Aloud vs ElevenReader
ElevenReader, from the voice company ElevenLabs, and Aloud both turn books and files into audio on an iPhone. ElevenReader makes its voices on a large cloud platform and meters them in hours. Aloud makes its voices on the phone and doesn’t meter anything. Most of the differences below come from that.
I make Aloud, so weigh that. ElevenReader facts come from ElevenReader’s own site, ElevenLabs’ help centre and the App Store listing, checked in September 2026.
Side by side
| Aloud | ElevenReader | |
|---|---|---|
| Free listening to your own files | First import free; no hourly cap | 10 hours of text-to-audio a month |
| Free books | 125,000+ public-domain titles and 20,000+ human LibriVox recordings | “Thousands of free books” in its Explore library, which do not use your hours |
| File types | DRM-free EPUB, text PDF | PDF, doc, ePub and article links |
| Offline | Yes, on every plan; the voice runs on the device | Paid subscribers only; downloads expire after 60 days |
| Voices | 52 voices, including premium Lifelike voices on newer iPhones | 1,000+ voices in 30+ languages |
| Commercial audiobooks | No | Premium audiobook catalogue on its Ultra plan |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad, iOS 16+ | iPhone, iPad, Android and web; iOS app requires iOS 18 |
| Tracking (App Store privacy label) | No tracking | Lists Identifiers under “Data Used to Track You” |
Where ElevenReader is better
- Voice choice. More than a thousand voices in over 30 languages, including licensed voices of well-known figures such as Michael Caine and Richard Feynman. Voices are what ElevenLabs is known for.
- More kinds of input. It takes documents and article links as well as PDFs and EPUBs.
- New books. Its Ultra plan includes hours of premium, in-copyright audiobooks each month. Aloud only has public-domain books and your own files.
- Android and the web. ElevenReader runs on Android and in a browser. Aloud doesn’t.
Where Aloud is better
- No hours to count. ElevenReader’s free plan gives 10 hours a month of conversion for your own content, which is a few novels at most. Aloud generates narration on the iPhone, so there’s no server bill behind each hour and no cap.
- Offline on every plan. ElevenReader offline downloads are for paid subscribers, with daily and monthly limits, and expire after 60 days. Aloud needs no connection once a book and voice are on the phone, and nothing expires.
- Human recordings of classics. Aloud includes 20,000+ LibriVox recordings read by people, as well as the synthetic voice.
- Privacy. There’s no account or tracking, and your files never leave the phone because nothing else needs them.
- Older iPhones. Aloud supports iOS 16. ElevenReader’s current app lists iOS 18.
Voice quality
Cloud voice models can be bigger than anything that runs on a phone, and ElevenLabs is one of the best-known voice companies around. If all you care about is the most expressive synthetic voice for a novel, try ElevenReader. Aloud goes for good voices you can use as much as you like, offline, without anything leaving the phone. Listen to the same chapter in both before you decide.
Which to pick
Pick ElevenReader for the most voice choice, new commercial audiobooks, or Android and web access, and accept the hour limits and needing a connection unless you pay for downloads. Pick Aloud for unlimited listening to classics and your own books on an iPhone, offline, with nothing leaving the phone.
Aloud, with no hours to count
The voice is generated on your iPhone, so there's no listening cap and no connection needed. You don't need an account either.
Common questions
Is ElevenReader free?
ElevenReader has a free plan with 10 hours of text-to-audio a month for your own content, according to its pricing page. Listening to its free Explore library doesn't use those hours.
Can ElevenReader play books offline?
According to ElevenLabs' help centre, offline downloads are for paid subscribers. They carry daily and monthly limits and expire after 60 days.
Does Aloud limit listening hours?
No. Aloud's narration is generated on the iPhone, not on a server, so there's no per-hour cost to pass on and no cap.
Which has the better voices?
ElevenReader offers far more, more than 1,000 voices across 30+ languages, and they're its main selling point. Voice taste is personal, so try both on a chapter you know well.
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