Amazon Polly
Amazon Polly: A capable AWS text-to-speech service with multiple engines and developer controls. Ranked #4 of 222 in Text-to-Speech Software by our editors (9.1/10); pricing: Paid; best for AWS users needing mature TTS infrastructure.
At a glance
- Editor score9.1 / 10
- PricingPaid
- Best forAWS users needing mature TTS infrastructure
- Paid from$4/unit/mo
- Founded2006 · Seattle, Washington, United States
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Four voice engines, including neural, long-form, and generative options
- SSML, pronunciation controls, speech marks, and adjustable delivery settings
- Streaming, asynchronous synthesis, and broad AWS service integrations
Where it doesn't
- No permanent free plan; free-tier access lasts for the first 12 months
- Long-Form voices cost $100 per 1 million characters
- Standard synchronous input is limited to 6,000 total characters
Our verdict on Amazon Polly
Amazon Polly is a managed AWS text-to-speech service for developers and organizations building speech-enabled applications. It converts plain text or SSML into audio through standard, neural, long-form, and generative voice engines. Its use cases include mobile apps, e-learning, accessibility tools, games, connected devices, media narration, and interactive voice response systems. The service is available through the web and API, with verified language coverage of 28 languages.
Pricing is based on monthly usage per 1 million characters. Standard voices cost $4, Neural voices cost $16, Generative voices cost $30, and Long-Form voices cost $100. Each tier has a separate free allowance for the first 12 months: 5 million, 1 million, 100,000, and 500,000 characters respectively. The published plans show meaningful differences in voice engine and allowance, while paid usage adds access to the selected engine. Standard synchronous requests support up to 6,000 total characters, including up to 3,000 billable characters; asynchronous synthesis supports larger inputs.
Amazon Polly’s strongest fit is for teams already building within AWS. Integrations include Amazon Lex, Amazon Connect, AWS IoT, Amazon CloudWatch, and AWS CloudTrail. Developers can also use pronunciation lexicons, speech marks for synchronized text and animation, adjustable volume, pitch, speech rate, emphasis, and intonation, plus streaming audio and caching or replay without additional cost. Choose Polly when API access, multiple voice engines, and AWS ecosystem fit matter. Consider another service if you need a permanent free plan, lower-cost long-form synthesis, or a narrower input workflow without asynchronous processing.
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Amazon Polly pricing
All 5 Amazon Polly plans and prices →
Amazon Polly fact sheet
| Free plan | Not verified |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $4/unit/mo |
| Commercial use | Not verified |
| Voice cloning | Yes |
| API access | Yes |
| Languages | 42 languages |
| Maximum input | 6000 characters |
| Export formats | mp3, ogg_vorbis, ogg_opus, pcm, mu-law, a-law |
| Platforms | web, api |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | HIPAA |
| Support | Phone, Live chat, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7 |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Paid (source) |
| Website | aws.amazon.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Amazon Polly
- ElevenLabsAffordable voice cloning with multilingual generation, dubbing, streaming, and API access.9.4
- Google Cloud Text-to-SpeechA broad, API-only TTS service for developers building voice-enabled products.9.3
- Azure AI SpeechA broad, production-ready TTS platform for teams building voice applications.9.2
See all Amazon Polly alternatives →
Amazon Polly vs the competition
- Amazon Polly vs ElevenLabs
- Amazon Polly vs Google Cloud Text-to-Speech
- Amazon Polly vs Azure AI Speech
- Amazon Polly vs Gemini Text-to-Speech
- Amazon Polly vs IBM Watson Text to Speech
- Amazon Polly vs ReadSpeaker
Compare Amazon Polly with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Amazon Polly is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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