AssemblyAI vs ElevenLabs
Two of the most-asked-about agents in the speech-to-text space. Here's how they actually stack up.
AssemblyAI
Speech-to-text API and audio intelligence platform with LLM-powered analysis via LeMUR
Free tier
Read full review →ElevenLabs
AI voice cloning and text-to-speech platform for audiobooks, dubbing, and voice agents
Free + $5/mo
Read full review →Side-by-side comparison
| AssemblyAI | ElevenLabs | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Speech-to-text API and audio intelligence platform with LLM-powered analysis via LeMUR | AI voice cloning and text-to-speech platform for audiobooks, dubbing, and voice agents |
| Pricing | Free tier | Free + $5/mo |
| Categories | speech-to-text, audio-intelligence, api | voice, text-to-speech, conversational-agents |
| Made by | AssemblyAI | ElevenLabs |
| Launched | 2017 | 2022-08 |
| Platforms | API, Python SDK, JavaScript SDK, Java SDK, Ruby SDK, Go SDK, C# SDK | Web, API, iOS, Android |
| Status | active | active |
AssemblyAI highlights
- + Universal-2 model for highest-accuracy English transcription with speaker diarization
- + Universal-1 for production transcription balancing accuracy and cost
- + LeMUR for LLM-powered analysis on audio transcripts, summarization, Q&A, custom analysis
- + Real-time streaming transcription for live audio applications
- + Speaker diarization to separate multiple speakers in a recording
ElevenLabs highlights
- + Voice cloning from a 1-minute audio sample with Professional Voice Cloning on Creator and above
- + Text-to-speech across 32 languages with sub-second latency on the Flash model
- + Conversational AI platform for building real-time voice agents with tool calling and memory
- + Dubbing Studio for translating and lip-syncing video content into 29 languages
- + Sound Effects generator for AI-generated audio from text prompts
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, AssemblyAI or ElevenLabs?
Neither is universally better. AssemblyAI (Free tier) leans into speech-to-text, while ElevenLabs (Free + $5/mo) is closer to voice. Pick based on which workflow you actually do every day.
What is the price difference between AssemblyAI and ElevenLabs?
AssemblyAI is free tier. ElevenLabs is free + $5/mo. See the pricing row in the comparison table.
Can I use AssemblyAI and ElevenLabs together?
In most cases, yes. They serve overlapping but distinct needs, so running them side by side is common until you decide which fits your workflow.