ElevenLabs vs PlayAI
Discover the key differences between leading voice AI models. Compare features, pricing, and performance metrics.
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Comparing ElevenLabs and PlayAI Voice Models
Eleven Labs offers superior voice quality and natural-sounding speech with extensive voice customization, but costs more. Play.ai is more affordable with decent quality, but has fewer voices and customization options.
Updated at:
Feb 14, 2025
Features
ElevenLabs
Typically around 300 ms + network time
Natural and realistic, widely used by all types of content creators
Limited to 40k characters per request
Requires 30 seconds of audio
IPA Support, isolated pronunciation
Stability, similarity, and style exaggeration controls
8kHz audio, telephony optimized voices
32
Up to 15 on highest self serve tier, custom for enterprise
PlayAI
<130ms
Less depth and reliability ratings in human evals
Limited character count for longer texts
Not supported
Not supported
IPA Support, isolated pronunciation
Stability, similarity, and style exaggeration controls
8kHz audio
30
Voice Quality Comparison
When evaluating voice quality, ElevenLabs and PlayAI were assessed on various metrics. ElevenLabs scored high in speech naturalness, with 44.98% of cases rated as medium, indicating a good level of human-like speech. PlayAI, however, had a lower naturalness score, with 78.01% of cases rated low. In terms of noise, ElevenLabs had none detected in 80.27% of cases, while PlayAI struggled with background noise. Overall, ElevenLabs outperformed PlayAI in producing high-quality, clear, and natural-sounding speech.
Latency Performance Metrics
In our latency evaluation, we measured the Time to First Audio (TTFA) for ElevenLabs and PlayAI. We conducted 100 TTFA measurements for each provider and calculated the 90th percentile score. ElevenLabs demonstrated a TTFA of 135ms, indicating its ability to deliver audio responses quickly. PlayAI, on the other hand, had a slower response time, averaging around 200ms. This difference highlights ElevenLabs' advantage in providing low-latency voice outputs, essential for real-time applications.
Hallucination Rate Analysis
The hallucination rate is a critical metric in evaluating voice AI models. In our analysis, ElevenLabs exhibited a lower hallucination rate compared to PlayAI. Specifically, ElevenLabs maintained a high context awareness score of 63.37%, indicating its ability to generate contextually relevant speech. PlayAI, however, showed a lower context awareness score of 39.25%, leading to more frequent instances of hallucination in its outputs. This suggests that ElevenLabs is better equipped to produce coherent and contextually appropriate speech.
Voice Cloning
In our evaluation of voice cloning capabilities, we compared ElevenLabs and PlayAI. ElevenLabs achieved an impressive Word Error Rate (WER) of 2.83%, showcasing its accuracy in generating coherent speech. In contrast, PlayAI's performance was slightly less favorable, with a WER of 4.19%. Additionally, ElevenLabs demonstrated high pronunciation accuracy in 81.97% of cases, while PlayAI's accuracy was lower at 64.43%. This indicates that ElevenLabs not only excels in accuracy but also in producing lifelike voice outputs, making it a strong contender in the voice cloning arena.
Voice Design Control Evaluation
When it comes to voice design controllability, ElevenLabs and PlayAI were evaluated on their ability to adapt voice characteristics. ElevenLabs scored high in prosody accuracy, achieving a score of 64.57%, which reflects its capability to modulate rhythm and intonation effectively. PlayAI, however, had a lower score of 55.52%, indicating less control over voice design elements. This evaluation suggests that ElevenLabs offers superior flexibility and control for developers looking to customize voice outputs.
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Ultra-Realistic Voices
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ElevenLabs
Free - $0/mo. with 10k characters
Starter - $5/mo. with 30k characters
Creator - $11/mo. with 100k characters
Pro - $99/mo. per month with 500k characters
Scale - $330/mo. per month with 2M characters
PlayAI
Free Plan - $0 per month with 30 minutes of speech credits
Starter - $9.00 per month with 50 minutes of speech credits
Creator - $49.00 per month with 300 minutes of speech credits
Pro - $99.00 per month with 700 minutes of speech credits
Business - $999.00 per month with 11000 minutes of speech credits
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