# ElevenLabs vs Speechify (2026) - Verdict

**Verdict:** both live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026. Choose ElevenLabs if it starts cheaper, at $6/mo against $29/mo. Choose Speechify if a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2016.

Category: AI Voice & TTS · Verified: Jul 21, 2026

## Choose ElevenLabs if

- it starts cheaper, at $6/mo against $29/mo.
- you lean toward the more recent build, from 2022.

Link: https://verdict.tools/go/elevenlabs (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## Choose Speechify if

- a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2016.
- it is built for solo & SMB teams.

Link: https://verdict.tools/go/speechify (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## What each one is

**ElevenLabs.** ElevenLabs runs a credit-metered audio platform built around speech: text-to-speech, voice cloning, dubbing, speech-to-text, and conversational voice agents that deploy over phone, chat, and messaging. Voice cloning comes in two forms, a quick clone built from one to five minutes of audio and a professional clone the company recommends building from two to three hours of recordings. Pricing combines subscription tiers with usage credits; the free tier includes 10,000 monthly credits but no commercial rights, while paid plans start at $6 per month and add a commercial license. The platform is aimed at creators producing audiobooks or video, developers integrating audio through the API, and enterprises localizing content.
Sources: ElevenLabs Pricing (official) (https://elevenlabs.io/pricing) · ElevenLabs homepage (official) (https://elevenlabs.io/) · ElevenLabs Voice Cloning docs (official) (https://elevenlabs.io/docs/eleven-creative/voices/voice-cloning)

**Speechify.** Speechify is a text-to-speech reader that turns articles, PDFs, and documents into spoken audio, running as a Chrome extension and as mobile and desktop apps. Alongside on-screen reading, it uses optical character recognition to convert printed pages and photographed text into audio. The product dates to 2016, built by a dyslexic Brown University student, and it targets people with reading difficulties as well as readers who would rather listen than read. A free tier provides a limited set of voices and slower playback, while a premium plan advertised from about $29 per month adds faster speeds and additional AI voices.
Sources: Speechify - Pricing (https://speechify.com/pricing/) · Speechify - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speechify) · Cliff Weitzman - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Weitzman) · Cliff Weitzman's '16 Text-to-Speech App Garners National Acclaim - Brown University Engineering (https://engineering.brown.edu/news/2017-01-10/cliff-weitzmans-16-text-speech-app-garners-national-acclaim)

## Side by side

| Metric | ElevenLabs | Speechify |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $6 | $29 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2022 | 2016 |
| Best for | solo & SMB & enterprise | solo & SMB |
| Status | Live | Live |

All figures = lowest paid monthly plan · verified Jul 21, 2026.

## Where they differ

**Price.** ElevenLabs is the cheaper entry at $6/mo, versus $29/mo for Speechify.

**Free access.** Both ElevenLabs and Speechify offer a permanent free tier.

**Track record.** Speechify has been operating since 2016; ElevenLabs since 2022. A longer survival record matters.

## FAQ

### ElevenLabs or Speechify - which is better in 2026?
Both are live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026. Choose ElevenLabs if it starts cheaper, at $6/mo against $29/mo. Choose Speechify if a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2016.

### Is ElevenLabs cheaper than Speechify?
ElevenLabs has the lower entry price - from $6/mo vs $29/mo (verified Jul 21, 2026).

### Does ElevenLabs or Speechify have a free tier?
Both ElevenLabs and Speechify offer a permanent free tier.

### Are ElevenLabs and Speechify still maintained?
Yes - both are live as of Jul 21, 2026, with no official sunset announced for either.

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