Comparison ยท updated
ElevenLabs vs Cartesia (2026): which should you use?
Pick ElevenLabs, our #1 voice tool, for the largest voice library, more languages and extras like sound effects and music.
Verdict
Pick ElevenLabs, our #1 voice tool, for the largest voice library, more languages and extras like sound effects and music. Pick Cartesia if you are building a real-time voice app or phone agent and want more credits per dollar. Credits are not the same unit on both, so test your own script.
| Criteria | ElevenLabs | Cartesia |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI voice generator and voice agents platform, plus APIs and SDKs | Real-time voice AI: text to speech, speech to text and production voice agents |
| Voices and languages | 17,500+ voices in 90+ languages | 44 languages |
| Free plan | Free at $0 with 10k credits a month | Free at $0 with 20K credits a month |
| Entry paid plan | Starter at $6 a month: 30k credits, a commercial license and instant voice cloning | Pro at $5 a month: 100K credits, commercial use and instant voice cloning |
| Higher plans | Creator $22 (121k credits), Pro $99 (600k), Scale $299 (1.8M) and Business $990 (6M) a month | Startup $49 (1.25M credits, pro voice cloning) and Scale $299 (8M) a month |
| Beyond text to speech | Speech to text, sound effects, music and voice design | Speech to text, and managed voice agents with phone numbers at $0.03 per minute |
Based on each product's official site: ElevenLabs, Cartesia. Features change often, so check before you buy.
Sourced pricing
Pricing from the official sites
- ElevenLabs. Free $0 with 10k credits a month. Starter $6 (30k credits), Creator $22 (121k), Pro $99 (600k), Scale $299 (1.8M) and Business $990 (6M) per month. Enterprise is custom. Annual billing costs 10 months' price for 12. Source: elevenlabs.io/pricing, checked .
- Cartesia. Free $0 (20K credits a month). Pro $5/mo (100K credits, commercial use, instant voice cloning). Startup $49/mo (1.25M credits, pro voice cloning). Scale $299/mo (8M credits). Enterprise custom. Voice agent calls listed at $0.03 per minute (was $0.06). Source: cartesia.ai/pricing, checked .
Questions
Frequently asked
Which is better, ElevenLabs or Cartesia?
Pick ElevenLabs, our #1 voice tool, for the largest voice library, more languages and extras like sound effects and music. Pick Cartesia if you are building a real-time voice app or phone agent and want more credits per dollar. Credits are not the same unit on both, so test your own script.
How do ElevenLabs and Cartesia compare on what it is?
ElevenLabs: AI voice generator and voice agents platform, plus APIs and SDKs. Cartesia: Real-time voice AI: text to speech, speech to text and production voice agents.
How do ElevenLabs and Cartesia compare on voices and languages?
ElevenLabs: 17,500+ voices in 90+ languages. Cartesia: 44 languages.
When was this comparison last updated?
This comparison was last updated on 2026-11-10. Features change often, so check each official site before you buy.
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