Amazon Polly
aws.amazon.com
AWS service that turns text into lifelike speech.
Quick Information
- Category:
- Speech & Transcription
- Pricing:
- Freemium
- Platforms:
- API, AWS
- Free Plan:
- Yes
- API Available:
- Yes
- Last Verified:
- October 2026
What Is Amazon Polly?
Amazon Polly is the AWS service that turns text into lifelike speech. AWS's own pricing page, read directly, is pay as you go, billed monthly per character. Standard voices cost $4.00 per 1 million characters, Neural $16.00, Generative $30 for speech requests only, and Long-Form $100. The free tier gives Standard 5 million characters a month, Neural 1 million for the first 12 months, Long-Form 500,000 for 12 months and Generative 100,000 for 12 months. GovCloud (US) prices are $4.80 for Standard and $19.20 for Neural per million characters. Cached speech can be replayed at no extra cost, AWS new-account credits of up to $200 apply for accounts created from July 15, 2025, there is no separate AI add-on price, and the page offers a pricing quote request.
These match third-party guides, which also say SSML tags do not count as characters, unused allowances do not roll over, and the free tier ends after 12 months with no warning unless you set billing alerts. Because voice type drives the price by 25 times from Standard to Long-Form, choosing the right voice matters more than any discount. Polly is a building block rather than an end-user app, so you integrate it through the AWS SDK or API, and cost surprises usually come from the surrounding AWS services. Voice quality for generative and long-form voices is closer to modern AI voices than the Standard tier.
Amazon Polly suits developers on AWS who need scalable text-to-speech for apps, IVR and content. Compare Google Cloud Text-to-Speech, Azure AI Speech and Typecast. Browse the Speech & Transcription tools directory for more.
What Can You Use Amazon Polly For?
App and IVR text-to-speech
Scalable.
Long-form narration
Long-Form voices.
Amazon Polly Features
- Four voice tiers — Standard to Long-Form.
- Free tier — 12 months for premium voices.
- Cached speech is free to replay — Per the page.
Who Is Amazon Polly For?
- AWS developers — Native integration.
- Contact-centre builders — Cheap voices.
Amazon Polly Pros & Limitations
What We Like
- Published per-character prices
- Generous free tier
- Mature service
Limitations
- Premium voices cost far more
- Free tier expires after 12 months
- Needs AWS setup
Amazon Polly Pricing
| Plan | Price | Main Features |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $4.00 per 1M characters | 5M characters a month free (ongoing) |
| Neural | $16.00 per 1M characters | 1M characters a month free for 12 months |
| Generative | $30 per 1M characters | 100K characters a month free for 12 months |
| Long-Form | $100.00 per 1M characters | 500K characters a month free for 12 months |
Pricing was last verified October 2026. Check the official website for the latest pricing.
AI Listing Jungle Ranking
- Global Rank:
- #440
- Overall Score:
- 66.9/100
- Monthly Users:
- –
- Rank Change:
- ▲ 1328
This ranking reflects AI Listing Jungle's own independent scoring methodology and is not an endorsement by Amazon Polly or its company. How Our Rankings Work
Frequently Asked Questions
Polly price?
$4 to $100 per million characters by voice type.
Free tier?
5M Standard characters a month; others for 12 months.
Do SSML tags count?
No, per third parties.
GovCloud?
Standard $4.80, Neural $19.20.
Our Take
Affordable and dependable.
Pick the voice tier carefully.
Amazon Polly Alternatives
Amazon Polly Comparisons
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