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Google Cloud Text-to-Speech vs. Play.ht

The best way to compare Google Cloud Text-to-Speech vs. Play.ht: audio samples, features, plans, pricing, and more.

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Non-Fiction
Fiction
News
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Text to speech API - Google Cloud Text-to-Speech

Google Cloud Text-to-Speech

Allows developers to create natural-sounding, synthetic human speech as playable audio.
Text to speech API - Play.ht

Play.ht

Transform written content into high-quality, lifelike voiceovers with AI-powered text-to-speech technology.

Voice Quality

Mean Opinion Score
Fiction
3.93
Non-Fiction
3.82
Conversation
3.42
Mean Opinion Score
Fiction
4.17
Non-Fiction
4.17
Conversation
3.48
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, Play.ht generally offers higher voice quality across fiction, non-fiction, and conversation categories compared to Google Cloud Text-to-Speech.
  • Play.ht achieves a particularly notable edge in fiction and non-fiction voice quality.
  • However, both services show room for improvement in the conversation category, with Play.ht slightly leading.

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 Google Cloud Text-to-Speech and Play.ht offer a range of features catering to developers and content creators looking to convert text into natural-sounding speech, including voice cloning and support for multiple languages.
  • However, Google Cloud Text-to-Speech distinguishes itself with pitch control and a lack of per-word timestamps, whereas Play.ht offers per-word timestamps but does not support pitch control.
  • This suggests that while both services are robust, the choice between them may hinge on specific feature preferences such as the need for pitch adjustment or precise timing control for speech synchronization.

Pricing & Plans

Free
$0/mo
1M characters
Pay As You Go
$16per
1M characters
Free
$0/mo
12,500 characters
Creator
$39/mo
250,000 characters
Unlimited
$99/mo
2.5M characters limit
  • Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers a more cost-effective solution for users with low to moderate text-to-speech needs, thanks to its generous free tier and competitive Pay As You Go plan.
  • For very high-volume users, Play.ht's Unlimited plan presents a competitive option, although Google's offering remains strong for those requiring up to 1,000,000 characters per month.
  • Overall, Google Cloud Text-to-Speech is the more affordable choice for most users, while Play.ht may be better suited for those with exceptionally high usage demands.

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
Average of 163 ratings from leading review sites.
Customers appreciate Google Cloud Text-to-Speech for its multilingual support, high-quality voices, and ease of integration. It is praised for its ability to handle various languages and accents, making it versatile for different applications. However, users are dissatisfied with its dependency on internet connectivity and find the pricing structure confusing and potentially costly. The lack of offline functionality is a significant drawback for many. Despite these issues, the service is valued for its accessibility features and seamless integration with other Google services.
Multilingual support
Voice quality
Ease of integration
Internet dependency
Pricing transparency
Offline functionality
4.6 out of 5
Average of 293 ratings from leading review sites.
Play.ht is highly praised for its diverse and realistic voice options, ease of use, and excellent customer support. Users appreciate the ability to create audio content efficiently, especially for multilingual and varied voice needs. However, some users note issues with natural inflection, especially with complex terms, and express concerns about the pricing structure and occasional technical glitches. The platform's continuous updates and addition of new features are well-received, though some desire more control over voice modulation and better integration with certain plugins.
Voice diversity
Ease of use
Customer support
Pricing
Natural inflection
Technical reliability

Summary

  • In comparing Google Cloud Text-to-Speech and Play.ht, Play.ht edges out in voice quality, particularly in fiction and non-fiction, while Google Cloud Text-to-Speech offers a more cost-effective pricing structure for a wide range of usage needs.
  • Feature-wise, both platforms cater to a variety of developer and content creator requirements, with specific strengths such as pitch control for Google and per-word timestamps for Play.ht.
  • Ultimately, the choice between the two services may depend on the user's priorities in voice quality, pricing, and specific feature needs.

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