kitio.aiAmazon Polly vs Amazon Transcribe
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Amazon Polly starts at See pricing page and Amazon Transcribe starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Neural and generative voices
- SSML support
- Custom lexicons
- Speech marks
- Long-form voices
- Batch and streaming transcription
- Speaker identification
- Custom vocabulary
- PII redaction
- Call Analytics
- Medical transcription
| Feature | Amazon Polly | Amazon Transcribe |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AWS text-to-speech service for apps, IVR and content at scale | AWS speech-to-text service for apps, calls and media |
| Category | Audio & voice | Audio & voice |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Amazon Web Services | Amazon Web Services |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Amazon Polly starts at See pricing page and Amazon Transcribe starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free tier
Free
- Millions of free characters per month
- For new AWS accounts
Standard voices
$4 / 1M characters
- Pay-as-you-go
Neural voices
$16 / 1M characters
- More natural speech
Generative voices
$30 / 1M characters
- Most humanlike voices
Long-form voices
$100 / 1M characters
- For long-form content
2 plans
Free Tier
Free
- 60 minutes per month
- First 12 months
Standard
$0.024 / min (first tier)
- Billed per second, no minimum
- Tiered rates drop with volume
- Batch and streaming
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Amazon Polly
- Reliable at very high volume
- Fits existing AWS setups
- Low price for standard voices
- Less expressive than newer startups
- Requires an AWS account and setup
Amazon Transcribe
- Integrates with the AWS stack
- Contact center features built in
- Scales to large volumes
- Setup needs AWS knowledge
- Accuracy trails specialist APIs
Which one should you choose?
Choose Amazon Polly if you want:
- Reliable at very high volume
- Fits existing AWS setups
- Low price for standard voices
Watch out: less expressive than newer startups.
Choose Amazon Transcribe if you want:
- Integrates with the AWS stack
- Contact center features built in
- Scales to large volumes
Watch out: setup needs aws knowledge.
Amazon Polly vs Amazon Transcribe FAQ
What is the difference between Amazon Polly and Amazon Transcribe?
Amazon Polly: AWS text-to-speech service for apps, IVR and content at scale. Amazon Transcribe: AWS speech-to-text service for apps, calls and media. Both are audio & voice tools.
Is Amazon Polly or Amazon Transcribe cheaper?
Amazon Polly starts at See pricing page and Amazon Transcribe starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Amazon Polly and Amazon Transcribe have free plans?
Amazon Polly: Yes. Amazon Transcribe: Yes.
Who makes Amazon Polly?
Amazon Polly is made by Amazon Web Services, based in United States.
Who makes Amazon Transcribe?
Amazon Transcribe is made by Amazon Web Services, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Amazon Polly or Amazon Transcribe?
Choose Amazon Polly if you value reliable at very high volume and fits existing aws setups. Choose Amazon Transcribe if you value integrates with the aws stack and contact center features built in.