What is Modulate?
Modulate is a voice AI company that builds what it calls an Ensemble Listening Model, a set of audio models that analyze dozens of signals in every utterance, including tone, emotion and speaker traits, not only the words spoken. Its products are grouped into five families under the name Velma: Detect, Transcribe, Redact, Triage, and a real-time voice intelligence platform for enterprises. The company also offers ToxMod, a voice safety product aimed at social and gaming communities.
In practice, developers can call the Modulate API to transcribe audio with diarization, flag AI-generated or cloned voices, detect AI-made music, identify language, accent or emotional tone, remove PII/PHI from recordings and transcripts, and surface conversations that need human review. Models run as batch REST calls or stream in real time over WebSocket. The main business uses listed are fraud prevention, AI voice agent monitoring, contact center QA, and user safety in games and social platforms.
Key features
- Deepfake and cloned voice detection
- Multilingual speech-to-text with diarization
- Emotion and accent detection
- PII/PHI redaction from audio and transcripts
- Real-time voice streaming over WebSocket
- AI music and singing detection
Who is it for
- Developers building voice agents or voice features
- Contact centers and insurance or banking firms
- Game studios and social platforms
- Trust and safety teams
Pros and cons
- Combines what is said with how it is said, catching issues transcripts miss
- Self-serve, pay-as-you-go API access with per-hour pricing
- Enterprise plans and ToxMod pricing require contacting sales
Modulate pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| English Fast Speech-to-Text (batch) | 0.025 USD / one-time | per hour of audio, REST file; streaming 0.05 USD per hour |
| Multilingual Speech-to-Text (batch) | 0.03 USD / one-time | per hour, 70+ languages with diarization; streaming 0.06 USD per hour; add-ons Emotion 0.02 USD, Accent 0.01 USD, PII/PHI tagging 0.02 USD |
| Multilingual Fast Speech-to-Text (batch) | 0.03 USD / one-time | per hour, ultra fast, 70+ languages; no streaming option listed |
Prices copied from Modulate pricing, checked October 12, 2026. Currency as shown by the vendor; taxes may apply.
Is Modulate free?
The vendor does not state this clearly on the homepage or pricing page.
Modulate alternatives
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cartesia | 5 USD/mo | yes | APIs & models |
 Grok API | 0.02 USD | ? | APIs & models |
 MiniMax | 0.3 USD input / 1.2 USD output per M tokens | ? | APIs & models |
 Deepgram | 0.0048 USD/mo | trial | APIs & models |
 AssemblyAI | not listed | ? | APIs & models |
 Replicate | 0.025 USD | trial | APIs & models |
All alternatives to Modulate →
FAQ
What is Modulate used for?
Audio-native voice AI API for transcription, deepfake and emotion detection, and voice moderation, used by businesses and gaming platforms.
Is Modulate free?
The vendor does not state this clearly on the homepage or pricing page.
How much does Modulate cost?
The cheapest paid plan is 0.025 USD (vendor pricing, October 12, 2026).
What are the best Modulate alternatives?
Closest alternatives: Cartesia, Grok API, MiniMax, Deepgram, AssemblyAI.
Data checked October 12, 2026 on the vendor website (modulate.ai).