Google Cloud is 4.8x more expensive for the same model class
Google Cloud STT starts at $0.96/hrand charges extra for diarization, word timestamps, and the "enhanced" model tier. SpeakEasy is $0.20/hr flat, everything included.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Enterprise pricing with a bolt-on fee for every feature, or flat pricing with everything included.
| Feature | SpeakEasy | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| STT Price per Hour | $0.20 | $0.96 (standard) |
| Diarization surcharge | Included | +$0.06/15s |
| Monthly Plan | $10/mo (50 hrs included) | Pay-as-you-go |
| Free Tier | $1 first month | 60 min/month free |
| Languages | 99+ | 125+ |
| Speaker Diarization | Yes (included) | Yes (extra fee) |
| Word-level Timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| OpenAI SDK Compatible | Yes | No (gRPC / custom) |
| Setup required | API key only | GCP project + IAM + billing acct |
| Max file size | 100 MB | ~10 MB sync / bigger async |
| Streaming | Yes | Yes (bidirectional gRPC) |
| Pricing Model | Simple flat rate | Per-feature surcharges |
Pricing breakdown
Flat-rate pricing vs enterprise-style per-feature billing.
SpeakEasy
- ✓STT at $0.20/hour (50 hrs included)
- ✓Diarization, timestamps, translation all included
- ✓Single API key — no IAM, no GCP project
- ✓OpenAI SDK — no vendor lock-in
- ✓$1 first month to try it
Google Cloud
- ✕Separate fees for diarization, enhanced models
- ✕GCP project + IAM setup required
- ✕Bills as fractional-second micro-charges
- ✕Proprietary gRPC SDK
- ✓60 minutes/month free tier
Save ~80% on every hour of audio
100 hrs/month: Google Cloud ≈ $96. SpeakEasy = $10 plan + $12.50 overage = $22.50. That is $73.50/month back in your pocket, without a finance-approval email.
Skip the GCP project
Google Cloud STT needs a GCP project, billing account, IAM role, and their custom SDK. SpeakEasy needs an API key.
# Google Cloud STT requires their SDK + GCP auth
from google.cloud import speech
client = speech.SpeechClient()
with open("meeting.mp3", "rb") as audio_file:
content = audio_file.read()
audio = speech.RecognitionAudio(content=content)
config = speech.RecognitionConfig(
encoding=speech.RecognitionConfig.AudioEncoding.MP3,
sample_rate_hertz=16000,
language_code="en-US",
enable_speaker_diarization=True,
)
response = client.recognize(config=config, audio=audio)
for result in response.results:
print(result.alternatives[0].transcript)# SpeakEasy uses the standard OpenAI SDK
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
api_key="YOUR_SPEAKEASY_KEY",
base_url="https://www.tryspeakeasy.io/api/v1"
)
transcript = client.audio.transcriptions.create(
model="whisper-large-v3",
file=open("meeting.mp3", "rb")
)
print(transcript.text)The verdict
Google Cloud STT is priced for enterprise procurement, not for you. $0.96/hr for the standard model, more for the enhanced tier, separate charges for diarization — by the time you add it up, you're paying 4-5x what SpeakEasy charges for the same output.
The other cost is onboarding. Spinning up a GCP project, attaching a billing account, creating a service account with the right IAM role, downloading a JSON key — you burn an afternoon before the first transcript returns. SpeakEasy ships a key; you ship an integration.
If you're already deeply inside GCP (BigQuery, Pub/Sub, Vertex) and every service is in the same project, Google STT may make sense for co-location. For everyone else — indie devs, startups, most mid-market teams — the math doesn't come close.
$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.