AudioOpenAIvgpt-4o-mini-tts· Released 2025-04-01

OpenAI TTS

Expressive text-to-speech with custom voice instructions and 13 built-in voices.

OpenAI TTS is OpenAI's text-to-speech model powered by GPT-4o Mini, offering expressive voice generation with custom voice instructions. It features 13 built-in voices and instruction-based control over delivery style. On Oakgen, a 1-minute narration costs about 8 credits (~$0.03).

Try OpenAI TTS →See pricing

Capabilities at a glance

13 built-in voices with distinct characters
Instruction-based voice control ('speak slowly', 'whisper')
Natural pacing and emphasis from GPT backbone
3–6 second latency per request
Strong for narration and dialogue

Specs

Starting price: $0.03 / generation
Generation time: 3–6 seconds
Max resolution: 44.1 kHz stereo
Inputs → outputs: text → audio

How to use OpenAI TTS

1
Choose a voice character
Pick from 13 voices — Alloy, Echo, Fable, Onyx, Nova, Shimmer, and more. Each has a distinct personality.
2
Add voice instructions
Use instructions to shape delivery — 'speak in a warm, conversational tone' or 'read this like a news anchor'.

API access

curl -X POST https://api.oakgen.ai/v1/generate/speech \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OAKGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "openai-tts",
    "voice": "nova",
    "text": "Welcome to the future of AI-powered creativity."
  }'

Compared to other models

vs. elevenlabs-v3 — ease of use

OpenAI TTS is simpler to use with built-in voices and instruction-based control. ElevenLabs v3 wins on voice cloning fidelity and emotional range.

License & commercial use

Licensed through OpenAI's commercial terms.

Permitted on all paid Oakgen plans.

FAQs

How much does OpenAI TTS cost on Oakgen?

OpenAI TTS starts at $0.03 per generation on Oakgen. Most generations complete in 3–6 seconds. The $19/month Pro plan includes 5,000 credits, covering roughly 641 generations per month.

Can I use OpenAI TTS commercially?

Permitted on all paid Oakgen plans.

What is the maximum output resolution?

OpenAI TTS supports up to 44.1 kHz stereo.

Does Oakgen provide API access to OpenAI TTS?

Yes. Oakgen's REST API exposes OpenAI TTS under the model slug 'openai-tts'. See the API snippet below for an example request.

Related models

ElevenLabs v3

Studio-grade voice cloning and text-to-speech with emotional nuance in 29 languages.

MiniMax Speech HD

Affordable text-to-speech and voice cloning in 29 languages.

Gemini Flash TTS

Fast, affordable multi-speaker dialogue generation — cheapest TTS on Oakgen.