Soniox vs Deepgram speech-to-text
Higher accuracy, built-in translation, and real-time features that Deepgram can't match.
Developers choose Soniox for accurate, global-ready speech
Deepgram is popular with developers and makes it easy to get started with transcription. But accuracy falls off in real-world audio, streaming lags, and translation isn't included. With Soniox, one API works for 8 billion people across 60+ languages – delivering transcription and translation with higher accuracy and smoother real-time performance. It's built for production apps that need to work worldwide.
Trusted accuracy
Soniox outperforms Deepgram on real-world speech, with fewer errors to fix. Soniox hits 6.5% WER in English vs 9.3% for Deepgram.
Faster streaming
Token-level updates appear in milliseconds, so conversations feel live and apps stay fluid. Captions flow naturally and assistants respond instantly.
Translation built in
One API delivers transcription and two-way translation across 60+ languages. Your app works for 8 billion people worldwide with no extra services required.
Helping startups and enterprises ship real world voice apps




See the difference for yourself
Don't just take our word for it. Run the same audio through Soniox and Deepgram in real time and compare live results, side by side.
This demo isn't pre-recorded. It makes real API calls to Deepgram and Soniox in real time, with each service tuned for its best performance. The framework is open source, so you can inspect or run it yourself.
SONIOX VS DEEPGRAM AT A GLANCE
The benchmarks back it up
In a 2025 study across 60 languages and real-world YouTube audio, Soniox reached 6.5% WER in English vs 9.3% for Deepgram.
View the full benchmark reportFeature | Sonioxstt-rt-v3 | Deepgramnova-3 |
---|---|---|
open_in_newSingle Multilingual Model | check | check |
open_in_newLanguage Hints | check | close |
open_in_newLanguage Identification | check | close |
open_in_newSpeaker Diarization | check | check |
open_in_newCustomization | check | check |
open_in_newTimestamps | check | check |
open_in_newConfidence Scores | check | check |
open_in_newTranslation One Way | check | close |
open_in_newTranslation Two Way | check | close |
open_in_newEndpoint Detection | check | warning |
open_in_newManual Finalization | check | check |
“It just gets the words right — any language, any accent, any context. That’s what accuracy is supposed to look like.”
Tony Wang,
Cofounder & Chief Revenue Officer at Agora
More than transcription. Accuracy, speed, and translation built in.
Accuracy that holds up everywhere.
With Soniox, you get transcripts you can trust, even in noisy conditions. Soniox reached 6.5% WER vs 9.3% for Deepgram, meaning fewer mistakes and less cleanup.
Deepgram falls apart in noisy or overlapping audio.
Streaming that never lags.
Apps stay smooth and responsive with token-level updates in milliseconds. You still get full control with refinements, finalization, and endpoint detection.
Deepgram only streams by the sentence, so transcripts lag and jump.
Global-ready from the start.
One API covers 60+ languages with automatic language detection and two-way translation, so your app can serve 8 billion people from day one.
Deepgram stops at transcription.
Simple pricing that scales.
Soniox pricing stays flat: ~$0.10–0.12/hr with every feature included. No tiers, upsells, or surprises as you grow.
Deepgram charges more – and still doesn't include translation.
Pay 2-3x less than Deepgram
With Soniox, transcription, translation, diarization, timestamps, and confidence are all included in one price. Deepgram charges more per tier and doesn't bundle translation at all.
Effective hourly cost
(typical speech)
Soniox
~$0.10/hour (async)
~$0.12/hour (streaming)
Deepgram
~$0.20–0.40/hour depending on model tier (Nova-2, Nova-3, Enhanced)
Takeaway
Soniox costs 2–3x less than Deepgram, while delivering higher accuracy, smoother streaming, and built-in translation out of the box.
- Soniox bills per token, which works out to the effective hourly rates above for typical conversational speech.
- Deepgram pricing varies by tier: lower-cost "Nova" models are less accurate, while higher-cost "Enhanced" adds expense. Translation requires a separate service.
- All comparisons use publicly listed rates as of 2025.
Fluent at any speed
Watch Soniox keep up with fast speech in any language
Frequently asked questions about Soniox vs Deepgram
1.Is Soniox cheaper than Deepgram?arrow_downward
2.Does Deepgram support translation?arrow_downward
3.How does Soniox streaming compare to Deepgram?arrow_downward
4.Does Deepgram support diarization and timestamps?arrow_downward
5.Can Soniox handle multiple languages in one stream?arrow_downward
Soniox surpasses Deepgram in any language
Get the most accurate, real-time speech-to-text transcription and translation in 60+ languages
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