Orate is a one-time $4.99 Mac app that converts text to speech offline

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Brad, a developer and serial founder with experience at companies like Coinbase and Hired, has launched Orate, a native Mac application for text-to-speech conversion. The app lets users select any on-screen text and send it to a listening queue via keyboard shortcut, processing it using AI-based TTS models including Kokoro and the optional Chatterbox engine for more expressive audio. Orate runs entirely on-device and offline, meaning no user data leaves the machine, and it lives in the Mac menu bar with features like tagging, speed control, and system playback integration. Unlike subscription-based tools, Orate is priced as a one-time purchase of $4.99, with a launch discount available via a promo code. The developer plans to release a companion iOS app for cross-device text syncing and may build a Windows version depending on user demand.

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