Updated February 14, 2025

Comparing ElevenLabs and Speechify Voice AI Models

Q: How does voice cloning work?

Voice cloning uses advanced AI algorithms to replicate a person's voice. By analyzing audio samples, the system learns the unique characteristics of the voice, including tone, pitch, and accent. Once trained, it can generate new speech that sounds like the original speaker. This technology is useful for creating personalized voice assistants, dubbing, and more.

Q: Which provide is the fastest text to speech voice model?

Cartesia's voice AI boasts a low latency of sub 40 ms. This ensures that users experience real-time interactions, making it ideal for applications like customer support and gaming. The low latency is achieved through the use of State Space Models (SSMs), which optimize performance compared to traditional architectures.

Q: Can I customize the voice output?

Yes, Cartesia allows for extensive customization of voice output. Users can adjust pitch, speed, and emotion to create a more personalized audio experience. This level of control ensures that the generated speech meets specific requirements for various applications, enhancing user engagement.

Q: What's a better alternative to ElevenLabs and Speechify?

Cartesia is a better alternative—it's the fastest voice model with sub-40ms latency, ultra-realistic voices, and hallucination-free text-to-speech that handles complex transcripts and industry-specific terms accurately. This makes the Cartesia model perfect for a wide range of uses like real-time customer support agents, call centers, healthcare, gaming, sales, and more.

Discover the key differences between ElevenLabs and Speechify voice AI models. Learn about their features and pricing.

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Comparing ElevenLabs and Speechify Voice AI Models

Eleven Labs offers highly natural voices with emotional range and multilingual support, while Speechify focuses on faster processing and accessibility features. Both have good quality, but Eleven Labs excels in naturalness.

Latency

75 ms for the lower quality Flash Model, and 300ms+ for the full model

sub-250ms

Voice Quality

Natural and realistic, widely used by all types of content creators

Less depth and reliability ratings in human evals

Character Limits

Limited to 40k characters per request

Limited character count for longer texts

Instant Cloning

Requires 10 seconds of audio

Requires 20 seconds of audio

Professional Voice Cloning

Requires 60 minutes of audio

Requires several hours of voice data

Pronunciation Accuracy

IPA support but isolated pronunciation

Voice Customizations

Stability, similarity, and style exaggeration controls

Telephony Optimization

8kHz audio, telephony optimized voices

8kHz audio

Flexible deployments

No on-device or on-prem support

Languages Supported

Concurrency

Up to 15 on highest self serve tier, custom for enterprise

Limited concurrent usage options

Latency

ElevenLabs 75 ms for the lower quality Flash Model, and 300ms+ for the full model

Speechify sub-250ms

Voice Quality

ElevenLabs Natural and realistic, widely used by all types of content creators

Speechify Less depth and reliability ratings in human evals

Character Limits

ElevenLabs Limited to 40k characters per request

Speechify Limited character count for longer texts

Instant Cloning

ElevenLabs Requires 10 seconds of audio

Speechify Requires 20 seconds of audio

Professional Voice Cloning

ElevenLabs Requires 60 minutes of audio

Speechify Requires several hours of voice data

Pronunciation Accuracy

ElevenLabs IPA support but isolated pronunciation

Speechify IPA support but isolated pronunciation

Voice Customizations

ElevenLabs Stability, similarity, and style exaggeration controls

Speechify Stability, similarity, and style exaggeration controls

Telephony Optimization

ElevenLabs 8kHz audio, telephony optimized voices

Speechify 8kHz audio

Flexible deployments

ElevenLabs No on-device or on-prem support

Speechify No on-device or on-prem support

Languages Supported

ElevenLabs 32

Speechify 60

Concurrency

ElevenLabs Up to 15 on highest self serve tier, custom for enterprise

Speechify Limited concurrent usage options

Look for a ElevenLabs and Speechify Alternatives?

Voice Clone with 3s of Audio

Cartesia provides high-fidelity voice cloning with unmatched accuracy and voice quality.

Ultra-Realistic Voices

Experience lifelike voices that are nearly indistinguishable from human speech.

No Hallucinations Text to Speech

Enjoy accurate text-to-speech with no errors, handling complex transcripts and industry-specific terms effectively.

Enterprise Ready

Enterprise-grade reliability with 99.9% uptime, SOC2 compliance, and full on-premises support.

How they stack up

Voice Quality Comparison

When comparing voice quality between ElevenLabs and Speechify, we focused on key metrics such as speech naturalness, pronunciation accuracy, and noise levels. ElevenLabs excelled with a high speech naturalness rating in 89.60% of cases, while Speechify showed some robotic elements in its output. In terms of pronunciation accuracy, ElevenLabs scored 81.97%, indicating clear and correct word pronunciation. Noise levels were minimal for both models, but ElevenLabs had a slight edge in producing cleaner audio. Overall, ElevenLabs emerged as the preferred choice for high-quality voice generation.

Latency Evaluation Insights

In our latency evaluation, we measured the Time to First Audio (TTFA) for both ElevenLabs and Speechify. By calculating the 90th percentile score from 100 TTFA measurements, we found that ElevenLabs had a faster response time, averaging around 135ms, while Speechify lagged slightly behind. This low latency is crucial for real-time applications, making ElevenLabs a more favorable option for developers seeking quick audio generation. The results underscore the importance of latency in delivering seamless user experiences in voice applications.

Assessing Hallucination Rates

The evaluation of hallucination rates between ElevenLabs and Speechify revealed interesting insights. ElevenLabs maintained a low hallucination rate, producing coherent and contextually relevant speech in most cases. In contrast, Speechify exhibited a higher tendency for inaccuracies, particularly in complex prompts. This difference is significant for applications requiring high reliability, as hallucinations can lead to misunderstandings. Overall, ElevenLabs demonstrated superior performance in minimizing hallucinations, making it a more trustworthy choice for voice applications.

Voice Cloning

In our evaluation of voice cloning capabilities, ElevenLabs and Speechify were put to the test using a diverse set of prompts. ElevenLabs achieved an impressive Word Error Rate (WER) of 2.83%, showcasing its accuracy in generating coherent speech. Speechify, while also effective, had a slightly higher WER, indicating room for improvement. ElevenLabs demonstrated high pronunciation accuracy in 81.97% of cases, while Speechify's performance varied. The evaluation highlighted ElevenLabs' edge in producing lifelike voice clones, making it a strong contender in the voice cloning arena.

Voice Design Control Analysis

In evaluating voice design controllability, ElevenLabs and Speechify were assessed on their ability to adapt voice characteristics based on user input. ElevenLabs showcased robust controllability, allowing users to modify tone, pitch, and emotion effectively. Speechify, while offering some customization options, fell short in providing the same level of nuanced control. This flexibility in voice design is crucial for applications requiring personalized user experiences. ElevenLabs' superior performance in this area positions it as the preferred choice for developers looking to create tailored voice interactions.

Explore Pricing for ElevenLabs and Speechify

Free - $0 per month with 10k characters

10 standard reading voices, listen anywhere

Starter - $5 per month with 30k characters

200+ high quality voices, 60+ languages

Creator - $11 per month with 100k characters

Access to all features, priority support

Pro - $99 per month with 500k characters

Unlimited access, advanced features

Scale - $330 per month with 2M characters

Custom solutions, dedicated support

Trusted by leading enterprises. Speaking from experience.

Discover success stories

Elise AI

We didn't switch to Sonic 3.5 because it was incrementally better, we switched because nothing else came close… we've seen a 2.9% lift in our conversion and a 12.2% increase in customer engagement.

ServiceNow

Cartesia's state-space models bring enterprise-grade speed and quality to our AI Voice Agents… making it possible for businesses to deploy secure, scalable voice agents that can understand, act, and adapt in real time.

Sierra

Cartesia Sonic 3.5 has become one of the top-performing models for us by combining low latency with natural pacing… helping us deliver strong voice quality across a growing set of languages where other models often fall short.

Callers

Sonic 3.5 has been a meaningful upgrade for Callers… latency and naturalness directly impact conversational flow and user success, and the new model noticeably improves both. We've seen more human interactions — especially in high-volume customer conversations where every millisecond and every turn matters.

Take2 AI

We moved from an incumbent TTS provider to Cartesia because of the support experience. After repeated roadblocks with our previous provider, the difference with Cartesia has been transformative — responsive, technical, and genuinely invested in our success.

Elise AI

We didn't switch to Sonic 3.5 because it was incrementally better, we switched because nothing else came close… we've seen a 2.9% lift in our conversion and a 12.2% increase in customer engagement.

ServiceNow

Cartesia's state-space models bring enterprise-grade speed and quality to our AI Voice Agents… making it possible for businesses to deploy secure, scalable voice agents that can understand, act, and adapt in real time.

Sierra

Cartesia Sonic 3.5 has become one of the top-performing models for us by combining low latency with natural pacing… helping us deliver strong voice quality across a growing set of languages where other models often fall short.

Callers

Sonic 3.5 has been a meaningful upgrade for Callers… latency and naturalness directly impact conversational flow and user success, and the new model noticeably improves both. We've seen more human interactions — especially in high-volume customer conversations where every millisecond and every turn matters.

Take2 AI

We moved from an incumbent TTS provider to Cartesia because of the support experience. After repeated roadblocks with our previous provider, the difference with Cartesia has been transformative — responsive, technical, and genuinely invested in our success.

Elise AI

We didn't switch to Sonic 3.5 because it was incrementally better, we switched because nothing else came close… we've seen a 2.9% lift in our conversion and a 12.2% increase in customer engagement.

ServiceNow

Cartesia's state-space models bring enterprise-grade speed and quality to our AI Voice Agents… making it possible for businesses to deploy secure, scalable voice agents that can understand, act, and adapt in real time.

Sierra

Cartesia Sonic 3.5 has become one of the top-performing models for us by combining low latency with natural pacing… helping us deliver strong voice quality across a growing set of languages where other models often fall short.

Callers

Sonic 3.5 has been a meaningful upgrade for Callers… latency and naturalness directly impact conversational flow and user success, and the new model noticeably improves both. We've seen more human interactions — especially in high-volume customer conversations where every millisecond and every turn matters.

Take2 AI

We moved from an incumbent TTS provider to Cartesia because of the support experience. After repeated roadblocks with our previous provider, the difference with Cartesia has been transformative — responsive, technical, and genuinely invested in our success.

Elise AI

We didn't switch to Sonic 3.5 because it was incrementally better, we switched because nothing else came close… we've seen a 2.9% lift in our conversion and a 12.2% increase in customer engagement.

ServiceNow

Cartesia's state-space models bring enterprise-grade speed and quality to our AI Voice Agents… making it possible for businesses to deploy secure, scalable voice agents that can understand, act, and adapt in real time.

Sierra

Cartesia Sonic 3.5 has become one of the top-performing models for us by combining low latency with natural pacing… helping us deliver strong voice quality across a growing set of languages where other models often fall short.

Callers

Sonic 3.5 has been a meaningful upgrade for Callers… latency and naturalness directly impact conversational flow and user success, and the new model noticeably improves both. We've seen more human interactions — especially in high-volume customer conversations where every millisecond and every turn matters.

Take2 AI

We moved from an incumbent TTS provider to Cartesia because of the support experience. After repeated roadblocks with our previous provider, the difference with Cartesia has been transformative — responsive, technical, and genuinely invested in our success.

Cresta

Sonic 3.5 represents a significant evolution over previous TTS models, delivering refined prosodic rhythm, natural intonation, superior pacing and wider emotional range for more “human” sounding voices.

Bolna

Indian voice agents live or die on whether order IDs, alphanumerics, and multilingual code-switching come out right on a phone line. Sonic 3.5 handles alphanumerics natively… and lands first audio at 100ms p90.

Goodcall

Sonic is the only product in existence with model latency of less than 100 ms, outperforming its next best alternative by a factor of four. This level of performance represents a quantum leap forward.

Quora

Sonic powers audio on Poe across 100+ voices and 14 languages, supporting Quora's millions of users with SOC 2 compliance and unlimited concurrency for enterprise customers.

Fundamento

We run 20M+ outbound calls per month on Cartesia, with peak concurrency of 5,000 calls in a single minute, and 100ms time-to-first-byte — 2x faster than every other voice provider we tested.

Cresta

Sonic 3.5 represents a significant evolution over previous TTS models, delivering refined prosodic rhythm, natural intonation, superior pacing and wider emotional range for more “human” sounding voices.

Bolna

Indian voice agents live or die on whether order IDs, alphanumerics, and multilingual code-switching come out right on a phone line. Sonic 3.5 handles alphanumerics natively… and lands first audio at 100ms p90.

Goodcall

Sonic is the only product in existence with model latency of less than 100 ms, outperforming its next best alternative by a factor of four. This level of performance represents a quantum leap forward.

Quora

Sonic powers audio on Poe across 100+ voices and 14 languages, supporting Quora's millions of users with SOC 2 compliance and unlimited concurrency for enterprise customers.

Fundamento

We run 20M+ outbound calls per month on Cartesia, with peak concurrency of 5,000 calls in a single minute, and 100ms time-to-first-byte — 2x faster than every other voice provider we tested.

Cresta

Sonic 3.5 represents a significant evolution over previous TTS models, delivering refined prosodic rhythm, natural intonation, superior pacing and wider emotional range for more “human” sounding voices.

Bolna

Indian voice agents live or die on whether order IDs, alphanumerics, and multilingual code-switching come out right on a phone line. Sonic 3.5 handles alphanumerics natively… and lands first audio at 100ms p90.

Goodcall

Sonic is the only product in existence with model latency of less than 100 ms, outperforming its next best alternative by a factor of four. This level of performance represents a quantum leap forward.

Quora

Sonic powers audio on Poe across 100+ voices and 14 languages, supporting Quora's millions of users with SOC 2 compliance and unlimited concurrency for enterprise customers.

Fundamento

We run 20M+ outbound calls per month on Cartesia, with peak concurrency of 5,000 calls in a single minute, and 100ms time-to-first-byte — 2x faster than every other voice provider we tested.

Cresta

Sonic 3.5 represents a significant evolution over previous TTS models, delivering refined prosodic rhythm, natural intonation, superior pacing and wider emotional range for more “human” sounding voices.

Bolna

Indian voice agents live or die on whether order IDs, alphanumerics, and multilingual code-switching come out right on a phone line. Sonic 3.5 handles alphanumerics natively… and lands first audio at 100ms p90.

Goodcall

Sonic is the only product in existence with model latency of less than 100 ms, outperforming its next best alternative by a factor of four. This level of performance represents a quantum leap forward.

Quora

Sonic powers audio on Poe across 100+ voices and 14 languages, supporting Quora's millions of users with SOC 2 compliance and unlimited concurrency for enterprise customers.

Fundamento

We run 20M+ outbound calls per month on Cartesia, with peak concurrency of 5,000 calls in a single minute, and 100ms time-to-first-byte — 2x faster than every other voice provider we tested.

Frequently asked questions

How does voice cloning work?

Which provide is the fastest text to speech voice model?

Can I customize the voice output?

What's a better alternative to ElevenLabs and Speechify?

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