Offline Text-to-Speech
for iPhone & iPad.
LocalReader reads PDFs, EPUBs, and web pages aloud using 50+ neural AI voices running entirely on your iPhone's Neural Engine. No internet, no cloud, no tracking — your documents never leave your device.
Powered by Kokoro-82M on-device TTS · 8 languages · 120Hz word highlighting
Supported Formats
Read any document aloud on iPhone
Open a PDF, EPUB, web page, or plain text file — LocalReader converts it to natural speech with neural AI voices, entirely on your device.
Multi-page, word highlight
EPUB
Chapter navigation
Web Pages
Share from Safari
Plain Text
Paste or type
Features
Why LocalReader is the best offline text-to-speech app
Neural AI voices, on-device privacy, and features designed for real reading — not gimmicks.
100% Offline Text-to-Speech
Works in Airplane Mode with zero cloud dependency. The Kokoro-82M neural TTS model runs directly on Apple Neural Engine. No internet, no data collection, no uploads — your documents stay on your device.
50+ Neural AI Voices
Natural-sounding voices across English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Italian, and Portuguese. Not the robotic system voices — real neural speech synthesis running on your iPhone.
Instant Playback
Sub-50ms latency powered by Apple Neural Engine. Real-time word highlighting at 120Hz ProMotion keeps your eyes and ears in sync as the AI voice reads.
Read PDFs & EPUBs Aloud
Open PDFs, EPUBs, web pages, and plain text. Share from Safari, Mail, Files, or any app. Multi-page navigation, chapter support, and bookmark your position.
Speed Control (0.5x–3.0x)
Adjust reading speed from 0.5x for language learning to 3.0x for speed reading. Neural voices stay natural at every speed — no pitch artifacts or chipmunk distortion.
Siri, Apple Watch & Lock Screen
"Hey Siri, resume reading." Control playback from your wrist, Lock Screen widgets, and Live Activities. Hands-free listening while driving, cooking, or exercising.
How It Works
From text to speech in 3 steps
Open a document
Share a PDF, EPUB, or web page from any app into LocalReader. Or paste text directly — it starts reading in seconds.
Choose a neural voice
Pick from 50+ on-device AI voices across 8 languages. Every voice runs locally on your iPhone — no downloads, no cloud.
Listen anywhere
Press play and follow along with real-time word highlighting. Works on flights, in the subway, or anywhere without internet.
Comparison
Cloud text-to-speech vs. on-device
Most TTS apps upload your text to remote servers. LocalReader keeps everything on your iPhone.
| Cloud TTS Apps | LocalReader | |
|---|---|---|
| Works offline | ❌ Needs internet | ✅ 100% offline |
| Your text stays private | ❌ Uploaded to servers | ✅ Never leaves device |
| Per-word/character limits | ⚠️ Common on free tiers | ✅ No per-word limits |
| Neural AI voices | ✅ Cloud-rendered | ✅ On-device Kokoro-82M |
| Multiple languages | ✅ Dozens | ✅ 8 languages, 50+ voices |
| Latency | Depends on network | ✅ Sub-50ms on-device |
Use Cases
Who uses offline text-to-speech?
📖 Students & Researchers
Turn academic PDFs, textbooks, and research papers into audio. Listen to course material during commutes or while exercising. Speed up study sessions at 2x–3x.
🧠 Dyslexia & Reading Support
Real-time word highlighting syncs visual and auditory reading, a proven technique for dyslexia support. Adjustable speed and natural voices reduce cognitive load.
✈️ Commuters & Travelers
Read articles, books, and documents on flights, trains, and subways — where there's no signal. Offline text-to-speech that works anywhere.
🌍 Language Learners
Hear correct pronunciation across 8 languages with neural voices. Slow down to 0.5x for careful listening. Read foreign-language books and articles with natural pronunciation.
👁️ Low Vision & Accessibility
Large text with synchronized audio and word highlighting. An alternative to screen readers for people who want to listen to specific documents rather than the entire interface.
✍️ Writers & Editors
Hear your writing read back to you — the fastest way to catch awkward phrasing, typos, and rhythm issues. Paste a draft and listen at comfortable speed.
Privacy
Your documents never leave your iPhone
The Kokoro-82M model and all 50+ voices are bundled inside the app. Speech synthesis runs on the Apple Neural Engine — not a remote server. There are no analytics SDKs, no crash reporters, no tracking frameworks, and no account system. Your reading history, bookmarks, and documents are stored locally on your device.
Pricing
Start free. Upgrade when you need more.
No trial tricks, no hidden limits. The free tier is genuinely useful — Premium unlocks everything.
Free
$0
- ✓ 2 neural voices
- ✓ 30 min/day playback
- ✓ PDF, EPUB, web, text
- ✓ Word highlighting
- ✓ 100% offline
Premium
$9.99/mo
- ✓ All 50+ voices
- ✓ Unlimited playback
- ✓ All 8 languages
- ✓ Everything in Free
Annual
$59.99/yr
- ✓ Save 50%
- ✓ Everything in Premium
- ✓ Installments available
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LocalReader really work offline as a text-to-speech app?
Yes. LocalReader runs the Kokoro-82M neural text-to-speech model directly on your iPhone using the Apple Neural Engine. No internet connection is needed for speech synthesis, PDF reading, EPUB reading, or playback. It works in Airplane Mode, on flights, underground, and anywhere without Wi-Fi or cellular data.
What file formats can LocalReader read aloud?
LocalReader reads PDFs, EPUBs, web pages, and plain text aloud with neural AI voices. You can share documents from Safari, Mail, Files, or any other app directly into LocalReader. It handles long documents, multi-chapter books, and web articles.
How many voices and languages does LocalReader support?
LocalReader includes 50+ neural AI voices across 8 languages: English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Italian, and Portuguese. Every voice runs on-device — no cloud processing, no per-character fees. The free tier includes 2 voices; Premium unlocks all 50+ voices.
How is LocalReader different from Speechify or NaturalReader?
Speechify and NaturalReader synthesize speech on cloud servers, which means your text is uploaded for processing and you need an internet connection. LocalReader generates speech entirely on your iPhone using the Apple Neural Engine. Your documents never leave your device, it works offline, and there are no per-word or per-character limits.
Is LocalReader free to use?
Yes. LocalReader has a free tier with 2 neural voices, 30 minutes of daily playback, and support for all document formats including PDF and EPUB. Premium ($9.99/month or $59.99/year) unlocks all 50+ voices, unlimited playback, and all 8 languages.
What iPhone models support LocalReader?
LocalReader requires an iPhone with the Apple Neural Engine for on-device speech synthesis. This includes iPhone XS and later models running iOS 17 or newer. iPad with A12 Bionic chip or later is also supported.
Can I use LocalReader to read PDFs aloud on iPhone?
Yes. Open any PDF in LocalReader and it reads every page aloud with neural AI voices and real-time word highlighting at 120Hz. Share a PDF from Files, Safari, or Mail — or open it directly from the app. Speed is adjustable from 0.5x to 3.0x.
Does LocalReader track my reading data or documents?
No. LocalReader has zero tracking, zero analytics, and zero cloud uploads. Speech is generated on your device, documents stay in the app sandbox on your iPhone, and nothing is ever transmitted to any server. The only network request the app makes is checking for App Store subscription status.
Guides
Learn more about offline text-to-speech
Comparison
LocalReader vs Speechify
On-device vs cloud TTS. Privacy, pricing, voice quality, and offline support compared.
Comparison
LocalReader vs NaturalReader
Two TTS apps at the same price. Which is better for iPhone users who read offline?
Technical Deep-Dive
How Kokoro-82M TTS Runs on iPhone
Neural Engine inference pipeline, model optimization, and why offline TTS works.
Turn every screen into your personal narrator
Free to download. No ads, no account, no internet required. 50+ neural AI voices that read PDFs, EPUBs, and web pages aloud — 100% on your iPhone.
Download Free on App Store