Free Voiceover Cost Calculator
Paste your script (or just type the word count) and see how long the audio runs — and what the same voiceover costs with an AI voice, a freelance artist, or a pro studio. Updates as you type.
However you entered it last wins: typing in the script box updates the word count, and editing the number directly switches back to the estimate (characters ≈ words × 6).
Benchmarks are typical market ranges for short-form and online video work, not quotes — always confirm a real price before you commit.
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The AI option, done properly
The numbers above are why most creators start with AI voice. The one we use and recommend is ElevenLabs — the voices hold up on real videos, you can clone your own voice, and the free tier is enough to test your first script today. We tested it properly before recommending it: read our full ElevenLabs review.
Try ElevenLabs →How voiceover pricing actually works
Voiceover quotes look random until you know the three ways the industry charges. Per finished minute is the cleanest: you pay for the length of the final audio, which is exactly what this calculator uses — it’s how most online freelancers and AI tools effectively price out. Per word is common for e-learning and audiobooks in disguise: a rate like $0.10–$0.30 per word quietly becomes $15–$45 a minute at normal speaking speed. Per project sounds simple but hides everything — a “$200 video voiceover” is a bargain for 20 minutes of audio and expensive for 90 seconds. Whichever quote you get, convert it to cost per finished minute before comparing. That’s the only honest apples-to-apples number.
Two things push a human quote up that never appear in the rate itself: revisions (many artists include one round, then charge) and usage rights. A voice for your own YouTube channel is one price; the same voice in a paid ad is a bigger one, sometimes with a time limit. Neither applies to a fixed AI subscription in the same way, which is a big part of the gap you see in the cards above.
When AI voice is good enough — and when it isn’t
For YouTube videos, course lessons, product explainers, social clips and internal training, a modern AI voice is genuinely good enough — most viewers never think about it, and you can re-generate a corrected line in seconds instead of booking another session. Hire a human when the voice is the product: brand films, emotional storytelling, character work, or a flagship ad where one flat line costs you more than the artist’s fee. A practical middle path plenty of creators use: AI voice for the weekly grind, a human for the few pieces that carry the brand. Geography quietly matters too: an artist in another time zone can mean a two-day wait for one corrected sentence.
Worked example
Say your script is 750 words — a typical 5-minute YouTube video. At a normal 150 words per minute, that’s exactly 5.0 minutes of finished audio (about 4,500 characters on the estimate, or the exact count if you paste the script). The same 5 minutes costs roughly $10–$30 with an AI voice tool, $125–$375 with a freelance artist, and $500–$1,250 in a pro studio — before revisions or ad-usage fees on the human options. Multiply that by a video a week for a year and the gap stops being a rounding error; it’s a rent payment. That’s not an argument against humans — it’s an argument for spending the human budget where it actually changes the result.
Want the full breakdown of the AI option, including real output samples and plan maths? Read our hands-on ElevenLabs review for AI voiceovers.
Frequently asked questions
Is AI voice legal to use commercially?
Generally yes on paid AI voice plans — the major tools grant commercial rights to audio you generate while subscribed. But the details live in each plan’s terms, free tiers are often restricted, and cloning someone else’s voice without permission is off-limits. This is general information, not legal advice — check your plan’s terms before a big campaign.
How long is a 1,000-word script?
About 6.7 minutes at a normal 150 words per minute (6:40). Slow it to a relaxed 130 wpm and it’s roughly 7.7 minutes; a fast 170 wpm delivery brings it near 5.9 minutes. Paste your script above and the calculator will do it exactly.
What do YouTubers actually pay for voiceovers?
Most small and mid-size creators pay $0–$30 per video — they record it themselves or use an AI voice subscription. Channels that hire freelancers typically pay $25–$75 per finished minute, so a 10-minute video lands around $250–$750. Studio voices are mostly ad and brand work, not everyday uploads.
How different is the quality, really?
Top AI voices now handle tone, pacing and emphasis well enough that listeners rarely notice on informational content. Humans still win on genuine emotion, comedy timing and distinctive character. The practical test: generate your actual script both ways on one video and let your audience’s retention graph vote.