Choose a natural reading voice, then use it on pasted text, supported webpages, or documents. On-device voices need no account; CastReader AI voices require sign-in. Standard reading sessions play in place and do not export MP3 files.
An AI voice reader turns text into speech for listening, not audio production. CastReader lets you compare real voice samples, choose the source you want to hear, and read it aloud with synchronized highlighting. Use the free paste-text reader for one-off text, the browser extension for supported webpages, or the local document reader for supported files.
The voice is only one part of the workflow. Start with the source that contains your text.
Open a supported local file and listen without uploading the original file.
Open a documentUse the browser extension on supported pages with synchronized highlighting.
Get CastReaderCreate and manage an account-bound voice with explicit consent controls.
See voice cloningA clear reading workflow with real samples, explicit access rules, and no audio-production promises.
The Voice Library publishes a real sample, language status, and Free or Pro tier for every listed voice, so you can choose with evidence instead of a marketing label.
CastReader reads text in place with playback controls and synchronized highlighting. Standard reading workflows do not promise MP3/WAV export or blanket commercial rights.
Paste text for a quick listen, open supported local documents in the web reader, use the extension on supported webpages, or continue in the mobile apps.
English and Mandarin Chinese are GA. Japanese, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, Hindi, and German remain Beta/Lab, so availability and synchronization quality vary.
On-device voices can work without an account. CastReader AI voices use authenticated access with daily Free allowances; Pro provides higher limits and additional voice access.
Private cloned voices are account-bound and consent-gated. They are not public catalog voices, and creating or applying one follows a separate workflow.
Choose based on access and the job you need to complete.
| Voice path | Account | Best for | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-device voice | Not required | Private local reading | Voice availability depends on the browser or device |
| CastReader AI voice | Required | Natural reading voices and synced playback | Daily Free allowances; higher limits with Pro |
| Private cloned voice | Required | Listening with an owned or explicitly authorized voice | Separate consent, ownership, and Pro application rules |
Start with pasted text, a supported local document, a webpage, or a mobile reading workflow.
Listen to the real samples in the Voice Library and check each voice's language and access tier.
Play the content with reading controls and highlighting instead of waiting for an exported audio file.
People often use “AI voice generator” and “AI voice reader” for the same search, but the jobs are different. A production generator creates audio assets for editing, distribution, or commercial voiceover work. A reader helps you listen to text while keeping the original page or document in front of you. CastReader is built around the second job.
That difference matters when you choose a tool. CastReader's standard reading workflows play speech in place, keep the source available for highlighting and navigation, and do not export the session as an MP3. If your requirement is a downloadable voiceover file with a production license, this page should not imply that CastReader provides it.
For a quick passage, use the paste-text reader. For a supported webpage, use the browser extension. For a PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, HTML, or DRM-free EPUB file, use the local document reader; the original file is parsed in the browser. AI voices require sign-in because they use authenticated server compute, while an available on-device voice can read locally without an account.
Voice cloning is also a separate decision. CastReader's private cloned voices are tied to an account and require ownership or explicit authorization. They are not public catalog voices, and they should not be treated as an automatic way to imitate another person or claim commercial rights.
Clear answers about voices, accounts, languages, export, and privacy.
An AI voice reader turns text into speech so you can listen while keeping the original text available. CastReader supports pasted text, supported webpages, and document workflows with playback controls and synchronized highlighting.
Yes, when an on-device voice is available in your browser or device. CastReader AI voices use authenticated server compute, so you must sign in to use them. The Free plan includes daily allowances; Pro provides higher limits and additional voice access.
No. The local web document reader and standard read-aloud workflows play speech in place and do not export MP3 files. Use CastReader for listening with the source and highlighting, not as a general voiceover-production or audio-export service.
CastReader does not make a blanket commercial-rights promise for standard reading sessions. Those workflows are designed for listening rather than producing downloadable voiceover assets. You remain responsible for the source text, voice authorization, and any rights required for your use.
CastReader currently supports nine read-aloud languages. English and Mandarin Chinese are GA; Japanese, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, Hindi, and German are Beta/Lab, so availability, pronunciation, and synchronization quality vary.
No. Catalog reading voices are standard CastReader voices. A private cloned voice is account-bound, requires ownership or explicit authorization, and follows separate creation, preview, sharing, and Pro application rules.
Supported local files are parsed in the browser. Text is sent to the voice service only when you explicitly choose a CastReader AI or cloned voice for playback. Anonymous product analytics does not include page text, document content, file names, or personal information.
CastReader Voice API
Keep using this reading tool as usual. For MP3 / WAV generation, multilingual speech or private voice cloning in your product, use the separate Voice API. Reading voices and API voices are selected separately.
Self-service after identity verification · 3,000 trial characters per account (30 days; daily limits apply) · Separate API billing · Up to 500 characters per queued task
POST /v1/jobs
{
"model": "clone-v1",
"voice_id": "YOUR_VOICE_ID",
"text": "Give your app a voice.",
"language": "en",
"output_format": "mp3"
}Requires a server-side API key and a valid voice ID. Poll the submitted job, then download after success. Never expose your key in the browser.
Paste text and listen with an on-device or authenticated CastReader AI voice.
Compare real samples, language status, and Free or Pro access.
Open supported local files and read them in place without MP3 export.
Create and manage an account-bound voice with consent controls.
Download the CastReader app for DRM-free EPUB import and supported mobile reading workflows.
Hard numbers — not vibes — from authoritative sources
$2.22 billion
US audiobook sales in 2024, up 13% year-over-year (Publishers Weekly / Audio Publishers Association)
Source →51%
of US adults have listened to an audiobook in 2025 — roughly 134 million people (APA Consumer Survey 2025)
Source →2.2 billion
people globally with near- or far-vision impairment (WHO Fact Sheet, 2024). TTS is the primary access path for digital reading content.
Source →78%
of audiobook listeners multitask while listening — commute, chores, exercise (Audiolibrix Great Audiobook Survey, 2024)
Source →27.2 minutes
average single-trip US commute in 2024, up from 26.8 (US Census ACS via Statista). That's nearly an hour each day of audio-only time.
Source →effect size 0.35
measured comprehension lift from TTS for reading-disabled students across 22 studies (Wood, Moxley, Tighe & Wagner, Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2018)
Source →15.5 million
US adults with ADHD per CDC 2024 — about half diagnosed in adulthood (CDC MMWR, October 2024)
Source →Every Chrome Web Store review below is verifiable at the link in each card. We don't hide negative feedback — we answer it within 24 hours.
“This is 1 of the best TTS and its smooth. If this is truly free i'll keep this 100%. Every other TTS says its free but has a secret. They interrupt or they just say better ai voices pay. But i like this voice. I've tried loads and this is 1 of the best ones that actually says free.”
“Works perfectly on vivaldi. One suggestion though. I wish it had a play button appear next to a paragraph when we hover over it. Just like in the case of speechify.”
“Extremely user friendly short keys. Placed forward backward and speed up down as Natural as it could be. Voices are great and smooth. I would recommend it over many hyped products.”
“At the very least it's better than many paid TTS models. Still not as good as ElevenReader or LAP, but maybe the best free model for TTS.”
“So glad I can finally switch voices! The default was fine but I found one I actually enjoy listening to for hours. Small thing, huge difference.”
“Best one i found, user friendly, and great voice over.”
“ChatGPT's long answers are finally listenable. Let it generate while I listen — doubles my productivity. Love the inline button next to each response.”
“I tried using this add-on to listen to an ebook on the O'Reilly learning platform, and it works smoothly. However, it always restarts from the first paragraph whenever I scroll or select a different paragraph. Please consider adding a bookmark or checkpoint feature so users can mark where the reading should begin.”
↪ Founder reply
Replied by CastReader founder Yan Xu within 48 hours: acknowledged the issue, shipped a bookmark feature in the following release. Reviewer's verbatim feedback drove the v1.2 roadmap.
“Need to highlight text and select it.”
“Hard to select text.”
↪ Founder reply
Replied by CastReader founder Yan Xu within 24 hours: apologized, asked which site/browser the issue occurred on, provided a workaround using the keyboard shortcut, and offered direct support at support@castreader.ai.
We re-test, re-write, and ship continuously. Every entry has a real date.
Rewrote landing pages with verbatim Chrome Web Store testimonials, real audiobook market data, and tested-12-extensions methodology. Every claim now has a sourceable link.
CastReader provides native apps for iPhone and Android; Android downloads are available directly from Google Play.
Wrote up the OCR pipeline: how CastReader handles Amazon's 184 random font alphabets and 361 unique glyphs per Kindle book. Shared in dev.to.
The phone app flow now has its own landing page for bookshelf sync, Read Aloud, synced highlighting, auto-scroll, background playback, and resume progress.
Ranked #10 in Daily, 99 upvotes, 4 community comments shaped the v1.2 roadmap.
Switched from older TTS engines to Kokoro neural voices. User reviews shifted from 'usable but robotic' to 'enjoy listening for hours' (verbatim from review by patrick chiang).
OCR success rate improved from 78% to 89% on English-language Kindle books. Multi-column page detection added for academic PDFs.
I built CastReader because I owned hundreds of Kindle books and couldn't listen to them on my morning runs without buying separate Audible copies. The technical problem — Amazon's Cloud Reader font encryption — turned out to be solvable with OCR. The product problem — making it actually pleasant across phones, desktops, and 9 supported languages — took two years of iteration. We're a small team. I answer every Chrome Web Store review personally (see testimonials above — including the 3-star and 1-star ones). If something's broken or missing, email support@castreader.ai.
— Yan Xu, founder
Last reviewed: · CastReader Team — reviewed against 2025 testing data
Paste text for a quick listen, compare real voice samples, or open the workflow that matches your document or webpage.
For local PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, and images, plus supported webpages and browser-based readers. Local EPUB import is not available.
For DRM-free EPUBs and mobile reading on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Official App Store and Google Play downloads · Chrome, Edge, and Firefox extensions