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AssemblyAI vs ElevenLabs: startup credits compared

Side-by-side amounts, eligibility and access paths, both verified against the official program pages.

At a glance

FactAssemblyAIElevenLabs
Value12 months of recurring free credits + startup pricing (amount not published)33M characters over 12 months (ElevenLabs values it at $5,500+)
TypeCreditsCredits
Duration1 year1 year
StagesPre-seed, Seed, Series A, BootstrappedPre-seed, Seed, Series A, Bootstrapped
RegionsGlobalGlobal
Max funding raisedNot statedNot stated
Max company ageNot statedNot stated
Ways to get it
  • Apply directly — Recurring credits for 12 months + startup pricing
  • AssemblyAI partner VCs and accelerators (e.g. Accel, Y Combinator) — Same program, fast-tracked (decision within about 48 hours)
  • Apply directly — 33M characters over 12 months ($5,500+ value)
  • ElevenLabs VC partners — Fast-tracked access to ElevenLabs credits, events and product updates
Requirements
  • Bootstrapped through Series A
  • Building a product with speech or audio at its core
  • In production or launching within the next six months
  • Fewer than 25 employees
  • Long-term product with a business or monetization strategy
  • Valid business email
Not eligible
  • Companies past Series A
  • Discounted startup pricing does not apply to LLM Gateway
  • Agencies, consulting firms and SMBs
  • Existing enterprise customers
  • Projects building for children aged 18 or under
  • One-off projects and campaigns
VerificationPartially verified· Nov 4, 2026Verified· Nov 3, 2026

Which should you pick?

The two programs are not directly comparable on dollar value. Both accept the same range of funding stages. Note that only ElevenLabs is fully verified against its official page; double-check the other before relying on it. If you qualify for both, there is usually no reason not to apply to both; the programs are independent.