ElevenLabs review
Lifelike AI voices, voiceovers and voice cloning
- ElevenLabs
- Free + paid plans
- Web, iPhone & iPad, Android
4.8 from 24K App Store ratings 10M+ Google Play downloads #44 in Photo & Video on the US App Store
Does it deserve #1?
Is ElevenLabs worth it?
For most people, yes. ElevenLabs scores 8.6/10 and ranks #1 in AI Creative Tools. It's best for YouTubers, podcasters and authors who need natural voiceovers. Skip it if you only need a free voice to read web pages aloud. Price: 10,000 free credits a month; Starter is $6 a month and adds a commercial license.
The verdict
ElevenLabs sets the bar for AI voices. Eleven v4, out in September 2026, is built to read tone, pacing and context, and ElevenLabs says it ranked first in a blind voice-preference arena. You can clone your own voice, design new ones, add sound effects, transcribe audio or make music from the same account. The free plan's 10,000 monthly credits go a fair way, but commercial use starts with the $6 Starter plan.
- Eleven v4 and v4 Turbo voices
- Instant and professional voice cloning
- Voice design and sound effects
- Speech to text
- Music generation
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What's new
- Sep 2026Eleven v4, its most expressive voice model, plus v4 Turbo for real-time voice agents
- Apr 2026ElevenMusic, a separate app for making songs, launched on iPhone
Privacy 7.0/10
ElevenLabs uses inputs and outputs to train its models unless you opt out under Data use in account settings. It keeps data generated about your voice no more than 3 years after your last activity.
What we like
- Expressive voices that handle tone and pacing
- Training opt-out in account settings
- Free plan covers voices, effects and music
What could be better
- Free plan has no commercial license
- Credits go fast on long narration
- Voice cloning needs a paid plan
YouTubers, podcasters and authors who need natural voiceovers
you only need a free voice to read web pages aloud
Questions about ElevenLabs
Is ElevenLabs worth it in 2026?
For most people, yes. ElevenLabs scores 8.6/10 and ranks #1 in AI Creative Tools. It's best for YouTubers, podcasters and authors who need natural voiceovers. Skip it if you only need a free voice to read web pages aloud. Price: 10,000 free credits a month; Starter is $6 a month and adds a commercial license.
Is ElevenLabs free?
Yes. The free plan gives 10,000 credits a month for speech, sound effects and music, but the commercial license starts with Starter at $6 a month.
Can ElevenLabs clone my voice?
Yes. Instant voice cloning starts on the Starter plan, and professional voice cloning on Creator.
Does ElevenLabs train on my recordings?
Its policy allows training on your inputs and outputs, but you can opt out under Data use in your account's Terms and Privacy settings.
What are the best alternatives to ElevenLabs?
The closest alternatives are Suno, Google Flow Music and Adobe Firefly. See all of them ranked on our ElevenLabs alternatives page.
Where does ElevenLabs rank?
ElevenLabs ranks #1 of 12 in our AI Creative Tools ranking, with an overall score of 8.6 out of 10.