Read aloud web pages and PDFs
Read web pages, PDFs, and selected text aloud with word-by-word highlighting, OCR, and premium English voices that run on your device with unlimited premium voice usage.
The human brain processes spoken language faster than written text. This efficiency is one reason why audiobooks and text-to-speech tools have seen such rapid growth in recent years. Listening lets you absorb information while commuting, exercising, or doing household tasks.
Text-to-Speech
Read any page, PDF, or text selection aloud. Select text and press play, or read the entire page.
Premium English Voices
28 natural-sounding English voices that run on your device, with unlimited premium voice usage and private-by-default playback.
Word Highlighting
Follow along word-by-word in the transcript as you listen. Click any word to seek.
OCR for Images
Extract text from images, screenshots, and scanned PDFs. Runs on your device — no uploads, no limits.
AI Summarization
Get brief summaries of any page or selection before listening. Toggle summarize mode on or off.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Control playback without leaving the page. Configurable shortcuts for play, pause, and stop.
Works right on the page
Select text, press play, and follow along with word-by-word highlighting — without leaving the page.
The Science of Listening
How audio transforms the way we learn and retain information
Dr. Sarah Chen
Feb 5, 2026 · 8 min read
The human brain processes spoken language faster than written text. This efficiency is one reason why audiobooks and text-to-speech tools have seen such rapid growth in recent years.
Listening lets you absorb information while commuting, exercising, or doing household tasks — turning dead time into learning time.
Research from the University of Waterloo found that participants who listened to content while following along with highlighted text showed 28% better retention compared to reading alone...
This efficiency is one reason why audiobooks and text-to-speech tools have seen such rapid growth in recent years.
How it works
Install the extension
Add Readox to Chrome. Free to start, no account required.
Select text or open the sidepanel
Highlight text on any page or PDF, or open the sidepanel to read the entire document.
Press play and listen
Hear the text read aloud with word-by-word highlighting in the transcript.
Simple pricing
Start free. Readox Pro is tied to your Google account, so checkout happens inside the extension after sign-in.
Every plan includes read-aloud for web pages and PDFs, OCR, word-by-word highlighting, and keyboard shortcuts.
Free
A real free plan for everyday reading.
Use browser voices to read web pages, PDFs, and selected text in Chrome.
Install for ChromeIncludes
- ✓Browser voices
- ✓Unlimited reading
- ✓No account required
Best for trying Readox, light listening, and reading with built-in browser voices.
Pro
Premium English voices that run on your device.
$72/year, billed annually
Save 33%Everything in Free, plus premium English voices and 100 AI summaries.
Install for Chrome to upgradePro checkout starts inside the extension after sign-in.
Use the Google account you want tied to billing and Pro access.
Unlock
- ✓28 premium English voices
- ✓Unlimited premium voice usage
- ✓Premium voices run on your device
- ✓100 AI summaries
Best for focused reading, premium listening, and making Readox part of your daily workflow.