Speech to text
Deepgram: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Deepgram helps people working with speech transcribe audio files and live speech. It distinguishes speakers, generates voices from text and supports the construction of voice agents through its platform. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $0 pay as you go. Access and transparency score: 65/100, #6 of 15 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 20/30 | |
| Trust | 20/40 |
What is Deepgram?
Deepgram helps people working with speech transcribe audio files and live speech. It distinguishes speakers, generates voices from text and supports the construction of voice agents through its platform.
According to its documentation, Deepgram lets you:
- transcribe audio files
- transcribe live speech
- distinguish speakers
- generate voices from text
- build voice agents
We file it under Speech to text, the category of tools to transcribe audio to text, and it also overlaps with text to speech and voice agents and phone. The category lists 15 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Deepgram, Inc., based in United States.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: developers, customer support, and podcasters. The need it covers is simple to state: transcribe audio to text.
Deepgram is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
- you plan to connect it to your tools or automations through its API
Before deciding, run a trial on a real task and measure the time saved: it is the only criterion that really counts.
How much does Deepgram cost?
Pricing model: paid. A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The first paid plan costs $0 pay as you go (Nova-3 Monolingual, transcription of prerecorded files: price per minute, Pay As You Go), 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: TXT, JSON, YAML, CSV, SRT, WebVTT. 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
Deepgram runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages: English.
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 65/100 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 | 20/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Deepgram against other tools in the speech to text category:
| Tool | Free | Entry price | API | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deepgram | Yes | $0 pay as you go | Yes | 65 |
| Whisper | Yes | $0.01 pay as you go | Yes | 95 |
| AssemblyAI | Yes | $0.15 pay as you go | Yes | 78 |
| Rev | Yes | $0.25 pay as you go | Yes | 75 |
| Wispr Flow | Yes | $12 per month | Yes | 73 |
| Vibe | Yes | not published | Yes | 68 |
| HappyScribe | Yes | £102 per year | Yes | 65 |
| Sonix | No | $10 pay as you go | Yes | 60 |
Verdict
Deepgram is a decent option; compare its price and terms with the category leaders.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
Alternatives
- Whisperfree tier
- AssemblyAIfree tier
- Revfree tier
- Wispr Flowfree tier
- Vibefree tier
- HappyScribefree tier
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Deepgram free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $0 pay as you go.
Where is Deepgram data stored?
According to the publisher, in several regions depending on the plan.
Does Deepgram have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to Deepgram?
In the same category: Whisper, AssemblyAI, Rev, and Wispr Flow.
Deepgram or Whisper: which one to choose?
Deepgram starts at $0 pay as you go, Whisper at $0.01 pay as you go and our score is 65/100 for Deepgram 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