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Introduction

Speech is Cheap is a speech-to-text API that transcribes audio and video files into text. Transcripts are delivered as JSON with timestamped segments, or as SRT and WebVTT subtitles. Optional add-ons provide speaker parsing (diarization), including one speaker per channel for multi-track recordings, word-level timestamps, and audio labels such as music and background noise. The service supports 100 languages with automatic language detection.

To review measured accuracy and transcription speeds, see Accuracy and Benchmarks. You can test transcription in a web browser without signing up by using the Free Demo for files between six seconds and three minutes, up to 10 MiB. If you already have an API key, you can also transcribe files in the browser using the Speech is Cheap App.

Three Ways to Transcribe​

You can transcribe with Speech is Cheap in three ways:

  • With an API key: Pick a plan on Pricing, and your API key arrives by email. Use it with the Jobs API, the Edge API, or the Zapier integration. You can monitor usage and manage keys in the Dashboard.
  • With x402: An application, script, or AI agent pays per job over HTTP using the x402 protocol, in USDC on Base, with no account or API key. See the x402 API.
  • In an AI assistant: Connect the MCP server https://mcp.speechischeap.com/mcp to ChatGPT or Claude and sign in with your API key. See MCP Integration.

To compare features, execution styles, and requirements across all options, see How to Transcribe.

For AI Agents and Automation​

If an AI agent or automated script is reading this documentation:

  • Pay per job with x402: Read /x402-v2.md for the Markdown guide to paying per job over HTTP in USDC on Base, with no account or API key.
  • MCP server: https://mcp.speechischeap.com/mcp lets AI assistants transcribe with your API key. See MCP Integration.
  • Site index: /llms.txt indexes every documentation page with a summary and link.
  • Markdown versions: Every documentation page provides a raw Markdown file at its URL with .md in place of the trailing slash (the homepage is at /.md).
  • OpenAPI specifications: /openapi-api.json describes the Jobs and x402 endpoints, /openapi-edge.json the Edge API, and /openapi-upload.json the upload endpoints.