Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Ondoku3 Text-to-Speech

Frequently Asked Questions

About Usage
Audio Files & Downloads
Speaking and Features
About Payments
Corporate Use

About Usage

Can I use Ondoku3 for free?

Yes, you can use it for free for a certain number of characters per month. If you wish to perform more readings, please consider a paid plan.

What is the limit of free characters I can use on Ondoku3?

・Non-member (Free): 1000 characters/month
・Free member (Lite): 5000 characters/month

Where can I check the number of characters available for reading?

After logging in, please check your history.

Where can I check the next renewal date and current plan?

After logging in, please visit settings.

Will unused remaining characters be carried over to the next month?

No, unused remaining characters reset every month and will not be carried over.

When will my character count be updated?

Your count will be updated on the next renewal date. To avoid load on the server, the character counts will be sequentially updated on the update date. We cannot provide the exact time.
For free members, the next update date is 30 days after signing up. For paid plans, the next update will occur approximately 30 days after the initial payment, with payment and update happening simultaneously.
About when Ondoku3's character count gets updated and how to check the remaining count.

Do I need to do anything to use it for free?

Yes, when using audio data for free, you must provide credit. If you are using it for something that prohibits crediting (like voicemail services), you are required to sign up for a paid plan.

How should I provide credit?

Please indicate that the voice you are using is from Ondoku3. For details, see “How to provide credit for Ondoku3. Examples and precautions.”

Is installation required?

No, installation is not required. It can be used from your web browser, so as long as you have the internet, you can use it anytime, anywhere.

Is there an app available?

Currently, we are considering app compatibility. For Android devices, you can use it like an app by adding it to your home screen. For details, please see
iPhone  : How to easily use it from the home screen like an app on the iPhone【No installation required】
Android: “How to install Ondoku3 on Android devices.”

Can I use it commercially for free?

Yes, you can use it commercially, but certain uses may not be permitted based on how you use it. Also, for the free plan, please ensure you provide credit. In addition, regardless of free or paid plans, there are prohibited acts. Please confirm beforehand at “About commercial use and prohibited acts.”

If I use it for a YouTube channel generating revenue, do I have to join a paid plan?

No, you are not obligated to join a paid plan. The presence of revenue is irrelevant; please choose a plan based on the characters you want to use.

Can one person (one corporation) hold multiple accounts?

Holding multiple free accounts is prohibited on Ondoku3. With paid accounts, you can own multiple accounts. For more details, see here.

I accidentally created multiple free accounts. What should I do?

For assistance, please contact us via contact form.

I haven't created multiple free accounts, but I've been restricted.

For assistance, please reach out via contact form.

I registered as an individual and use it for work. Other employees are also registering individually; is that permissible?

If using it for work or business, please use a corporate account. Even if registered as an individual, once you start using it for work, it should be treated as a corporate account. Using it for work requires a corporate account contract.

Can I use it however I want?

No, certain uses are prohibited, so please check for prohibited acts beforehand. For details, please see about commercial use and prohibited acts.

I cannot log into Ondoku3.

Please refer to this page for troubleshooting login issues.

I'm getting a reading error and cannot read aloud. What should I do?

The response may differ depending on the error. For details on error handling, please see “What to do if an error occurs in Ondoku3, but you don't know what to do.”

Does the paid plan increase the variety of voices?

No, the variety of voices does not increase.

How can I purchase a paid plan?

You can purchase it from the pricing page. For details, see How to buy Ondoku3's paid plans (Basic, Value, Premium, Business).

If I purchase a paid plan, will the character count (for the paid plan) be reflected immediately?

Yes, with credit and debit card payments, it will be reflected in about 1 to 3 minutes after the purchase.
If you close the payment screen during the process and encounter a redirect error, the reflection may not work properly.
If you do not see the plan reflected after a few minutes, please contact us via the contact form. We will respond manually (in that case, it will be within 24 hours).

I've used up all my characters while on a paid plan. What should I do if I want to purchase more characters?

You will need to cancel your current plan and re-sign up for the plan of your choice from the pricing page.

I want to cancel my recurring payment for the paid plan.

You can cancel at any time from the settings page after logging in. After cancellation, you will maintain the contracted plan until the next renewal date. For details, see How to cancel Ondoku3's paid plan.

I want to cancel my annual contract paid plan. What should I do?

If you are using bank transfer invoicing: it is not automatically renewed. If you do not wish to continue, it will transition to the free plan once the validity period ends without any necessary procedures, so rest assured.
For credit and debit card payments: the annual payment is automatically renewed. If you do not wish to renew automatically, please cancel after payment. Even after cancellation, you will be able to use the service until the end of the validity period.

After canceling my paid plan, can I continue using the audio as a free member?

It depends on the contract details.
Typically, for normal paid plans, even if the audio data was created during the paid plan period, credit is required for continued use. If you cannot provide credit, please stop using the audio data. If you can provide credit later, you can continue using it by doing so.
For business plans, audio data created during the subscription period can be used without credit.

I want to unsubscribe; how can I do it?

After logging into Ondoku3, please proceed to unsubscribe from the "unsubscribe" button in the settings screen. Once you unsubscribe, you will no longer be able to log into Ondoku3. Also, once you unsubscribe, you cannot re-register with the email address you used before.
For details, see How to withdraw or delete the Ondoku3 account.

About Audio Files & Downloads

Can I specify the format for downloading audio files?

Only MP3 and WAV formats are supported. WAV format can be downloaded from the history.

Can I specify the sampling rate and bit rate for downloads?

No, you cannot. Please make adjustments using external online tools or software.
We do not provide software recommendations, so please search on your own.

What are the sampling rates and bit rates?

They vary depending on the speaker and language. We apologize for the inconvenience, but it is best to download your desired audio to check it yourself.
You can verify by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Get Info."

Can I publish or distribute voices created from text written by others?

Using work without the author's permission is legally not allowed. Always obtain the author’s permission or consent before publishing, distributing, or selling.

Can I freely use the downloaded files?

There are prohibited acts in Ondoku3. Please use it in ways that do not violate these prohibitions.

The downloaded audio file does not play correctly.

We provide solutions for issues where downloaded audio files do not play correctly or cannot be downloaded here.

My favorite audio that I used before is gone. Why?

Voices may be deleted from the speech synthesis engine without notice. This is a problem we cannot handle. Previously deleted voice types include:
・1 type of Danish
・1 type of English (United Kingdom).

About Speaking and Features

I have spam mail settings; I want to set domain-specific receiving. What domain should I set?

Please set [@ondoku3.com].

I want to stop receiving the monthly newsletter. How can I do that?

Uncheck the box on the character count update notification settings page and press update. However, you cannot stop emails regarding your contract or password changes, which are important.

I tried to read a long text of about 20,000 characters and got an error. Can long texts be read aloud?

We recommend keeping the text under 10,000 characters at a time.
While it's possible to read longer texts, it is more prone to server errors. Please break long texts into smaller portions for reading.

I want to increase the breaks and pauses between sentences; how can I do that?

For precise control, please use SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) using the tag <speak><break time="○s"/></speak>.
Instructions on using SSML are available here.

I get errors when using SSML. What are the causes?

There are various causes. Here are some common errors and their solutions.
Common errors that occur during the use of SSML and ways to avoid them

I cannot read aloud. Why?

The causes could vary:
- Not plain text (without formatting)
- Issues with the usage environment,
- Unnecessary symbols are present,
- The text is too long (over 10,000 characters)
- It contains characters that cannot be read,
- Exceeding 3,000 characters when using SSML,
Errors may occur depending on your network environment or browser. Sometimes, even the same text can be read normally after waiting a little while and attempting again.
What to do if an error occurs in Ondoku3, but you don't know what to do.

If I delete my reading history, will the data be deleted from the server?

Yes, if you remove past readings from history, the corresponding text and generated audio data will be deleted from the server. For more details on the delete feature, see this page.

Can you tell me the storage period for the text read and speech data generated in Ondoku3?

The storage periods and data handling are as follows:
- Non-members: Not stored
- Free members: Store reading text and audio data for 1 month after creation
- Paid members: Store text and audio data while a member
- Business plan members: Stored as long as the member does not delete their own history
Once the storage period is over, the all will be deleted from the server.
For more details on the delete feature, see this page.

How is the character count calculated? How does it work in English?

One character is counted as one character. The count is made at the moment the read-aloud button is pressed. It does not relate to whether or not you download.
Even minor modifications to the text or altering the setting (like the speaker, speed, high/low) can change the character count. Please see Ondoku3's character counting method! How about punctuation? How does it work in English? Chinese? And how is it counted?.

I don't want the count to include the characters that were modified.

If text changes by even one character during reading, or if any of the settings such as speed or tone change, the character count will be adjusted. You can find an explanation for this feature at "Request Response to Ondoku3: I don't want character counts to include modifications."

I cannot find the language I want to read aloud in Japanese. Is Burmese available? Is there a list?

Burmese is available.
The languages available for reading are displayed in their respective local languages. For a list as displayed in your country, please refer to this article.

I want to read aloud in a foreign language, but I'm getting errors and cannot read correctly.

When reading in foreign languages (e.g., Spanish or Vietnamese), be sure to input the text in that foreign language.
Ondoku3 does not have a translation function; entering Japanese to cast it in a foreign voice will just generate a semblance of the foreign-sounding voice; it does not translate.
Please use an external translation service to translate your text before reading it.
For details, see How to generate audio in foreign languages.

Rōmaji (romanized Japanese) doesn't read correctly. What should I do?

There are three methods to make Rōmaji read correctly.
1. Use multilingual voice.
2. Use Japanese voice.
3. Utilize phonics.
For details, please see Three methods to have AI voice "Ondoku3" pronounce Romanji correctly.

Can I adjust the intonation?

Due to the properties of the speech synthesis engine used, intonation cannot be adjusted, but you can slightly change it through the way of phrasing.
For details, see Methods to adjust intonation and tone when needed.

Where can I check the number of characters available for reading?

After logging in, please check your history.

What does "image 300 pieces" in the pricing plan mean?

This refers to the number of pieces that can be used with the audio reading function. This function reads text from images and generates speech without needing transcription.
For detailed usage, see How to use image-to-speech feature.

Is there a function to add frequently used speakers and settings to favorites?

Yes, please use the speaker registration feature in the conversation function. In this feature, you can register languages, voices, speed, and pitch for quick access.

What is the conversation function?

The conversation feature allows you to create voices with dialogues involving multiple speakers.
It's very convenient for creating interactions between two or three people, or for using multiple languages simultaneously (like Japanese and English).
For detailed instructions and actual audio, please refer to How to use Ondoku3's conversation feature.

Where can I make inquiries?

Please check the contact page for inquiries. We only respond to inquiries via email.
Inquiries related to questions about how to use Ondoku3, errors, bugs, and feedback are addressed.
Any inquiries not directly related to using this service will not receive replies.

Can I request audio production (text specified audio to MP3)?

No, we do not provide services for audio production (turning text into a specified audio MP3). If these types of services are desired, please contact production companies or organizations/individuals contracted for work.
Note that such cases engage with business contracts, requiring a business plan subscription.

About Payments

What types of paid plans are available?

・Basic Plan (200,000 characters/month): JPY 1,078 (JPY 980) / month
・Value Plan (450,000 characters/month): JPY 2,178 (JPY 1,980) / month
・Premium Plan (1,000,000 characters/month): JPY 3,278 (JPY 2,980) / month
・Business Plan (for businesses)
and others. For details, see Pricing plans.

Can I use it right after making a payment?

For credit and debit card payments: you can use it about 1 to 3 minutes after payment completion. For details on card payments, see here
For bank transfers: it usually becomes available 24 hours after the payment (there might be a 1-2 day lag depending on business days). For details on bank transfers, see here

Is there a minimum usage period?

There is no minimum usage period (contract period). You can cancel anytime.

How do I cancel?

You can easily cancel your paid plan after logging into Ondoku3. Go to settings → Cancel and click on the link. You can cancel anytime, 24/7.
A clear cancellation method with images is provided here.

I want to set a billing plan based on the number of downloads, not per reading.

Due to the nature of the speech synthesis engine used by this service, costs occur per instance of text reading. Therefore, we cannot set a paid plan based on downloads.
About counts for modifications to be excluded.

What payment methods are available?

We offer two main types:
1. Credit cards, debit cards, and Link payments (Stripe)
2. Bank transfers (includes quotations, invoices, receipt issuance)
Quotations and invoices can only be issued for annual contracts.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is an online payment system adopted by millions of companies in over 120 countries, from large enterprises like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Spotify to small businesses and independent entrepreneurs. Since payment information like card numbers is managed by Stripe, you can pay with peace of mind without revealing your card information to the service provider.

What is the business plan?

This plan allows for certain exemptions from prohibited acts, as well as use cases for incorporation into products, usage in media, contracting, or sales.
For costs and more details, see here.

I'm not sure which paid plan would be most suitable. Can you help?

For assistance in selecting the best free or paid plans, please see here.

I want to change my paid plan. What should I do?

You will need to cancel your current plan first, then sign up for your desired plan again from the pricing page.

My paid plan auto renewal is not every 30 days.

For months that have fewer than 30 days, the payments might not occur every 30 days accurately. Payments may occur on the 29th or 31st day.
The exact next billing date will be listed in the emails sent by this service, which states “Subject: Thank you for your contract,” or in an email from Stripe, so please check there.
If you want to use the service only for a month or do not want the renewal on the renewal date, please cancel as soon as possible. You will still be able to use the current plan until the next renewal date after cancellation.

What happens to my available character count after canceling a paid plan?

After the last payment, your current available character count will be maintained for about 30 days. After that, it will reset to 5,000 characters.

After canceling my paid plan, I unsubscribed from Ondoku3. Now I cannot log in?

Once you unsubscribe, you will no longer be able to log in with that account. If you wish to continue using the service, please avoid unsubscribing.

I canceled my paid plan, but I still received a credit card charge. Why?

The two main reasons are:
1. Duplicate payments
2. You own multiple accounts and may have canceled from the wrong one (e.g., A=Free account, B=Paid account; canceling A without realizing B is still active).
The latter issue has been occurring frequently. To avoid confusion, we advise users against holding multiple accounts.
How to deal with ongoing charges after cancellation.

Can I receive a quotation or invoice?

We only provide them for those wishing to have annual contracts. For details, see here.

Can I get a receipt?

Yes, we provide them. Receipt issuance varies based on payment methods.
Please refer to this page for more information.

Can I change the name or address information on the invoices received via email for credit and debit card payments?

Due to the specifications of the payment service "Stripe," invoice/receipt emails reflect the information at the time of payment. It is not possible to edit this information afterward.

Are you a qualified invoice issuer?

Yes, we are. For details, check this page.

Are there any agents?

No, the contract is direct between the user and this service.

Can you provide information about the organization running the service?

Publicly available information is provided on our Specific Commercial Transaction Act Display page.

Please provide the website of the company operating the service.

The website of the operating company is Kabushikigaisha-san. Publicly provided information is included on the Specific Commercial Transaction Act Display page. Other information is not publicly disclosed.