audio model comparison
Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs MAI-Transcribe-2
Gemini 3.5 Transcribe and MAI-Transcribe-2 are both current audio models, from Google and Microsoft AI. MAI-Transcribe-2 is 67% cheaper per audio minute than Gemini 3.5 Transcribe, $0.001667 vs $0.005. On Artificial Analysis AA-WER v2, Gemini 3.5 Transcribe scores 2.6 % WER and MAI-Transcribe-2 2.04 % WER (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 | Gemini 3.5 Transcribe | MAI-Transcribe-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per audio minute | $0.005 | $0.001667 (better) |
| Artificial Analysis AA-WER v2 | 2.6 % WER (#4 of 6) | 2.04 % WER (#1 of 6) (better) |
| Provider | Microsoft AI | |
| Release date | August 26, 2026 | September 3, 2026 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | Not reported | Not reported |
| Max output | Not reported | Not reported |
| Input | audio | audio |
| Output | text | text |
When to choose each
Gemini 3.5 Transcribe
Best for
- Batch transcription with speaker labels
- Multilingual meeting and call transcripts
Watch out for
- One hour of audio per request, or 30 minutes with diarization or timestamps
- Custom vocabulary cannot be combined with diarization or timestamps, and there is no Batch API
MAI-Transcribe-2
Best for
- Low-cost multilingual batch transcription
- Meeting and call transcripts with speaker labels
Watch out for
- Azure Speech lists it as a public preview with no SLA, not recommended for production
- The $0.10 per hour price is a limited-time offer until 2026-12-31, and the later price is not published
Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs MAI-Transcribe-2 FAQ
Which is cheaper, Gemini 3.5 Transcribe or MAI-Transcribe-2?
MAI-Transcribe-2 is 67% cheaper per audio minute than Gemini 3.5 Transcribe, $0.001667 vs $0.005.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, Gemini 3.5 Transcribe or MAI-Transcribe-2?
MAI-Transcribe-2 leads on Artificial Analysis AA-WER v2, 2.04 % WER to 2.6 % WER. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
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- Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs Gemini 3.8 Live
- Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs GPT-4o Transcribe
- Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs GPT Transcribe
- Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs Grok Voice Transcribe 2.0
- Gemini 3.5 Transcribe vs Scribe v2
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Production evaluation
Choosing between Gemini 3.5 Transcribe and MAI-Transcribe-2?
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