Best open source text-to-speech models and how to run them

Text-to-speech technology has evolved significantly from its robotic origins to open-source models that produce natural, multilingual, and expressive voices, offering developers greater freedom to experiment and customize without vendor lock-in. These models, such as XTTS-v2, Mozilla TTS, and Coqui TTS, vary in strengths, from high-quality voice synthesis and real-time conversational capabilities to lightweight efficiency for low-resource devices. Despite the ease of local testing, scaling these systems for production remains complex, requiring GPU acceleration and careful orchestration to maintain reliability and handle real-time requests. Northflank emerges as a solution, providing a platform that automates deployment and scaling of these models, allowing developers to focus on creating engaging user experiences while managing infrastructure challenges.