Text to Speech for Low Vision - Listen Instead of Straining Your Eyes
If small print tires your eyes, you can listen instead. Read-Along reads your PDF or Word file out loud and lights up each word as it is spoken, so you can look when you want to and rest your eyes when you don't. It also works as read aloud for seniors: nothing to install, open the link in a web browser. Everyone gets one free document a day, no card needed. Premium has no daily limit and puts your documents first.
Hear a sample
Under a minute, read to you.
Press play and follow the highlighted words — this is exactly what your documents become.
The Tortoise and the Hare, by Aesop.
A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal.
On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep.
At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.
Slow but steady wins the race.
From Aesop's Fables (public domain). Read by Heart, one of our AI voices.
How it helps
- Listen to long documents instead of reading them: letters, reports, forms, class readings.
- Make the page easier on the eyes: the Aa button has three text sizes, wider line spacing, an easy-read font and a dark page.
- Line focus dims everything except the sentence being read.
- Change the speed from 0.5x to 3x, and jump back 10 seconds to hear a part again.
How to start
- Upload a PDF or Word file, or paste a web link.
- Wait a few minutes; a short document is ready quickly.
- Press play, and set the text size and page colours you like.
Honest limits
Read-Along is not a screen reader. It does not read your menus, buttons or apps, it does not magnify your screen, and it is not built for blind users. It is made for people who can see the page but find reading it tiring. It reads English documents, and handwriting does not work.
What it costs
Everyone gets one free document a day, no card needed. Premium has no daily limit and puts your documents first. Premium is $14.50 a month, or $69 a year. It renews until you cancel.
Questions
Is Read-Along a screen reader?
No. It reads the documents you bring, not your device. It does not navigate menus or magnify the screen, and we do not make it for blind users. If you use a screen reader, keep using it.
Can I make the text bigger?
Yes. The Aa button on the read-along page has three text sizes, wider line spacing, an easy-read font and a dark page. Your choices are remembered on that device.
Does it work as read aloud for seniors?
Yes, if you can see the page but reading it tires you. Open the link in a web browser, press play and listen. There is nothing to install.
Is it free?
One document a day is free with no card. Premium is $14.50 a month or $69 a year and renews until you cancel. Premium has no daily limit.