If you mainly use Speechify to listen to PDFs and EPUB books, there are several alternatives worth considering.
Audeus is a strong fit if you want to listen while still highlighting, annotating, and working with the document.
There is no reason to switch from Speechify just for the sake of switching. The better question is whether another reader fits your PDF and EPUB workflow better.
Best Speechify alternatives for PDFs and EPUBs
| Alternatives | Best for | EPUB | OCR / scans | Main limitation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audeus | Reading, listening, and annotating documents together | Yes | Yes | Yes | Smaller voice catalog than some voice-first competitors |
| ElevenReader | Natural AI narration | Yes | Yes | Scan text | Less focused on document annotation |
| NaturalReader | Broad file and OCR support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Best voices and OCR depend on paid plans |
| Readwise Reader | Research, highlights and knowledge management | Yes | Yes | Limited compared with OCR-first tools | No permanent free plan |
| Voice Dream Reader | Offline and accessibility-focused reading | Yes | Yes | Varies by workflow | Strongest inside the Apple ecosystem |
How we compared these Speechify alternatives
This list is specifically about reading PDFs and EPUBs, not which company has the longest overall feature list.
We compared each reader across eight areas:
- Platform coverage — web, iOS, Android, desktop and browser access
- File formats — especially PDF and non-DRM EPUB
- Voice experience — selection and focus on natural narration
- Reading controls — speed, highlighting, annotations and pronunciation controls
- Sync — whether reading can continue across devices
- OCR — support for scanned or image-based documents
- Price — current published plans and free access
- Privacy — what the company's published privacy documentation says about uploaded content
We also considered use-case fit.
A student annotating a research paper has different needs from someone turning an EPUB novel into something that feels like an audiobook.
1. Audeus
Best for: Reading and listening to PDFs and EPUBs while still working with the text
Audeus is a document-focused text-to-speech reader that supports PDFs, non-DRM EPUBs, Word documents, scans, screenshots, web content, and other written material.
Its biggest advantage over more audio-focused readers is that listening does not have to replace reading.
You can follow synchronized text highlighting, highlight your own passages, add notes, adjust playback speed, and return to the document later.
Audeus also supports OCR for scanned and image-based material.
Why Audeus works well for PDFs and EPUBs
- PDF support
- Non-DRM EPUB support
- OCR for scanned material
- synchronized highlighting
- Highlights, notes, and comments
- Speeds up to 3.5x on Pro
- iOS, Android, and web
- Saved reading position across devices
Best for
Students, researchers, and professionals who want audio to support active reading rather than completely replace the document.
If PDFs make up most of what you read, the Audeus PDF audio reader is the most relevant starting point. For ebooks, Audeus also has a dedicated EPUB audio reader.
2. ElevenReader
ElevenReader is one of the strongest Speechify alternatives if your priority is voice quality.
It supports PDF, EPUB, DOCX, TXT and HTML uploads. You can also paste a webpage or scan physical text.
ElevenLabs says ElevenReader works across iPhone, iPad, Android and the web and currently offers more than 1,000 natural voices.
Why ElevenReader stands out
- PDF and EPUB support
- 1,000+ voice options
- iOS, Android and web
- scanned-text input
- Strong audiobook-style listening
- Chrome extension for importing EPUBs, PDFs, and web content
Where ElevenReader falls short
The product is more strongly centered around listening.
If you regularly need detailed annotations, document study tools or a workflow built around actively marking up PDFs, Audeus or Readwise Reader may fit better.
3. NaturalReader
NaturalReader is one of the most complete options if your library contains more than PDFs and EPUBs.
Its current personal version supports PDF, non-DRM EPUB, DOCX, PowerPoint, spreadsheets, images and many other formats.
OCR is also available for scanned PDFs, screenshots and images.
Why NaturalReader stands out
- PDF and EPUB support
- OCR
- annotations
- pronunciation editor
- web and mobile apps
- Chrome extension
- AI Smart Filter for skipping document clutter
- broad file-format support
NaturalReader's AI Smart Filter can skip things such as page numbers, charts and tables, which can be useful when a PDF contains elements that sound awkward when spoken aloud.
Price
Current individual pricing starts with the Lite plan at $13.90/month or $79/year.
Plus costs $20.90/month or $119/year, while Pro costs $25.90/month or $159/year.
Where NaturalReader falls short
Its plan structure is more complicated than Audeus or some simpler readers.
Voice tiers, OCR, AI tools and usage limits differ by plan, so you need to look carefully at what you will actually use.
4. Readwise Reader
Readwise Reader is different from Speechify because text to speech is only one part of the product.
Reader is built around collecting and working with what you read.
That can include:
- PDFs
- EPUBs
- articles
- newsletters
- highlights
- notes
The main advantage is what happens after you read something.
Highlights and notes can become part of your Readwise library and can be exported into tools such as Notion and Obsidian.
Why Reader stands out
- PDF and EPUB reading
- text-to-speech
- highlights and notes
- research organization
- long-term reading library
- Readwise highlight system
- Integrations with other knowledge tools
Price
Readwise currently costs $9.99 per month when billed annually or $12.99 monthly after a 30-day free trial. Students and academics can request a 50% discount.
Where Reader falls short
Reader is not the obvious choice if all you want is:
Upload EPUB → press Play → listen.
Its value comes from the larger reading and knowledge-management system.
If you do not need that system, something simpler may make more sense.
5. Voice Dream Reader
Voice Dream Reader has been built around accessible reading for years.
It supports PDFs, EPUBs, Word files, PowerPoint documents and web pages. It also lets readers highlight passages, add notes, adjust playback and customize pronunciation.
One of its biggest advantages is offline listening.
Voice Dream says users can listen offline and continue across iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Why Voice Dream stands out
- PDF support
- EPUB support
- offline listening
- highlighting and notes
- pronunciation controls
- detailed playback settings
- strong accessibility support
- full VoiceOver support
Where Voice Dream falls short
Its strongest experience is currently inside the Apple ecosystem.
That makes it less attractive if you regularly move between Android, web and Apple devices.
Audeus, ElevenReader and NaturalReader offer more obvious cross-platform options for that kind of workflow.
Which Speechify alternative is best for PDFs and EPUBs?
There is no single winner across every category.
| Your priority | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Listening while highlighting and annotating documents | Audeus |
| Natural voices and audiobook-style EPUB listening | ElevenReader |
| OCR and broad file support | NaturalReader |
| Research, notes and highlight management | Readwise Reader |
| Offline and accessibility-focused reading | Voice Dream Reader |
That is a more useful way to choose than asking which app has the most features.
Choose Audeus if...
Your PDFs and EPUBs are things you actively study or work with.
You want to hear the content without giving up:
- highlighting
- notes
- visual reading
- document navigation
- saved reading progress
Audeus is particularly well suited to that middle ground between a traditional document reader and an audio app.
Audeus vs Speechify for PDFs and EPUBs
The difference is mostly about product focus.
Speechify currently offers a much larger voice catalog, playback up to 5x, AI summaries and chat, cloud integrations, voice typing, and other AI features. Its Premium plan is listed at $29/month.
Audeus is more tightly focused around document reading.
Its Pro plan currently lists PDF, Word, and EPUB support, scanning, reading speeds up to 3.5x, library management, and cross-device access for $9.92/month when billed annually.
So:
Speechify makes more sense if you want a broad Voice AI product with a very large voice library.
Audeus makes more sense if you primarily want to read and work through documents without paying for the broader Speechify feature set.
Neither is automatically better.
Final thoughts
If you are looking for a Speechify alternative specifically because you read a lot of PDFs and EPUBs, start with the way you read rather than the brand.
Choose Audeus for active document reading.
The best option is the one that handles both your difficult PDFs and your EPUB books without forcing you to change the way you already read.
If your workflow involves listening while still highlighting and working with the text, you can try Audeus with one of your own PDFs or EPUBs before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Speechify alternative for PDFs and EPUBs?
It depends on the workflow. Audeus is well suited to active document reading
What is the best Speechify alternative for PDFs?
Audeus is the best choice for PDFs when synchronized highlighting, annotations, OCR, and active reading matter.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Speechify?
Yes, Audeus Pro at $9.92/month when billed annually. Speechify Premium is currently listed at $29/month. Billing periods and included features differ, so price alone should not decide the comparison.
Can Speechify alternatives read scanned PDFs?
Some can. Audeus and NaturalReader support OCR-based reading for scanned material, while ElevenReader also lets users scan physical text.