Most lists of the best text-to-speech plugins are written by companies that sell one, and their own product usually comes first. We sell one too, so this post ranks nobody. It gives you ten checks you can run yourself, on any plugin's demo page or on a site that already uses it, and says where Readerr falls short.
You need a desktop browser with developer tools and a page where the player is installed. In Chrome, Edge and Firefox, press F12, or right-click the page and choose Inspect. In Safari, first turn on the Develop menu in Safari's settings, then press Option+Cmd+I to open the Web Inspector.
01Does it download audio before anyone presses play?
Most readers never press play. If the player downloads the audio file as soon as the page opens, every visitor pays for it in data and loading time, including people on a phone.
- Open an article with the player. In developer tools, go to the Network tab.
- Tick Disable cache and reload the page.
- Filter the list by Media, or type mp3 into the filter box.
- Press play only after you have looked at the list.
- While you are there, filter by JS and note how much script the player adds to every page.
What good looks like. The list stays empty until you press play, and then the audio request appears. Readerr's player tells the browser not to preload the audio, so nothing is requested before play.
02What does it store in the reader's browser?
A player that sets cookies or writes to browser storage adds to what you have to explain to readers. You want to know before you install it, not after.
- In developer tools, open the Application tab. In Firefox it is called Storage.
- Clear the site's data, then reload the page.
- Note what is under Cookies, Local storage and Session storage.
- Press play, let it run for a few seconds, and look again.
- Check the Network tab for requests to domains other than the site and the player's own.
What good looks like. Nothing new appears after you press play, and there are no requests you can't explain. Readerr's player sets no cookies and uses no localStorage or sessionStorage.
03Does the page jump when the player appears?
A player inserted by a script after the page has loaded can push the article down while someone is already reading. It is easy to miss on a fast office connection.
- In the Network tab, set the speed to Slow 4G and reload.
- Watch the headline and the first paragraph while the player appears.
- For a measurement, run Lighthouse in Chrome's developer tools and look at Cumulative Layout Shift.
What good looks like. The text doesn't move when the player loads. Readerr's player keeps its space in the page from the first paint.
04Is it a browser voice or a generated audio file?
Some players use the voices built into the reader's device, which costs nothing and starts at once. But the voice sounds different on every phone and computer. Other players generate an audio file for each article, so everyone hears the same recording.
- Press play and watch the Network tab. A generated file appears as an audio request, and a browser voice makes no audio request at all.
- Open the same article on a second device and compare.
What good looks like. Everyone hears the same recording, and you can listen to it yourself. Readerr generates a file for each article.
05How does it read numbers and abbreviations?
This is where players differ most, and a demo page with a short marketing sentence won't show it. Test with text that looks like a real article.
- Find an article with figures and short forms on a site that uses the player, or paste the sentence below into the vendor's demo.
- Listen for "number fourteen", "High Street", "approximately", "three thousand four hundred" and "for example".
- Then try a paragraph from one of your own articles, because every publication has its own habits.
"Bus No. 14 is back on High St. It carries approx. 3,400 riders a day, e.g. pupils on their way to school."
What good looks like. Every figure and short form comes out as words a person would say. Readerr prepares numbers and abbreviations with rules before the voice reads them, and you can hear this exact sentence read both ways on the home page.
We explain why voices get it wrong in a separate post.
06Does the player say the voice is AI?
Readers should know when they are listening to a generated voice. A player that hides it can cost you their trust later.
- Look at the player itself, not the vendor's website.
- Check for a visible label in the article's language.
- Look in the plugin settings for an option to switch it off.
What good looks like. A visible label that stays on. Readerr's player always shows "AI-generated audio (Readerr) - may contain errors" in the article's language, and it can't be removed.
07Are there ads in the audio?
Some free players are paid for with ads played before or during the article. Your readers then pay with their attention, and you don't choose what they hear.
- Play the first minute of several articles on a site that uses the free plan.
- Read the pricing page for words like monetisation or revenue share.
What good looks like. Your readers hear your article and nothing else. Readerr has no ads in the audio: you pay for the audio instead.
08What does an edit cost?
Most plans are metered in characters or articles. The number that surprises people later is the cost of corrections.
- Search the pricing page and FAQ for what happens when an article changes.
- Ask in writing if it isn't there.
- Find out whether the whole article is made again after a typo fix.
- Find out whether that new recording is charged again.
- Find out whether changing a tag counts as a change.
What good looks like. The rule is written down before you buy. At Readerr, any change to the article text, a typo fix included, makes a new recording and uses characters again, while changing tags, categories or the featured image does not.
We go through the maths in what audio for your articles really costs.
09How many sites does one plan cover?
If you run several titles, a plan limited to one site can double or triple the price.
- Look for a site or domain limit on the pricing page.
- Check whether each site needs its own account.
What good looks like. One account can cover several titles. At Readerr, all sites on one account share the same pool of characters.
Readerr's plans cover these numbers of sites:
- Start: 1 site
- Portal: up to 3 sites
- Newsroom: up to 10 sites
- Enterprise: no limit
10What happens when you run out?
A busy news month can use up any plan. Find out in advance what the plugin does then.
- Look for the answer in the FAQ or terms.
- Check whether the player disappears from existing articles.
- Check whether new articles wait, and whether extra usage is billed without asking.
What good looks like. The answer is written down and you know which articles get audio. At Readerr, articles published while the limit is reached go out without audio, and articles published after the next monthly period starts, or after you buy a top-up, get audio again.
An article that went out without audio gets it once it is saved again.
Not sure which plan fits?
Move one slider: articles a month and number of sites.
11Where Readerr is not the right choice
A checklist is only useful if it can say no. These are the points where Readerr doesn't have what some publishers need today:
- Audio only for subscribers. Readerr shows the player to everyone who can read the article. If audio is part of your paid offer, look elsewhere for now.
- Voice cloning. You can pick from several female and male voices. You can't record your own voice or use a presenter's.
- A player without the AI label or the Readerr mark. Both stay in every plan.
- Reports on listening. Readerr doesn't give you figures on how many people pressed play.
- Other platforms. There is a WordPress plugin and an API. On any other system, a developer has to connect the API.
If Readerr passes the checks that matter to you, run them on your own articles with a free trial: 7 days, no card needed. Or compare the plans on the pricing page.