A Paper2Audio alternative for PDFs
Paper2Audio and PDF2Audio both turn documents into speech, but they are built for different jobs. Paper2Audio is a free reader app for papers. PDF2Audio makes an MP3 you keep, and can rewrite the document as a two-host podcast, a lecture or a summary first. Here is how they compare, including where Paper2Audio is the better pick.
Side by side
Price for personal use
PDF2Audio
50,000 characters free once, then pay per document from $2.99, or Basic at $9.99 a month for 500,000 characters
Paper2Audio
Free for personal use, up to 56 hours of audio a week; a paid Plus plan for professional use
Audio file to keep
PDF2Audio
MP3 download on the web; books can be downloaded one MP3 per chapter
Paper2Audio
Offline downloads in the iOS and Android apps; audio file export is part of Plus
Two-host podcast
PDF2Audio
Yes: two voices discuss the document
Paper2Audio
No: its summaries are described as information-dense rather than simulated podcasts
Other listening modes
PDF2Audio
Clean read-through, Lecture, Summary, Deep Analysis, Book with chapters
Paper2Audio
Full text, Long summary, Short summary
Voices
PDF2Audio
13 AI voices; your own cloned voice on Pro and Premium
Paper2Audio
Several named voices with US and UK accents
Languages
PDF2Audio
18, each read in its own language
Paper2Audio
Not listed on its website
File types
PDF2Audio
PDF up to 10 MB; scanned PDFs up to 30 pages are read with OCR
Paper2Audio
PDF (including scanned), EPUB, Word, Markdown, HTML, TXT and web links
Where it runs
PDF2Audio
Web browser and iPhone
Paper2Audio
Web, iOS, Android, and extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge
Reading aids
PDF2Audio
Transcript beside the audio, chapters, 0.75x to 2x speed, share link
Paper2Audio
Reader view, notes and highlights, collections, sync across devices
| Feature | PDF2Audio | Paper2Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Price for personal use | 50,000 characters free once, then pay per document from $2.99, or Basic at $9.99 a month for 500,000 characters | Free for personal use, up to 56 hours of audio a week; a paid Plus plan for professional use |
| Audio file to keep | MP3 download on the web; books can be downloaded one MP3 per chapter | Offline downloads in the iOS and Android apps; audio file export is part of Plus |
| Two-host podcast | Yes: two voices discuss the document | No: its summaries are described as information-dense rather than simulated podcasts |
| Other listening modes | Clean read-through, Lecture, Summary, Deep Analysis, Book with chapters | Full text, Long summary, Short summary |
| Voices | 13 AI voices; your own cloned voice on Pro and Premium | Several named voices with US and UK accents |
| Languages | 18, each read in its own language | Not listed on its website |
| File types | PDF up to 10 MB; scanned PDFs up to 30 pages are read with OCR | PDF (including scanned), EPUB, Word, Markdown, HTML, TXT and web links |
| Where it runs | Web browser and iPhone | Web, iOS, Android, and extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge |
| Reading aids | Transcript beside the audio, chapters, 0.75x to 2x speed, share link | Reader view, notes and highlights, collections, sync across devices |
Paper2Audio details are from its own website and App Store listing, checked 26 October 2026. Paper2Audio is a trademark of its owner; PDF2Audio is not affiliated with it.
Choose Paper2Audio if
- • You want to listen to research papers for free, inside an app
- • Your files are EPUB, Word or web pages rather than PDFs
- • You need Android or a browser extension
- • You take notes and highlights while you listen
Choose PDF2Audio if
- • You want an MP3 file to keep, for the car, a run or a flight
- • You learn better from a two-host podcast or a lecture than a straight reading
- • The document is in Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Japanese or another of 18 languages
- • You want to pay once for one document, with no subscription
What converting a PDF looks like
Upload a PDF and PDF2Audio shows how many minutes of audio it will make and what it costs before anything is charged. Pick a voice, a language and a mode: a word-for-word reading, or a podcast, lecture, summary or deep analysis written for listening.
Short documents are ready in a couple of minutes; long ones send the first part early so you can start listening. Download the MP3, or keep it in your library and share it with a link. Running headers, page numbers and footnote markers are left out so they do not break the reading.
Frequently asked questions
Is PDF2Audio the same as Paper2Audio?
No. They are separate products from separate companies. Paper2Audio is a free text-to-speech reader for papers and documents; PDF2Audio turns a PDF into an MP3 file, or rewrites it first as a podcast, lecture or summary.
Is Paper2Audio free?
Its website says it is free for personal use, with up to 56 hours of audio a week, and that professional use needs its paid Plus plan (checked 26 October 2026).
Why pay for PDF2Audio if Paper2Audio is free?
If you want to listen to papers inside an app, you may not need to. PDF2Audio is worth paying for when you want an MP3 you keep and play anywhere, a two-host podcast or a lecture made from the document, or a language other than English. You see the price before anything is charged, and a failed conversion is refunded.
Can I try PDF2Audio for free?
Yes. Every new account gets 50,000 characters free, enough for a typical article or a short report, without a card.
Try it on your own PDF
50,000 characters free, no card. You see the price before you pay anything.
Convert a PDF