Eleven Labs is a cutting-edge AI audio platform specializing in ultra-realistic text-to-speech (TTS), voice cloning, speech-to-speech conversion, and conversational voice agents. It transforms text into lifelike speech across 70+ languages with thousands of voices, supports instant and professional voice cloning from short samples, delivers high-fidelity audio (up to 192 kbps or lossless in higher tiers), and powers features like dubbing, audiobooks, podcasts, video narration, and real-time AI agents. Creators, developers, marketers, and businesses use ElevenLabs to produce natural-sounding voiceovers quickly, clone custom voices ethically, and integrate advanced audio via API for apps, games, or automated experiences.
Is Eleven Labs Free or Paid?
Eleven Labs operates on a freemium model with a solid free tier that includes basic TTS generation, limited monthly credits, access to shared voices, and core features for experimentation. This makes it approachable for beginners, hobbyists, or anyone testing realistic AI voices without commitment. Paid plans are required for commercial licensing, higher character/credit limits, professional voice cloning, better audio quality, priority concurrency, multi-seat workspaces, and advanced tools like low-latency agents or massive-scale production, catering to serious content creators, agencies, and enterprises.
Eleven Labs Pricing Details
Eleven Labs uses a credit-based system (credits power TTS generations, cloning, etc.), with monthly allocations scaling by plan. Higher tiers offer discounts for annual billing and overage options. Here’s a clear overview of the main plans:
| Plan Name | Price (Monthly / Yearly) | Main Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 / $0 | 10,000 characters/month (Multilingual) or 20,000 (Flash), basic TTS, 128 kbps audio, no commercial rights | Beginners, testing voices, personal non-commercial projects |
| Starter | $5 / ~$60 annually (~$5/mo equivalent) | 30,000 characters (60k Flash), commercial license, instant voice cloning, 128 kbps | Hobbyists, small creators starting monetized work |
| Creator | $22 ($11 first month promo) / ~$264 annually (~$22/mo) | 100,000 characters (200k Flash), professional voice cloning, 192 kbps audio, overages available | Independent YouTubers, podcasters, content creators producing regularly |
| Pro | $99 / ~$1,068 annually (~$89/mo equivalent) | 500,000 characters (1M Flash), 44.1kHz PCM output, higher concurrency, advanced cloning | Audiobook narrators, agencies, high-quality production needs |
| Scale | $330 / Custom annual | 2,000,000 characters (4M Flash), multi-seat (3+), priority features, lower overage rates | Growing teams, publishers, scaling content output |
| Business / Enterprise | $1,320+ / Custom | 11M+ characters, enterprise SLAs, custom seats, low-latency agents, compliance | Large organizations, real-time apps, high-volume deployments |
Also Read-Hey Gen AI Free, Alternative, Pricing, Pros and Cons
Best Alternatives to Eleven Labs
Several strong competitors provide realistic TTS, voice cloning, or specialized audio features with varying strengths in cost, latency, or ease of use. Here’s a comparison:
| Alternative Tool Name | Free or Paid | Key Feature | How it Compares to Eleven Labs |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayHT | Freemium; Paid from ~$29/mo | Ultra-realistic voices, emotion controls, fast generation | More affordable for high-volume use; strong multilingual but slightly less natural cloning depth than ElevenLabs in some tests |
| Murf AI | Freemium; Paid from ~$19/mo | Studio-quality voices, easy video sync, team collaboration | Beginner-friendly interface with built-in editing; great for quick projects but less advanced cloning and API power |
| Resemble AI | Paid (custom/starts higher) | Speech-to-speech, deepfake detection, enterprise security | Excels in ethical cloning and on-premise options; better for regulated industries but higher cost and less consumer focus |
| Speechify | Freemium; Paid upgrades | Natural reading for documents/audiobooks, mobile-first | Outstanding for personal productivity and long-form narration; simpler than ElevenLabs but fewer creative cloning tools |
| Cartesia | Paid / Usage-based | Extremely low-latency TTS, real-time applications | Superior speed for conversational agents; developer-focused but narrower feature set than ElevenLabs’ full ecosystem |
| Deepgram Aura | Paid / Enterprise-oriented | Real-time enterprise conversations, high scalability | Built for production reliability and low latency; stronger in live use cases but less emphasis on creative voice design |
Pros and Cons of Eleven Labs
ElevenLabs leads in lifelike AI audio quality and versatility, though scale and cost present trade-offs.
Pros:
- Produces exceptionally natural, expressive voices with top-tier realism, emotion, and multilingual support across 70+ languages.
- Advanced voice cloning (instant and professional) allows custom voices from minimal samples with high fidelity.
- Robust API and SDKs enable seamless integration for apps, games, agents, dubbing, and automated workflows.
- Generous free tier and low entry pricing make high-quality TTS accessible for testing and small projects.
- Frequent updates add features like conversational agents, better latency, and premium audio formats.
Cons:
- Credit limits on lower plans run out quickly for longer content or frequent use, requiring upgrades or overages.
- Higher tiers (Pro+) become expensive for massive-scale production or teams without volume discounts.
- Commercial rights and advanced cloning locked behind paid plans; free tier restricts monetization.
- Occasional wait times or concurrency limits during peak usage on non-enterprise tiers.
- Steep learning curve for mastering cloning, emotion controls, and API for best results.