Get Started with the Speechify Text to Speech API Learn everything about the Speechify Text to Speech API. Get started with code samples.

Speechify Text to Speech API: A Complete Guide for Developers

Speechify’s Text to Speech (TTS) API is designed to help developers transform written text into natural-sounding speech. From small apps to large-scale voice-driven platforms, Speechify offers a wide range of functionality, including support for multiple languages, voice cloning, and more.

This article will walk you through everything you need to get started with Speechify, including setup instructions, code examples, supported languages, and an overview of their pricing plans. Quick note, this TTS API is yet in beta mode.

Note: Looking for a better alternative to Speechify Text to Speech API? You should check out the PlayHT text to speech API. The latency is on par with AWS and Google. The voice quality on PlayHT is miles apart from the rest.

So, if you’re looking for lower latency, better pricing, and better voices, check out PlayHT.

Getting Started with Speechify API

Step 1: Sign Up and Get Your API Key

To use Speechify’s TTS API, you first need to sign up for an account on the Speechify platform. After signing up, you’ll receive an API key, which will allow you to make authenticated requests to the API.

Here’s how you can get started:

1. Create an account on Speechify.
2. Generate an API key from the dashboard.
3. Install dependencies (e.g., Python, JavaScript libraries) based on your development environment.
4. Refer to the Speechify API documentation here for more detailed setup instructions.

Step 2: Setting Up Your First Request

Once you have your API key, you’re ready to make your first API request. Below is a sample “recipe” in Python to demonstrate how you can convert text into speech.

import requests

api_url = "https://api.speechify.com/v1/synthesize"
api_key = "your-api-key"

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "text": "Hello, world! Welcome to Speechify Text-to-Speech API.",
    "voice": "en-US-Wavenet-D",  # Choose from available voices in the API documentation
    "speed": 1.0
}

response = requests.post(api_url, headers=headers, json=data)

# Save the audio file
with open("output.mp3", "wb") as file:
    file.write(response.content)

print("Audio saved as output.mp3")

In this recipe, we use a basic POST request to send text to Speechify’s API and convert it into speech. The voice parameter defines the voice you want to use, which can be customized based on the language and type of voice.

Step 3: Available Voices and Languages

Speechify offers support for a variety of voices and languages, enabling developers to create engaging user experiences for a global audience. Here is a list of languages Speechify currently supports:

• English (US, UK, Australia, India)
• Spanish (Spain, Latin America)
• French (France, Canada)
• German
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Dutch
• Russian
• Japanese
• Chinese (Mandarin)
• Korean
• Arabic
• Hindi

You can select different voices for each language by referring to the available voice options in the Speechify API documentation.

Step 4: Handling Voice Cloning

One of the standout features of Speechify’s API is voice cloning, available in higher-tier plans. Voice cloning allows developers to create custom voices that mimic the tone and style of a particular person.

data = {
    "text": "This is a cloned voice.",
    "voice": "custom-voice-id",  # Use the cloned voice ID
    "speed": 1.0
}

The custom-voice-id can be obtained once you have uploaded and trained a voice through Speechify’s API.

Step 5: Real-Time Audio and Advanced Features

For applications that require real-time audio generation, Speechify’s API supports fast synthesis, allowing you to create real-time interactive experiences, such as voice assistants or audiobook generators.

Speechify also integrates with other platforms like Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and AWS, giving you more flexibility in terms of deployment and scaling.

Speechify Text to Speech API Pricing Plans

Speechify offers a range of plans to accommodate different use cases. Whether you’re a developer just starting out or an enterprise looking for extensive TTS capabilities, Speechify has a plan for you.

Plan	Price	Text-To-Speech (TTS) Quota	Voice Cloning	Overage Cost
Free Plan	$0/month	10,000 chars/month	Not available	N/A
Basic Plan	$3.00/month	50,000 chars/month	Unlimited	$0.40/1,000 chars
Plus Plan	$30.00/month	300,000 chars/month	Unlimited	$0.30/1,000 chars
Growth Plan	$150.00/month	1,000,000 chars/month	Unlimited	$0.20/1,000 chars
Enterprise	Custom Pricing	Unlimited	Unlimited	N/A

Key Considerations:

• Text-To-Speech: Each plan offers a different character limit for converting text to speech.
• Voice Cloning: Available starting from the Basic Plan, with unlimited voices.
• Overage Costs: If you exceed the character limit for your plan, there is a per-character overage cost.

Use Cases for Speechify’s TTS API

Speechify’s API can be used in a variety of applications:

• Audiobooks: Easily convert written books into high-quality audiobooks using Speechify’s natural-sounding voices.
• Voice Assistants: Create responsive voice interfaces for mobile apps or web services.
• Dyslexia Support: Improve accessibility for users with dyslexia by offering them voice narration of written text.
• Podcasts: Convert text content into audio for podcast distribution.
• Custom Voice: For brands looking to build a unique identity, Speechify offers custom voice cloning.

Integration with Popular Platforms

Speechify’s API can be integrated with a wide range of platforms and environments, including:

• iOS and Android apps
• Python and JavaScript applications
• Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure
• Web applications through browser SDKs like Chrome

Sample JavaScript Recipe

Here’s an example of using Speechify in a web app with JavaScript:

fetch("https://api.speechify.com/v1/synthesize", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": "Bearer your-api-key",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    text: "Welcome to Speechify API!",
    voice: "en-US-Wavenet-A",
    speed: 1.0
  })
})
.then(response => response.blob())
.then(blob => {
  const url = window.URL.createObjectURL(blob);
  const audio = new Audio(url);
  audio.play();
})
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

This JavaScript recipe fetches synthesized audio from Speechify and plays it in real-time on a web page.

Speechify’s Text-to-Speech API offers developers a powerful, user-friendly way to add voice functionality to their applications. Whether you’re building an audiobook platform, creating a voice assistant, or making content more accessible, Speechify’s natural-sounding voices, wide range of supported languages, and flexible pricing plans make it an excellent choice.

For more information, check out the Speechify API documentation to explore the full range of capabilities and start building your voice-driven experiences today.

Advanced Developer Questions: In-Depth Look at the Speechify API

1. Authentication & API Key Security

Security is a primary concern when working with any API, especially in frontend applications. When using the Speechify API:

• Keep API keys secure: Never expose your API key in client-side code. Instead, use server-side code to make API requests, or employ environment variables.
• Rate limits: While not explicitly stated in the documentation, most APIs have rate limits to prevent abuse. Developers should reach out to Speechify’s support to confirm specific rate limits for the TTS API.

2. Advanced Voice Cloning Setup

Voice cloning allows you to create custom voices that mimic specific individuals. Here’s what you should know:

• Training a voice: To create a custom voice, you typically need a set of audio recordings from the individual’s voice that you want to clone. Speechify likely provides instructions on how to submit these samples.
• Voice cloning process: It’s unclear exactly how long Speechify’s cloning process takes or what specific training data is required. Developers should contact Speechify support for further information on voice cloning.

3. Voice and Language Selection

While Speechify supports a wide range of languages and voices, developers may have further questions about:

• How to get a full list of available voices: The API documentation lists various voices (e.g., male, female, WaveNet), but developers should look for a way to programmatically retrieve all available voices for specific languages.
• Fallback voices: It’s useful to know how to set fallback voices in case the selected voice is unavailable. This may not be explicitly covered in the documentation, so contact support for best practices.

4. Real-time Usage

Real-time audio synthesis is a key feature for voice assistants and other interactive apps. While the API supports fast response times:

• Latency considerations: For large text inputs, or when using advanced voices, latency could become a factor. Developers should perform their own benchmarks to see how the API performs under different conditions.
• Streaming capabilities: Some developers may need streaming support for real-time TTS applications. This feature isn’t mentioned in the current documentation, so developers should inquire with Speechify’s team for more details.

5. File Formats and Audio Quality

Developers need flexibility in output formats for various use cases:

• Supported audio formats: Speechify appears to support standard formats like MP3, but for other formats like WAV, developers should check the API documentation or contact support.
• Customizable audio quality: It’s unclear whether developers can adjust audio quality or bitrate directly. Clarify this with Speechify if high-quality audio output is a key requirement for your project.

6. Handling Large Text Inputs

For use cases such as audiobooks or podcasts, large text inputs are common:

• Chunking text: To handle large text inputs, Speechify may require developers to split the text into manageable segments, as there might be character limits per request.
• Automated segmentation: It’s unclear if Speechify provides tools for automatic segmentation of long texts into multiple audio files. Developers might need to implement this themselves or check if the API offers this feature.

7. Character Limits and Overage Handling

The API’s pricing tiers limit the number of characters you can convert per month:

• Tracking usage: Developers will want to track their usage to avoid overages. It’s not clear if Speechify offers programmatic tracking through the API, so contacting support for more information is advised.
• Notification of overages: Developers should also confirm if Speechify offers automatic notifications or warnings when they approach their monthly character limits.

8. Rate Limits & Performance

To prevent misuse, APIs often impose rate limits:

• Rate limit per request: Speechify doesn’t explicitly list rate limits in the documentation. It’s best to ask their support team to confirm whether there are restrictions on the number of requests per second or minute.
• Impact of voice complexity on performance: Developers should test the performance of more complex voices, such as those using WaveNet models, to gauge their impact on response times.

9. Support for SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language)

SSML allows for greater control over the speech output by adding pauses, emphasis, or other nuances:

• SSML support: Some text-to-speech APIs allow SSML input for fine-grained control over the speech. It’s unclear if Speechify supports SSML; developers should reach out to their support team for clarification.

10. Error Handling and Debugging

Robust error handling is critical in any API integration:

• Error codes: Developers will want detailed information about error codes and responses from the API (e.g., invalid API keys, rate limit exceeded). Be sure to handle errors gracefully and implement retries where necessary.
• Debugging tips: Speechify’s documentation should provide examples of common errors and debugging tips. If not, developers should ask support for detailed troubleshooting guidance.

11. Text Preprocessing

Preprocessing your text before sending it to the API can ensure better speech quality:

• Handling special characters: Ensure that special characters or non-standard text formats are handled appropriately. If Speechify doesn’t preprocess text automatically, developers might need to do it manually.
• Punctuation and formatting: Punctuation can significantly affect the naturalness of the speech output. Developers should experiment with how different punctuation marks (e.g., commas, periods) influence the voice output.

12. SDK Support

Developers working in different environments will want to know if there are official SDKs:

• SDKs for common languages: Speechify supports Python and JavaScript, but it’s unclear if there are SDKs for other popular programming languages. Developers should ask if Speechify provides official or community-supported SDKs for languages like Ruby, PHP, or Go.

13. Real-world Examples and Use Cases

To better understand how Speechify can be used in different industries, developers may look for case studies or detailed use case examples:

• Industry-specific examples: Audiobooks, voice assistants, and educational platforms are all potential use cases, but more specific examples could help developers envision how to best use the API in their own projects.

Speechify’s Text-to-Speech API is a powerful tool for adding speech synthesis and AI-generated voices to your applications. While the basic setup is straightforward, developers will want to explore more advanced features like voice cloning, SSML support, and real-time capabilities.

If some aspects remain unclear, such as rate limits, file formats, or SDK support, it’s a good idea to reach out to Speechify’s support team for detailed information. By addressing the potential questions raised in this blog, developers can ensure a smoother integration of this text-to-speech technology into their projects.

This guide covers everything from setting up Speechify to creating your first speech output, giving you the tools you need to bring your app to life with voice technology.