In short
How they differ.
Worked out from the makers' own pages, read Oct 20, 2026. Prices change; check before you pay.
- Only Azure AI Speech has a free plan.
- MiniMax Audio also has a web.
Side by side
The details.
| Azure AI Speech | MiniMax Audio | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Microsoft · US | MiniMax · China |
| What it says it is | — | “Generate lifelike voices&musics with MiniMax Speech 2.6&Music 2.0” |
| Free plan | Yes'0.5 million characters free per month' (Free F0, neural text to speech) | Not stated |
| Plans | Not shown | Not shown |
| Runs on | API | web, API |
| Latest update | — | MiniMax Speech 2.8, Jan 23, 2026 |
| Its terms | — | — |
| Disputes | None on file | None on file |
| Sources | Prices, Oct 20, 2026 · company-reported | Prices, Oct 20, 2026 · Description · company-reported |
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