Softwr

AI · head to head

Deepgram vs Scaleway

Deepgram logo

Deepgram

AI

Voice AI API platform for speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and voice agents

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Scaleway logo

Scaleway

Cloud

European cloud for developers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Deepgram pricing is entirely usage-based, so total cost can be harder to predict than flat subscription tools.; Scaleway no free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • They diverge on capability: Deepgram covers Flux speech-to-text, Scaleway covers Virtual Instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deepgram and Scaleway actually diverge.

Attributes where Deepgram and Scaleway differ
AttributeDeepgramScaleway
Platformsweb, apiWeb, Api, Cli
CategoryAICloud
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Deepgram

  • Flux speech-to-text
  • Flux text-to-speech
  • Voice Agent API
  • Real-time and batch processing
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Audio intelligence

Only in Scaleway

  • Virtual Instances
  • Bare Metal
  • Kubernetes Kapsule
  • Object Storage
  • Serverless Functions
  • Managed Databases
  • Container Registry
  • Load Balancer

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Deepgram

  • Building real-time voice agents for customer supportnot Scaleway
  • Transcribing recorded audio at scale via batch STTnot Scaleway
  • Adding conversational text-to-speech to voice applicationsnot Scaleway
  • Self-hosting speech models for data residency requirementsnot Scaleway

Scaleway

  • Web hostingnot Deepgram
  • Container orchestrationnot Deepgram
  • Development environmentsnot Deepgram
  • Data storagenot Deepgram

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Deepgram

  • Pricing is entirely usage-based, so total cost can be harder to predict than flat subscription tools.
  • The Growth plan requires a minimum $4K/year commitment to unlock discounted rates.
  • Enterprise features and custom SLAs require a direct sales conversation rather than self-serve signup.
  • Some promotional per-minute rates are time-limited, meaning long-term pricing may differ from current promotional rates.

Scaleway

  • No free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • Specific pricing requires navigating to individual product category pages
  • Base pricing starts at 4.99 EUR per month but varies significantly by service type

Pricing, plan by plan

Deepgram

Free
  • Pay As You Go$undefined/mo
    • $200 free credit to start
    • No minimums or expiration
    • No credit card required to start
  • Growth$undefined/mo
    • Save up to 20% with annual pre-paid credits
    • Minimum $4K/year commitment
    • Credits applied against actual usage
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom pricing for large-scale deployments
    • Dedicated support and contracts

Scaleway

Free
  • DEV1-S$7.99/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 2GB RAM
    • 20GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Deepgram if

  • You need flux speech-to-text.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want flux text-to-speech.

Choose Scaleway if

  • You need virtual instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal.

Questions people ask

Is Deepgram or Scaleway better?
Neither clearly leads. Deepgram starts at Free and Scaleway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deepgram or Scaleway?
Deepgram starts at Free and Scaleway at Free.
Does Deepgram or Scaleway run on more platforms?
Deepgram runs on web, api. Scaleway runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Deepgram for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Deepgram best used for?
Deepgram is most often used for building real-time voice agents for customer support, transcribing recorded audio at scale via batch stt, adding conversational text-to-speech to voice applications, self-hosting speech models for data residency requirements. Of those, building real-time voice agents for customer support and transcribing recorded audio at scale via batch stt are not what Scaleway is typically brought in for.
What can Deepgram do that Scaleway cannot?
Deepgram covers Flux speech-to-text, Flux text-to-speech, Voice Agent API, Real-time and batch processing. Scaleway covers Virtual Instances, Bare Metal, Kubernetes Kapsule, Object Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deepgram: What does Deepgram cost?

Deepgram uses usage-based pricing starting with $200 in free credit, pay-as-you-go rates per minute or per character, a Growth plan with annual pre-paid credits requiring a $4K/year minimum, and custom Enterprise pricing.

Source
Scaleway: Does Scaleway have a free tier?

Scaleway does not mention a free tier or trial period on its pricing or homepage. Users must select specific services to see rates.

Source
Deepgram: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

New users get $200 of free credit with no credit card required, which can be applied to speech-to-text, text-to-speech, or voice agent usage before any payment is needed.

Source
Scaleway: What is Scaleway's pricing model?

Scaleway uses transparent, usage-based pricing that varies by service. Different categories (bare metal, compute, AI, storage, network) have separate pricing. Dedibox servers start at 4.99 EUR per month.

Source
Deepgram: How is usage metered?

Usage is metered per minute of audio for speech-to-text and voice agent calls, and per 1,000 characters for text-to-speech, with add-ons like redaction and entity detection billed separately per minute.

Source
Scaleway: How does Scaleway billing work?

Scaleway emphasizes transparent, predictable billing where customers know exactly what they'll pay. Users must select products and view pricing within each category.

Source
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