Speech to text
AssemblyAI: review, pricing, data and alternatives
AssemblyAI is for people transcribing audio files, videos, or live conversations. It supports speaker identification, timestamped subtitles, transcript summaries and analysis, and masking personal information in content. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $0.15 pay as you go. Access and transparency score: 78/100, #2 of 15 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 20/30 | |
| Trust | 33/40 |
What is AssemblyAI?
AssemblyAI is for people transcribing audio files, videos, or live conversations. It supports speaker identification, timestamped subtitles, transcript summaries and analysis, and masking personal information in content.
According to its documentation, AssemblyAI lets you:
- transcribe audio and video files
- transcribe live conversations
- distinguish between speakers
- create timestamped subtitles
- summarize and analyze transcripts
- mask personal information in content
We file it under Speech to text, the category of tools to transcribe audio to text, and it also overlaps with voice agents and phone and model APIs and platforms. The category lists 15 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is AssemblyAI Inc., based in United States. The service launched in 2017, which gives it some track record.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: developers, podcasters, and data analysts. The need it covers is simple to state: transcribe audio to text.
AssemblyAI is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
- you plan to connect it to your tools or automations through its API
The best test is a concrete case from your daily work: if the tool does not beat your current method within a week, move on to an alternative.
How much does AssemblyAI cost?
Pricing model: freemium (limited free use, then paid). A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The first paid plan costs $0.15 pay as you go (Universal-2: USD 0.15 per hour of prerecorded audio, prorated by the second; additional options billed separately), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
To estimate what the same work would cost done directly with an AI model, use our API price calculator. Prices change often: always check the official site before subscribing.
Data and privacy
According to its privacy policy, data is processed in several regions depending on the plan.
Exporting your content: SRT, VTT. Being able to get your data back makes switching tools easier later.
Three habits apply to every AI tool:
- turn off the use of your content for training if the option exists
- use a work account separate from your personal account
- review everything the tool produces before publishing or sending it
Platforms, languages and API
AssemblyAI runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages are not specified.
A public API lets you call it from your own programs or an automation tool, and plug it into an AI agent.
How we scored it
Our 78/100 score does not judge output quality: it measures what can be publicly verified about access to the tool, its openness and how far the publisher can be trusted.
| Criterion | Points | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 25/30 | free tier, published price, French interface |
| Openness | 20/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 33/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
AssemblyAI against other tools in the speech to text category:
| Tool | Free | Entry price | API | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AssemblyAI | Yes | $0.15 pay as you go | Yes | 78 |
| Whisper | Yes | $0.01 pay as you go | Yes | 95 |
| Rev | Yes | $0.25 pay as you go | Yes | 75 |
| Wispr Flow | Yes | $12 per month | Yes | 73 |
| Vibe | Yes | not published | Yes | 68 |
| Deepgram | Yes | $0 pay as you go | Yes | 65 |
| HappyScribe | Yes | £102 per year | Yes | 65 |
| Sonix | No | $10 pay as you go | Yes | 60 |
Verdict
AssemblyAI is among the most accessible and transparent tools in its category.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
- Established since 2017
Alternatives
- Whisperfree tier
- Revfree tier
- Wispr Flowfree tier
- Vibefree tier
- Deepgramfree tier
- HappyScribefree tier
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is AssemblyAI free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $0.15 pay as you go.
Where is AssemblyAI data stored?
According to the publisher, in several regions depending on the plan.
Does AssemblyAI have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to AssemblyAI?
In the same category: Whisper, Rev, Wispr Flow, and Vibe.
AssemblyAI or Whisper: which one to choose?
AssemblyAI starts at $0.15 pay as you go, Whisper at $0.01 pay as you go and our score is 78/100 for AssemblyAI and 95/100 for Whisper. Try both on the same task before paying.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score