How to Choose Between Male & Female Voice Over Artists for Your Project

Revised: February 2025

Stuck deciding between male and female voice over artists for your project? We know the choice is an important one for your content (and your brand), so we’re here to help you make the right decision.

The best way to choose between a male vs female voice artist for your end product is to think about — or rather, listen to — the distinguishing features of each. Tone, pitch, and style are all different between male and female voices, as well as perceived authority and emotions.

We’ve seen examples of both male and female voices used effectively across all types of media, from TV commercials and radio spots to e-learning modules and phone prompts. Using all that knowledge, we’ve put together some tips for figuring out which gender suits your project best.

Does Voice Over Gender Matter?

Your choice in voice over always matters. Cast a voice that doesn’t align with your project or target audience, and you’re setting yourself up for a disconnect between your brand and messaging.

For example, if your target audience is professional women in their 30s, you might opt for a female voice talent with a cool, confident tone to match. Or if your content is geared towards a traditionally male-dominated industry, you might consider casting a male voice over artist for an added sense of credibility.

But what we actually found from our own review around this topic is that trust is non-negotiable. And gender can play a part in how much your audience trusts your message.

Going back to our examples above, strong-headed women are probably less likely to trust your content’s message if it’s delivered by an immature male voice — because it doesn’t make sense for your brand or your product. The pieces have to fit together.

In short, both genders are seen as trusted voices in different contexts (although, female voices are typically seen as more trustworthy across a wider range of industries), and the better you can choose a voice that fits the content, genre, or industry of your project, the more likely it is to be perceived as such.

So, with that in mind, what are these fundamental differences between male and female voices — and how do they affect your content?

Different Features of the Male & Female Voice

Without doing a deep dive into the biological and linguistic differences between male and female voices, we can still draw some broad, albeit important, features that define them. These are the features that might make you choose one over the other for your project.

Voice Feature	Male Voice	Female Voice	Why It Matters
Pitch	Generally have low-pitched voices (A2 to C3)	High-pitched voices (A3 to C4)	Your audience may perceive a certain pitch as more reliable or authoritative, depending on the message they’re consuming.  Preschool children may respond better to higher-pitched voices, while a deep baritone is likely better suited to professional narration.
Articulation	Rougher articulation	Associated with a gentler articulation	This is a matter of personal preference, but can also align with your brand’s tone and messaging.  If you want a warm, welcoming voice for your phone prompts or e-learning course, a female voice talent may articulate this better.
Intonation	Tend to use full pitch range during speech	Vary pitch range during speech	This is an important factor to note for character voice overs, such as animations, cartoons, or audiobooks.  The personality and emotions of your character will determine what type of intonation fits best.
Conversational style	More likely to raise their volume for emphasis	More likely to raise their pitch for emphasis	Will your audience respond better to a louder voice when delivering important information, or a higher voice with more inflection?

These features alone likely aren’t enough to help you make your decision, so we’ve compiled some other considerations to help you narrow your choice further.

Factors Influencing the Choice of Male or Female Voice Over Artists

The type of content you are creating and the aim of your project are also primary factors that will influence the decision for a male or female voiceover artist.

As part of your planning for your project, you should have created a brief, both for yourself (or your content team) and for your voice artist or the voice over agency. Elements like…

• The target audience
• The purpose of the voice over (to inform, entertain, persuade, direct…)
• The genre or your industry

… should all be outlined in your brief and can be really helpful in narrowing down your choice.

Target Audience

Your audience plays a vital role in determining which voice talent you choose. That voice might sound like music to your ears, but if your audience isn’t into it, they’ll most likely not buy into whatever you’re offering.

Usually, female voice over works well if your audience is mostly made up of children. The melodic and gentler sound of a female voice is well-matched to create a warm and welcoming tone for young listeners.

Surprisingly, deep accented male voice overs work well for young females — but not always in advertising, particularly if you’re selling feminine or cosmetics products.

Purpose of Your Content

Every project has a purpose or end goal. Be it selling the newest collection in a line of haircare products, educating your workforce on new company policies, or teaching children about the importance of dental hygiene — your voice over needs to complement that goal.

Where your aim is to be informative and instructive, you may want to go for a more serious or authoritative voice associated with males. 

But if your project is meant to entertain, then a light-hearted and engaging female voice might be the better choice.Listen to this voice over example for an animated video educating viewers about reducing their energy costs. The Welsh-accented female voice over works perfectly for this type of instructional video, giving off a friendly, helpful vibe.

Your Industry & What You’re ‘Selling’

The product being promoted is also incredibly important.

In a lot of cases, the consumer will want to identify with a brand personality (that includes the brand voice) before they convert. Now more than ever, creating a personal connection with your audience is important – and your voice over is the first point of contact.

While male voices work well with products like electronics and cars, female voice overs work well with family and fashion products.

We typically hear a woman’s voice when we’re on hold or reach a company’s IVR system, as it helps us feel more relaxed. Alternatively, a male voice is usually heard when communicating authoritative messages.

From our research, we found that most respondents believed gender did not matter when voicing things like ads. But when it comes to voiceovers for emergency announcements or similar, it will more often than not be a man’s voice heard.

Research on Male vs Female Voice Over Popularity

Molly Babel, Grant McGuire, and Joseph King carried out a study on vocal attractiveness.

Although opinions often correlated, males tended to rate other males less attractive than females rated them. Both genders had similar ratings of female voices, though.

The study arrived at the conclusion that the judgement of vocal attractiveness is complex, which might stem from the fact that different audiences have different voice preferences.

Another study by Harrison Interactive stated that 48% thought male voices were more forceful, while 49% believed gender made no difference.

Other findings included:

Several other studies have also revealed correlated opinions about choosing a male or female voice over. However, one thing is clear; different voices work for different products and different people.

The Verdict: Should You Choose a Male or Female Voice Talent?

We can’t tell you which one will best suit your project (unless you tell us the details and we can certainly help!), but we can guide you with the most important consideration — your audience.

Choose a voice that will be trusted by your audience and makes sense for your brand. You know your customers and prospects best, so use them as your guide.

Remember, whatever choice you make, it should align with the purpose and goals of your project.

FAQs

What is the Difference Between Male & Female Voice in Advertising? + –

We found that most people don’t perceive a major difference between male and female voices in advertising. But it’s important to remember that people make purchasing decisions based on emotion, so your message should evoke the right emotions for your target audience.

Do People Respond Better to a Male or Female Voice? + –

How people respond to a male or female voice depends on who is receiving it. Children, for example, may respond better to a female voice because it can feel more nurturing and comforting. Meanwhile, adults may prefer a male voice as it is often associated with authority or knowledge.

Is Male or Female Voice Over Better? + –

Neither male nor female voices are ‘better’ as such, as both can be effective depending on the context and purpose of your project. If the voice connects with your audience and aligns with the tone of your message, then it can be considered the ‘better’ choice.

Do People Trust Male or Female Voices More? + –

Much research backs up the idea that female voices are generally associated with being more trustworthy. Particularly when you think about announcements in medical, transport, or educational settings, a female voice is typically used.

But that’s not to say that male voices are not trustworthy, as they are perceived as more authoritative in certain contexts, like news announcements or political campaigns. In the end, trust is built on a combination of factors, and gender is just one small piece of the puzzle.

Does Accent Matter When It Comes to Voice Overs? + –

Accents can definitely play an important part in how effective your message comes across and is received. In fact, the Scottish accent is winning call centre work as we hear it as being more friendly and soothing.