AssemblyAI
Recorded and streaming speech APIs billed by usage.
What it is
AssemblyAI offers multiple transcription models and optional speech-understanding features. Its pay-as-you-go billing is monthly in arrears, with no minimum commitment, upfront fee or contract. Feature add-ons can change the total.
What it costs
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Universal-2 recorded audio | $0.15 per hour |
| Universal-3.5 Pro recorded audio | $0.21 per hour |
| Speaker diarization add-on | $0.02 per hour |
| PAYG billing | Monthly for actual usage; no minimum commitment |
Before paying
Listed model: Pay per use. Check the linked pricing page for the exact plan and current terms.
Credit expiry: Not applicable to usage billed in arrears; check any promotional-credit terms. Account required: Yes.
Our observations
- Speaker diarization is a separately priced feature on the recorded models.
- Compare the complete model-and-features combination rather than the lowest advertised rate.
Things we noticed while comparing this category, not a review — we have not run every tool here. Where a score is shown, it is someone else's and we say whose.
Who should consider it?
Developers comparing recorded-audio models and optional speaker or speech-analysis features.
Before you choose
Budget for optional features separately and test whether the lower-priced model handles your recordings well enough.
Pricing source: Supplier pricing page. Checked 28 October 2026.
What independent reviews tell us
Trustpilot snapshot
1 review · observed 28 October 2026 · 3.7/5 platform score
The profile has a single five-star review, dated February 2025, and a platform TrustScore of 3.7. One positive review is not enough to establish recurring strengths or weaknesses.
A platform TrustScore is not the arithmetic score of this one review. There is no recent sample here on which to base a product recommendation.
Editorial paraphrases of the linked source, not our own hands-on reviews. Scores are dated snapshots and may have changed. How we compare tools.
Good to know
We last opened this pricing page on 28 Oct 2026 and wrote down what it said. Prices change without warning — if you find something different, tell us so we can check the source again.