audio model comparison
Eleven Flash v2.5 vs Eleven v4
Eleven Flash v2.5 and Eleven v4 are both current audio models, from ElevenLabs. Eleven Flash v2.5 is 50% cheaper per character than Eleven v4, $0.00004 vs $0.00008. On Artificial Analysis Speech Arena, Eleven Flash v2.5 scores 1078 Elo and Eleven v4 1326 Elo (Artificial Analysis, measured October 13, 2026).
Data verified October 13, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-13
Side by side
Standard-tier prices in effect today. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | Eleven Flash v2.5 | Eleven v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per character | $0.00004 (better) | $0.00008 |
| Artificial Analysis Speech Arena | 1078 Elo (#11 of 11) | 1326 Elo (#2 of 11) (better) |
| Provider | ElevenLabs | ElevenLabs |
| Release date | Not reported | September 28, 2026 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | Not reported | Not reported |
| Max output | Not reported | Not reported |
| Input | text | text |
| Output | audio | audio |
When to choose each
Eleven Flash v2.5
Best for
- Low-latency multilingual speech
Watch out for
- Built for latency rather than expressiveness; Eleven v4 Turbo now sells at the same $0.04 per 1,000 characters
Eleven v4
Best for
- Expressive narration and dialogue
- Multilingual voice content
Watch out for
- ElevenLabs' blind-test preference claims are its own; the independent rating is recorded below
- For low latency ElevenLabs points to Eleven v4 Turbo
Eleven Flash v2.5 vs Eleven v4 FAQ
Which is cheaper, Eleven Flash v2.5 or Eleven v4?
Eleven Flash v2.5 is 50% cheaper per character than Eleven v4, $0.00004 vs $0.00008.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, Eleven Flash v2.5 or Eleven v4?
Eleven v4 leads on Artificial Analysis Speech Arena, 1326 Elo to 1078 Elo. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Related comparisons
Production evaluation
Choosing between Eleven Flash v2.5 and Eleven v4?
Public benchmarks narrow the shortlist. We run both on your own tasks, data and cost limits, then build the routing and review controls to run the winner in production.
- A head-to-head evaluation on your real workload
- Routing between models by cost and difficulty