Quick answer: ElevenLabs credits are a shared usage balance. Text to Speech, Speech to Text, Music, Sound Effects, Voice Changer, Voice Isolator, and Dubbing can all draw from the same monthly pool. A plan’s credit number is therefore not a fixed number of voiceover minutes unless you use those credits only for Text to Speech under the assumed model and settings.
Credit rules and pricing last checked: September 21, 2026. ElevenLabs can change rates and plan limits. Confirm current figures on the official pricing page before making a purchase.
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What is an ElevenLabs credit?
A credit is ElevenLabs’ unit for measuring product usage. ElevenLabs previously described much of this usage in characters, but now uses one shared credit system across its platform.
The number of credits consumed depends on four things:
- The product you use.
- The model and settings you select.
- Whether you generate through the website or API.
- How much content you generate or process.
This means 30,000 credits are not always 30 minutes. They can produce roughly 30 minutes of Text to Speech under the estimate shown on the pricing page, but those same credits could also be spent on music, dubbing, sound effects, transcription, or other tools.
How many credits do ElevenLabs plans include?
| Plan | Monthly credits | Approximate TTS time shown by ElevenLabs |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10,000 | About 10 minutes |
| Starter | 30,000 | About 30 minutes |
| Creator | 121,000 | About 121 minutes |
| Pro | 600,000 | About 600 minutes |
These are planning estimates rather than guarantees. Speech speed, model choice, language, retakes, and non-TTS usage can change your result. For a direct comparison of the two entry-level paid plans, see our ElevenLabs Starter vs Creator guide.
How credits are charged by product
ElevenLabs currently publishes the following approximate rates:
| Product | Approximate credit usage |
|---|---|
| Text to Speech | About 1 credit per text character |
| Speech to Text | About 330 credits per audio minute |
| Eleven Music | About 900 credits per generated minute |
| Sound Effects | About 200 credits per generation |
| Voice Changer | About 1,000 credits per minute |
| Voice Isolator | About 1,000 credits per minute |
| Automatic Dubbing | About 2,000 to 3,000 credits per minute |
| Dubbing Studio | About 5,000 to 10,000 credits per minute |
Dubbing rates vary depending on the workflow and whether a watermark is used. Treat the table as a budget estimate and check the cost displayed in the ElevenLabs interface before generating.
How Text to Speech credits work
For common website Text to Speech usage, one text character typically costs one credit. Characters include letters, spaces, and punctuation. Some API models can have discounted character rates, so API estimates should be based on the exact model documentation rather than the website rule alone.
A 5,000-character script would therefore use roughly 5,000 credits under a one-credit-per-character rate. If you rewrite 1,000 characters and generate the full script again, the new generation can consume credits again. Downloading the finished audio does not create another charge; the charge occurs when the audio is generated.
Why finished minutes underestimate real usage
The final video may contain ten minutes of narration, but the production process can require more than ten minutes of generated audio. Common causes include:
- Mispronounced names or technical terms.
- Changing the hook after hearing it aloud.
- Testing several voices.
- Regenerating lines for different pacing or emotion.
- Creating alternate versions for different platforms.
A practical budget should include a retake allowance. Add at least 25% to your expected finished narration. For difficult scripts or an untested voice, add 50%.
Example: two short YouTube videos
Suppose you publish two videos per month, each with six minutes of finished narration. That is 12 finished minutes. Adding a 50% revision buffer gives an estimated 18 generated minutes. Starter’s approximate 30-minute Text to Speech allowance should normally provide enough room if you are not also using the same credits for other products.
Example: one video every week
Four eight-minute videos create 32 finished minutes. With a 25% buffer, the estimate becomes 40 generated minutes. That already exceeds Starter’s approximate Text to Speech capacity, so Creator is the more realistic starting point.
Do regenerations always cost credits?
Normally, pressing Generate uses credits because ElevenLabs must create new audio. Changing the text and generating again is generally chargeable.
ElevenLabs currently allows up to two free regenerations in the website’s Speech Synthesis tool when the prompt, voice, and model remain the same, the first generation was less than two hours ago, and you have not refreshed or left the page. Voice setting sliders may be adjusted under the current rule. The interface should show “Regenerate speech” when the next attempt is free.
The Eleven v3 workflow differs: each paid generation produces two alternative outputs, and another click creates two more outputs with another charge. Free regeneration rules also differ between Speech Synthesis, Studio, Dubbing Studio, and the API. Always check whether the button says Generate or Regenerate and review the displayed credit amount before clicking.
When do credits reset?
Subscription credits reset at the start of your billing cycle, based on the day you subscribed. This is not necessarily the first day of the calendar month.
On eligible paid plans, unused credits can roll over, but rollover is limited. ElevenLabs states that up to two months’ worth of unused credits can be carried forward. Your maximum subscription balance can therefore reach three times your normal monthly quota: the current month’s allocation plus up to two months of rollover.
| Plan | Normal monthly quota | Maximum balance with rollover |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 30,000 | Up to 90,000 |
| Creator | 121,000 | Up to 363,000 |
| Pro | 600,000 | Up to 1,800,000 |
Rollover does not apply to the Free plan. If you cancel or downgrade, unused subscription credits are generally forfeited when that change takes effect at the end of the current billing cycle. Read the current ElevenLabs billing documentation before changing plans.
What happens when you run out of credits?
Current self-serve subscriptions may offer Pay As You Go credits. These are prepaid credits used after the monthly subscription allowance is exhausted. According to ElevenLabs, Pay As You Go credits expire after 12 months and are separate from the normal subscription rollover cap.
Availability can differ for legacy and Enterprise subscriptions. Do not assume that every older account has the same top-up options shown for a new subscription.
A higher plan can be more economical for a predictable monthly workload, while a small Pay As You Go balance can be useful for occasional spikes. Compare the actual cost shown in your account before upgrading or topping up.
Five ways to avoid wasting credits
- Clean the script first. Fix numbers, abbreviations, names, and punctuation before generating.
- Test a short paragraph. Confirm the voice and settings before generating the complete script.
- Use pronunciation controls. Correct recurring names instead of regenerating them by trial and error.
- Regenerate only the affected sentence. Avoid rebuilding a long section for one mistake when the product allows a smaller selection.
- Track generated output, not only finished audio. Record how many credits a complete project actually consumes.
A simple monthly credit estimate
For a basic Text to Speech workflow, use this calculation:
Expected finished minutes × revision factor = estimated generated minutes
- Use 1.25 as the revision factor for a stable workflow.
- Use 1.5 for a new voice, difficult scripts, or frequent changes.
- Add separate credit estimates for music, dubbing, transcription, or sound effects.
For example, 24 finished narration minutes × 1.5 = 36 estimated generated minutes. That workload is likely too large for Starter’s approximate 30-minute allowance even before other ElevenLabs products are used.
Frequently asked questions
Do spaces and punctuation use credits?
Under character-based Text to Speech charging, spaces and punctuation are part of the generated text and can count toward usage. The exact rate depends on the selected model and access method.
Does downloading audio use more credits?
No. Credits are charged when ElevenLabs generates or processes the content, not each time you download the completed file.
Are credits only for Text to Speech?
No. The monthly balance is shared across products. Using credits for Music, Dubbing, Sound Effects, transcription, or another product leaves fewer credits for voice generation.
Do Free plan credits roll over?
No. ElevenLabs currently limits rollover to eligible paid subscriptions.
Can I keep unused credits after cancelling?
Unused subscription credits are generally lost when cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing cycle. Pay As You Go credits follow separate rules, so check your account and the latest billing documentation before changing the subscription.
Practical recommendation: Measure one real project before choosing a larger plan. Record its script length, finished narration time, and total credits used. That evidence is more reliable than estimating from finished minutes alone.