Guide · Windows and Mac · Updated 28 October 2026

Turn text into a voice, and save it as audio.

To turn text into voice and save it as an audio file, paste it into a text-to-speech tool and save what it says. Free websites do it in a minute, but most limit how much text you can convert, ask you to sign up for more, and upload your text. On a Mac you can do it free with a built-in command, and on Windows with the free Balabolka app. VoicedByMe saves audio in natural voices, or your own, on your own computer with no limits, for $30 once.

Download for Windows Download for Mac Free for a day · then $30 once

Samples made offline with ready-made voices. All of them are AI-generated.

Four ways

From quick and free to no limits.

1. A free website

Search for "text to MP3" and you'll find plenty. You paste your text, pick a voice and download an MP3. Quick, and nothing to install.

The catches: most only take a few thousand characters at a time, want an account for more, and send your text to their servers, so don't paste anything private. Free plans often don't let you use the audio in videos you publish.

2. On a Mac, free and built in

Open the Terminal app and type say -o speech.aiff "Your text here". That creates an audio file called speech.aiff. For a whole text file, use say -f mytext.txt -o speech.aiff. It uses Apple's voices; better ones can be downloaded in System Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content.

3. On Windows: Balabolka, free

Install Balabolka, paste or open your text, and use the File menu to save it as an audio file, MP3 included. It uses the voices installed in Windows, which sound fairly robotic.

4. VoicedByMe, natural voices with no limits

Paste or type your text, or open a document, pick a voice, and click Save audio. Then download it as an M4A or WAV file, or copy it straight into a chat. M4A plays almost everywhere MP3 does: phones, computers and messaging apps. A whole book becomes an audiobook with chapters.

Compared

Which one fits you.

	Cost	Voices	Limits	Your text stays with you	File
VoicedByMe	$30 once	Natural, or your own	None	Yes	M4A, WAV, audiobooks
Free websites	Free, then monthly plans	Usually natural	A few thousand characters	No, it's uploaded	Usually MP3
Mac say command	Free	Apple's voices	None	Yes	AIFF
Balabolka (Windows)	Free	Windows' voices	None	Yes	MP3, WAV and more

As of October 2026. Check each app's own site for its current features and prices.

Tips

For audio you'll actually use.

Long text

Turn a long document into chapters instead of one huge file. It's easier to listen to and to find your place.

Names said wrong

Most tools say unusual names badly. VoicedByMe has a pronunciation list where you spell a word the way it sounds, once.

Putting it in a video

Check that the tool's licence lets you publish the audio. VoicedByMe's does.

Saying it's AI

Some places and platforms ask you to say when a voice is AI-made. VoicedByMe labels its files for you.

Your own voice

If the audio should sound like you, clone your voice once from twenty seconds of talking. How.

Questions

How do I convert text to MP3 for free?

Use a free text-to-MP3 website for short text, Balabolka on Windows, or the say command on a Mac. Free websites usually limit how much text you can convert at once.

Is there a text to audio converter with no limit?

Balabolka (Windows) and the Mac's say command have no limit, but use more robotic voices. VoicedByMe has no limit and uses natural voices, for $30 once.

What's the best free text to voice converter?

For a few lines, a free text-to-MP3 website is quickest. For longer text without limits, use Balabolka on Windows or the Mac's say command, both free but more robotic. For natural voices with no limits and nothing uploaded, VoicedByMe is $30 once after a free day.

Can I convert text to audio without the internet?

Yes: Balabolka, the Mac's say command and VoicedByMe all work offline. Websites need the internet.

What kind of file does VoicedByMe save?

M4A or WAV for any text, and M4B audiobooks with chapters (or an M4A per chapter) for whole books. M4A plays on phones, computers and in messaging apps.

Can I use the audio in YouTube videos?

With VoicedByMe, yes: the licence covers commercial use with its voices or your own. Say it's AI-made where the platform asks.

Can I make the audio in my own voice?

Yes. VoicedByMe clones your voice from about twenty seconds of talking, on your computer, and can save anything in it.

How much does it cost?

$30 once for the first 50 customers, then $50. No subscription. The full app is free for one day so you can try it first. A license is for one computer.

For Windows 10 and 11, and Macs with Apple silicon

Any text, as audio.

$30once. Launch price for the first 50 customers, then $50.
One computer. No subscription.

Download for Windows Download for Mac Also for Windows 10 and 11 Also for Macs with Apple silicon

The full app, free for 24 hours. Purchases aren't refundable, so please try it first.