ElevenLabs vs Hume AI
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | ElevenLabs | Hume AI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium; Creator $11/mo, Pro $99/mo, Scale $330/mo | Freemium; paid tiers start at $0.0038/API call |
| Voice Quality | Ultra-realistic, expressive control (sarcasm, whispers), 70+ languages | Emotionally nuanced, 48+ emotions, experimental temperature |
| Key Models | Eleven Multilingual v2, Eleven Flash, Scribe STT, Music v2 | TADA (open-source TTS), Octave (closed TTS), EVI (speech-to-speech, GPT-5.2) |
| Target Audience | Content creators, enterprises, conversational agents | Developers, researchers, emotionally-aware voice AI |
| Integrations | Twilio, Salesforce, WhatsApp, Email, Epic Games, Deutsche Telekom | Discord |
| Latest News | Music v2 released; Poland invests $11M; UK government partnership | Added experimental temperature to TTS; new LLM models GPT-5.2 |
Choose Hume AI if emotional nuance, open-source TTS, and scientific datasets matter for your R&D. Choose ElevenLabs for production-ready, ultra-realistic TTS, voice cloning, and omnichannel agents with enterprise integrations. Hume is for building the future; ElevenLabs is for deploying now.
Feature-by-feature
Hume AI focuses on emotional intelligence: it analyzes 48+ emotions, 600+ voice descriptors, and offers the Human Feedback API for preference studies. Its models include TADA (open-source LLM TTS with streaming), Octave (closed-source TTS with voice cloning), and EVI (closed-source speech-to-speech with recent turn detection and interruption settings). The experimental temperature parameter (2026-05-15) adds sampling control. ElevenLabs offers production-grade TTS in 70+ languages, voice cloning (prompt or library), Music v2 with chunk-based composition, sound effects, and Dubbing v2. Its ElevenAgents provide omnichannel conversational AI with guardrails, workflows, and analytics, integrated with Twilio, Salesforce, etc. Scribe STT achieves 98% accuracy. ElevenLabs excels in immediacy and breadth: low latency (Eleven Flash at 75ms) and expressive controls (sarcasm, whispers) outpace Hume's more research-oriented features. Hume's strength is deep emotional analysis and open-source tools (TADA) for customization, while ElevenLabs is a complete platform for content creation and agent deployment.
Pricing compared
Both offer freemium tiers. Hume AI's paid pricing is API-call based (starting at $0.0038 per call for TTS/STT), with data and dataset costs scaling by volume. ElevenLabs has clear monthly plans: Free (limited characters), Creator ($11/mo for TTS 30k chars), Pro ($99/mo for TTS 100k chars), Scale ($330/mo for 500k chars) and Enterprise for custom. ElevenLabs also charges separately for voice cloning, music generation, and agents. For heavy TTS use, ElevenLabs can become expensive; Hume's per-call model may suit variable usage. However, Hume's advanced features (EVI, datasets) require contacting sales and likely higher custom pricing. For budget-constrained teams, ElevenLabs Free/Creator offers immediate value; Hume's free tier is more limited. Latest news: ElevenLabs raised $11M from Poland, signaling enterprise growth, while Hume's pricing remains API-focused. Choose Hume if you have variable needs; pick ElevenLabs for predictable monthly costs.
Who should pick which
- Solo founder building an emotionally aware voice assistantPick: Hume AI
Hume's EVI with emotional intelligence and configurable turn detection lets you prototype nuanced interactions.
- Content creator producing audiobooks/podcastsPick: ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs' ultra-realistic TTS, voice cloning, and Music v2 enable professional-grade audio with expressive control.
- Researcher studying voice emotionPick: Hume AI
Hume's 48+ emotion analysis, 600+ voice descriptors, and Human Feedback API provide scientific-grade datasets.
- Enterprise deploying customer support agentsPick: ElevenLabs
ElevenAgents with omnichannel integration, guardrails, and analytics, plus enterprise partnerships (Twilio, Salesforce).
- Developer needing open-source TTSPick: Hume AI
Hume's TADA is open-source with streaming, ideal for custom pipeline without vendor lock-in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tool offers more languages?
ElevenLabs supports 70+ languages; Hume AI supports 50+ languages.
Can I clone a voice with each tool?
Yes. Hume has Octave (closed-source) for voice cloning; ElevenLabs offers voice cloning from prompt or a library of 1000+ voices.
Which is better for conversational agents?
ElevenLabs' ElevenAgents provides a full omnichannel platform with guardrails and analytics. Hume's EVI is a closed speech-to-speech system with emotional nuance but less enterprise integration.
Do they offer open-source models?
Hume AI open-sourced TADA (LLM TTS). ElevenLabs' models are proprietary (no open-source).
What is the latency for real-time use?
ElevenLabs claims 75ms for Eleven Flash. Hume's latency is not specified but EVI is designed for conversational turn-taking.
Which tool has better emotional expression?
Hume AI is built for emotional intelligence with 48+ emotions and 600+ voice descriptors. ElevenLabs offers expressive controls (sarcasm, whispers) but less granularity.
Can I generate music with these tools?
ElevenLabs recently launched Music v2 with chunk-based composition. Hume AI does not offer music generation.
Which is more affordable for small projects?
ElevenLabs' Free tier gives limited TTS characters; Creator at $11/mo is cheap. Hume's free tier is limited too, but API pricing per call may be cheaper for sporadic use.
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