We also like that you can choose to use text-to-speech and a braille display simultaneously and it’s compatible with Windows. For a one-time fee of $795, you get Dolphin’s elite capabilities such as a customizable human sounding text-to-voice synthesizer that speaks characters as you type or enter commands, and a special cursor that allows you to find graphics and text. The Dolphin Screen Reader is one of our other favorite screen readers because it offers a wide range of features. We also like JAWS because it allows the user to surf the web, draft emails, and read either by text-to-speech or a refreshable braille display. In addition, JAWS is compatible with Windows and most refreshable braille displays.

At $90 a year, it’s more affordable than some of its competitors and the license allows you to download JAWS onto three computers. Job Access with Speech (JAWS) is one of the most popular screen reading programs and for good reason. Here are five of our favorite screen readers that can be purchased and/or downloaded online: 1.

Some of the best screen readers allow you to do everything on a computer that a person with vision can do such as shop, navigate social media, read e-books, and more. If you’re a student, surf the internet a lot, or work from your computer, you’ll probably want to invest in a high-quality screen reader. There are numerous screen readers available for the most popular operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux and their prices range from free to over 1,000 dollars.Ĭhoosing the best screen reader for you might be overwhelming since you need to understand each programs capabilities and how they compare to your distinct needs.īut we’re here to help by providing our favorite ‘for purchase’ screen readers and free screen readers.

The American Foundation for the Blind states, depending on the program you use, commands for a screen reader program can instruct it to:Ĭhecker in a word processor or read the cells of a spreadsheet with a screen This assistive technology utilizes a voice synthesizer that speaks text and often a braille display that facilitates communication between you and the computer. Screen readers are assistive software programs that helps the visually impaired or blind operate applications, draft documents, send emails, surf the web, and do much more with a computer.

Nvda free screen reader