AI Radio Drama Maker: Script to Full-Cast Audio
Make an AI radio drama from a script or story: each character cast and directed line by line, with MP3 and subtitles. AI vs a voice cast, and cost per episode.
Last updated: 2026-10-08
An AI radio drama is an audio play performed by AI voices: a narrator sets the scene, every character speaks in a voice of their own, and the emotion of each line is performed, not just read. On VoiceSmiths you paste a script or story and see the cast in seconds, free and with no sign-up, then render the episode as an MP3 with line-by-line subtitles.
No sign-up · finding the cast is free · previews and renders use credits
Radio drama is not an audiobook
| Radio drama | Audiobook | |
|---|---|---|
| Carried by | Dialogue; narration only sets scenes | Narration, start to finish |
| Voices | One per character | Usually one narrator |
| Delivery | Acted, conflict played out | Told |
| Sound design | Effects, music, ambience | Usually none |
| Unit | Episodes of 10–20 minutes | Chapters |
The audio drama studio is built the radio-drama way: narration and characters are voiced separately, each line carries its own emotion tag, and the text is never rewritten. For a single-narrator book, see novel to audiobook.
Hear an episode
The Empty Fort, from chapter 95 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, performed by seven voices straight from the source text:
The theater holds more than 70 episodes: classics, Poe, Dickens, Sherlock Holmes and short dramas, each with the script following along.
Five steps to an AI radio drama
- Prepare the script. Either script format, one line per speaker (
MARY: You came back.), or prose with quoted dialogue and "she said" cues. A direction in brackets, as inJOHN (angrily):, is used as the line's emotion when it names one. - Find the cast (free). Paste it into the audio drama studio. Each character gets a voice from 27 English voices by gender and age, and every line gets an emotion.
- Adjust. Tap a face to hear the voice, pick another from the list, or fix any line's speaker or emotion. For a serial, create a series so each character keeps the same voice in every episode.
- Render. Billed by length; you get MP3, SRT subtitles and the script within minutes. A failed render refunds its credits.
- Add effects and music. The studio renders voices only. Make footsteps, rain or a sword clash with AI sound effects, generate a score, and line both up in your editor against the subtitle timings.
AI or a voice cast?
| AI radio drama | Human voice cast | |
|---|---|---|
| Time per episode | Minutes | Days to weeks |
| Cost per 10 minutes | About $4.70–7.00 | Each actor booked and paid separately |
| Script changes | Edit, re-render the episode | Book a pickup session |
| Nuance | Main emotions land; less than top actors | Best |
| Best for | Pilots, table reads, promos, regular episodes | Premium series, competitions |
What an episode costs
70 credits per 1,000 characters; 1,000 English characters is about 70 seconds of audio.
- A 10-minute English episode is about 600 credits, roughly $4.70–7.00 on the monthly plans.
- The $3.99 trial pack has 150 credits, about 2.5 minutes of English drama, and never expires.
- Finding the cast is always free; failed renders are refunded. See pricing.
Who makes AI radio dramas
- Audio-drama teams: a full pilot or table read before booking actors.
- Authors: a promo episode of their own book for a store page or social video.
- Podcasters: sketch segments and story slots with a whole cast and one producer.
- Teachers: a scene from a set text, ready for class in minutes.
FAQ
What is an AI radio drama? An audio play performed by AI voices: a narrator sets the scene and every character speaks in a voice of their own, with emotions such as whispering, mocking or sobbing performed line by line. On VoiceSmiths you paste a script or story, check the cast and render the episode as MP3 with subtitles.
Does it add sound effects and music? No. The audio drama studio renders the voices: narration and dialogue. Generate effects and music with the AI sound effects tool, then mix them in your editor against the subtitle timings.
How much does an episode cost? Audio dramas are billed by length: 70 credits per 1,000 characters, and 1,000 English characters is about 70 seconds. A 10-minute English episode is about 600 credits, roughly $4.70–7.00 on the monthly plans. Finding the cast is free.
Can an AI radio drama replace voice actors? For pilots, table reads, promos and regular episodes, AI is fast and cheap. For award entries and premium paid series, a human cast still brings more nuance. Many teams render an AI version first to hear the pacing, then decide which roles to cast with people.
Can I use script format (NAME: line)? Yes. When most lines start with a speaker name and a colon, each line goes to that character, and a direction in brackets, as in JOHN (angrily):, is used as the line's emotion when it names one. Prose with quoted dialogue works too.