On Gladia’s pricing page (markdown mirror pricing.md, last updated November 3, 2026), Self-serve real-time speech-to-text lists at 0.68€ per audio hour (0.0113€ per minute). Async splits by model: Solaria-1 at 0.27€/hr and Solaria-3 at 0.16€/hr on the 0–100 hour tier, with automatic volume steps above that. Translation is no longer buried in a “everything included” Starter line — it is a 0.05€/hr add-on on both async and real-time. Speaker diarization on the same card is marked Async only.
The LecSync Realtime Speech API is a managed WebSocket for live meeting and lecture captions: preview and final text, translation between any two of 60 languages, a speaker and audio-aligned timestamps on every final segment, and running minutes. It costs $0.006 per audio minute ($0.36 per hour) with those features included.
Figures below were checked on November 4, 2026 (Asia/Shanghai) against Gladia pricing / pricing.md, models, live translation, concurrency, and LecSync developers. This refresh is separate from the earlier LecSync vs Gladia Real-Time API post (October 13, 2026), which cited a USD Starter real-time rate of $0.75/hr with features bundled and a Growth floor from $0.25/hr.
What is Gladia Solaria realtime vs a caption API?
Gladia Solaria-1 is the default ASR model for both pre-recorded and live streams, covering 100+ languages with code switching. Solaria-3 is a higher-accuracy pre-recorded SKU for EN/FR/DE/ES/IT only — it is not a live model. Gladia’s real-time path opens a live WebSocket (init → stream), can enable translation under realtime_processing, and bills Self-serve by the hour of audio. A realtime caption API such as LecSync keeps one session open for bilingual captions, speakers and minutes while people are still talking — including lecture and meeting flows where post-session async diarization is not enough.
The short answer
If you want Gladia STT — cheap async Solaria-3 files, Solaria-1 live with optional translation add-on, custom vocabulary, and pay-per-use audio intelligence — the public EUR card is clear. Async Solaria-3 at 0.16€/hr (Calculated ~$0.0030/min at EURUSD 1.119) undercuts LecSync for same-language file work.
If you need live bilingual captions + speakers + digest on one flat minute bill, LecSync is the closer product. Gladia real-time Self-serve is 0.68€/hr before translation; with the translation add-on it is 0.73€/hr. Live speaker labels are not on the Self-serve feature table (diarization is async-only), and live minutes are not a bundled LecSync-style digest line.
How each path works
LecSync. Your server calls POST https://api.lecsync.com/v1/realtime/connect with the audio format, a language pair and the features you want, then streams 16 kHz mono PCM. Preview text arrives while someone is still talking; a final segment settles once the sentence confirms. Translations share the segment ID. With speakers: true, each final carries a speaker and startMs/endMs on the recording clock. With digest: true, minutes arrive section by section. The first word shows up about 0.28 seconds after speech starts; translation adds roughly 88 ms. Seven gateway regions (dal, jp3, kc, nj, ru2, ru3, uk) keep audio near the capture point; backlog is capped at 2 seconds.
Gladia realtime / Solaria. Initiate a live session (see live init), stream audio over the WebSocket, and receive partial then final transcripts. Default model is solaria-1 (live + async). Enable translation under realtime_processing with translation_config.target_languages. Summarization, sentiment and NER are separate add-ons when you turn them on. Diarization docs and the pricing feature matrix cover pre-recorded / async speaker labels — not a live speaker row on Self-serve. Paid Self-serve concurrency defaults to 30 live sessions and 25 async jobs; a single live session cannot exceed 3 hours. New accounts get a one-time €50 credit wallet.
Pricing: Nov 4 EUR Self-serve vs Oct 13 USD Starter snapshot
| Item | Oct 13, 2026 (prior post) | Nov 4, 2026 (owned page today) |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time Self-serve / Starter | $0.75/hr USD Starter | 0.68€/hr (0.0113€/min) |
| Translation on live | Bundled in Starter narrative | +0.05€/hr add-on |
| Async | $0.61/hr Starter | Solaria-1 0.27€/hr; Solaria-3 0.16€/hr (0–100 h) |
| Growth / volume | Growth from $0.25/hr (commitment) | Async volume tiers; Enterprise = Custom |
| Speakers live | Not available live (async re-run) | Still Async only on pricing table |
| LecSync Realtime Speech API | $0.006/min all-in | $0.006/min all-in |
Calculated USD uses EURUSD 1.119 (open.er-api.com, 2026-11-04). Measured figures stay in EUR.
| Path | Measured | Calculated $/min | $/hr | 1,000 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LecSync all-in | $0.006/min | 0.006 | 0.36 | $360 |
| Gladia RT Self-serve | 0.68€/hr | ~0.0127 | ~0.761 | ~$761 |
| Gladia RT + translation | 0.73€/hr | ~0.0136 | ~0.817 | ~$817 |
| Gladia Async Solaria-3 (0–100 h) | 0.16€/hr | ~0.0030 | ~0.179 | ~$179 |
| Gladia Async Solaria-1 (0–100 h) | 0.27€/hr | ~0.0050 | ~0.302 | ~$302 |
LecSync stays $0.006/min whether translation, speakers and digest are on or off → 1,000 audio hours = $360.
Side-by-side facts (checked November 4, 2026)
| LecSync Realtime Speech API | Gladia realtime / Solaria | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Live meeting/lecture captions + MT | Live + async STT; Solaria-3 async EU focus |
| List price (Self-serve) | $0.006/audio-min flat, all features | RT 0.68€/hr; async 0.16–0.27€/hr by model |
| Live translation | 60 languages, same socket, included | Add-on 0.05€/hr; multi-target config |
| Speakers on live stream | Every final (speakers: true) | Pricing: diarization Async only |
| Live minutes / digest | digest: true | Summarization add-on 0.03€/hr when enabled |
| Languages | 60, auto-detected | Solaria-1 100+; Solaria-3 five EU langs (async) |
| Latency story | ~0.28 s first word; +~88 ms MT | Partials + finals on live WebSocket (vendor docs) |
| Session / concurrency | 7 gateways; 2 s backlog cap | Paid 30 live / 25 async; live max 3 h |
| Free trial shape | None on developers page | €50 one-time credits |
| Best cheap path on this card | Not the cheapest file STT | Async Solaria-3 0.16€/hr |
What 1,000 hours cost
| Workload | LecSync | Gladia Self-serve (Measured EUR → Calculated USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Same-language live captions | $360 | RT ~$761 (0.68€/hr) |
| Live captions + translation | $360 | RT + translation ~$817 (0.73€/hr) |
| Live captions + speakers | $360 | Live speakers not on Self-serve table; async diarization path separate |
| Live minutes | Included | Summarization add-on when enabled |
| File / pre-recorded same-language | Live API not cheapest file path | Solaria-3 ~$179; Solaria-1 ~$302 (0–100 h tier) |
For flat-vs-add-on vendor math, see what 1,000 hours cost once translation, speakers and summaries are added. For stitching STT + MT yourself, see built-in translation vs a DIY pipeline. The October write-up remains at LecSync vs Gladia Real-Time API.
When Gladia wins
- Cheap pre-recorded ASR on Solaria-3 (0.16€/hr list, lower at volume) for EN/FR/DE/ES/IT files.
- Solaria-1 async when you need 100+ languages or code switching on files at 0.27€/hr before volume discounts.
- Trying the stack with €50 free credits and published concurrency caps before committing.
- STT-only live where you already own speakers and minutes elsewhere and accept EUR Self-serve RT at 0.68€/hr.
- Enterprise custom hosting, ZDR, or unlimited concurrency via sales (not Self-serve list rates).
When LecSync fits better
- Live bilingual captions between any two of 60 languages on one socket and one minute price.
- Speakers + audio-aligned timestamps on every final without an async-only diarization detour.
- Running minutes (
digest: true) while the session is still open. - Predictable all-in $/audio-min for captions + MT + speakers + digest at $0.006 ($360 per 1,000 hours).
- Lecture and meeting capture where you want USD all-in math and a 2 s backlog cap without a 3-hour live session ceiling on the public docs.
FAQ
How much does Gladia real-time cost per hour today?
On gladia.io/pricing (November 4, 2026), Self-serve real-time is 0.68€/hr (0.0113€/min). Translation adds 0.05€/hr when enabled. Calculated at EURUSD 1.119 that is about $0.76/hr for STT alone and about $0.82/hr with translation.
How much does the LecSync Realtime Speech API cost?
LecSync bills $0.006 per accepted audio minute, all-in for realtime transcription, translation, speakers, timestamps, glossary, polish, live digest and optional 30-day storage. Turning features off does not lower the rate; turning them all on does not raise it. See developers pricing.
Did Gladia’s public rates change since the October comparison?
Yes in structure and units. The October 13, 2026 post cited USD Starter real-time $0.75/hr with features described as included, plus Growth from $0.25/hr. Today’s owned card is EUR Self-serve: real-time 0.68€/hr, translation as a 0.05€/hr add-on, and async Solaria-1 / Solaria-3 tiers — without the old Growth floor on the Self-serve table.
Does Gladia include live translation and speakers in the real-time hour?
Translation is available on live sessions but bills as a 0.05€/hr add-on on the pricing table. Speaker diarization is listed as Async only; live speaker labels are not a Self-serve included row the way LecSync’s speakers: true is.
Is Gladia cheaper than LecSync for file transcription?
Often yes for same-language async Solaria-3 at 0.16€/hr (Calculated ~$179 per 1,000 hours at FX 1.119) versus LecSync’s live $0.006/min. Choose Gladia when you only need file STT; choose LecSync when live MT, speakers and digest matter on one bill.
Which should I pick for live multilingual meeting captions?
Pick LecSync when you need bilingual captions, speakers and minutes on one WebSocket at $0.006/min. Pick Gladia when Solaria-1 live STT (plus optional translation add-on) fits your stack, you are fine with EUR Self-serve math, and you can handle speakers/minutes outside the live hour — or when async Solaria-3 is the real workload.
Bottom line
Gladia’s November 2026 public Self-serve card posts real-time at 0.68€/hr, moves translation to a 0.05€/hr add-on, and splits async into Solaria-1 / Solaria-3 with clear volume steps. That card still wins for cheap EU-language files (Solaria-3) and for teams already building around Gladia’s live WebSocket. LecSync stays $0.006/min all-in when live captions need translation, speakers and digest without stacking EUR add-ons. Start on the LecSync developers page, or read the prior Gladia Real-Time write-up for the October USD snapshot this refresh replaces.