Starts atFree plan · paid from $6/mo
- Free plan
Head-to-head
ElevenLabs vs Fish Audio: which AI voice tool should a creator pay for?
At a glance
Starts atFreemium, from $11/mo
- Free planup to 500 characters per generation
- Commercial use on paid plans
Fish Audio gives you far more audio per dollar: Plus is $11/month for 250,000 credits (up to 200 minutes). ElevenLabs Starter is $6/month for 30,000 credits, and Creator is $22/month for 121,000. Pick ElevenLabs if you want Professional voice cloning and a wider toolset. Pick Fish Audio if you mainly need a lot of voiceover minutes for less.
Quick verdict
- Choose Fish Audio if you voice many faceless Shorts a month and cost per minute matters most.
- Choose ElevenLabs if you want the cheapest commercial entry ($6/month) or Professional voice cloning on Creator ($22/month).
- Free plans: both have one. Fish Audio's FAQ says free use is personal and non-commercial. ElevenLabs' pricing page does not list a commercial license on Free.
Side-by-side comparison
| Detail | ElevenLabs | Fish Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 10,000 credits a month (about 10 minutes), 3 custom voice slots | 8,000 credits a month (up to 7 minutes), 500 characters per generation |
| Entry paid plan | Starter: $6/month, 30,000 credits | Plus: $11/month, 250,000 credits (up to 200 minutes) |
| Mid plan | Creator: $22/month, 121,000 credits | Pro: $75/month, 2,000,000 credits (up to 1,620 minutes) |
| Yearly billing | Costs the same as 10 months ($60/year for Starter) | Plus: $132/year. Pro: $900/year |
| Commercial use | Starter and up include a commercial license. The Free plan doesn't list one (checked 16 Oct 2026) | Allowed from Plus. Free is personal, non-commercial only (Fish Audio FAQ) |
| Voice cloning | Instant on Starter. Professional on Creator and up | "Enhanced" cloning listed on every plan, including Free |
| Best for | Creators who want one paid voice suite at a low entry price | High-volume voiceover on a budget |
Which one for Shorts, TikTok and Reels voiceovers?
A 45 second Short script is roughly 700 to 900 characters. On ElevenLabs, where text to speech costs about 1 credit per character on V2 Multilingual, Starter's 30,000 credits covers roughly 35 such scripts a month. Fish Audio Plus lists up to 200 minutes, which is more than 250 Shorts at 45 seconds. If you post daily on several channels, Fish Audio is the cheaper path. If you post a few times a week and want a Professional clone of your own voice, ElevenLabs Creator fits.
On both, use a paid plan before you monetize. Free output is not cleared for commercial use on either pricing page.
How to choose
- Count your monthly voiceover minutes. Under 30 minutes: ElevenLabs Starter is enough. Over 100: Fish Audio Plus costs less.
- Decide if you need a Professional clone of your voice. That is ElevenLabs Creator ($22/month) and up.
- Test both free plans with the same script, then judge the voice by ear.
- Upgrade before you post on a monetized channel, since both free plans exclude or do not list commercial use.
Common questions
Is Fish Audio cheaper than ElevenLabs?
Per minute, yes. Fish Audio Plus is $11/month for up to 200 minutes. ElevenLabs Creator is $22/month for 121,000 credits, about 121 minutes.
Can I use Fish Audio free for YouTube?
Fish Audio's FAQ says free users are limited to personal, non-commercial projects. For a monetized channel, use Plus or higher.
Does ElevenLabs have a free plan in 2026?
Yes. Free gives 10,000 credits a month, about 10 minutes of text to speech, with no rollover.
Related: ElevenLabs review, Fish Audio review, ElevenLabs vs Murf AI, ElevenLabs alternatives, AI voiceover tools.
Sources: elevenlabs.io/pricing, fish.audio/plan. Checked on 16 October 2026. Based on published plans and terms, not a hands-on test.