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Honest comparison · Updated May 23, 2026
FreeTTS vs WellSaid Labs: Is $49/mo Worth the Voice Actor Quality?
WellSaid Labs built its entire product around consenting professional voice actors — 120+ Studio Voices that sound genuinely human. FreeTTS uses Azure Neural TTS with 400+ voices across 75+ languages and a free public API. WellSaid is purpose-built for enterprise eLearning. FreeTTS is built for everyone else. Here's the full breakdown.
Last updated · FreeTTS editorial team · Methodology at bottom
158%
WellSaid Starter costs more than FreeTTS PRO ($49 vs $19/mo)
75+
FreeTTS languages vs WellSaid English-only focus
400+
FreeTTS voices vs 120+ WellSaid Studio Voices
Free
FreeTTS API on free tier; WellSaid requires Teams ($99/seat)
The 30-second answer
Pick the right tool for your workflow
Pick WellSaid if
You need SCORM or xAPI export for Articulate Rise, Lectora, or an LMS
Your company requires SOC 2 Type II or HIPAA compliance documentation
Your stakeholders specifically care that AI voices come from consenting voice actors
You run a corporate training team with shared workspace, version history, and batch projects
English-only content is fine — you don't need multilingual support
Budget is not the primary constraint and enterprise support SLAs matter
Pick FreeTTS if
You want to save $30–$80/month vs WellSaid (PRO $19 vs Starter $49)
You need content in 10+ languages — WellSaid doesn't cover this
You want a public API on the free tier without paying $99/seat
Full W3C SSML control (break tags, emphasis, phoneme) for audiobooks or eLearning
You want a lifetime deal and don't want ongoing subscription costs
Depends on your context
English corporate narration — both produce professional-quality audio
YouTube narration — FreeTTS saves money; WellSaid adds actor polish
Podcast narration — FreeTTS for variety; WellSaid for consistent brand voice
Agency work — FreeTTS for scale and languages; WellSaid for enterprise clients
Side-by-side
Feature comparison
Feature
FreeTTS
WellSaid Labs
Pricing
Free tier
Yes (no signup, watermark on download)
Trial only (no permanent free tier)
Entry paid
PRO $19/mo
Starter $49/mo
Team tier
Creator $39/mo
Teams $99/mo per seat
Enterprise
Yes (custom pricing, compliance SLAs)
Lifetime option
$199 PRO / $349 Creator
Commercial license
PRO+
All paid plans
TTS / Voice
Voice count
400+
120+ Studio Voices
Voice source
Azure Neural TTS (synthetic)
Professional voice actors (consent-based)
Languages
75+
English-focused (limited multilingual)
Voice cloning
SSML support (full W3C)
PRO+ (break, emphasis, phoneme)
Partial (no W3C markup)
Speed / pitch control
0.5x–2.0x
Style controls in editor
Output / Delivery
MP3 download
WAV / lossless export
Batch project manager
PRO+ Studio
SCORM / xAPI export
LMS integration
Articulate Rise, Lectora, more
API & Developer
Public REST API
Free (15/min) + PRO (200/min)
Teams+ only
API key required on free tier
N/A (no free API)
No-code web editor
Enterprise / Compliance
SOC 2 Type II
HIPAA compliance
Enterprise tier
Team workspace / collaboration
Teams+
GDPR-compliant infrastructure
Hetzner DE (EU)
US-based
Platform
Browser-based
Desktop app
Chrome extension
Mobile app
Pricing math
Who should pay for what?
Solo content creator needing TTS for YouTube or podcast
Winner: FreeTTS PRO
FreeTTS: PRO $19/mo
WellSaid: Starter $49/mo (+$30/mo for same features)
Every WellSaid voice comes from a professional voice actor who recorded hours of samples and consented to the AI training. The result is voices with natural pacing variations, actor instincts, and expressiveness that synthetic TTS engines don't fully replicate. For corporate training where your brand voice needs to feel human, this matters.
SCORM and xAPI for LMS
WellSaid integrates directly with Articulate Rise, Lectora, Storyline, and other eLearning authoring tools. It exports SCORM 1.2 and xAPI packages that drop into any LMS. FreeTTS generates MP3 files you import manually. If your workflow depends on LMS completion tracking or xAPI data, WellSaid saves hours per course module.
Enterprise compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA)
WellSaid is SOC 2 Type II certified and supports HIPAA-compliant workflows on enterprise plans. If you work in healthcare, legal, or finance and your IT department requires documented compliance certifications, WellSaid clears that bar. FreeTTS doesn't currently offer SOC 2 or HIPAA documentation.
Team collaboration and batch projects
WellSaid Teams includes shared project libraries, version history, multi-user workspaces, and batch processing for large script volumes. If you have a team of eLearning developers all working on the same training library, the collaboration features reduce duplication and version confusion. FreeTTS Studio covers individual projects but lacks the enterprise team layer.
Honest assessment
Where FreeTTS genuinely wins
Price — 158% cheaper at entry tier
FreeTTS PRO is $19/month. WellSaid Starter is $49/month. Same basic capability (generate TTS audio for commercial use), $30/month price gap. Over a year that's $360 saved. FreeTTS also offers lifetime pricing ($199 one-time) — equivalent to about 4 months of WellSaid Starter. WellSaid has no lifetime option.
75+ languages vs English-only
WellSaid is built around English-speaking voice actors. Multilingual support is minimal. FreeTTS covers 75+ languages with native-accent neural voices — French (fr-FR, fr-CA, fr-BE, fr-CH), German (de-DE, de-AT, de-CH), Arabic (18+ regional variants), Spanish, Japanese, Hindi, and more. If any of your content is non-English, FreeTTS wins without debate.
Free public API — no $99/seat requirement
FreeTTS has a public REST API available on the free tier — 15 requests/minute, no API key required. PRO gives you 200 requests/minute. WellSaid's API is locked behind the Teams plan at $99/month per seat. For developers building TTS integrations, automations, or apps, FreeTTS removes the cost barrier entirely.
More voice variety — 400+ options
WellSaid's 120+ voices all come from English-speaking professional actors. FreeTTS has 400+ voices across 75 languages including expressive styles (newscast, cheerful, empathetic, shouting), neural voices in regional accents, and specialized voices for different content types. For creators who need to match different brand voices or content formats, the range matters.
Switching guide
Moving from WellSaid to FreeTTS
Takes 1–2 hours for most teams. Your existing MP3s are yours — nothing is lost.
1
Export your existing WellSaid audio
Download all current project MP3s from WellSaid. They're yours regardless of subscription status. Keep your script documents alongside each MP3 for re-generation reference.
2
Find your voice match
Go to freetts.org/voices and filter by language and style. Try samples with 2–3 sentences from your actual scripts. WellSaid voices tend to map to "newscast" or "professional" style neural voices in FreeTTS.
3
Regenerate new content in FreeTTS
Paste your script, select your chosen voice, and generate. For high-volume work, use the FreeTTS PRO Studio for project management or the API (POST /api/tts) for batch automation.
4
Handle SCORM manually (if needed)
FreeTTS outputs MP3 files. Import them into your authoring tool (Articulate Rise, Storyline) as you would any audio asset, then re-export your SCORM package. The extra step takes a few minutes per module — weigh this against the $30–$80/month savings.
FAQ
FreeTTS vs WellSaid Labs — common questions
Is WellSaid Labs more expensive than FreeTTS?▼
Yes, significantly. WellSaid Starter costs $49/month vs FreeTTS PRO at $19/month — that's about 158% more expensive for the entry tier. WellSaid Teams runs $99/month per seat. FreeTTS offers a lifetime deal ($199 PRO one-time) that WellSaid doesn't match at all.
Does WellSaid Labs support languages other than English?▼
WellSaid is primarily English-focused. As of 2026 it has limited multilingual beta support, but the 120+ Studio Voices are predominantly English-language professional actors. FreeTTS covers 75+ languages with native-accent neural voices — fr-FR vs fr-CA, de-DE vs de-AT, 18+ Arabic variants, Hindi, Japanese, and more. For non-English content, FreeTTS is the clear choice.
What makes WellSaid's voices different from FreeTTS?▼
WellSaid's voices are all recorded by consenting professional voice actors who earn royalties per character generated. The result is voices that sound more like real humans — natural pacing, actor expressiveness, and industry-specific delivery styles. FreeTTS uses Azure Neural TTS, which is high quality but synthetic. If voice actor authenticity matters to your brand or compliance context, WellSaid wins on this specific dimension.
Does WellSaid Labs have a free tier?▼
No. WellSaid offers a limited trial but there's no permanent free tier. FreeTTS has a free tier with no signup required — paste text, pick a voice, download audio. You get an audio watermark on downloaded files, but the TTS itself works without an account. For budget-conscious users or quick tests, FreeTTS wins on accessibility.
Does WellSaid have a public API?▼
WellSaid's API is only available on the Teams plan ($99/month per seat) and above. There's no free API access. FreeTTS has a public REST API — free tier gets 15 requests/minute with no API key required; PRO plan gets 200 requests/minute. For developers building TTS integrations on a budget, FreeTTS is far more accessible.
Is WellSaid Labs good for eLearning?▼
WellSaid is specifically designed for corporate eLearning. It integrates with Articulate Rise, Lectora, and other LMS platforms, supports SCORM and xAPI export, and its voice actor quality fits the professional tone of corporate training content. If your workflow centers on an LMS and you need SCORM packaging, WellSaid has a real edge. FreeTTS doesn't offer built-in SCORM export.
Which has better voice quality — WellSaid or FreeTTS?▼
They're different in kind, not just degree. WellSaid uses professional voice actors — the result sounds more human and natural, especially in long-form corporate narration. FreeTTS uses Azure Neural TTS, which is excellent for synthetic speech but doesn't replicate the actor quality. The tradeoff: FreeTTS gives you 400+ voice options across 75+ languages; WellSaid gives you ~120 actor voices in English.
Does WellSaid support SSML for pauses and emphasis?▼
WellSaid has some style and pacing controls in its editor interface, but it doesn't support full W3C SSML markup. You can't paste SSML tags to control pauses, emphasis, or phoneme pronunciation the way you can in FreeTTS PRO. For developers or audiobook creators who need granular SSML control, FreeTTS PRO wins.
Can I clone my voice with WellSaid Labs?▼
No. WellSaid doesn't offer personal voice cloning — you pick from their catalog of 120+ professional actor voices. FreeTTS doesn't offer voice cloning either; it gives you 400+ pre-built neural voices across 75+ languages to choose from instead.
Is WellSaid Labs SOC 2 and HIPAA compliant?▼
Yes. WellSaid is SOC 2 Type II certified and offers HIPAA compliance on enterprise plans. This is a genuine differentiator for healthcare, legal, and finance companies that have strict data handling requirements. FreeTTS runs on Hetzner infrastructure in Germany (GDPR-compliant, EU data processing) but doesn't specifically advertise SOC 2 or HIPAA certifications. For regulated industries, WellSaid's compliance stack is real value.
What's the character limit on WellSaid Starter?▼
WellSaid Starter limits monthly character generation — approximately 100,000 characters per month based on their current pricing structure. FreeTTS PRO ($19/month) has no character limit — generate as much audio as you need. For high-volume creators or developers, FreeTTS's unlimited approach wins on total value.
Can I use WellSaid for commercial YouTube or podcast content?▼
Yes, commercial use is included on all WellSaid paid plans. FreeTTS PRO and Creator plans also include full commercial licensing — you own the output and can monetize it on any platform. Both tools cover commercial use, so this isn't a differentiating factor.
Does WellSaid offer a lifetime plan?▼
No. WellSaid is subscription-only. FreeTTS offers lifetime deals — PRO at $199 one-time and Creator at $349 one-time. At WellSaid Starter pricing ($49/month), you'd spend $588/year. A FreeTTS PRO lifetime deal pays for itself in just over 4 months of WellSaid Starter.
Which is better for a corporate training department on WellSaid Teams budget?▼
WellSaid Teams ($99/month per seat) is the better choice specifically if you need SCORM/xAPI output, your LMS integrations matter, and your stakeholders care about voice actor authenticity in training material. But if your team is producing multilingual training or needs API automation, FreeTTS Creator ($39/month) at 2.5x lower cost covers the same use case.
Can I switch from WellSaid to FreeTTS without losing work?▼
Yes. WellSaid exports MP3 files — those are yours. Any existing training content stays usable. For new content, you'd pick from FreeTTS's 400+ voices, re-generate audio in the same script structure, and import into your authoring tool. The main work is finding a FreeTTS voice that matches the tone of your existing WellSaid voice. Most users take 1–2 hours to build a new voice template.
Sources
Methodology & sources
WellSaid Labs pricing
All WellSaid prices verified May 23, 2026 from wellsaidlabs.com/pricing. Starter $49/mo, Teams $99/mo/seat.
FreeTTS pricing
FreeTTS PRO $19/mo, Creator $39/mo, Lifetime PRO $199, Lifetime Creator $349. Verified May 23, 2026 from freetts.org/pricing.
Voice counts
FreeTTS 400+ from Azure Neural TTS voice catalog. WellSaid 120+ Studio Voices from WellSaid documentation, May 2026.
WellSaid compliance
SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA information from WellSaid security documentation and their enterprise features page, verified May 2026.
Try FreeTTS free — no signup needed
Paste text, pick from 400+ voices, generate audio in seconds. No credit card, no account. PRO starts at $19/month — less than half the WellSaid Starter price.