Play.ht Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Play.ht pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $99 per user/month 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
Play.ht's free offering is a time-limited trial to test the full product.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 12,500 characters per month
- 1 instant voice clone
- Access to all voices and languages
- Premium voice access
- Voice cloning trial
- Non-commercial use only
- Attribution to Play.ht required
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- 3 million characters per year (250,000/month average)
- 10 instant voice clones
- Access to all premium voices
- Access to all languages
- Unlimited projects and downloads
- Commercial license included
- Audio previews
- API access
- Standard support
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| characters | 12,500 per month | Unlimited/Higher |
| voiceClones | 1 instant clone | Unlimited/Higher |
| commercialUse | Not included | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like 3 million characters per year (250,000/month average) or 10 instant voice clones
- 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
- Play.ht 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
Free vs Creator Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Creator $39/user/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 7 included | 9+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Play.ht branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Testing the platform or personal projects without commercial intent | Individual creators, podcasters, and content producers with moderate usage needs |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Play.ht free?
Yes, Play.ht offers a free trial plan with 7 core features included. However, there are limits on characters, voiceclones that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Play.ht's free plan?
Play.ht's free plan includes: 12,500 characters per month, 1 instant voice clone, Access to all voices and languages, Premium voice access, Voice cloning trial, and 2 more features. Key limits include characters: 12,500 per month, voiceClones: 1 instant clone, commercialUse: Not included.
03 What's NOT included in Play.ht's free plan?
The free plan excludes: 3 million characters per year (250,000/month average), 10 instant voice clones, Access to all premium voices, Access to all languages, Unlimited projects and downloads. You'll also have Play.ht branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Play.ht's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like 3 million characters per year (250,000/month average) or 10 instant voice clones, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $39/user/month.
05 Is Play.ht's free plan really free forever?
Play.ht's free offering is actually a time-limited trial, not a forever-free plan. After the trial period, you'll need to subscribe to a paid plan to continue using the service.
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