Speechmatics Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Speechmatics pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $0.006 per minute in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
- Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
- Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
Speechmatics offers a freemium model with limited features; upgrade to unlock more.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 480 minutes/month free speech-to-text (recurring monthly)
- 55+ languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese
- 1 million characters/month free text-to-speech (~20 hours, English only)
- Batch and real-time transcription modes
- 2 concurrent real-time sessions
- Per-second billing precision (no rounding up)
- No credit card required to start
- Community support via documentation
- Free tier resets monthly (unlike one-time credits)
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Speech-to-Text | 480 minutes/month (resets monthly) | Unlimited/Higher |
| Text-to-Speech | 1 million characters/month (English only) | Unlimited/Higher |
| Concurrency | 2 real-time sessions | Unlimited/Higher |
| Support | Documentation only (no email support) | Unlimited/Higher |
| SLA | None | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like advanced automation
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Speechmatics branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Speechmatics free?
Yes, Speechmatics offers a freemium plan with 9 core features included. However, there are limits on speech-to-text, text-to-speech that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Speechmatics's free plan?
Speechmatics's free plan includes: 480 minutes/month free speech-to-text (recurring monthly), 55+ languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, 1 million characters/month free text-to-speech (~20 hours, English only), Batch and real-time transcription modes, 2 concurrent real-time sessions, and 4 more features. Key limits include Speech-to-Text: 480 minutes/month (resets monthly), Text-to-Speech: 1 million characters/month (English only), Concurrency: 2 real-time sessions.
03 What's NOT included in Speechmatics's free plan?
The free plan excludes: advanced features, premium support, and higher limits. You'll also have Speechmatics branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Speechmatics's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like advanced automation, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $0/minute.
05 Is Speechmatics's free plan really free forever?
Yes, Speechmatics's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.
Get Speechmatics pricing updates
We'll notify you when pricing changes or new free features are added.