AssemblyAI vs Azure
At typical volumes AssemblyAI costs less for 2 of 3 uses and Azure for 1. The gap changes with volume, so check your own numbers below.
What each one offers
| Feature | AssemblyAI | Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker labels | Extra cost | Extra cost |
| Languages | 99 | Not published |
| Self-hosting | No | Yes |
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| Realtime voice | Yes | No |
Try your own numbers
Same calculator as the home page, limited to these two providers.
Every month I transcribe of audio.
AssemblyAI is the cheapest, at $3.50 a month. Azure would cost 4.8 times as much.
Estimated monthly bill for 1,000 minutes, lowest first. 2 of 2 providers fit.
- 1AssemblyAIUniversal-3.5 Pro (pre-recorded), $0.21/hr$3.50 per monthLowest priceVisit AssemblyAI
Usage $3.50 Monthly total $3.50 Works out to $0.0035 per minute.
Priced in the "Above 0" tier; every unit is billed at that tier's rate.
- 2AzureStandard real-time transcription, $1/hr$16.67 per month+$13.17, 376.2% moreVisit Azure
Usage $16.67 Monthly total $16.67 Works out to $0.0167 per minute.
Priced in the "Above 0" tier; every unit is billed at that tier's rate.
- Prices updated 2026-10-23.
- Priced in the "Above 0" tier; every unit is billed at that tier's rate.
- Free-tier credits are not subtracted.
- How we calculate this
Some “Visit” links are affiliate links: the provider may pay us if you sign up. That never changes the order, which is set by price alone.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper for speech-to-text at 1,000 minutes, AssemblyAI or Azure?
- AssemblyAI is cheaper, at $3.50 a month against $16.67 for Azure (prices updated 2026-10-23).
- Which is cheaper for text-to-speech at 1,000,000 characters, AssemblyAI or Azure?
- Only Azure offers it, at $15.00 a month (prices updated 2026-10-23).
- Which is cheaper for voice agent at 1,000 minutes, AssemblyAI or Azure?
- Only AssemblyAI offers it, at $75.00 a month (prices updated 2026-10-23).
Some “Sign up” links are affiliate links and may earn a commission. Rankings are computed from price only and never take affiliate status into account.