Top 4 Text-to-Speech Firefox Add-ons

Fri Feb 02 2024 • Aliaksei Horbel

For Mozilla Firefox users seeking to enhance their browsing experience with text-to-speech functionality, there are several add-ons that stand out for their utility and performance. These extensions are not only useful for improving productivity but also cater to those with visual impairments or anyone preferring auditory learning over reading. Here's a roundup of the top 5 text-to-speech add-ons for Mozilla Firefox.

Read Aloud

Known for its simplicity and effectiveness, Read Aloud supports over 40 languages and is highly recommended for its functionality. It allows users to listen to the content of web pages with a click, offering various voices and pitch adjustments. Worth mentioning, that Read Aloud is the only add-on of all the add-ons that Firefox recommends. Stats:

• 47,545 Users
• 889 Reviews
• Rated 3.9 out of 5 Stars

Intelligent Speaker

This add-on stands out for its ability to save articles, files, and webpages for later listening, offering offline support and a wide range of human-like voices in at least 18 languages. It’s designed for users seeking a comprehensive text-to-speech solution that integrates productivity features, making it ideal for professionals and students alike. Stats:

• 3,165 Users
• 90 Reviews
• Rated 3.7 out of 5 Stars

Text to Speech (TTS)

Known for its popularity and feature-rich interface, TTS by Morni automatically detects the language of the text, removing the need to manually change settings for different languages. This add-on is suitable for users who consume content in multiple languages and value convenience. Stats:

• 3,408 Users
• 111 Reviews
• Rated 2.3 out of 5 Stars

Pocket

Listening to audio articles via the Pocket app in Firefox is a convenient way to consume content, especially when you're on the go or prefer audio over text. The Pocket extension for Firefox allows you to save articles, videos, and other web content to view or listen to later, including a feature to listen to articles. Preset voices may sound robotic, but if that's okay with you, you can listen any text for free, and it's a big plus.

Whar you need to know about Text-to-Speech Extensions for Browsers

Text-to-speech browser extensions read aloud the text on a web page. There are a number of use cases for these extensions, which can benefit a wide range of users including both those with accessibility needs and those who simply prefer to listen to content rather than read it themselves. These are some of the primary use cases and groups of people who would benefit from TTS in their browsers:

Main Use Cases

1. Accessibility for Visually Impaired Users: TTS extensions are invaluable for people with visual impairment, making it easier for them to access and enjoy web content, allowing them to navigate the web and consume content without having to read the text that’s on the screen.
2. Learning Disabilities: TTS can be extremely helpful for individuals who have dyslexia or other learning disabilities that make reading content difficult. Hearing the text read aloud can make content easier to understand.
3. Language Learning: Listening to text read in a new language, in that language, can aid with pronunciation, listening skills and language comprehension. TTS can be an effective tool for language learners.

Quality of life can also be improved with TTS extensions, letting users listen to articles, news or any written web content while multi-tasking, freeing up their eyes and hands. And reading large amounts of text on a screen can be just plain tiring, too. TTS extensions can relieve eye strain and the fatigue of long, marathon reading sessions by letting users listen instead of read. This is particularly handy for students, researchers and professionals spending a lot of time reading up for research or study.

Beneficiaries

• Visually Impaired Individuals: Those people who are blind or not able to see properly can navigate the Web more easily with the help of TTS.
• People with Dyslexia and Other Reading Difficulties: TTS extensions can make the Web more navigable and enjoyable for users who have difficulty reading.
• Language Learners: A TTS tool can be very handy for those who are learning a new language in order to improve their accent and pronunciation or to help them maintain momentum in their new language lessons when they are not in a position to read a book.
• Busy Professionals and Students: Anybody who needs to consume information but would prefer not to be tied to a screen will appreciate the convenience of TTS for a browser.
• Elderly Users: As we age, our eyes change and many of us struggle to read smaller text on screens. For the elderly, having TTS readily available to help them access digital content is very important. With all of this in mind, it's pretty clear to see that TTS for a browser serves a multitude of purposes; it's not just a convenience for a limited audience, it is also a crucial enabling technology that serves a diverse audience.

If you're looking for a Chrome extension, you can try  Save to Peech - it allows you to save articles from desktop directly to your Peech iOS app.