SpeakEasy vs Deepgram
Deepgram locks you into a proprietary SDK.When they raise prices, you're trapped. We use the OpenAI SDK format — leave anytime. But you won't.
Feature-by-feature comparison
SpeakEasy is 20% cheaper and more portable — no proprietary SDK required.
| Feature | SpeakEasy | Deepgram |
|---|---|---|
| STT Price per Hour | $0.20 | $0.25 |
| TTS Price per 1M chars | $2.50 | $0.50 |
| Monthly Plan | $10/mo (50 hrs included) | Pay-as-you-go |
| Free Tier | $1 first month | $200 free credits |
| Languages | 99+ | 36 |
| Speaker Diarization | Yes | Yes |
| Word-level Timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| OpenAI SDK Compatible | Yes | No (custom SDK) |
| Vendor Lock-in | None (OpenAI API) | Proprietary SDK |
| Streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Async Processing | Yes (callback URL) | Yes |
| Pricing Model | Simple flat rate | Tiered (Base/Enhanced/Nova) |
Pricing breakdown
Simpler pricing, lower cost — no confusing tiers.
SpeakEasy
- ✓STT at $0.20/hour (50 hrs included)
- ✓TTS at $2.50/1M characters
- ✓One simple price — no tiers
- ✓OpenAI SDK — no vendor lock-in
- ✓99+ languages supported
Deepgram
- ✕Pay-as-you-go only
- ✕TTS at $0.50/1M characters
- ✕Tiered models (Base/Enhanced/Nova)
- ✕Custom SDK required (lock-in)
- ✕36 languages supported
20% cheaper STT — plus 3x the languages and zero lock-in
$0.20/hr vs $0.25/hr, 99+ languages vs 36, standard OpenAI SDK instead of proprietary, and 50 hours included in your $10/month plan.
No proprietary SDK required
Deepgram requires their custom SDK. SpeakEasy uses the standard OpenAI SDK you already know.
# Deepgram requires their custom SDK
from deepgram import Deepgram
dg_client = Deepgram("YOUR_DEEPGRAM_KEY")
with open("meeting.mp3", "rb") as audio:
source = {"buffer": audio.read(), "mimetype": "audio/mp3"}
response = dg_client.transcription.sync_prerecorded(
source,
{"punctuate": True, "diarize": True}
)
print(response["results"]["channels"][0]["alternatives"][0]["transcript"])# SpeakEasy uses the standard OpenAI SDK
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
api_key="YOUR_SPEAKEASY_KEY",
base_url="https://api.tryspeakeasy.io/v1"
)
transcript = client.audio.transcriptions.create(
model="whisper-large-v3",
file=open("meeting.mp3", "rb")
)
print(transcript.text)The verdict
Deepgram's proprietary SDK is a trap.Once you build on it, you can't leave without rewriting your entire integration. Deepgram charges $0.25/hr and locks you into a proprietary SDK. SpeakEasy charges $0.20/hr with full OpenAI SDK compatibility — 20% cheaper with zero lock-in.
SpeakEasy uses the standard OpenAI SDK. Your code works with OpenAI, SpeakEasy, or any compatible provider — swap a single line and you're moved. That's real portability, not a marketing slide.
99+ languages vs 36. Simple flat-rate pricing vs confusing tiers. No proprietary SDK, no lock-in, no games. The choice is obvious.
$1 for your first month. Full 50 hours included.
Also compare SpeakEasy with:
$1. 50 hours. Both STT and TTS.
Your current speech API provider is charging you too much. Switch in one line of code.