---
title: "Discussion on \"Can You Use Free Text-to-Speech in a Monetized Video? I Checked the Actual Terms\" | Hashnode"
description: "Discussion on \"Can You Use Free Text-to-Speech in a Monetized Video? I Checked the Actual Terms\". Most free TTS tools ban commercial use. I read the real terms of ElevenLabs, NaturalReader and Clipchamp, and compared an Apache-2.0 browser option."
url: "https://hashnode.com/posts/can-you-use-free-text-to-speech-in-a-monetized-video-i-checked-the-actual-terms/6af49a57b4c5532e7dbacce2"
---

[Feed](https://hashnode.com/feed) /

Discussion

# [Can You Use Free Text-to-Speech in a Monetized Video? I Checked the Actual Terms](https://forgeplug.hashnode.dev/can-you-use-free-text-to-speech-in-a-monetized-video-i-checked-the-actual-terms?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

Most free TTS tools ban commercial use. I read the real terms of ElevenLabs, NaturalReader and Clipchamp, and compared an Apache-2.0 browser option.

1d ago · 5 min read · forgeplug.hashnode.dev  
Updated 12h ago  
Read the article

-   [#text-to-speech](https://hashnode.com/tag/text-to-speech)
-   [#artificial-intelligence](https://hashnode.com/tag/artificial-intelligence)
-   [#youtube](https://hashnode.com/tag/youtube)

## Written by

[Vipul Singh](https://hashnode.com/@vips120)

@vips120 · Mumbai, India

  
[View profile](https://hashnode.com/@vips120)

Software developer (10+ yrs) building ForgePlug: free, private, browser-based tools.

Software developer with 10+ years in IT, ex-freelancer and technical trainer. I build ForgePlug (forgeplug.com), a set of free, private tools that run right in your browser, and Android apps on the side. Portfolio: ivipul.com

## Responses 3

Markdown supported · ⌘↵ to post

[DemoVexa](https://hashnode.com/@demovexa)

[1d ago](https://hashnode.com/posts/can-you-use-free-text-to-speech-in-a-monetized-video-i-checked-the-actual-terms/6af49a57b4c5532e7dbacce2/comment/6af526cd5ab12c11c61a7629)

Separating free from free for commercial use is the useful part here, and quoting each vendor's own page rather than a summary site is the right standard. I'd add one more column to the table: what happens to videos you've already published if the terms change or you downgrade. Some services tie commercial rights to the plan you held when the audio was generated, others to the plan you're on now, and that difference matters for a channel with a back catalogue. Keeping the generated audio plus a dated copy of the terms page in the project folder is a cheap habit that settles the question later. Being upfront that ForgePlug only has English voices for now helps the comparison too.

[Vipul Singh](https://hashnode.com/@vips120)

[13h ago](https://hashnode.com/posts/can-you-use-free-text-to-speech-in-a-monetized-video-i-checked-the-actual-terms/6af49a57b4c5532e7dbacce2/comment/6af526cd5ab12c11c61a7629#reply-6af602168594582418313c69)

Thanks, that's a good point, and I hadn't covered it, so I checked. ElevenLabs' help center says audio you generated during a paid subscription keeps its commercial license after you cancel. NaturalReader's Commercial FAQ says the same about files you made while subscribed. For Clipchamp I still can't find an official Microsoft page on it. With ForgePlug the question doesn't come up: Kokoro-82M is under Apache 2.0, which is perpetual and irrevocable. I'm adding this as a column to the table. Your habit of keeping a dated copy of the terms next to the audio is going into the takeaways, with credit to you.

[DemoVexa](https://hashnode.com/@demovexa)

[4h ago](https://hashnode.com/posts/can-you-use-free-text-to-speech-in-a-monetized-video-i-checked-the-actual-terms/6af49a57b4c5532e7dbacce2/comment/6af526cd5ab12c11c61a7629#reply-6af676b98e0395cb3d77bf23)

Thanks for checking, and for the credit. Good to know ElevenLabs and NaturalReader both keep the licence on audio made while you were subscribed. Most people assume that and rarely confirm it. For Clipchamp, I'd say in the table that you couldn't find an official page rather than guess, since that's useful information on its own. The Apache 2.0 point is a real advantage for anyone building a back catalogue, because there's no subscription state to track at all.