Audio API Cost Calculator — Estimate Speech & Audio AI Spend
Use this free Audio API Cost Calculator to estimate how much your application’s audio processing will cost when using speech-to-text or text-to-speech models. Simply enter your expected number of audio minutes or hours, select the model you plan to use, and choose whether you’re doing transcription, synthesis, or both. This tool calculates your estimated per-minute and total monthly cost based on published pricing for popular audio APIs. It helps developers, product teams, and founders plan budgets, compare models, and avoid surprises when integrating speech and audio AI into your workflows.
Select Audio Service
Audio API Pricing Comparison
| Service | Type | Pricing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper | Speech-to-Text | $0.006/minute | Transcription, subtitles |
| OpenAI TTS Standard | Text-to-Speech | $15/1M characters | High-volume TTS |
| OpenAI TTS HD | Text-to-Speech | $30/1M characters | High-quality voice |
| ElevenLabs Starter | Text-to-Speech | $0.30/1K characters | Realistic AI voices |
| ElevenLabs Pro | Text-to-Speech | $0.24/1K characters | Professional use |
Which Audio API Should You Choose?
Whisper (Speech-to-Text)
Best accuracy for transcription. Supports 99 languages. $0.006/minute makes it affordable for podcasts, meetings, and content creation. No free tier but very cost-effective.
OpenAI TTS (Text-to-Speech)
Most affordable TTS at scale. Standard quality works for most uses. HD quality for professional audiobooks. 6 voices available. Great API, easy integration.
ElevenLabs (Premium TTS)
Most realistic AI voices. Voice cloning available. More expensive but worth it for professional content, audiobooks, and character voices. Best emotional range.