ListenUp - ChoosePlugin.com

Add "read this to me" functionality to your WordPress posts using Murf.ai text-to-speech technology.

Author:	Adam Greenwell (profile at wordpress.org)
WordPress version required:	5.8
WordPress version tested:	6.9.4
Plugin version:	1.5.132
Added to WordPress repository:	03-02-2026
Last updated:	21-02-2026
Rating, %:	0
Rated by:	0
Plugin URI:	https://adamgreenwell.com/plugins/listenup/
Total downloads:	248
Click to start download

ListenUp is a powerful WordPress plugin that adds text-to-speech functionality to your posts and pages. With just a few clicks, you can generate high-quality audio versions of your content using Murf.ai’s advanced AI voices.

Key Features

Easy Audio Generation: Generate audio for any post or page with a simple click
Murf.ai Integration: Uses professional AI voices for natural-sounding audio
No FFmpeg Required: Ideal for hosting environments where FFmpeg is not available or restricted
Smart Caching: Audio files are cached locally to save API credits
Intelligent Chunking: Long content is automatically broken into manageable chunks
Seamless Playback: Multiple audio chunks play continuously without interruption
Leech Protection: Secure audio delivery prevents unauthorized direct file access and hotlinking
Download Control: Restrict downloads to logged-in users or disable downloads entirely
Flexible Placement: Choose where to display the audio player (before/after content)
Shortcode Support: Use [listenup] shortcode to place players anywhere
Accessibility First: WCAG-compliant audio player with keyboard navigation
Mobile Responsive: Works perfectly on all devices
Admin-Friendly: Simple settings page with clear instructions

How It Works

Setup: Enter your Murf.ai API key in the plugin settings
Generate: Use the meta box on any post/page to generate audio
Display: Audio players appear automatically or via shortcode
Listen: Visitors can play, pause, and download audio content

Advanced Features

Content Chunking: For posts that exceed Murf.ai’s API limits, content is automatically broken into smaller chunks. Each chunk generates a separate audio file, but the frontend player seamlessly plays all chunks in sequence without interruption.

Audio Concatenation: When downloading audio content that has been chunked, the plugin automatically concatenates all audio files into a single WAV file, ensuring compatibility across all platforms and devices.

No FFmpeg Dependency: Unlike many audio plugins, ListenUp doesn’t require FFmpeg, making it perfect for shared hosting environments, managed WordPress hosts, or any situation where FFmpeg is not available or restricted.

Leech Protection: Audio files are served through a secure PHP proxy with nonce-based authentication, preventing unauthorized direct access and hotlinking. All audio is delivered via WordPress AJAX endpoints with proper HTTP range request support for smooth seeking. This server-agnostic solution works on Apache, Nginx, IIS, and any PHP-capable server without requiring special server configuration.

Perfect For

Bloggers who want to offer audio versions of their posts
Content creators looking to improve accessibility
Websites targeting mobile users who prefer audio content
Educational sites with long-form content
News sites wanting to offer audio news

Accessibility Features

Full keyboard navigation support
Screen reader compatible
High contrast mode support
Reduced motion support
Proper ARIA labels and descriptions

External Services

This plugin integrates with external services to provide text-to-speech functionality and optional cloud storage capabilities.

Murf.ai API
This plugin uses Murf.ai’s text-to-speech API to generate high-quality audio content from your post and page text.

Purpose: Generates high-quality audio from text content using professional AI voices
Data Sent: Post/page text content, selected voice ID, voice style preferences, pronunciation dictionary rules (if configured)
When Sent: Only when you manually generate audio for a post/page using the plugin’s meta box, or when generating pre-roll audio through the plugin settings
Terms of Service: https://murf.ai/terms-of-service
Privacy Policy: https://murf.ai/privacy-policy

Optional Cloud Storage Services
This plugin optionally supports uploading audio files to cloud storage services (Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Cloudflare R2) to reduce bandwidth usage on your web server. This feature is completely optional and disabled by default. No data is sent to these services unless you explicitly configure and enable cloud storage in the plugin settings.

Amazon S3: https://aws.amazon.com/service-terms/
Google Cloud Storage: https://cloud.google.com/terms/
Cloudflare R2: https://www.cloudflare.com/terms/

Support

For support, please visit the plugin’s support forum or contact the developer.

Privacy Policy

This plugin does not collect or store any personal data. Audio files are cached locally on your server. The plugin only communicates with Murf.ai’s API to generate audio content.

Screenshots
FAQ

Do I need a Murf.ai account?

Yes, you’ll need a Murf.ai account and API key to use this plugin. You can sign up at Murf.ai and get your API key from your dashboard.

How much does Murf.ai cost?

Murf.ai offers various pricing plans. Check their website for current pricing information.

Can I use this on multiple sites?

Yes, but you’ll need separate API keys for each site or ensure your Murf.ai plan supports multiple domains.

What audio formats are supported?

The plugin generates WAV audio files, which provide high-quality audio output and are compatible with all modern browsers and devices. WAV format ensures maximum compatibility across all platforms and devices.

Can I customize the audio player appearance?

Yes, the plugin includes CSS classes that you can customize in your theme’s stylesheet.

What happens with very long posts?

For posts that exceed Murf.ai’s API character limits, the plugin automatically breaks the content into smaller chunks. Each chunk is processed separately and saved as individual audio files. The frontend player seamlessly plays all chunks in sequence, and when users download the audio, all chunks are automatically concatenated into a single WAV file for maximum compatibility.

How does the leech protection work?

ListenUp serves all audio files through a secure PHP proxy instead of allowing direct file access. Each audio URL includes a WordPress nonce for authentication, preventing unauthorized access and hotlinking. The system supports HTTP range requests for smooth audio seeking and includes proper caching headers for performance. This protection works automatically without requiring any server configuration.

Can I block direct access to audio files at the server level?

Yes! For additional security, you can configure your web server to block direct access to the audio directory. Here are example configurations:

For Apache (.htaccess):
Add this to /wp-content/uploads/listenup-audio/.htaccess:
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c> RewriteEngine On RewriteRule .* - [F,L] </IfModule>

For Nginx:
Add this to your server block configuration:
location ~* ^/wp-content/uploads/listenup-audio/ { return 403; }

After implementing server-level blocks, audio will still play normally through the WordPress player because the plugin reads files directly from the filesystem, bypassing the web server’s URL routing entirely.

Hide FAQ

ChangeLog

1.5.132

Fixed audio playback failing on post revisions and previews due to meta lookups using the revision ID instead of the parent post
Centralized revision-to-parent post resolution into Cache::get_meta_post_id() for consistent behavior across all audio endpoints
Fixed pre-roll audio URL resolution for revisions via cloud storage
Fixed access check in AJAX audio URL handler incorrectly rejecting anonymous users on revisions of published posts
Preserved audio post meta when local files are missing instead of deleting it, allowing recovery and regeneration

1.5.131

Security fixes

1.5.13

Fixed audio playback errors caused by expired signed URLs when page caching is enabled
Cloud storage audio URLs are now fetched fresh via AJAX on player initialization
Improved compatibility with page caching plugins and CDNs (Varnish, Cloudflare, WP Super Cache, etc.)
Enhanced security: added post existence and publication status validation for audio URL requests
Improved error handling with generic client messages and detailed server-side logging

1.5.12

Code optimizations for WordPress plugin directory compliance
Update documentation with external service usage

1.5.11

Added pagination to Audio Library admin page
Update Audio Library filtering
Improve analytics events to not fire for pre-roll audio

1.5.1

Added “pronunciation” feature to plugin settings to specify how certain words should be spoken

1.5.0

Code quality improvements and WordPress coding standards compliance
Enhanced security and sanitization throughout the plugin
Improved error handling and user feedback
Optimized file operations and directory structure
Better compatibility with WordPress plugin directory requirements

1.4.1

Implement tracking feature to push events to the datalayer for GTM and GA4 consumption

1.4.0

Add option to specify conversion output bitrate
Add option to apply normalization with parameters to conversion process

1.3.22

Fix autoplay feature in audio library

1.3.21

Add ability to delete cloud audio as well as local audio files

1.3.2

Improve frontend player user experience when pre-roll audio is present

1.3.11

Add feature to generate pre-roll audio

1.3.1

Add “autoplay” feature to audio library shortcode

1.3.0

Restrict download to logged-in users or block all downloads completely
Implemented leech protection (requires server configuration)
1.2.01 =
Minor frontend player presentation improvements

1.2.0

Added ability to generate audio for posts that do not fit in the Murf.ai API request length

1.1.1

Improved debug logging

1.1.0

Users can select a default voice and style
Voices can now be previewed

1.0.0

Initial release
Murf.ai API integration
Audio caching system
Meta box for manual generation
Automatic placement options
Shortcode support
Accessibility features
Mobile responsive design

Hide ChangeLog