Speechmatics
Speechmatics is a speech-to-text API for regulated audio: you Start speaking (or pick Frustrated caller / Doctor–Patient / Breaking News) and get a live…
OUR TAKE
Pick Speechmatics for voice-agent and compliance teams who will spend the $100 credits and then pay $/hr. $100 credits expire in 12 months.
Good fit
Voice-agent and compliance teams who will spend the $100 credits and then pay $/hr.
Poor fit
People who want a VO file (Listnr) or MIT local STT (OpenAI Whisper).
Start $100 · Melia 1 $0.24 · Enhanced $0.75
USD, before tax · Checked 2026-10-27 · speechmatics.com/pricing
OUR TAKE
Pick Speechmatics for voice-agent and compliance teams who will spend the $100 credits and then pay $/hr. $100 credits expire in 12 months. (sign-up bonus).
Good fit
Voice-agent and compliance teams who will spend the $100 credits and then pay $/hr.
Poor fit
People who want a VO file (Listnr) or MIT local STT (OpenAI Whisper).
Start $100 · Melia 1 $0.24 · Enhanced $0.75
USD, before tax · Checked 2026-10-27 · speechmatics.com/pricing
What it costs
USD, before tax · Checked 2026-10-27 · speechmatics.com/pricing
Start
credits, no card
$100
Melia 1
pre-recorded / hr; realtime / hr. Model-training opt-in is 33% off (off by default)
$0.24
Enhanced
pre-recorded / hr; realtime / hr
$0.75
Linden 1
(agents) — realtime / hr
$0.30
Oak 1
(medical) — pre-recorded / hr
$0.30
Standard
/ hr either mode
$0.45
TTS
/ 1,000 characters; first 1 million characters free
Lowest paid
$0.011
Subscriptions
e.g. → 126 credits; up to 25% off at ,000 / yr → 20,000 credits
$120
Enterprise SSO
add-on on the compare table
$280
Checked 2026-10-27·speechmatics.com/pricing
Before you pay
Good fit
Voice-agent and compliance teams who will spend the $100 credits and then pay $/hr.
Poor fit
People who want a VO file (Listnr) or MIT local STT (OpenAI Whisper).
Watch out
$100 credits expire in 12 months. (sign-up bonus).
Instead, try
Deepgram if Nova playground; usage-priced STT/TTS; AssemblyAI if Universal STT + speech understanding
Compare Speechmatics with
Limits, in full
- 01
$100 credits expire in 12 months. (sign-up bonus).
- 02
Free-tier API pauses. when credits hit zero if no card.
- 03
Model-training 33% off is opt-in. and shares audio.
- 04
This page is STT-first. ; TTS is an add-on rate.
If Speechmatics isn't it
Why: Nova playground; usage-priced STT/TTS.
Paid only$4/yr
Streaming is metered while the socket is openChecked 2026-10-20·deepgram.com/pricing
vs Speechmatics
Why: Universal STT + speech understanding.
Free· paid from$0.15
Streaming bills idle socket timeChecked 2026-10-20·assemblyai.com/pricing
vs Speechmatics
Why: realtime STT for agents.
Free· paid from$3.50
New API keys have no free credit packChecked 2026-10-22·soniox.com/pricing
vs SpeechmaticsLimits & alternatives4 limits · Deepgram, AssemblyAI, Soniox instead
Limits, in full
- 01
$100 credits expire in 12 months. (sign-up bonus).
- 02
Free-tier API pauses. when credits hit zero if no card.
- 03
Model-training 33% off is opt-in. and shares audio.
- 04
This page is STT-first. ; TTS is an add-on rate.
If Speechmatics isn't it
Why: Nova playground; usage-priced STT/TTS.
Paid only$4/yr
Streaming is metered while the socket is openChecked 2026-10-20·deepgram.com/pricing
vs SpeechmaticsWhy: Universal STT + speech understanding.
Free· paid from$0.15
Streaming bills idle socket timeChecked 2026-10-20·assemblyai.com/pricing
vs SpeechmaticsWhy: realtime STT for agents.
Free· paid from$3.50
New API keys have no free credit packChecked 2026-10-22·soniox.com/pricing
vs Speechmatics
Pricing notes & what changed4 notes · 1 sources
What it is for
Speechmatics is a speech-to-text API for regulated audio: you Start speaking (or pick Frustrated caller / Doctor–Patient / Breaking News) and get a live transcript. Use it when the job is batch or realtime STT with a public $/hr, not a TTS download.
It is not open source. Sign-up includes $100 in credits, no card. Pay-as-you-go Melia 1 pre-recorded starts at $0.24 / hr.
What makes it unique: the cover is Speechmatics’ public homepage demo — Speech-to-text, Start speaking, sample list — not a pricing table.
Key features
- Homepage STT demo — Start speaking or play a sample (speechmatics.com).
- Melia 1 — multilingual, no language pick; pre-recorded $0.24 / hr, realtime $0.40 / hr (Pricing).
- Linden 1 — voice-agent STT with turn detection; realtime $0.30 / hr.
- Oak 1 — clinical vocabulary; pre-recorded $0.30 / hr.
- TTS add-on — $0.011 per 1,000 characters, first 1M characters free.
Who it's for
Best fit: voice-agent and compliance teams who will spend the $100 credits and then pay $/hr.
Poor fit: people who want a VO file (Listnr) or MIT local STT (OpenAI Whisper).
Pricing
Verified 2026-10-27 from speechmatics.com/pricing (pay-as-you-go base hourly; 1 credit = $1 before discounts).
- Start — $100 credits, no card.
- Melia 1 — pre-recorded $0.24 / hr; realtime $0.40 / hr. Model-training opt-in is 33% off (off by default).
- Enhanced — pre-recorded $0.75 / hr; realtime $0.80 / hr.
- Linden 1 (agents) — realtime $0.30 / hr.
- Oak 1 (medical) — pre-recorded $0.30 / hr.
- Standard — $0.45 / hr either mode.
- TTS — $0.011 / 1,000 characters; first 1 million characters free.
- Subscriptions — e.g. $120 / yr → 126 credits; up to 25% off at $15,000 / yr → 20,000 credits.
- Enterprise SSO — $280 / mo add-on on the compare table.
Limitations / costs
- $100 credits expire in 12 months (sign-up bonus).
- Free-tier API pauses when credits hit zero if no card.
- Model-training 33% off is opt-in and shares audio.
- This page is STT-first; TTS is an add-on rate.
Alternatives
- Deepgram — Nova playground; usage-priced STT/TTS.
- AssemblyAI — Universal STT + speech understanding.
- Soniox — realtime STT for agents.
Official tutorial
Official Speechmatics portal walkthrough (Flow voice agent):
Also official: TTS portal walkthrough. Written path: Pricing plus docs.
Website
Source
Catalog row curated for AI Tools Nav. Cover is the public Speechmatics STT demo. Dollars from speechmatics.com/pricing (Melia pre-recorded $0.24 / hr; Linden $0.30 / hr; TTS $0.011 / 1k chars). Official YouTube embed.
Last verified
2026-10-27 editorial check.