Unreal Speech

What is Unreal Speech?

Unreal Speech is a fast, affordable text-to-speech (TTS) API built for developers and businesses that need high-quality synthetic voices without breaking the bank. It’s designed to slash TTS costs—11x cheaper than ElevenLabs—while delivering studio-quality audio in real time. Whether you're building an audiobook app, a language-learning platform, or a voice assistant, Unreal Speech gives you production-ready audio with ultra-low latency.

With support for 48 natural-sounding voices across 8 languages, per-word timestamps, and the ability to generate up to 10 hours of audio in a single request, it’s ideal for both real-time interactions and long-form content. Plus, new users get 250,000 free characters to test the service—no credit card required.

What are the features of Unreal Speech?

• Ultra-Low Cost: 11x cheaper than ElevenLabs, with volume-based discounts starting at $8 per 1M characters on enterprise plans.
• Blazing Fast Streaming: Audio streams in as little as 300ms using the /stream endpoint for real-time applications.
• Per-Word Timestamps: Sync spoken words with on-screen highlighting using precise timing data via /speech or WebSocket /streamWithTimestamps.
• Long-Form Audio Support: Generate up to 10-hour audio files (500,000 characters) asynchronously with /synthesisTasks.
• Multi-Language Voices: Choose from 48 voices in 8 languages, including US/UK English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Mandarin, Hindi, Portuguese, and Italian.
• Flexible Audio Formats: Output in MP3 or PCM µ-law with customizable bitrate (up to 192k), speed, and pitch.
• Free Tier Included: Start with 250K free characters/month—perfect for testing and small projects.

What are the use cases of Unreal Speech?

• Power audiobook or podcast platforms by converting long articles or books into natural-sounding speech.
• Build language-learning apps with word-by-word highlighting synced to native pronunciation.
• Create accessible web content for visually impaired users using real-time TTS with low latency.
• Automate customer service IVR systems with lifelike voices in multiple languages.
• Generate voiceovers for video content or social media reels at scale and low cost.
• Develop interactive fiction or gaming experiences with dynamic, responsive voice narration.

How to use Unreal Speech?

• Sign up for a free API key at the Unreal Speech website to access 250K characters instantly.
• Choose the right endpoint: use /stream for short texts (<1,000 chars) and instant playback, /speech for medium texts (<3,000 chars) with timestamps, or /synthesisTasks for long-form audio.
• Select a VoiceId (like "Scarlett" or "Hannah") and set your preferred language, speed, pitch, and audio format.
• For real-time word highlighting, connect via WebSocket to /streamWithTimestamps and process both audio and timing data simultaneously.
• Monitor usage in your dashboard—unused characters roll over on paid plans, and overages are billed daily.
• Scale affordably: the more you use, the lower your per-character cost becomes, especially on Pro or Enterprise plans.