COMPARISON
Computer Reads Pretty vs Speechify.
Both apps read text aloud on your Mac and highlight each word as it’s read. The biggest differences are where your text goes and how you pay.
AT A GLANCE
Side by side.
| Feature | Computer Reads Pretty | Speechify on Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Reads selected text with a shortcut | Yes, ⌃⇧R | Yes, ⌥A |
| Highlights each word as it reads | Yes | Yes |
| Reads screenshots and pictures | Yes, draw a box around any text | Yes, with a screenshot shortcut |
| Account needed | No | Yes, you sign in |
| Where your text goes | Stays on your Mac | Synced to Speechify’s servers |
| Free version voices | Every voice | 10 voices Speechify calls “robotic sounding” |
| Free version limits | 30 free minutes, then 5 minutes a day | Speeds up to 1.5x |
| Price for unlimited use | $20, one-time | $139 a year, or $29 a month |
| Over 3 years | $20 in total | $417 in total |
| Works on iPhone, Android, and the web | No, Mac only | Yes |
WHEN SPEECHIFY FITS
Choose Speechify if…
- You want to listen on your phone and your computer, with one library synced between them.
- You want more than 1,000 voices in over 60 languages (Premium).
- You want AI summaries, chat, or dictation (Premium).
WHEN COMPUTER READS PRETTY FITS
Choose Computer Reads Pretty if…
- You want your text to stay on your Mac, with no account and no sign-in.
- You want to pay once: $20, one-time, with every update included.
- You want to click any word and keep reading from there.
- You read Discord chats and want them to sound like a conversation.
- You read books and documents and want the pages turned for you.
- You want to keep working offline once your license is activated.
COMPUTER READS PRETTY
Let your Mac do the reading.
Free to try, with every voice included. Unlimited listening is $20, one-time. One-time purchase. No subscription.
Speechify details come from speechify.com (its Mac page, pricing page, and privacy policy), checked October 2026. Prices are in US dollars. The yearly price uses Speechify’s listed yearly saving of 60%.