About
Balabolka is a powerful, completely free text-to-speech (TTS) desktop application for Windows that leverages all voices installed on your system via Microsoft Speech API (SAPI). It reads aloud or saves as audio any text from a wide range of document formats including PDF, DOCX, EPUB, FB2, MOBI, DjVu, CHM, HTML, XLS, PPTX, and many more — over 20 formats in total. Users can adjust voice rate and pitch, apply substitution lists with regular-expression-based pronunciation corrections, and control playback from the system tray or global hotkeys. Balabolka can save audio alongside synchronized LRC text files, enabling karaoke-style text display in compatible media players. The tool also includes a portable version runnable from a USB drive, a command-line utility for batch processing, and a text extraction utility for combining or splitting text from multiple files. Spell checking is supported through Hunspell — the same engine used by LibreOffice and Firefox — with dictionaries available for dozens of languages. Balabolka is ideal for accessibility use cases, language learners, content creators who need voiceovers, or anyone who prefers listening to reading. The software remains freeware as long as its companion puzzle app Cross+A continues to generate revenue, making it a sustainable free resource for the TTS community.
Key Features
- 20+ Document Format Support: Reads and converts text from PDF, DOCX, EPUB, FB2, MOBI, DjVu, CHM, PPTX, XLS, HTML, and many more file types.
- System Voice Compatibility: Uses all Microsoft SAPI-compatible voices installed on the system, with adjustable rate and pitch parameters.
- Audio Export with Synchronized Text: Saves spoken audio to file and generates synchronized LRC caption files for karaoke-style text display in media players.
- Pronunciation Correction: Apply regex-based substitution rules to fix or customize how specific words and phrases are pronounced.
- Portable & Command-Line Modes: Run from a USB drive without installation, or use the CLI utility for batch text-to-speech processing without a GUI.
Use Cases
- Accessibility tool for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties who need text read aloud.
- Language learners listening to foreign-language documents to improve comprehension and pronunciation.
- Content creators and podcasters generating rough voiceover drafts from scripts without recording equipment.
- Students and researchers having lengthy academic papers or e-books narrated during commutes or exercise.
- Batch converting large libraries of documents into audio files for offline listening via command-line utility.
Pros
- Completely Free: Balabolka is full-featured freeware with no paid tiers, subscriptions, or feature locks.
- Broad Format Support: Handles over 20 document and e-book formats natively, eliminating the need to copy-paste text manually.
- Portable Version Available: Can be run directly from a USB drive with no installation required, making it convenient for use on multiple machines.
Cons
- Windows Only: Balabolka is exclusively available for Windows and cannot be used on macOS, Linux, or mobile platforms.
- Voice Quality Depends on System: Output quality is tied to the voices installed on the user's system; premium voices must be sourced and installed separately.
- Dated Interface: The user interface is functional but visually outdated compared to modern TTS tools and lacks a polished design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Balabolka really free?
Yes, Balabolka is completely free (freeware). The developer funds it through sales of a separate puzzle application called Cross+A.
What voices does Balabolka support?
Balabolka supports all voices installed on your Windows system via Microsoft Speech API (SAPI). You can add third-party TTS voices to expand your options.
Can Balabolka save speech as an audio file?
Yes. Balabolka can save the spoken output as an audio file (e.g., MP3, WAV) and can also embed synchronized text into MP3 tags or generate LRC caption files.
Does Balabolka work without installation?
Yes. A portable version is available that runs directly from a USB drive without needing to be installed on the host computer.
What document formats does Balabolka support?
Balabolka supports over 20 formats including PDF, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, FB2, MOBI, DjVu, CHM, HTML, RTF, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, and more.
