List of screen readers

Screen readers are a form of assistive technology.

Contemporary screen readers

Screen reader	Creator	Supported platforms	License	Notes
95Reader	SSCT	Windows	Commercial	Japanese screen reader
Automatik Text Reader	Davide Baldini	Windows, Linux and Mac OS	Free and open source (GPL2)	Firefox plug-in with multiple speech languages.
BRLTTY	The BRLTTY Team	*nix, Windows console, DOS, Android	Free and open source (GPL2)	Available to download; part of most Linux distributions
BrowseAloud	Texthelp Systems Inc	Windows and Mac	Free for Users, Commercial
Capture Assistant	Renovation Software	Windows	Commercial	Multilanguage screen reader
ChromeVox	Google	ChromeOS or, with a speech processor, Linux, Mac, Windows	Free	ChromeVox is a screen reader for Chrome and Chrome OS.
Microsurf	Microsurf	Mac, Windows	Free	Microsurf is a screen reader for Chrome.
Claro ScreenRuler Suite	Claro Software	Windows	Commercial	Provides a "strip" or "ruler" across the screen.
ClickHear	gh LLC	Windows and Mac	Commercial	Text-to-speech. Three voice options. Variable text and highlighting color options. Translates to several different languages: Spanish, French and German. Configuration settings saved per user
ClickHear Mobile	gh LLC	Windows and Mac	Commercial	No software installation required. Text-to-speech. Three voice options. Variable text and highlighting color options. Translates to several different languages: Spanish, French and German. Configuration settings saved per user
ClipSpeak (last update: 2009)	Daniel Innala Ahlmark	Windows	Freeware	A lightweight text-to-speech tool with a minimal user interface that speaks text copied to the clipboard.
COBRA	BAUM Retec	Windows	Commercial	Supports Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) and the Java Access Bridge.
Edbrowse	Karl Dahlke	*nix console	Free and open source	Makes a complete audio desktop, including web access with JavaScript support.
Emacspeak	T. V. Raman	Emacs (on *nix)	Free and open source	Turns Emacs into a "complete audio desktop".
Fire Vox	Charles L. Chen	Unix, Linux, Windows, OS X	Free and open source	For browsing with Firefox only (plugin)
HAL	Dolphin Computer Access	Windows	Commercial	Supports MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF. 30 day Free Trial available for download.
HT Reader	HT Visual	Windows	Commercial	Includes support for MSAA and PDF.
iZoom	Issist	Windows	Commercial	Screen magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. Includes support for Mozilla Firefox.
JAWS	Freedom Scientific	Windows and DOS	Commercial for Windows; freeware for DOS	Includes support for MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF.
Kurzweil 3000-firefly and Kurzweil 1000	Cambium Learning Group Inc.	Windows and Mac OS, iPad	Commercial	Text to speech which incorporates easy note taking and writing tools to support outline to editing. Supports Daisy, NIMAS, PDF, MathML, HTML and TXT.
Leitor de Telas	MC / CPqD	Windows	Free	Brazilian Portuguese screen reader. MSAA support.
Lingspeak	Lingit	Windows	Commercial	A visual screen reader, which highlights the object and text being read. Supports MSAA, Java Access Bridge (OpenOffice), per line reading from Win32 classes "Edit"(Notepad) and "RichEdit"(Wordpad), MS Word. UIA and IAccessible2 is being worked on. One-month trial version available.
LookOUT	Choice Technology	Windows	Commercial	Also available integrated with a screen magnifier.
MAGic	Freedom Scientific	Windows	Commercial	Speech magnifier with low-vision speech capabilities. It can be used together with JAWS.
Microsoft Narrator	Microsoft	Windows	Commercial	Bundled with recent versions of Windows, this basic screen reader makes use of MSAA.
Mobile Speak	Code Factory	Symbian OS, Windows Mobile	Commercial	Full-fledged screen readers and Braille interfaces that let you access your mobile phone. One-month trial version available.
Model T Reader	Dolphin Computer Access	DOS	Freeware
NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA)	NonVisual Desktop Access project	Windows	Free and open source (GPL2)	Programmed and scriptable in Python. Supports Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Word, Excel and Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird. Supports web content using JavaScript. Supports Java Access Bridge. IAccessible2 is supported.
Orca	GNOME	*nix	Free and open source ( LGPL 2.1)	The development of Orca was started by Sun Microsystems as part of the GNOME project with contributions from many community members, but since Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010, Orca turned into a completely community-driven project. It supports AT-SPI, so it works with the GNOME desktop, Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird, OpenOffice/LibreOffice and GTK+, KDE/Qt and Java Swing/SWT applications. Though it is developed by the GNOME project, it is the most popular screen reader for Unix like systems with graphical environments other than GNOME, like KDE or Unity.
PC-Talker	Kochi System Development	Windows	Commercial	Japanese screen reader. Supports MSAA and Flash
PCVoz	EzHermatic	Windows	Commercial	Available to buy or download trial. Supports MSAA.
Project metalmouth	Alistair Garrison	ChromeOS, or via Chrome Browser, Linux, Mac, Windows	Free open source (Apache 2.0)	Project metalmouth is developing a free fully functioned open source voice browser as an installable extension for Chrome. The ambition is to give Chrome users the best possible experience when interacting with a spoken web - by voice commands or using the keyboard.
Proloquo	AssistiveWare	Mac OS X	Commercial	Includes a license for Infovox iVox. 15 days trials.
ReadHear	gh LLC	Windows and Mac	Commercial	Support for NIMAS 1.1 and DAISY/NISO 2005. Support for MathML-enabled NIMAS and Digital Talking Books. Additional navigation for escapable and skippable text. Easier book import. New navigation pane. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) support. Roaming activation for greater portability. Concurrent licensing for institutions. Optimized for large books. Page-by-page display. Improved support for books on CD. Revised keyboard shortcuts and support for multi-media keys. New AT hardware support. Continuous playback without focus. Automatic update checking. Save As DAISY compatibility.
Read:Outloud	Don Johnston Inc.	Windows and Mac OS	Commercial	Incorporates reading guide for easy note taking and outline construction. Supports Daisy, NIMAS, PDF, RTF, HTML and TXT.
ReadSpeaker	ReadSpeaker Holding B.V.	Web-based	Free for Users, Commercial	Available in 35 languages and 90 voices. Device-independent and no downloads required by end-user. Synchronized highlighting of the text being read.
Read & Write	Texthelp Systems	Windows and Mac OS	Commercial	Support toolbar designed to assist users who require extra assistance when reading or composing text.
Recite Me	Recite Me Ltd	Web-based	Commercial	Recite is an online software as a service system that acts as a translation layer between the user and the website.
Screen Reader	SourceBinary.com	Windows	Free/Paid	Speak selected text from any application. Includes mini-browser for skim-reading web content.
Simply Talker	EcoNet International	Windows	Commercial	Trial download available.
SodelsCot	Sodels Factory	Windows	Commercial	Spanish screen reader. Converts copied or typed text to speech in any Windows program. Includes voices in Spanish and can use others compatible with SAPI5. It can create wav and mp3 files.
SpeakEasy Media System	NDU	Windows	Commercial	Specialized suite of vocalized programs designed for ease of use
Spoken Web	Eyal Shalom	All Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, Windows, Android etc..	Free	Spoken-Web is a web portal, managing a wide range of online articles and content like Wikipedia articles, news updates, weather, travel and business articles.
SUSE-Blinux	Novell	Linux	Free and open source
Supernova	Dolphin Computer Access	Windows	Commercial	Includes a screen magnifier and output to Braille devices. 30 day Free Trial available for download. Supports MSAA, the Java Access Bridge, and PDF.
System Access	Serotek	Windows	Commercial	Trial download available. Supports Microsoft Internet Explorer (including DHTML/Ajax and Flash), Outlook Express, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype, and Adobe Reader. No support for Java yet.
TalkBack	Google	Android 1.6+	Opensource	Use with SoundBack and kickback
TalkButton	Upward Spiral Software	Mac	Commercial	TalkButton works together with Microsoft Word to create an extensive text-to-speech environment. Features include highlighting of spoken text and keyboard echo. Trial version available.
Talks	Nuance Communications	Symbian OS Series 60 or 80	Commercial	Presentation and free Trial Version to be found on the site.
TeleTender	TeleTender.org	All Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, Windows, Andoid etc..	Free	TeleTender is a voice communication platform for sight impaired people, embedded with a cloud based screen reader. Users can interact with any web pages on the internet by issuing voice commands over the phone. To use it, just dial one of its access numbers.
Text to Speech	SpeakComputers.com	Windows	Freeware	A free program that converts written text into spoken words or even written text into MP3 files. Seven programs: Text to speech: Reader, Web browser, Mini Clipboard reader, Image Presentation, Appointment Reminder, Speaking Clock, Parental Controls
Thunder ScreenReader	Sensory Software	Windows	Freeware	Supports MSAA.
Virtual Vision	MicroPower	Windows	Commercial	Brazilian screen reader. Supports MSAA.
VoiceOver	Apple Inc.	Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPods, and Apple TV	Free, Commercial	Free and included with any Apple product. No installation or setup required. Available in over 30 language voices, which are also included for free. See Apple Accessibility for more information.
WebAnywhere	University of Washington	Web	Free and Open Source (new BSD)	Doesn't require any software installation to run so can be used at any public terminal that has sound available - works on any platform.
WinZoom	Clarity	Windows	Commercial	Screen reader with magnifier. USB version does not require any installation and can be used on any public computer.
Window-Eyes	GW Micro	Windows	Commercial	Available to buy or download 30-minutes per Windows session demo. Supports MSAA.
Screen Access for All	National Association for the Blind, New Delhi	Windows	Open source	Last update: 2004
ZoomText	Ai Squared	Windows	Commercial	Includes a screen magnifier. Trial download available.
Screen reader	Creator	Supported platforms	License	Notes

Unfinished Screenreader Projects

Screen reader	Creator	Supported platforms	License	Notes
Screenful	Screenful Team	Windows	Open source	Concept is done. Due to problems finding skilled developers, the project is idling
The Longhorn Screen Reader Project	OSSRP Team	Windows Vista	Open source	Concept ideas have been made. Latest news said that the project had not succeeded. Whether or not they will continue or let it die is not known at the moment.
Apple Pie Project	Simnix Software	Windows Phone 7 & 8	Open source https://applepie.codeplex.com	To help blind and partially sighted people to use a Windows Phone.

Historical interest

Screen reader	Creator	Supported platforms	License	Notes
ASAP (Automatic Screen Access Program)	MicroTalk	Dos	Commercial
ASAW (Automatic Screen Access for Windows)	MicroTalk	Windows	Commercial
Blindows	BAUM Retec (formerly Audiodata)	Windows	Commercial	Substituted by COBRA
DRACULA family	Eurobraille	Windows	Commercial
Enable Reader Professional Speech System	Enable Talking Software	DOS	Uncertain
Enhanced PC Talking Program	Computer Conversations	DOS	Uncertain
Gnopernicus	GNOME	*nix	Free and open source (LGPL 2)	It was developed by BAUM Engineering, a partner company of Baum Retec AG. Used to be bundled with GNOME, but it was replaced by Orca in GNOME 2.16. Included a screen magnifier. It supported AT-SPI.
Linux Screen Reader (LSR)	GNOME	*nix	Free and open source (New BSD License)	It was an alternative screen reader to Orca lead by IBM started in 2006. However, it was ceased in 2007 when IBM focused their resources in other projects. It supported AT-SPI.
Pocket Hal	Dolphin Computer Access	Windows Mobile PDA and PDA Phones	Commercial
PROVOX	Kansys, Inc.	DOS	Uncertain
Screen Reader	Research Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped (RCEVH)	BBC Micro and NEC portable
Screen Reader/2	IBM	OS/2	Commercial
Smart Hal	Dolphin Computer Access	Windows Mobile and WM Smartphone	Commercial
Soft Vert	TeleSensory Systems	DOS	Commercial
Tinytalk	OMS Development	DOS and perhaps Windows	Shareware
Virgo	BAUM Retec AG	Windows	Commercial	Substituted by COBRA.
Window Bridge	Syntha-voice Computers (now out of business)	Windows	Commercial
WinVision	Artic Technologies	Windows	Commercial	Not officially discontinued, but there has been no further release since 1997.
Screen reader	Creator	Supported platforms	License	Notes

Software aids for people with reading difficulties

• Penfriend from Penfriend Ltd
• ClaroRead from Claro Software
• EasyTutor from Dolphin Computer Access
• EnVision: basic multi-featured Windows accessibility tool
• Read & Write, Screenreader from TextHelp Systems
• yRead from Spacejock Software
• ReadPlease from ReadPlease Corporation
• TextAloud from NextUp.com
• Kurzweil 1000 (for the visually impaired) and Kurzweil 3000-firefly (for those with reading or writing difficulty) from Kurzweil Educational Systems
• Read:OutLoud from Don Johnston, Inc.
• VoiceText from Neospeech, Inc.
• Ultra Hal TTS Reader from Zabaware, Inc.

References

Microsurf