Free Speechify Alternative
for Chrome
Everything you need to listen while you browse — without the $139/year subscription.
TL;DR
Speechify costs $139/year and works best when you import documents into their app. Audhio is free to start and works directly in your browser on any page you're already reading.
Free to start. No credit card.
Why people look for Speechify alternatives
Speechify is a capable tool built around a specific use case: managing a cross-device reading library. Not everyone needs that. The three most common reasons people look elsewhere:
The cost
Speechify's premium plan runs $139/year. The free tier is limited enough to feel like a trial — no word highlighting, basic voices only, capped speed. For people who just want to listen to what's already in their browser, it's a high bar to clear.
Subscription required
Speechify's free tier is limited enough to feel like a trial. The features most people actually want — word highlighting, AI voices, faster playback — all require a $139/year subscription. Audhio's free tier includes all of those.
The import workflow
Speechify is built around its own reader interface. Getting the best experience often means importing content into Speechify rather than reading it where you found it. If you're already on the page you want to read, that context switch breaks the flow.
Audhio vs. Speechify
| Audhio | Speechify | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $139/year |
| Account required | Google only | Yes + subscription |
| Word highlighting | ✓ | ✓ (premium only) |
| Chrome extension | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reads current tab | ✓ Always | Partial |
| Mobile app | — | ✓ iOS + Android |
| PDF import | — | ✓ |
| Content stored | No | Yes |
| Setup | Install → sign in → play | Register + configure |
How they actually compare
Price
Audhio is free. There's a paid plan if you need more listening hours per month, but word highlighting, AI voices, and speed control are all available without paying. It's not a stripped-down trial — the free tier is genuinely useful.
Speechify's premium plan costs $139/year. The free tier exists but is limited enough that most users find it functionally trial-only — no word highlighting, no premium voices, capped speed. If Speechify free feels underwhelming, that's by design.
Word highlighting
Both tools highlight the word being spoken as audio plays. The implementation is different: Audhio highlights directly on the webpage in your browser, with the original formatting and layout intact. You're reading in context.
Speechify's highlighting works best inside its own reading interface. For many content types the browser extension captures and displays content cleanly, but the experience is centered on Speechify's reader rather than the original page.
Browser integration
This is the biggest practical difference. Audhio is a Chrome extension — you're already on a page, you hit play, it reads. No import step, no redirect, no extra interface to load. Works on news articles, course material, documentation, Wikipedia. Whatever you're reading.
Speechify's Chrome extension is designed as an entry point to their platform. For many content types it works smoothly, but the intended workflow is to bring content into Speechify's reader rather than reading it in place.
Privacy
Audhio sends the text of your current page to its servers to generate audio, then discards it. No reading profile, no history stored, nothing tied to your identity. Audio is cached for performance — text is not.
Speechify saves your content to their platform. That enables cross-device access to your reading library, which is a genuine feature for some users. It also means your content is associated with an account and stored on their servers.
Mobile
Speechify has well-reviewed iOS and Android apps with offline support and a clean mobile reading experience. Audhio is Chrome-only — there's no mobile version. If you do most of your reading on your phone, Speechify's mobile ecosystem is the better option for that use case.
Who should switch to Audhio
Switch to Audhio if:
- ✓ You mostly read in your browser and don't need to import documents
- ✓ You want to sign in with Google and skip the subscription entirely
- ✓ $139/year is more than you want to pay for text-to-speech
- ✓ You're a student reading course material on WGU, Canvas, or Moodle
- ✓ You want to listen while staying on the original page
Stay on Speechify if:
- — You rely on iOS or Android apps for mobile listening
- — You import PDFs, ebooks, or documents into a reading library
- — You need cross-device sync to continue where you left off
- — You want AI summaries or offline listening
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Speechify alternative?
Yes. Audhio is a free Chrome extension that reads any webpage aloud with synchronized word highlighting — the core feature most people use Speechify for. No subscription required. Sign in with Google and start listening in under a minute.
Can Audhio fully replace Speechify?
For browser-based reading, yes. If you use Speechify primarily to listen to articles, course pages, or web content, Audhio covers that use case completely and for free. Where Speechify wins: mobile apps, PDF import, and cross-device content libraries. Audhio doesn't have those.
Does Audhio work on the same sites as Speechify?
Audhio reads the main content of any webpage — articles, course material, documentation, Wikipedia, blog posts. It works on WGU, Canvas, Moodle, and most learning platforms. It doesn't support local PDF files or content behind authentication.
What does Speechify's free version include?
Speechify's free tier includes basic text-to-speech with standard voices and limited speed. Word highlighting, premium AI voices, and faster playback are locked behind the premium subscription at $139/year.
Is Audhio safe to use?
Yes. Audhio reads the current page's text to generate audio, then discards it. Browsing history is not stored. We do not build a reading profile. You can read the full privacy policy at audhio.com/privacy.
Try the free alternative
Install Audhio, sign in with Google, navigate to any webpage, and hit play. No subscription, no trial period, no credit card.
Works on all Chromium browsers · No subscription · No data collected