can listen on your phone, computer, or through the chrome extension.

NaturalReader also converts any physical text into audio using its OCR camera scanner.

Unlike tools like ElevenLabs or Murf AI, NaturalReader focuses on reading and listening. Not voice-over creation.

It’s built for people who want to hear text instead of reading it on a screen.

Who Created NaturalReader?

Jeff Yang started NaturalReader over 20 years ago.

The story? He struggled to read technical textbooks in college. So he built his own text to speech software.

Then he shared it with others who had the same problem.

Today, NaturalReader has:

• Over 10 million users every year
• More than 15 years of AI technology experience
• Over 2000 educational institutions using it

The company (NaturalSoft Ltd.) is based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. They also offer NaturalReader EDU licenses for schools and universities.

Top Benefits of NaturalReader

Here’s what you actually get when you use NaturalReader:

• Listen Instead of Read: NaturalReader lets you hear all the text you’d otherwise read on screen. This helps you create a mental image of what you’re hearing. Great for long documents and articles.
• Read Faster: NaturalReader can increase reading speed up to 900 words per minute. That’s 3-4x faster than normal reading.
• Help With Learning Disabilities: NaturalReader’s text to speech technology helps with reading, test-taking, and building independence for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other reading-based learning differences.
• Work Across All Devices: Start listening on your computer. Continue on your phone. NaturalReader lets you continue listening across devices with a single account.
• Read Any File Type: NaturalReader supports over 20 file types. Upload PDF, DOCX, EPUB, or even images. It reads them all out loud.
• Filter Out Distractions: The AI text filtering feature removes unwanted text like URLs, footnotes, and citations. You only hear what matters.
• Download Audio Files: NaturalReader allows users to download audio files in MP3 format for offline listening. Take your reading anywhere.

Best NaturalReader Features

Here are the standout features that make NaturalReader worth your attention.

1. Multiple Voice Styles

NaturalReader provides over 1000 AI-powered voices in more than 100 languages and dialects.

You can pick male or female voices. Choose different accents too.

Each voice sounds different. Some are warm and friendly. Others are clear and professional.

NaturalReader provides a customizable listening experience. You select your preferred voice and reading speed.

This works great for personal use and for listening to documents in different languages.

2. Emotive AI Voices

Not gonna lie — this feature surprised me.

NaturalReader employs advanced AI technology to create realistic and natural-sounding voices.

The newest and highest technology AI voices sound almost human.

NaturalReader offers a Plus Subscription plan that gives you access to these premium AI voices.

By presenting text both audibly and visually, NaturalReader helps readers focus less on the act of reading and more on the content.

3. Voice Cloning

Want to hear your own voice read text back to you?

NaturalReader’s voice cloning feature creates an AI copy of your voice.

It uses Large Language Model technology. The same tech behind ChatGPT.

Your cloned voice can speak in 28 languages. That’s huge for people who create content in multiple languages.

The NaturalReader commercial version provides a commercial license for creators who need this for business.

Here’s a quick walkthrough of how NaturalReader works in practice.

4. AI Script Assistant

Need help writing a script before turning it into speech?

NaturalReader’s AI Script Assistant helps you write and edit text.

Then you can turn that script into audio with one click.

This is handy for youtube videos, podcasts, and presentations.

You write. The AI polishes. NaturalReader speaks.

5. Advanced Tunes

You can adjust more than just speed.

Advanced Tunes lets you control pitch, emphasis, and pauses.

Want the voice to pause longer between sentences? Done.

Need more emphasis on certain words? You can do that too.

Additional features like dyslexia-friendly fonts, adjustable reading speeds, and text highlighting make reading tasks easier.

6. OCR Camera Scanner

Here’s what nobody tells you about NaturalReader.

It can read physical text too. Not just digital files.

Point your phone camera at any physical book or document. The OCR scanner reads it.

NaturalReader converts any text, PDF, image, webpage, and physical book into natural-sounding audio.

This is a game-changer for students with stacks of textbooks.

7. Pronunciation Editor

AI voices sometimes mispronounce names or technical words.

The Pronunciation Editor fixes that.

You teach NaturalReader how to say specific words. It remembers for next time.

This matters if you listen to documents with technical terms or foreign names.

8. Text Filtering

Ever tried listening to a PDF and heard “h-t-t-p-s colon forward-slash?

That’s annoying.

NaturalReader includes an AI text filtering feature that removes unwanted text. It strips out URLs, footnotes, page numbers, and citations.

NaturalReader’s AI technology can filter out distracting text so you only hear the content that matters.

This makes the listening experience much smoother.

9. Cross-Platform Use

NaturalReader is available as a mobile app, chrome extension, and online reader.

The mobile app works on both iOS and Android devices.

NaturalReader allows users to continue listening across devices with a single account.

Start on your laptop. Finish on your phone during your commute.

NaturalReader can read aloud text from emails, news articles, and Google Docs. The chrome extension lets you listen to text on any web page.

NaturalReader Pricing

Free trial: Yes — NaturalReader offers an extensive free version. The free version allows unlimited use of free voices, 20 minutes per day of premium voices, and 5 minutes per day of plus voices.

Money-back guarantee: Yearly subscribers can request a refund for up to 30 days. Monthly subscribers can request a refund for up to 14 days after the start date.

📌 Note: All subscriptions auto-renew. But users can turn this off at any time. Cancelling a subscription will not automatically start a refund. You must request it separately.

Is NaturalReader Worth the Price?

NaturalReader is often more affordable compared to competitors like Speechify and ElevenLabs.

The free version is generous for casual use. Most users won’t need to pay.

But the jump from free to $49/month feels steep.

You’ll save money if: You read a lot of documents daily and want premium AI voices for personal use.

You might overpay if: You only need basic text to speech a few times per week. The free version handles that fine.

NaturalReader Pros and Cons

✅ What I Liked

❌ What Could Be Better

Is NaturalReader Right for You?

✅ NaturalReader is PERFECT for you if:

• You’re a student who needs to listen to textbooks and research papers
• You have dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning disabilities that make reading hard
• You want to listen to documents during your commute or while doing chores
• You need text to speech in multiple languages for personal use

❌ Skip NaturalReader if:

• You need studio-quality AI voices for commercial use like YouTube videos
• You want advanced voice cloning for business messaging systems
• You need a developer API for building text to speech into other systems

My recommendation:

If you read a lot and want to listen instead, NaturalReader is a great choice.

Start with the free version. It’s generous enough for most users.

Only upgrade if you hit the daily time limits and need more premium voices.

NaturalReader vs Alternatives

How does NaturalReader stack up? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: ElevenLabs — most realistic AI voices with a great free tier
• Best budget option: Speechify — solid mobile experience starting at $11.58/month
• Best for beginners: NaturalReader — generous free version and simple interface
• Best for commercial voice-overs: Murf AI — professional studio quality at $19/month

🎯 NaturalReader Alternatives

Looking for NaturalReader alternatives? Here are the top options:

• 🌟 Murf AI: Best for professional voice-overs with 200+ studio-quality AI voices and commercial license included.
• 📱 Speechify: Top mobile reading app with celebrity voices and speeds up to 900 words per minute.
• 🔧 Descript: All-in-one audio and video editor with built-in text to speech and transcription tools.
• 🧠 ElevenLabs: Most realistic AI voices available with powerful voice cloning and multilingual support.
• 🚀 Play.ht: Great for developers needing API access and ultra-realistic voice generation at scale.
• 🎨 Lovo: Best for video creators with built-in AI art generator and emotion-filled voices.
• ⚡ Listnr: Fast text to speech with AI dubbing in 142+ languages and easy interface.
• 👶 Podcastle: Beginner-friendly podcast creation tool with AI voice and editing features.
• 💰 Dupdub: Budget-friendly option with AI avatar, voiceover, and translation features all in one.
• 🏢 WellSaid Labs: Built for enterprise teams needing shared voice libraries and collaboration.
• ⚡ Revoicer: Simple text to speech with voice emotions and background music features.
• 🏢 ReadSpeaker: Enterprise-grade text to speech with custom voice creation and API access.
• 🧠 Altered: Advanced voice morphing and real-time voice changing for creators and businesses.
• 💰 Speechelo: One-time payment option at $47 for lifetime access to basic text to speech.
• 🔧 TTSOpenAI: Pay-as-you-go text to speech powered by OpenAI technology with developer API.
• 🧠 Hume: Emotion-aware AI voices with empathetic voice interface for conversational apps.

⚔️ NaturalReader Compared

Here’s how NaturalReader stacks up against each competitor:

• NaturalReader vs Murf AI: NaturalReader is better for personal reading. Murf AI wins for commercial voice-overs.
• NaturalReader vs Speechify: Both are great readers. Speechify has a better mobile app. NaturalReader has more file format support.
• NaturalReader vs Descript: Descript is for audio/video editing. NaturalReader is for listening to documents.
• NaturalReader vs ElevenLabs: ElevenLabs has more realistic voices. NaturalReader is more affordable for reading.
• NaturalReader vs Play.ht: Play.ht excels at voice agents and API. NaturalReader is simpler for personal use.
• NaturalReader vs Lovo: Lovo combines video and voice. NaturalReader focuses purely on text to speech.
• NaturalReader vs Listnr: Listnr offers more languages for dubbing. NaturalReader is better for document reading.
• NaturalReader vs Podcastle: Podcastle is for podcasters. NaturalReader is for readers and listeners.
• NaturalReader vs Dupdub: Dupdub offers AI avatars. NaturalReader offers better file type support.
• NaturalReader vs WellSaid Labs: WellSaid Labs is built for enterprises. NaturalReader is built for individuals.
• NaturalReader vs Revoicer: Revoicer has voice emotions. NaturalReader has better OCR and file reading.
• NaturalReader vs ReadSpeaker: ReadSpeaker targets businesses. NaturalReader targets personal users and students.
• NaturalReader vs Altered: Altered focuses on voice morphing. NaturalReader focuses on text to speech reading.
• NaturalReader vs Speechelo: Speechelo is a one-time purchase. NaturalReader is subscription-based with more voices.
• NaturalReader vs TTSOpenAI: TTSOpenAI is pay-per-use for developers. NaturalReader is simpler for everyday users.
• NaturalReader vs Hume: Hume offers emotional AI. NaturalReader offers broader file support and accessibility.

My Experience with NaturalReader

Here’s what actually happened when I used NaturalReader:

The project: I used NaturalReader to listen to client reports, research papers, and long articles daily for 90 days.

Timeline: 90 consecutive days of daily use.

Results:

What surprised me: The text filtering was a huge time saver. I didn’t expect it to clean up PDFs so well. No more listening to random URLs and page numbers.

What frustrated me: The 20-minute daily limit on premium voices ran out fast. I had to switch to free voices mid-document. That got annoying.

Would I use it again? Yes. NaturalReader is my go-to for personal reading and listening to documents on the go.

Final Thoughts

Get NaturalReader if: You want a simple way to turn documents, PDFs, and websites into audio for personal use.

Skip NaturalReader if: You need commercial audio files for YouTube or business projects.

My verdict: After 90 days, NaturalReader earned its place in my daily workflow.

It’s not the flashiest tool. It won’t blow you away with voice realism like ElevenLabs.

But for reading documents, PDFs, and web pages out loud? It does the job well.

NaturalReader is best for students, professionals, and anyone with reading difficulties who wants to listen instead of read.

Rating: 3.9/5

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free version of NaturalReader?

Yes. NaturalReader offers a free version with unlimited free voices. You also get 20 minutes per day of premium voices and 5 minutes per day of plus voices. The free version requires internet to work.

Is NaturalReader better than Speechify?

It depends on what you need. NaturalReader supports more file types and has better text filtering. Speechify has a stronger mobile app and celebrity voices. NaturalReader is more affordable overall. Both are solid choices for personal reading.

Is the NaturalReader worth it?

For personal use, yes. The free version is great for casual users. The paid plans make sense if you listen to documents every day and need premium AI voices. NaturalReader has over 1 million monthly users and over 15 years of experience in AI technology. It’s a trusted tool.

What is the difference between Murf and NaturalReader?

Murf AI is built for commercial voice-overs. NaturalReader is built for personal reading and listening. Murf gives you a commercial license to use voices in YouTube videos and podcasts. NaturalReader personal use versions only allow private listening.

What is the free alternative to NaturalReader?

NaturalReader itself has a generous free plan. Other free options include Google’s built-in text to speech, the Microsoft Edge Read Aloud feature, and ElevenLabs’ free tier. NaturalReader’s free version stands out because it supports over 20 file types and includes text filtering.