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Amazon Polly vs. Microsoft Azure AI Speech

The best way to compare Amazon Polly vs. Microsoft Azure AI Speech: audio samples, features, plans, pricing, and more.

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Non-Fiction
Fiction
News
Blog
Conversation
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Filesize
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Text to speech API - Amazon Polly

Amazon Polly

Text-to-speech service to transform text into natural-sounding speech using deep learning technologies.
Text to speech API - Microsoft Azure AI Speech

Microsoft Azure AI Speech

Enables your applications, tools, or devices to convert text into human-like synthesized speech.

Voice Quality

Mean Opinion Score
Fiction
3.00
Non-Fiction
2.51
Conversation
2.63
Mean Opinion Score
Fiction
3.69
Non-Fiction
3.13
Conversation
3.18
Mean Opinion Score (MOS) is a numerical measure that represents the perceived quality of audio samples, commonly used in evaluating text-to-speech systems. The score ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating poor quality and 5 signifying excellent quality. These scores are derived from comprehensive, professionally-conducted evaluations, and are anonymized to ensure unbiased results.
  • Based on the Mean Opinion Scores provided, Microsoft Azure AI Speech generally offers higher voice quality across fiction, non-fiction, and conversation categories compared to Amazon Polly.
  • Azure's scores suggest a more natural and pleasing listening experience in these contexts.
  • Therefore, for applications where voice quality is a critical factor, Microsoft Azure AI Speech appears to be the superior choice.

Features

Voice Cloning
Multi-lingual
Per-word Timestamps
Pitch Control
Speed Control
Phone Formats (e.g. pcm_mulaw)
Voice Cloning
Multi-lingual
Per-word Timestamps
Pitch Control
Speed Control
Phone Formats (e.g. pcm_mulaw)
  • Both Amazon Polly and Microsoft Azure AI Speech offer a comprehensive set of features for text-to-speech conversion, including multi-lingual support, per-word timestamps, pitch and speed control, and compatibility with various phone formats.
  • However, Microsoft Azure AI Speech distinguishes itself with the addition of voice cloning, a feature not available in Amazon Polly.
  • This makes Azure AI Speech slightly more versatile for users seeking to create more personalized or branded voice experiences.

Pricing & Plans

Free
$0/mo
1M characters (for first 12 months only)
Pay As You Go
$16per
1M characters
Free
$0/mo
5 hours of audio (~225K chars)
Pay As You Go
$15per
1M characters
  • In a direct comparison of pay-as-you-go pricing for text-to-speech services, Microsoft Azure AI Speech offers a slightly more affordable option at $15 per million characters, compared to Amazon Polly's $16 per million characters.
  • This makes Microsoft Azure AI Speech a marginally better value for users looking to process large volumes of text into speech.
  • It's important for users to consider this cost difference when choosing between these two services based solely on pricing.

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
Average of 68 ratings from leading review sites.
Customers appreciate Amazon Polly for its natural-sounding voices, ease of use, and integration with AWS services. They find it beneficial for various applications like IVR systems, content creation, and multilingual support. However, concerns about cost, limited customization options, and occasional unnatural inflections in the voices are common. The service's scalability and fast response times are highlighted as significant advantages, helping businesses efficiently manage large-scale projects.
Ease of use
Natural-sounding voices
Integration with AWS
Scalability
Voice inflection
Cost
Customization options
4.2 out of 5
Average of 88 ratings from leading review sites.
Customers appreciate Azure Text to Speech API for its ease of use, high-quality audio output, and seamless integration with other services. They find it particularly beneficial for accessibility and enhancing user experience across various applications. However, concerns about the cost and limited customization options are frequently mentioned. The API's multilingual support and continuous updates are praised, but some users desire improvements in voice naturalness and additional language options.
Ease of use
Integration
Accessibility
Audio quality
Multilingual support
Naturalness of voice
Cost
Customization

Summary

  • In comparing Amazon Polly and Microsoft Azure AI Speech for text-to-speech services, Microsoft Azure AI Speech emerges as the superior option in terms of voice quality, pricing, and features.
  • Azure AI Speech not only offers a more natural-sounding voice across various categories but also provides a slightly more cost-effective solution and includes unique features such as voice cloning.
  • These advantages make it a more appealing choice for users prioritizing voice quality, affordability, and advanced functionalities in their text-to-speech applications.

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