DANIEL CORSANO

DATA SCIENCE AI ENGINEERING SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Audiobook Reader App: Standalone TTS for Mac/Windows/Linux

If you enjoy reading or do work that requires it, you can probably think of a lot more texts that you want to read than you will ever have time to read. I started experimenting with audiobook generation using AI voice models to try and extend that time.

I looked into text to speech and AI voice models, expecting to find a free tool like Audiobook Reader, which will allowed me to efficiently convert text files to mp3 significantly faster than real-time. To my surprise, I did not find what I was looking for, so I decided to make this audiobook reader. Using a combination of hardware acceleration, parallel processing, and runtime optimisation it converts texts to audio at around 10x real-time speed on a recent Mac or equivalent computer and handles interrupts. In addition to the original CLI, there are standalone distributions for Mac/Win/Linux.

Features

  • Around 10x real-time conversion speed: The backend automatically detects NPU/GPU/CPU configs and uses appropriate hardware optimization for speed and parallel processing
  • 54 voices in 9 languages: Female, male and androgynous sounding voices in all languages
  • Voice blending: Mix voices to create new ones
  • Format support: EPUB, PDF, TXT, Markdown, RST → MP3, WAV, M4A, M4B
  • Progress visualization: Visual progress bars with time estimates and conversion speed
  • Character voices (in development): Different voices per characters or have it done automatically
  • Pause/resume: Interrupt and continue conversions
  • Batch queue: Add multiple books, process sequentially or in parallel

Please note that I don’t have the resources to support and test all the distributions at the same level. CLI is always the best if you are not afraid of typing, and where I roll out new features first. Mac is tested regularly but inherently more complex. Win and Linux are in beta, QA help is welcome.

CLI Standalone App
Audiobook Reader app interface

Download

Latest Release: GitHub Releases

Available Platforms

  • macOS: Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) and Intel builds
  • Windows: x64 installer and portable versions
  • Linux: AppImage, DEB, and RPM packages for Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian, Fedora

File sizes: Approximately 80-120MB per platform (includes bundled Python runtime)

System Requirements

  • macOS: 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  • Windows: Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
  • Linux: Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, Fedora 35+, or equivalent
  • Disk space: 500MB minimum (includes voice models after first run)
  • RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended for large books

Features

  • Drag-and-drop interface: Select files visually, no terminal required
  • 54 voices in 9 languages with real-time preview
  • Voice blending: Mix voices via sliders with live playback
  • Format support: EPUB, PDF, TXT, Markdown, RST → MP3, WAV, M4A, M4B
  • Progress visualization: Visual progress bars with time estimates
  • Character voices (beta): Assign voices to characters in plays and dialogues
  • Hardware optimization: Automatic NPU/GPU/CPU detection for approximately 10x real-time speed
  • Pause/resume: Interrupt and continue long conversions
  • Batch queue: Add multiple books, process sequentially or in parallel
  • FFmpeg integration: Download helper popup if not installed

Getting Started

First Launch

  1. Download the appropriate installer for your system
  2. macOS: Right-click and select “Open” (security prompt for unsigned app)
  3. Windows: Run installer or extract portable version
  4. Linux: Make AppImage executable (chmod +x) or install package

First Conversion

  1. App will prompt to download Kokoro voice models (~310MB) and FFmpeg if needed
  2. Drag and drop a text file into the window
  3. Select output location and voice
  4. Click “Convert” - progress shows in real-time

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Ctrl/Cmd + O: Open file
  • Ctrl/Cmd + S: Save output location
  • Space: Pause/Resume conversion
  • Ctrl/Cmd + Q: Quit app
  • Ctrl/Cmd + ,: Open settings

Troubleshooting

macOS “App is damaged” error: Run in Terminal: xattr -cr /Applications/AudiobookReader.app

Windows Defender warning: App is unsigned. Click “More info” → “Run anyway”

Linux permission issues: Ensure AppImage is executable: chmod +x AudiobookReader.AppImage

Consider Supporting

I created this alone, and it will be free and open source forever. For issues and feature requests please use GitHub. If you find it useful, please consider supporting me so I can improve this tool and create more.

Support via PayPal

IMPORTANT: This software is a tool for converting text to audio. Users are solely responsible for:

  • Ensuring they have the legal right to convert any text to audio
  • Obtaining necessary permissions for copyrighted materials
  • Complying with all applicable copyright laws and licensing terms
  • Understanding that creating audiobooks from copyrighted text without authorization may constitute copyright infringement

✅ Your own original content ✅ Public domain works ✅ Content you have explicit permission to convert ✅ Educational materials you legally own ✅ Open-source or Creative Commons licensed texts (per their terms)

I do not condone or support copyright infringement. By using this software, you agree to use it only for content you have the legal right to convert.