ElevenLabs
Create a short narration with ElevenLabs text to speech, using your own script and a licensed voice
ElevenLabs turns written text into spoken audio, with model, voice and output format choices. A starting point for narrating short explainers, demos and drafts.
Written from the tool's official pages, listed under Official sources at the end of this guide. Check them for current features, limits and terms.
Try it (opens in a new tab)Steps to try
- Write a short script you own the rights to, and keep it to one or two paragraphs for the first test.
- Open the text to speech tool in the web app or use the API if you build software, and choose a model. The docs say Flash models suit low-latency use and Multilingual v2 suits long-form work.
- Pick a stock voice from the voice library, favouring one whose accent matches your language and region. Note that the docs say the library is not available through the API on the free tier.
- Generate, listen, and adjust the text or the Stability and Similarity voice settings. The docs warn that descriptive cues in the text may be spoken aloud and need trimming.
- For longer scripts, split the text into segments as the docs advise, and use their seed option if you need more consistent results.
- Check pronunciation of names and numbers, then pick an output format. MP3 is the default, and the docs list other formats.
Limitations
Output is nondeterministic, so regenerating can differ. Character limits vary by model. Free regenerations apply only when text and settings are identical. The docs list voice cloning options, but cloning a real person's voice needs their clear permission, and this guide does not walk through it. Synthetic audio should be disclosed where listeners could be misled.
Pricing
The docs say you keep ownership of generated audio, but commercial use requires a paid plan and some higher quality formats are paid-only. The page does not give current prices, so check the official pricing page.
Privacy and data
Text you submit is processed by a service, so do not paste confidential or personal material without checking the provider's terms. Use only voices you are licensed or permitted to use, and avoid cloning anyone without documented consent.
About the sources
Based on the vendor's published documentation, not hands-on testing. Quality and latency descriptions are the vendor's own.
Alternatives
Your operating system's built-in speech voices are free for rough drafts. Other text to speech services exist. A human voice recording is better when personality or trust matters.
Official sources
The official pages this guide was written from. Read them for current features, limits and terms.