What is Microsoft AI Speech (Azure Text-to-Speech)?

Microsoft AI Speech (Azure Text-to-Speech) converts text into natural-sounding audio using neural voices, with SSML, speaking styles and roles, and SDKs for easy integration.

Microsoft AI Speech (Azure Text-to-Speech)

Q: Is Azure Text-to-Speech free?

Azure offers a free tier and pay-as-you-go pricing. Exact allowances and rates depend on region and voice type; check Microsoft’s pricing page for current details.

Q: Does Azure support neural voices and voice customization?

Yes. Azure provides high-quality neural voices, style/role controls, pronunciation tuning, and options for custom neural voice subject to Microsoft’s usage policies.

Q: Does Microsoft AI Speech support SSML?

Yes. You can control prosody, breaks, emphasis, phonemes, and more using SSML for precise delivery.

Azure TTS Demo — Preview Neural Voices, SSML, Styles & Roles

Microsoft AI Speech (Azure Text-to-Speech) is one of the strongest enterprise options we’ve tested, combining natural-sounding neural voices with deep control via SSML, speaking styles & roles, and pronunciation tuning. In practice, Speech Studio makes quick demos easy while the SDKs and REST API scale cleanly for production apps, IVR, and e-learning voiceovers. Voice quality is consistently polished—especially for English and major European/Asian locales—and latency is solid in most Azure regions, which helps for near-real-time experiences.

We like the breadth of languages/locales (over 150) and the option to pursue Custom Neural Voice (subject to Microsoft’s approval and usage policies) for brand-matched narration. On the downside, pricing for premium neural voices can add up at scale, and configuration across regions/quotas takes a bit more setup than lightweight creator tools. Overall, if you need enterprise reliability, fine-grained voice control, and straightforward integration with the wider Azure ecosystem, Microsoft AI Speech is a top-tier choice for commercial TTS.

Compare with our Amazon Polly Text-to-Speech and ElevenLabs Text-to-Speech pages, or explore the full TTS providers directory.

Neural voices across a large set of languages and locales
SSML for prosody, emphasis, pauses, phonemes & more
Speaking styles & roles for nuanced delivery
Streaming or downloadable audio (e.g., MP3/OGG)
SDKs and REST API for easy integration

Try Microsoft AI Speech on Azure

Microsoft AI Speech FAQ

What is Microsoft AI Speech?

Microsoft AI Speech (Azure Text-to-Speech) turns text into natural-sounding audio with high-quality neural voices and controls for prosody, style, and role.

Is Azure Text-to-Speech free?

Azure provides a free tier and pay-as-you-go pricing; allowances and rates vary by region and voice type. Check Microsoft’s pricing for current details.

Does Azure offer neural voices and customization?

Yes, Azure includes neural voices, style/role controls, pronunciation tuning, and options for custom neural voice (subject to policy and approval).

Does Microsoft AI Speech support SSML?

Yes. SSML lets you adjust pitch, rate, pauses, emphasis, and phonemes for precise delivery.