Comparison of Free Text to Speech Programs: WordTalk, NaturalReader, and ReadPlease

Created by the Loudoun County Public Schools AT Team

WordTalk / NaturalReader / ReadPlease
www.wordtalk.org.uk / www.naturalreaders.com / www.readplease.com
Text to speech for MS Word documents only / Text to speech for Word documents, PDFs, PowerPoint slides, Internet, email / Reads text in ReadPlease window that is copied and pasted from any source
Toolbar docks onto Word toolbar under the Add-Ins tab / Choice of floating toolbar (Minboard) or copy and paste text into Main Window / ReadPlease window, can be resized
Can minimize to system tray / Can minimize to system tray; can be set to run automatically when Windows opens
Text in Main Window can be saved as .rtf or .txt files.
Can open saved . txt files from Main Window / Text can be saved as a .txt file or a ReadPlease file (.rpps or .rpnp)
Click icons on toolbar or use keyboard shortcuts to speak; can configure to speak word on double-click. / Click icons on toolbar or window to speak, or use keyboard shortcuts. / Click icons on window to speak
Choose to speak by word, sentence, or paragraph / Text in Main Window is read from the cursor location to the end of the text, or text that is selected by highlighting with mouse. When using Minboard, must select text to be read. / Reads text from the beginning, or can select specific text to be read by highlighting with mouse
Choice of voices; can change speed / Choice of voices; can change speed / Choice of voices; can change speed
Can change color of highlighted text (foreground and background) / Text is highlighted only when in Main Window. Highlighted text has blue foreground and yellow background. / Can change color of highlighted text (has foreground but no background highlighting)
Can change font size, style, color / Can change font color, size, style and background color; has low vision settings
Talking spell check and talking synonyms; can configure to right click to access talking spell check
Speak as I type feature: Echo letters, words, or sentences
Converts text to MP3 or wave audio file
Find and replace feature / Find and replace feature
Help menu / Help menu
Zoom feature

WordTalk docked toolbar (in MS Word)

NaturalReader Minboard (floating toolbar)

NaturalReader Main Window

ReadPlease Window