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Comparison LabCompare 27 voice AI platforms and components across seven buying contexts, with sourced capabilities, current price captures and visible unknowns.Voice AI Price Index: prices, evidence and historyUnderstand the complete voice-agent cost stack: models, voice, transcription, telephony, subscriptions, capacity and add-ons.Know the cost before the first callEstimate monthly voice-agent costs, AI minutes, setup expenses and volume scenarios using your own transparent assumptions.AI voice agents for dentalAppointments, rescheduling and after-hours calls—with a person ready for clinical questions. Explore call flows, safe automation, integrations, tests and cost considerations.

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AssemblyAI vs ElevenLabs

AssemblyAI is positioned as transcription APIs for live and recorded audio, with model-specific language and analysis options. ElevenLabs is positioned as a voice-model ecosystem with ElevenAgents for managed conversations; this r

The decision in context

AssemblyAI is positioned as transcription APIs for live and recorded audio, with model-specific language and analysis options. ElevenLabs is positioned as a voice-model ecosystem with ElevenAgents for managed conversations; this record prices the Agents product. Start by deciding who owns the missing layers, then inspect the documented differences below.

STT and Voice Engines are different product categories. An underlying engine or framework is not a complete substitute for a deployed agent workflow.

19 jointly documented catalog fields. This measures evidence coverage, not equivalent quality or an overall winner.

Compare for the job

Test opening hours, booking conflicts and an unanswered transfer.

2 of 4 slots
AssemblyAIElevenLabs
Decision signals / differences first

Start where the records differ.

5 of 8 priority fields differ

Values and evidence states are compared together. Shared facts follow the differences; Unknown never means No.

Selected platforms: buyer-critical differences before detailed dimensions
Decision pointAssemblyAIElevenLabs
Billing modelDifferent records
component-stackVerified Yes · 2026-09-28
monthly-bundleVerified Yes · 2026-09-28Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Billing unitDifferent records
Async audio hours; streaming connection hours; agent session minutes; gateway tokensVerified Yes · 2026-09-28
monthVerified Yes · 2026-09-28Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Warm transferDifferent records
UnknownUnknown after research · 2026-09-28
YesConditional · 2026-09-28Phone calls using native Twilio import; chat widget and SIP warm messages excluded
HIPAA pathDifferent records
YesConditional · 2026-09-28Contract-covered AssemblyAI services · Sales-confirmed agreement
UnknownConflicting evidence · 2026-09-28PHI retention configuration · Enterprise
WebhooksDifferent records
YesConditional · 2026-09-28Unknown
YesVerified Yes · 2026-09-28API / webhookDocumented product/configuration only; see research notes
Bring your telephonyShared state
YesVerified Yes · 2026-09-28
YesVerified Yes · 2026-09-28Documented product/configuration only; see research notes
Your requirements & next steps
Carried from your shortlist

Your requirements

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Ready-made / AI receptionist · Strict evidence mode

No personal requirements yet. Add criteria in Advanced Filter to prioritize this comparison.

Unknown ≠ No
Evidence, side by sideNo benchmark scores
ElevenLabsVoice Engines
Pricing model
AssemblyAI
component-stackVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

STT hours/session duration, agent minutes, gateway tokens and add-ons remain distinct.

ElevenLabs
monthly-bundleVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Headline / base price
AssemblyAI
Universal-2 async / Universal-Streaming $0.15/hour; U3.5 Pro async $0.21/hour; U3 realtime $0.45/hour; Voice Agent $0.075/minVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Model rates are scoped; add-ons stack; reference states updated May 29, 2026 and conflicts are retained.

ElevenLabs
Free $0; Starter $6/monthVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Billing unit
AssemblyAI
Async audio hours; streaming connection hours; agent session minutes; gateway tokensVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Idle streaming connection duration is billable. No fabricated all-in phone cost per minute.

ElevenLabs
monthVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Platform fee
AssemblyAI
No base monthly subscription on PAYG; SSO add-on is separately monthlyVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

SSO costs $199 per connection per month; do not mistake no base fee for no fixed optional charges.

ElevenLabs
Starter $6/month; Creator $22; Pro $99; Scale $299; Business $990Verified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Included usage
AssemblyAI
New-account $50 credits for listed speech APIs; LLM Gateway excludedVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Not a fixed monthly audio allowance; credits do not expire.

ElevenLabs
Free 15 minutes; Starter 75; Creator 275; Pro 1,238; Scale 3,738; Business 12,375Verified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Overage
AssemblyAI
PAYG rates after credits; access pauses at exhausted balance without fundingVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

No invented bundle overage.

ElevenLabs
Additional minutes advertised at $0.08/min; burst $0.16/min; eligibility variesVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Pass-through costs
AssemblyAI
Twilio carrier; optional custom/Gateway LLM; standalone STT add-ons and per-channel billingVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Component choices and call mix must be specified.

ElevenLabs
LLM charges, external telephony and taxes are additionalVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Free offer
AssemblyAI
UnknownNot researched

Not yet researched against this buyer-critical field standard.

ElevenLabs
Free Agents tier: 15 minutes; 4 concurrent callsVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Starter; Free tier separate
Complete cost ceiling
AssemblyAI
UnknownUnknown after research · 2026-09-28

No complete phone bill ceiling from minutes alone; carrier, model and addon scope vary.

ElevenLabs
UnknownUnknown after research · 2026-09-28

LLM/token usage, carrier and burst behavior are not bounded by an included-minute package.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
What remains unresolved
AssemblyAI
UnknownUnknown after research · 2026-09-28

No complete phone bill ceiling from minutes alone; carrier, model and addon scope vary.

ElevenLabs
LLM/token usage, carrier and burst behavior are not bounded by an included-minute package.Verified Yes · 2026-09-28

Research conclusion about cost completeness, not a vendor capability.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate

Anyone with this link can view the encoded decision criteria.

Vendor documentation establishes a claim. Public model benchmarks are separate context, not measurements of these platforms.

Open saved comparison ↗

What to verify together.

AssemblyAI

A transcription hour is not a complete agent hour.

Universal-2 async / Universal-Streaming $0.15/hour; U3.5 Pro async $0.21/hour; U3 realtime $0.45/hour; Voice Agent $0.075/min · V3.3 evidence review · Voice Agent API reference; standalone STT is hourly; transport/add-ons separate

Excluded / confirm: Complete cost cannot be established from this reference. No complete phone bill ceiling from minutes alone; carrier, model and addon scope vary. · Twilio carrier; optional custom/Gateway LLM; standalone STT add-ons and per-channel billing

component-stackVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

STT hours/session duration, agent minutes, gateway tokens and add-ons remain distinct.

Read the complete profile →

ElevenLabs

Voice-engine and Agents prices cover different products.

Free $0; Starter $6/month · V3.3 evidence review · Starter Agents subscription reference; model/carrier costs extra

Excluded / confirm: Complete cost cannot be established from this reference. LLM/token usage, carrier and burst behavior are not bounded by an included-minute package. · LLM charges, external telephony and taxes are additional

monthly-bundleVerified Yes · 2026-09-28

Reviewed current public offer; retain original billing scope and units.

Documented product/configuration only; see research notes · Starter; Free tier separate
Read the complete profile →

The evidence overlap.

Both records have documented values for Product type, Call direction, Technical setup, Pricing model, Published numeric pricing, Bring your telephony, Twilio, Call recording, Realtime / streaming audio, OpenAI models, Anthropic models, Google models and additional fields shown in Compare. Matching availability does not measure behavior under your call conditions.

Run the same booking, tool failure and unsuccessful human-transfer cases. Record both outcomes and billable units before signing a deployment agreement.

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Editorial index gate: noindex-cross-category. Different product layers. This pair is useful for architecture inspection, not a like-for-like purchase ranking.