audio model comparison
MAI-Transcribe-2 vs Scribe v2
MAI-Transcribe-2 and Scribe v2 are both current audio models, from Microsoft AI and ElevenLabs. MAI-Transcribe-2 is 55% cheaper per audio minute than Scribe v2, $0.001667 vs $0.003667. On Artificial Analysis AA-WER v2, MAI-Transcribe-2 scores 2.04 % WER and Scribe v2 2.18 % 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 | MAI-Transcribe-2 | Scribe v2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per audio minute | $0.001667 (better) | $0.003667 |
| Artificial Analysis AA-WER v2 | 2.04 % WER (#1 of 6) (better) | 2.18 % WER (#2 of 6) |
| Provider | Microsoft AI | ElevenLabs |
| Release date | September 3, 2026 | January 9, 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
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
Scribe v2
Best for
- Batch transcription and diarization
Watch out for
- $0.22 per hour of audio; keyterm prompting and transcript editing add $0.05 and $0.07 per hour
MAI-Transcribe-2 vs Scribe v2 FAQ
Which is cheaper, MAI-Transcribe-2 or Scribe v2?
MAI-Transcribe-2 is 55% cheaper per audio minute than Scribe v2, $0.001667 vs $0.003667.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, MAI-Transcribe-2 or Scribe v2?
MAI-Transcribe-2 leads on Artificial Analysis AA-WER v2, 2.04 % WER to 2.18 % WER. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Related comparisons
Production evaluation
Choosing between MAI-Transcribe-2 and Scribe v2?
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