ElevenLabs is a voice company with a sound effects tool. SFX Engine is a sound effects tool first: longer sounds, WAV on every plan and more sounds for the money.
Compared on sound effects only, using each company's published plans.
| Feature | SFX Engine | ElevenLabs |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Sound effects, plus music and voiceover | Voice and text-to-speech, plus sound effects and music |
| Longest sound effect | 47 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Takes per prompt | Up to 4 | 4 in the web app |
| Download format | WAV on every plan | MP3 on Free and Starter, WAV from Creator ($22 a month) |
| Sound effects on the Creator plan | About 1,333 a month for $25 | About 605 a month for $22, at 200 credits per sound |
| Cheapest paid plan | $10 a month, about 166 sound effects | $6 a month, about 150 sound effects |
| Cost of a longer sound | 3 credits at any length | 40 credits per second when you set the length |
| Seamless loops | Not yet | Yes, from the Creator plan |
| Commercial use | Every plan | Paid plans only |
ElevenLabs details are from elevenlabs.io/pricing and the ElevenLabs docs, checked on 7 October 2026.
Creator makes about 1,333 sound effects a month for $25. Every sound costs 3 credits, however long it is.
Make ambience and beds up to 47 seconds and download WAV on every plan, ready for your engine or DAW.
Projects keep every sound for a game or video together, and the free library gives you a head start.
Every sound here came from the prompt on its card.
Ambience“Thunder rolling over a dark sea”
Games“Swords clashing in a stone hall”
Film“A siren echoing through wet city streets”
Games“Arcade chime for a correct answer”
Foley“Boots on gravel, slow walk, close mic”
Film“Waves breaking under an open cliff”
Games“Fairy sparkles for a quest reward”
Podcasts“A forest stream for a podcast intro”
Every plan includes commercial use. Pick the amount of credits you need.
Contact us at support@sfxengine.com
If sound effects are what you need most, yes. SFX Engine makes sounds up to 47 seconds, gives you WAV on every plan and makes about twice as many sound effects per dollar on the Creator plan.
For voice. ElevenLabs has text-to-speech in many languages, voice cloning and dubbing, and its sound effects can loop seamlessly. Plenty of people use ElevenLabs for voice and SFX Engine for sound effects.
SFX Engine plans are $10, $25 and $90 a month for 500, 4,000 and 15,000 credits, and a sound effect costs 3 credits. ElevenLabs plans start at $6 a month for 30,000 credits, and an automatic-length sound effect costs 200 credits.
Yes. Everything you make on any SFX Engine plan is royalty-free for commercial use. ElevenLabs' free plan doesn't include a commercial license.
Yes, with a smaller set of voices than ElevenLabs. Voiceover costs 1 credit per 25 characters and comes with every plan, along with background music and stem splitting.
Describe the sound and compare the takes.
