Leading AI text-to-speech, voice cloning, dubbing and voice isolator.
Head-to-head
ElevenLabs vs Speechify (2026): which should creators use?
Text-to-speech reader and AI voice studio with voice cloning.
These solve different problems. ElevenLabs is a voice generator for making voiceovers, with a commercial licence from its cheapest paid plan. Speechify is mainly a reader app that reads text to you; its voiceover product, Speechify Studio, is priced separately from $100/year. If you make videos, start with ElevenLabs. If you want to listen to scripts, articles and PDFs, pick Speechify.
Quick verdict
- Pick ElevenLabs if you need voiceovers for Shorts, TikToks or faceless YouTube videos, voice cloning, and a clear commercial licence. Paid plans start at $5/mo billed yearly.
- Pick Speechify if you want to listen to text on your phone, browser or desktop at up to 5x speed. Premium is $29/mo. It's a reading tool first.
Side-by-side comparison
| ElevenLabs | Speechify (reader app) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Generate voiceovers, clone voices, dub | Read text aloud to you |
| Free plan | 10k credits/mo (about 10 min of TTS), 3 Studio projects | 10 robotic voices, up to 1.5x speed |
| Cheapest paid | Starter: 30k credits/mo; $5/mo equivalent billed yearly | Premium $29/mo (yearly option shown, price not listed) |
| Commercial licence | Included from Starter; not listed on Free | Not on Studio Free; included on paid Studio plans |
| Voice cloning | Instant cloning from Starter; Professional cloning from Creator | Not stated on the reader pricing page |
| Creator tier | Creator: 121k credits/mo (about 121 min) | Studio Starter $100/yr (86,400 credits); Studio Creator $300/yr (345,600 credits) |
| Platforms | Web app and API | iPhone, iPad, Android, Chrome, Edge, web, Mac, Windows |
Pricing notes
ElevenLabs counts credits: text to speech uses one credit per character. Free gives about 10 minutes a month and doesn't list a commercial licence, so treat it as a test plan. When we checked, Starter and Creator had first-month discounts running; yearly billing charges 10 months for 12. Above Creator, Pro is $99/mo for about 600 minutes.
Speechify Premium at $29/mo buys 1,000+ natural voices, 60+ languages, 5x speed and scanning. None of that is about exporting audio for videos. Speechify Studio, the voiceover product, has its own pricing page. Studio Free gives 600 credits with no commercial rights and no MP3 download. Studio Starter is $100/year for 86,400 credits and Studio Creator $300/year for 345,600, both with commercial use. Voiceover costs 1 credit per second. The Studio page doesn't mention voice cloning.
A worked cost example
Say you need 60 minutes of voiceover a month for Shorts. Speechify Studio Starter's 86,400 credits a year at 1 credit per second come to 1,440 minutes a year, or about 120 minutes a month, for $100/year (about $8.33/mo). ElevenLabs Starter gives about 30 minutes a month, so 60 minutes needs Creator (about 121 minutes). On raw minutes per dollar, Studio Starter is cheap. ElevenLabs gives you instant voice cloning from Starter, which Speechify's Studio page doesn't list.
Which one for your channel?
- Faceless channel voiceovers: ElevenLabs Starter or Creator. The commercial licence is stated on the plan, and 30 to 121 minutes a month covers daily Shorts.
- Your own voice, cloned: ElevenLabs. Instant cloning is on Starter.
- Proofreading scripts by ear, or getting through research reading: Speechify. It runs on every device.
More options in our list of the best AI voices for faceless videos.
Questions
Is ElevenLabs better than Speechify?
For making voiceovers, yes. It's built for generating and exporting audio, with a commercial licence from Starter. Speechify is better for listening to text.
Can I use ElevenLabs free voices on YouTube?
The pricing page lists the commercial licence only on paid plans, from Starter up. For monetized videos, use a paid plan.
Is Speechify free?
Yes, the reader has a free plan with 10 robotic voices and up to 1.5x speed. Premium costs $29/mo.
Does Speechify allow commercial use?
Speechify Studio's paid plans include commercial use; Studio Free does not. The reader pricing page doesn't cover commercial use.
Sources: elevenlabs.io/pricing, speechify.com/pricing, Speechify Studio pricing. Checked on 13 October 2026. Based on published plans, not a hands-on test.