Compare Lab
AssemblyAI vs PolyAI
AssemblyAI is positioned as transcription APIs for live and recorded audio, with model-specific language and analysis options. PolyAI is positioned as enterprise dialog-agent platform with a builder, developer tooling and system i
AssemblyAI is positioned as transcription APIs for live and recorded audio, with model-specific language and analysis options. PolyAI is positioned as enterprise dialog-agent platform with a builder, developer tooling and system integrations. Start by deciding who owns the missing layers, then inspect the documented differences below.
STT and Enterprise Platforms are different product categories. An underlying engine or framework is not a complete substitute for a deployed agent workflow.
10 jointly documented catalog fields. This measures evidence coverage, not equivalent quality or an overall winner.
Test opening hours, booking conflicts and an unanswered transfer.
Start where the records differ.
Values and evidence states are compared together. Shared facts follow the differences; Unknown never means No.
| Decision point | AssemblyAI | PolyAI |
|---|---|---|
| Billing modelDifferent records | component-stack | per-minute |
| Billing unitDifferent records | Async audio hours; streaming connection hours; agent session minutes; gateway tokens | Voice agent minute |
| Bring your telephonyDifferent records | Yes | Yes |
| Bring your modelDifferent records | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA pathDifferent records | Yes | Yes |
| Warm transferShared state | Unknown | Unknown |
Your requirements & next steps
Your requirements
Ready-made / AI receptionist · Strict evidence mode
No personal requirements yet. Add criteria in Advanced Filter to prioritize this comparison.
STT hours/session duration, agent minutes, gateway tokens and add-ons remain distinct.
Sales-led per-minute contract rate, not a public numerical rate.
Model rates are scoped; add-ons stack; reference states updated May 29, 2026 and conflicts are retained.
Commercial rate, commitment and workload exceptions require quote; no fabricated all-in ceiling.
Idle streaming connection duration is billable. No fabricated all-in phone cost per minute.
Published unit; precise fee and minimum quote unresolved.
SSO costs $199 per connection per month; do not mistake no base fee for no fixed optional charges.
Commercial rate, commitment and workload exceptions require quote; no fabricated all-in ceiling.
Not a fixed monthly audio allowance; credits do not expire.
No included minute allowance published in reviewed page.
No invented bundle overage.
Sales-led per-minute service and build credits are documented; no public complete rate/commitment, recurring free entitlement or provider cost inclusions established.
Component choices and call mix must be specified.
Sales-led per-minute service and build credits are documented; no public complete rate/commitment, recurring free entitlement or provider cost inclusions established.
Not yet researched against this buyer-critical field standard.
Not yet researched against this buyer-critical field standard.
No complete phone bill ceiling from minutes alone; carrier, model and addon scope vary.
Commercial rate, commitment and workload exceptions require quote; no fabricated all-in ceiling.
No complete phone bill ceiling from minutes alone; carrier, model and addon scope vary.
Commercial rate, commitment and workload exceptions require quote; no fabricated all-in ceiling.
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
STT hours/session duration, agent minutes, gateway tokens and add-ons remain distinct.
PolyAI
The public pricing page gives a billing basis, not a numeric quote.
Custom quote / current rate unresolved · V3.3 evidence review · Contract-defined minute billing; no public numeric quote
Excluded / confirm: Complete cost cannot be established from this reference. Commercial rate, commitment and workload exceptions require quote; no fabricated all-in ceiling. · Provider, carrier and custom contract terms require separate verification
Sales-led per-minute contract rate, not a public numerical rate.
The evidence overlap.
Both records have documented values for Product type, Technical setup, Pricing model, Call recording, OpenAI models, Anthropic models, Function / tool calling, Transcripts, Checked within 30 days, Retained price snapshot. 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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