Soniox vs Deepgram
for English speech-to-text
Higher accuracy in real-world English, real-time features, and in-stream translation that Deepgram can’t match.
Developers choose Soniox for accuracy in English speech
English is spoken by 1.5 billion people worldwide — across United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and beyond. Soniox delivers production-ready transcription and translation for English, handling regional accents, code-switching, and real-world audio conditions. Deepgram lists English as supported, but benchmark results show far higher error rates compared to Soniox.
Developers often like Deepgram for getting started quickly but often have to sacrifice accuracy, streaming speed, and key features. In real-world English audio, which can include accents, rapid speech, and overlapping speakers, errors increase, streaming lags, and translation isn’t included. Soniox offers one API that transcribes and translates English (and 60+ others) with higher accuracy and smoother real-time performance, so your app instantly works worldwide.
Trusted accuracy
Soniox outperforms Deepgram on real-world English speech, so there’s less to fix later. Soniox hits 6.5% WER in English vs 9.9% for Deepgram.
Faster streaming in English
Apps feel smooth and human with token-level updates, refinements, and full transcript control in English.
English translation built in
One API delivers transcription and two-way translation across 60+ languages, including English. 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 English 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
And 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 9.9% for Deepgram.
View the full benchmark report »
More than transcription. Accuracy, speed, and translation built in.
Accuracy that holds up in English.
With Soniox, you get transcripts you can trust, even in noisy, overlapping English speech. Soniox reached 6.5% WER in English vs 9.9% for Deepgram, meaning fewer mistakes and less cleanup.
Deepgram falls apart in noisy or overlapping audio.
Real-time English streaming.
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 transcription and two-way translation for English and 60+ others.
Deepgram requires separate services and can’t handle translation.
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)
| Soniox (async) | Soniox (streaming) | Deepgram (typical) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 hours | ~$10 | ~$12 | ~$20-40 |
| 1,000 hours | ~$100 | ~$120 | ~$200-400 |
| 1,000 hours | ~$1,000 | ~$1,200 | ~$2,000-4,000 |
Takeaway: For English, you’ll typically pay 2–3x less than Deepgram, while getting higher accuracy, smoother streaming, and built-in translation out of the box.
Notes:
- 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.
Frequently asked questions about Soniox vs Deepgram
Is Soniox cheaper than Deepgram?
Yes. Soniox costs ~$0.10–0.12/hr, while Deepgram typically costs ~$0.20–0.40/hr depending on model tier. That’s 2–3x less expensive.
Does Deepgram support English translation?
No. Deepgram only provides transcription. Soniox includes two-way, in-stream translation across 60+ languages in the same API call.
How does Soniox streaming compare to Deepgram?
Soniox streams token by token in milliseconds, with refinements, manual finalization, and endpoint detection. Deepgram streams by the sentence, creating lag and jumpy transcripts.
Does Deepgram support diarization and timestamps?
Yes, but Soniox provides them faster and in real time.
Can Soniox handle multiple languages in one stream?
Yes. Soniox detects language shifts mid-conversation. Deepgram requires a single language per request.
Soniox surpasses Deepgram in any language
Get the most accurate, real-time speech-to-text transcription and translation in 60+ languages
Build faster with Soniox for English
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