Compare
Aloud vs ElevenReader
ElevenReader is ElevenLabs' reading app, with some of the most natural-sounding voices available. On a Mac it runs as a website. Aloud is a native Mac app, and it can use ElevenLabs voices through your own API key.
Updated 8 October 2026.
Short answerFor the most expressive voices on your phone, ElevenReader is excellent. For reading on a Mac, from any app, without an account or hour allowance, Aloud is the better tool, and with your own ElevenLabs key you can still use ElevenLabs voices inside it.
Side by side
| Aloud | ElevenReader | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19 once, per Mac | Free: 10 hours of audio a month. Ultra: $11 a month or $99 a year. |
| Platforms | macOS 14 or later | iPhone, Android, and a web app. No native Mac app. |
| Account | None | Required |
| Voices | Apple voices and Kokoro on device; ElevenLabs or Cartesia with your own key | ElevenLabs cloud voices |
| Limits | None from Aloud. With your key, ElevenLabs bills API usage. | Hours are spent when text is converted; Ultra's imports are capped at 24 hours a day |
| Offline | Apple and Kokoro voices work fully offline | Offline downloads on Ultra, inside the app |
| Read from any Mac app | Yes | No, import into the app |
| Export audio | .m4a files | In-app downloads only |
ElevenReader prices from elevenreader.io/pricing and its help article on hours, checked 8 October 2026. ElevenLabs API usage is billed per character; see elevenlabs.io/pricing/api.
Who should pick which
Pick Aloud if
- You read on a Mac and want a native app
- You want voices that work on a plane and never leave your Mac
- You'd like ElevenLabs voices occasionally, paying only for what you use with your own key
Pick ElevenReader if
- You listen mostly on your phone
- You want ElevenLabs voices for everything and don't mind an hour allowance
- You listen to long books and like a library app
How ElevenLabs voices work in Aloud
Create an API key in your ElevenLabs account, then add it in Aloud's Settings. The key is stored in your Mac's Keychain. When you choose an ElevenLabs voice, the text being read is sent to ElevenLabs with your key, and ElevenLabs bills your account directly. The word highlight still follows along. Switch back to an Apple or Kokoro voice and nothing leaves your Mac.
Where ElevenReader is better
- Voice quality and expressiveness: ElevenLabs voices are among the most natural available.
- Phone apps and a books library.
- A free tier, if 10 hours a month is enough for you.
Where Aloud is better
- A real Mac app: shortcuts, Services menu, notch or floating player, Shortcuts and Siri.
- On-device voices with no allowance and no account.
- Audio files you can keep, in .m4a.
Questions
Does ElevenReader have a Mac app?
Not a native one. On a Mac you use the web app at elevenreader.io.
Can I use ElevenLabs voices on my Mac with Aloud?
Yes. Add your own ElevenLabs API key in Aloud's Settings. Text read with those voices is sent to ElevenLabs, and ElevenLabs bills you for API usage. Aloud doesn't charge anything extra.
Is an ElevenReader subscription the same as an ElevenLabs API key?
No. ElevenReader plans and ElevenLabs API usage are billed separately. Aloud uses an API key.
Which is cheaper?
Aloud is $19 once. ElevenReader is free for 10 hours a month, or $99 a year for Ultra (checked 8 October 2026). If you add an ElevenLabs key to Aloud, you also pay ElevenLabs for the characters you convert.
More Mac utilities from the developer: SnapState puts your Mac windows, apps and browser tabs back after sleep or a monitor reconnect. $9.99 one-time.