AssemblyAI vs OpenAI
At typical volumes AssemblyAI costs less for 2 of 3 uses and OpenAI for 1. The gap changes with volume, so check your own numbers below.
What each one offers
| Feature | AssemblyAI | OpenAI |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker labels | Extra cost | Extra cost |
| Languages | 99 | Not published |
| Self-hosting | No | No |
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| Realtime voice | Yes | Yes |
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. OpenAI would cost 1.3 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.
- 2OpenAIGPT Transcribe, $0.0045/min$4.50 per month+$1.00, 28.6% moreVisit OpenAI
Usage $4.50 Monthly total $4.50 Works out to $0.0045 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 OpenAI?
- AssemblyAI is cheaper, at $3.50 a month against $4.50 for OpenAI (prices updated 2026-10-23).
- Which is cheaper for text-to-speech at 1,000,000 characters, AssemblyAI or OpenAI?
- Only OpenAI offers it, at $15.00 a month (prices updated 2026-10-23).
- Which is cheaper for voice agent at 1,000 minutes, AssemblyAI or OpenAI?
- AssemblyAI is cheaper, at $75.00 a month against $96.00 for OpenAI (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.