Let’s be honest—text-to-speech (TTS) technology should be the AI-powered marvel that saves time, improves accessibility, and lets us lazily listen to content while pretending to multitask (looking at you, “gym people” who haven’t broken a sweat since January).
But some TTS providers have taken this promising technology and driven it straight into the uncanny valley, making us question if the robot apocalypse might just be annoying rather than terrifying.
Here’s a glorious roast of the worst offenders in the TTS game—where robotic mumbling, clunky customer support, and user interfaces from the Stone Age unite like some unholy alliance of bad decisions.
1. PlayHT – Play How Terrible?
Oh PlayHT, you sound like you’re trying to be the Spotify of AI voices, but honestly, you’ve got more bugs than a cheap motel. Their UI feels like it was coded by someone who’s never met a user—or light. And don’t get us started on their customer service. It’s like whispering into a void and waiting for Gandalf to reply. Spoiler: He never does.
Here’s my tip: Fly, you fools.
Their pricing model is more confusing than a Christopher Nolan film, and half the time the voice you thought you paid for isn’t even available unless you navigate a labyrinth of upgrades, tokens, and probably a blood sacrifice.
2. PlayAI – Should’ve Hit Pause Instead
PlayAI: because why settle for one bad product name when you can have two? It’s as if PlayHT had an evil twin who smoked too much, lost all empathy, and decided to ruin synthetic voices forever. The voices have a hollow, haunted quality—like a ghost reading a shopping list. There’s “emotion,” sure, but it’s the emotion of someone being held at gunpoint and forced to read your blog.
And what’s the difference between PlayAI and PlayHT. Seems like there’s confusion all over this sinking ship and it shows in the product.
And support? Oh, sweet summer child. You’ll get better feedback yelling at your toaster.
3. Convert-text-to-speech.com – Because Bad UX is Free
This one looks like it escaped a 2004 GeoCities time capsule. It’s the “free tool” that makes you realise some things are free because they absolutely should not be monetised. The voice quality is… generous, if you consider 8-bit horror generous. Imagine a drunk GPS robot trying to read bedtime stories—it’s that, but worse.
Lol. We are self aware.
The interface is more suspicious than a phishing email from “Elon_Musk394”. And for the love of all that’s user-friendly, the download process feels like you’re defusing a bomb: one wrong click and you’ve opened 47 tabs and downloaded malware.
4. Unlimitedtts.com – Unlimited Voices? Maybe. Good Ones? LOL.
Unlimited TTS promises big—“unlimited” voices, features, access… all wrapped in a site that looks like it was whipped together on a Friday at 4:59pm. The voice quality here could make Shakespeare sound like a garbled voicemail from a malfunctioning fax machine. Monotone doesn’t begin to describe it—it’s less “text to speech” and more “text to beige noise.”
The company seems to have forgotten about the “support” part of customer support, leaving you to scream into the digital abyss like a forgotten MySpace login.
If you’re considering using one of the above monstrosities for your TTS needs… don’t. Save your sanity, save your ears, and for the love of clarity, use a tool that doesn’t feel like it’s powered by potatoes and regret.
Your content deserves better. Your audience deserves better. And frankly, your blog deserves a glow-up with BlogToVideo. Because synthetic voices should elevate, not assassinate, your message.
Mic drop. 🎤🤖💀