TTS API comparison 2026
ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational vs Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS ElevenLabs vs Google · text-to-speech for voice agents
ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational is in the no speed tier (not measured by Coval); Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS is in the no speed tier (not measured by Coval). Below, each measure side by side with its source; a model leads on a measure only beyond the tie rule. No combined score, no overall winner.
Data read October 22, 2026 · Coval, Speko, Artificial Analysis
Side by side
| Measure | ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational | Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS |
|---|---|---|
| Speed tierCoval P95, 30 days | not measured | not measured |
| Median time to first audioCoval, 30-day window | — | — |
| P95 time to first audio (slow turns)Coval, 30-day window | — | — |
| Time to first audio, board chartSpeko, US East | 215 ms | 1,010 ms |
| Naturalness EloSpeko | 1,590 | 1,642 |
| Listener Elo (95% interval)Artificial Analysis | 1,214 ±13 | 1,278 ±14 |
| Numbers and dates (0 to 1)Speko | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| List price per 1M charactersCoval, Speko, Artificial Analysis | $50 | $15 to $16.5 |
In bold: the model ahead on that measure. “tie”: latencies within 10 ms, or Elo scores whose 95% intervals overlap.
Where ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational is ahead
- →Time to first audio, board chart: 215 ms vs 1,010 ms (Speko, US East)
Where Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS is ahead
- →Naturalness Elo: 1,642 vs 1,590 (Speko)
- →Listener Elo (95% interval): 1,278 ±14 vs 1,214 ±13 (Artificial Analysis)
- →Numbers and dates (0 to 1): 0.7 vs 0.3 (Speko)
- →List price per 1M characters: $15 to $16.5 vs $50 (Coval, Speko, Artificial Analysis)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational and Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS?
- ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational (ElevenLabs) is in the no speed tier (not measured by Coval); Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS (Google) is in the no speed tier (not measured by Coval). ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational leads on time to first audio, board chart; Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS leads on naturalness Elo, listener Elo (95% interval), numbers and dates (0 to 1) and list price per 1M characters. No combined score is computed.
- Which is faster for real-time voice agents, ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational or Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS?
- Coval measures neither model, so they cannot be compared on the same 30-day window; neither has a speed tier.
- Which sounds more natural, ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational or Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS?
- Speko naturalness: 1,590 for ElevenLabs Eleven v3 Conversational, 1,642 for Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS. Artificial Analysis listener Elo: 1,214 ±13 and 1,278 ±14. The two sources use different listeners and can disagree.
- How are these two text-to-speech APIs compared?
- Speed first, on Coval's median and P95 time to first audio; then voice quality (Speko, Artificial Analysis), accuracy on numbers and dates (Speko) and list price. Latencies within 10 ms and Elo scores whose intervals overlap are ties. Scores from different benchmarks are never added into one number.
- Can these numbers be checked?
- Yes. Each model page lists every measurement with its source and the date of the reading, and links to the benchmark page it comes from. The rules are on the methodology page.