Business Profile

Education

Speechify Inc

Headquarters

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Speechify Inc's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

93 total complaints in the last 3 years.
92 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:08/12/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am writing to dispute an unauthorized charge from Speechify, an iPhone application.Merchant: Speechify Issue: Charged after canceling during trial; later directly charged again without authorization In April 2024, I began a trial subscription to Speechify and canceled within the trial period to avoid being charged. Despite this, Speechify billed me. I contacted their support, who contradicted their own trial policy. I escalated the matter to ***** Support, who informed me this was not the first complaint they had received about Speechifys billing practices and promptly issued a refund.However, Speechify then bypassed Apple and directly charged my **************** card without my authorization. I did not notice this until reviewing my finances recently. I apologize for the delay in reporting (at the time I had just completed a deployment with the ************ and was enrolled in the *****************). Having said that, this does not change the fact that the charge was fraudulent and furthermore illegal. I have since contacted ***** Support again to report this repeated unauthorized billing so that they can take corrective action regarding speechify's platform on the app store. Furthermore, I am requesting a refund and cease of contact. I have included two screenshots from ***** showing the refund request April 17th 2024 at 3:21 PM which finalized processing April 18th. To reiterate, Speechify went around ****** refund and then charged my card directly. Im honestly in awe.For your reference, Speechify has a long track record of similar complaints, as documented on your website, BBB (**********************************************************************************************************************) as well as trust pilot (******************************************************************), although a quick ****** search will yield 100's of similar situations.Thank you for your assistance in resolving this matter.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2025
Business reached out and promptly rectified matter appropriately. I am satisfied.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/28/2025
Type:Order Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Speechify inc has made it incredibly difficult to cancel our subscription and has charged us 148 dollars with no way to cancel the agreement for the free trial. Evidently I signed up via ***** but there is no way to cancel the subscription via *****. I looked EVERYWHERE. Subscriptions, media purchases, within the app, etc and no luck. Please hold this company liable and accountable. They make it incredibly difficult to cancel their service. Very upset with them. Had to reach out to my bank to cancel my card and get a new one just to make sure it is good.
Business Response
Date: 07/29/2025
Hey, **** ?? - Poonam here from Speechify!

?I checked your account, and it looks like your subscription was made through Apple. Since ***** manages their own billing, were unable to cancel or refund subscriptions on our end.

To request a refund, please click here- ************************************************************************
Or you may call the Apple Hotline for assistance.

Customer Answer
Date: 08/12/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

******* ********
Initial Complaint
Date:06/25/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed up for the free trial on 6/20 but canceled the same day due to the app not being what was expected. This was 3 days before I was to be charged $99 for the subscription. Imagine my surprise when I was charged $139 on 6/23 because, and I quote: "It looks like you had 2 different trial subscriptions:1. A trial through ****** ($99.99) was cancelled, and no charges were made.2. A trial directly through Speechify ($139) that wasn't cancelled, and you were charged earlier today.I hope this helps clarify the reason for the charge and the price difference."Weird, though, that I only made a single account, so how could I possibly have 2 trials? Was Speechify's intention to double charge potential customers? Next was the insulting offer of:"Would you be interested in keeping our app at a 50% discount by refund?"Would you continue using a service that bait-and-switched you?I already started a dispute with my bank, but I'll be happy to cancel it if I am provided a refund in a timely manner.Ridiculous the amount of complaints from others about the same **** thing.
Customer Answer
Date: 06/25/2025
Speechify has initiated a refund to be issued within the next 3 days.
Business Response
Date: 06/26/2025
Hi there, We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Could you please reach out to me directly on ******************************* so that I can help you with the refund.
Thank you for your understanding!
Best
Poonam
Customer Answer
Date: 07/09/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

**** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:06/22/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I didnt this transaction and the company charges me every month i want my money back
Business Response
Date: 06/22/2025
Hi there, We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Could you please reach out to me directly on ******************************* so that I can help you with the refund.
Thank you for your understanding!
Initial Complaint
Date:06/11/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed up to try this service with their three day trial period. I immediately canceled the service the same day I enrolled because it's not what was advertised. I signed up and canceled on May 8, 2025. My free trial period was to end on May 11, 2025 since I canceled on May 8, 2025 I should not have been charged on May 12, 2025.
Business Response
Date: 06/12/2025
Hi *****, We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. I understand the frustration. Allow me to review your concern so that I can help you with the refund.
Thank you for your understanding!
Customer Answer
Date: 06/15/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and they have refunded my money.

Sincerely,

***** *******
Initial Complaint
Date:05/30/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I downloaded this app due to its false advertising -- making it look like a whole book could be downloaded or in the app with just a tap. Instead, you have to scan in every page, and it reads a page at a time. It also reads headers and footers -- what garbage! The voices are robotic.I played around with it for about ten minutes, but thought it was not as advertised, and decided I didn't want to keep it. I thought I canceled it, but perhaps didn't at that time, because I then received a notification that I would be charged in 24 hours (attached). I didn't see this email until the next morning, but was still well within the 24 hour period, so canceled it (again, from my recollection). This time I received a cancellation confirmation email (attached), well within 24 hours of the first email. Two hours later I was charged $139.99 after the bogus three-day "trial" period despite having canceled (email attached from *****).When I reached out via ***** to request a refund for an app I never used and no longer have on my phone, it was denied. I appealed it, and was given a second denial that said "This decision is final." (Screenshot attached.)I am now disputing the transaction with my bank, but I want to take all measures to get this money back instead of being scammed out of $139.99.
Business Response
Date: 05/31/2025
Hi ****,
Poonam here from Speechify, I completely understand your concern. We're really sorry for the trouble.
Since you subscribed directly through the Apple store, all payments and subscriptions are controlled by ***** in this case and they are authorized to process a refund.

However, we can submit a special request to our accounts team to process a manual 50% refund, allowing you continued access to the app for the rest of the year.
Alternatively, we can proceed with a 70% refund and cancel the subscription, as 30% of the subscription fee is retained by *****. Hope you understand.
Please let us know which option works best for you, and kindly share your ****** ID along with the Apple invoice so we can move forward.

Best
Poonam
Customer Answer
Date: 06/04/2025

Complaint: 23397843

I am rejecting this response because I canceled before the charge and therefore should receive a full refund. I also filed a complaint with ***** and one with my bank.

Sincerely,

***** ******
Business Response
Date: 06/04/2025
Hi *****
We can submit a special request to our accounts team to process a manual 50% refund, allowing you continued access to the app for the rest of the year.
Alternatively, we can proceed with a 70% refund and cancel the subscription, as 30% of the subscription fee is retained by *****. Hope you understand that complete billing is controlled by ***** here.
Please let us know which option works best for you, and kindly share your ****** ID along with the ***** invoice so we can move forward.

Best
Poonam
Customer Answer
Date: 06/04/2025

Complaint: 23397843

I am rejecting this response because: you sent me the same offer twice. I don't want to keep the app, and I don't want 70% back. I canceled BEFORE the trial period was over, so I should never have been charged. It's a false charge, and I will only accept a full refund.

Sincerely,

***** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:04/17/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was charged for a subscription I never subscribed to and haven't been refunded my money, after some looking around multiple people have the exact same story with this company. Free trial with a prompt to notify before the free portion ends and then immediately being charged for a full yearly subscription after 2-3 days that they never signed up for.
Business Response
Date: 04/17/2025
Dear BBB,

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. Upon checking, we can confirm that the user subscribed through *****. As ***** handles all payment processing for subscriptions made through their platform, we do not have control over those transactions from our end.

Since ***** retains a 30% fee, we were only able to offer the user a 70% refund. Were happy to assist further and look forward to hearing back from the user.
Initial Complaint
Date:04/06/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a premium subscription from Speechify because their marketing positions the service as an accessibility tool for neurodivergent users, including those with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities. The promise of natural-sounding voices to help users better focus, comprehend, and retain information was exactly what I needed. Based on that, I chose Speechify over other tools.Nowhere during signup or checkout was I informed that there is a 150,000-word monthly cap on premium voice usage. That critical limitation was buried in fine print and never presented clearly or transparently during the purchase process.After about a week or two of use, I suddenly began receiving prompts to repay for premium accessdespite already having an active subscription. I assumed it was a glitch and spent days trying to troubleshoot. Unbeknownst to me, Speechify added more words to my account behind the scenes, without explanation. It wasnt until I contacted them a second time, again locked out and being prompted to upgrade again, that I was finally told I had hit a usage cap on premium voices.After that initial confusion, I did receive a notification the next time I hit the cap. But by then, the damage had already been doneSpeechify had failed to be transparent from the beginning and made no effort to explain their limits until I pushed for answers.This isnt about buyers remorseits about deceptive business practices and a lack of transparency around a core feature. Speechify actively markets to the neurodivergent community, yet hides critical usage limits that disrupt access for the very people they claim to support. Neurodivergent users often rely on clarity, consistency, and trustand that trust has been broken.I am requesting that Speechify remove their hidden cap system and clearly disclose limitations up frontnot after locking users out of the tools they paid for. If this cant be done, then I respectfully ask for a full refund.
Business Response
Date: 04/07/2025
Hi Katiedawn,
Thank you so much for your messageeverything youve shared makes complete sense, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to explain it. Hearing directly from users like you really helps us understand the real pain points.
I sincerely apologize for the delay in our support response. I take full responsibility for that. We've been experiencing an overwhelming volume of requests lately, which caused some delaysbut thats not an excuse, and Ill ensure it doesnt happen again. Ill personally make sure your refill requests are handled promptly moving forward.
Regarding unlimited access, I truly wish we could offer that on a case-by-case basis, but we have to maintain consistency across all users, so it would take time and broader changes. While the current limits are outlined in our terms, I absolutely agree that we need to improve transparency around this.
Please let me know if youd prefer a refill or a refundIm here to help either way. While you decide I have made another refill for you.
Best
Poonam
Customer Answer
Date: 04/07/2025
The business and I are working towards transparency for all members and future members.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/07/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

Katiedawn Vine
Initial Complaint
Date:04/03/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I created a Speechify account the beginning of March 2025. Within minutes I realized this service didn't function the way I thought it would or needed it to and immediately canceled my membership. On April 1, 2025 there was a $23.66 charge on my credit card for my monthly subscription fee. I opened the link and it looked like my membership hadn't been canceled. So contacted I attempted to cancel it again. I then contacted Speechify via email and they stated I had an active membership but that they had canceled it and issued a refund. Today, April 3, 2025 I have ANOTHER charge for $23.66 on my credit card from Speechify. I sent them another email requesting this charge be removed. That is a total of $47.32 in monthly subscription fees for a service I canceled the day I opened my account because it didn't work the way I expected or needed.
Business Response
Date: 04/04/2025
Hello BBB,
The user ************************* was on a monthly non refundable plan yet we have already made a refund of the renewal charge. Please refer to the screenshot. March charge was a 50% discount and not reached within 7 days. ***** charge already refunded. Let us know if further action needed.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/04/2025

Complaint: 23154582

I am rejecting this response.
Speechify has indicated they've issued a refund for the 4/1 charge of $23.66 but I've received no response to my inquiry as to why I was charged $23.66 on 4/3.
Additionally, why was I charged at all? I canceled my membership on March 2, the day I created my account.
I'm not asking for a refund of the $11 I paid for March but I refuse to pay for a membership I canceled immediately. And the fact that I was charged again on 4/3 is significantly concerning.
I want a refund for the second charge and I want an explanation as to what happened.

Sincerely,

****** ******
Business Response
Date: 04/07/2025
Hi there,
Were truly sorry for the inconvenience. It appears that the auto-renewal was not successfully canceled on the users end. Please refer to the attached screenshot for reference.
The second charge has been refunded as requested. We hope this clears things up.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/07/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Because I was charged on 4/1 and again on 4/3 after reporting the issue to Speechify I went ahead and reported the charges as fraudulent and canceled my credit card to avoid additional charges. It's quite an inconvenience to have to do that, but at the time I just didn't know what I was dealing with and all the complaints I reviewed didn't give me any confidence this would end quickly.
Someone needs to look into why so many people are being charged after they think they've canceled their subscription. Something just isn't right.

Sincerely,

****** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:03/18/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
This company, Speechify, offers a service that amongst many other things, will read out load pdf files that are uploaded by the account holder. I have been experiencing a situation where certain pdf files are not working properly, and have notified them several times about this issue. Nothing has been done to fix this, as this issue is continuing to occur.
Business Response
Date: 03/20/2025
Hi There,
Our support team is constantly trying to help with the issue. Could you please respond to our last response from CS Lovella on the ticket raised by you so that we can help you.

Best
Poonam
CS Lead
Speechify

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Speechify Inc is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.