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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Is it worth paying for

Text to Speech!

60
Value score / 100 Worth paying? Depends It depends

Text to Speech! is a useful free app for temporary communication needs, but its frequent freezing and intrusive ads make the paid version a necessity for consistent use, despite ongoing bug complaints.

Free + in-app purchases seen up to $9.99 4.6★ lifetime (33,038) since 2013

Text to Speech! is a simple, free app that helps many users communicate when they've lost their voice, but it's plagued by frequent freezing, glitches, and an overwhelming number of ads in the free version. While some find it invaluable for temporary use, others report that even the paid version suffers from stability issues.

Free vs paid

The free version provides basic text-to-speech functionality but is heavily interrupted by ads R4R7R19. Users report ads popping up frequently, sometimes after every few sentences or every time a saved word is clicked R19, making it unusable for critical communication R7R14. There is a paid option to remove ads, priced at $9.99 R434, but some users who paid still experience app crashes and freezes R61R165. The free version also has limitations on exports, with some users wishing for more than three exports per day without paying R23.

Value complaints

  • The number of ads in the free version makes the app unusable, especially for those with medical needs who cannot speak.R4R7R14R19
  • Even after paying to remove ads, some users still experience significant bugs and crashes.R61R165
  • The app limits exports in the free version, pushing users to pay for more.R23
  • A single purchase to remove ads does not apply across all devices (e.g., iPhone and iPad), requiring separate payments.R434

Where it delivers

  • The app is highly valued by users who have lost their voice due to surgery, illness, or other conditions, enabling them to communicate effectively.R6R9R14R18
  • Many users appreciate its simplicity and ease of use, making it accessible for quick communication.R1R10R12R105
  • It offers the ability to export text as audio files, which is useful for content creation.R30R68R74
  • The app is considered the 'best free' option by some, despite its flaws, and has been a long-term tool for many.R1R28R41R113
Worth paying if

It's worth paying if you rely on the app for critical communication due to a medical condition or vocal rest and cannot tolerate constant ad interruptions R6R9R14. However, be aware that paying for the app does not guarantee a bug-free experience, as some paid users still report crashes and freezes R61R165.

Skip / stay free if

Skip paying if you only need a text-to-speech app for occasional, non-critical use and can tolerate frequent ads R4R7R19. Also, skip paying if you are looking for a perfectly stable app, as many users, including some who have paid, report persistent freezing and crashing issues R3R8R61.

Evidence note: Reviews are heavily skewed towards recent negative experiences regarding bugs and ads, making it challenging to fully reconcile with the high lifetime rating. Many positive reviews are older or mention the app's utility despite acknowledged flaws.

Frequently asked

Is Text to Speech! free to use?
Yes, Text to Speech! is free to download and use, but the free version contains numerous ads that many users find intrusive and disruptive R4R7R19.
Does paying for Text to Speech! remove all ads and bugs?
Paying for the app, typically $9.99, is intended to remove ads R434, but some users who have paid still report experiencing app crashes and freezing issues R61R165.
What are the main problems with Text to Speech!?
The main problems reported are frequent freezing and crashing, especially after recent updates R3R8, and an excessive number of ads in the free version that hinder communication R4R7R14R19.
Is Text to Speech! good for people who cannot speak?
Yes, many users who have lost their voice due to surgery, illness, or other conditions find this app to be a helpful tool for communication R6R9R14R18.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R4] 1/5 · US Ads: Annoying ads not good quality software but doesn’t say yeah very well
  2. [R7] 1/5 · US 5 stars must be fake: The in-app ads make this unusable and infuriating. A person who can’t speak doesn’t want or need an ad interrupting what could be a desperate need to communicate. My friend with PLS can barely use his hands in the first place, so just using the device is an obstacle already…this app is 100% useless as long as it has video ads that play while trying to use it.
  3. [R14] 4/5 · US Overall great.: Overall very helpful. I had vocal cord surgery and cannot speak for 1 week, only 5 mins per hour the next week. The only bad thing is that the ads. It’s challenging enough to not be able to speak even a whisper, laugh, cough, etc. But then you have to wait for an ad. That’s very annoying. For someone who can’t speak ever, that’s just unacceptable. I will be able to speak eventual
  4. [R19] 3/5 · US To many adds: So every time I click a the words I saved like if I click 3 or 5 and add always pops up so if you could pls put less adds
  5. [R61] 3/5 · US App crashes: I have both both regular and Pro. But both app keep crashing. Need update
  6. [R165] 3/5 · US Worked good at first: Have had this app for a couple months I upgraded to no ads . Not sure what happened but the app locks up and takes a few minutes to start working again I’ve e mailed support with no response. Hope others have better luck
  7. [R23] 5/5 · US Things I would love to see happen: Hi friends. What I would love to see happen is if you can make it where you could get more than just three export today. Some people can’t always afford to pay for everything lol anyway this app is the best ever. I love it. Love it love it love every second of it.
  8. [R434] 3/5 · GB Problem with favourite phrases: Link to Developer web site as shown in iTunes, when looking for help, does not work, which is worrying. Saved a selection of phrases (ie Starred), and though I can sort them by dragging to new position in the list there seems no way to DELETE them which is very annoying. Also - the Ap is on my iPhone and iPad. Purchased the £1.99 no-adverts for phone, but seems I
  9. [R6] 5/5 · US Text to speech: I recently had a double jaw surgery and this app helped me communicate to everyone including plenty of my nurses and my family members.
  10. [R9] 5/5 · US Perfect!: I lost my voice temporarily a while ago due to sickness. This was key to communicating with family and doctors. Absolutely genius, and ads are not as intrusive as other apps. Thank you, it’s perfect.
  11. [R18] 5/5 · US Love It! 😍: I was at a BTS concert and I screamed SO LOUD, I lost my voice. And I have an upcoming performance and I’m the LEAD ROLE!!! I couldn’t talk, sing, yell, or even WHISPER! I was sad. I can’t not talk! Especially not me. I talk ALL THE TIME! IM A YAPATRON! So I didn’t know what to do. I asked Google, “I lost my voice and can’t talk. Is there a way I can?” It told me to download Text to Sp
  12. [R1] 5/5 · US Best free text to speech app: Love how this app is free! I also like how simple it is. Definitely worth having.
  13. [R10] 4/5 · US I love this app but there are a few things I don’t like: So for one this is an awesome app but even if you pick out a good voice out of the few choices for some words it can sound very demonic, for another thing is yes there are adds but of course there are, also it can take a while to type out what you need to say. So if you need a temporary way to communicate it is a great app. I also love how
  14. [R12] 5/5 · US Powerful because it’s simple: I titled my review powerful because it’s simple as an absolute compliment. By simple I mean it’s easy to use. The interface is clean and clear and I can listen to the very long emails and newsletters that I received from my students and my professional organizations… Things that normally take me forever to get through there’s so many coming at me all the time, but wit
  15. [R105] 5/5 · US Great application. Very easy to paste and use.: It Great application. Very easy to paste and use.
  16. [R30] 5/5 · US About this app: I really like how you can export the text into an audio file. I make skits with this app and I just downloaded it today.
  17. [R68] 4/5 · US Need fixing: Whenever I try to export the speech into an audio, it doesn’t load and is just stuck.
  18. [R74] 1/5 · US Great app, but not working correctly lately.: I use this app all the time and it’s been incredibly useful! I use it for exporting the text to speech to CapCut for videos but recently I can’t export at all. I would normally give this 5 stars because overall it’s a good app, but it’s very disappointing how it’s not been working lately. I hope someone who works on the app sees this and finds a plan t
  19. [R28] 3/5 · US Bugs: This app is so buggy but it’s the only fully free one out there so i don’t really care. It won’t let me put any of files in for it to read and it also crashes if I add too much text when typing or copy and pasting
  20. [R41] 5/5 · US Yes, the bug was finally fixed!: Yes, the bug was finally fixed! Thank you❤️ last 3 months, I had no choice but to use other app. But from now on, I’ll switch back to yours. After all, yours is still the best in the world👍 Keep up your great work and continue help uplifting the entire humanity🙏
  21. [R113] 5/5 · US Occasional user: Great app. I’ve been using this app for years. Try it and you will love it.
  22. [R3] 2/5 · US Glitchy already: I just downloaded this app cause of surgery so I can “talk” still and it’s already glitching out and making my keys stick
  23. [R8] 4/5 · US Problems recently though: Love the app had it for a few years works perfectly up until last month. When it started freezing. Had to delete app and reload now it seems like it’s happening every couple days. If not sooner is the latest update the problem? Is there a resolution for this? Please fix the app Thank you.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store