Microsoft Edge is packed with built-in utilities that often go unnoticed, but Read Aloud remains one of the most practical for power users. For years, this text-to-speech engine has been a staple for reviewing articles, listening to documentation, and multitasking. However, with Speechify launching a dedicated Windows app earlier this year, the question of whether a free browser feature can replace a premium subscription has become more relevant than ever.
After spending several months testing Speechify’s web extension against Edge’s native Read Aloud, the results are nuanced. Both tools excel in different areas, and the choice between them depends heavily on your specific needs regarding voice quality, content handling, and budget.
Voice Quality and Naturalness
The most immediate difference you will notice is the audio output. Edge’s Read Aloud supports a robust library of voices, including several marked as “Natural.” These voices are fluid and easy to understand, though they occasionally pause as the engine calculates the next navigation point on a page. For general use, they are highly functional.
Speechify, however, takes a step further in realism. Its voices sound less like synthesized speech and more like a voice actor recording in a booth. There is significantly more depth and bass, providing a richer listening experience. Speechify categorizes these voices by character traits such as “Velvety” or “Easygoing.” For instance, the “Resonant” Dominic voice offers a compelling tone for audiobook-style content, though it may feel overly dramatic for tech news.
Speed is another critical factor. Because Speechify’s voices are so natural, you can push the playback speed higher without the audio becoming garbled. In practice, I found I could comfortably listen at speeds exceeding 2.2x. Edge’s Read Aloud voices begin to sound unnatural and difficult to parse past the 2x mark. If you consume content rapidly, this speed advantage can save you a significant amount of time.
Navigating the Modern Web
The modern web is rarely a clean block of text. Publishers rely on block quotes, embedded videos, related article links, and advertisements to keep readers engaged. A text-to-speech engine must be able to distinguish between content you want to hear and visual clutter you want to skip.
This is where Edge’s Read Aloud struggles. It does not yet “learn” the structure of a page the way a human reader does. It will jarringly jump between the main article text and sidebar elements like “You May Like” sections. While it does successfully skip most advertisements, the lack of contextual awareness can be distracting.
Speechify handles this much better. It sticks to the main text body and intelligently bypasses off-topic inserts. In my testing, it correctly identified block quotes as part of the narrative but ignored unrelated links. Both tools successfully bypassed ads, which is a baseline expectation for any TTS tool in 2024.
What This Means for You
The core question is whether the premium features of Speechify justify a subscription cost. Speechify’s pricing has historically been around $29 per month, though promotional rates may apply. If your primary goal is simply listening to web articles, documents, and PDFs, Edge’s Read Aloud offers 90% of the functionality for free.
Speechify’s value proposition shifts if you need dictation capabilities. The Speechify Windows app and web extension offer voice typing features that require a Premium subscription. If you need to convert spoken words to text with accurate punctuation, Speechify is the stronger tool. However, for pure text-to-speech consumption, paying $29 a month is difficult to justify when Edge provides a solid free alternative.
How to Get It
Edge’s Read Aloud is available immediately. Simply open any article in Microsoft Edge, right-click, and select “Read Aloud,” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + U. You can access voice settings by clicking the gear icon in the toolbar to adjust speed and select your preferred voice.
Speechify is available as a web extension for Edge and Chrome, as well as a standalone Windows app. The free version of the app is limited to slower listening speeds and a smaller voice library. Voice typing within the extension is free, but advanced TTS features require a subscription.
In summary, if you are a casual listener who values speed and natural audio, Speechify is worth the investment. If you want a reliable, no-cost solution that works directly in your browser, Edge’s Read Aloud is more than capable of handling the job.
Source: Latest from Windows Central
Over to you: Do you prefer the convenience of Edge’s free Read Aloud, or are the natural voices in Speechify worth the monthly cost for you?
