> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stenox.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AssemblyAI

> Universal model optimized for diverse accents and languages

"og:title": "Stenox Docs"

<Warning>
  This is a **TRANSCRIPTION** provider. It converts your speech to text.
  For AI enhancement like grammar correction, see [AI Enhancement Providers](/providers/overview#ai-enhancement-providers).
</Warning>

## Overview

AssemblyAI provides high-accuracy speech-to-text with their Universal-1 model, specifically optimized for diverse accents, dialects, and multilingual content.

**Key Benefits:**

* 🌍 **Accent-optimized** - Excellent for non-native English speakers
* 🎯 **High accuracy** - Universal-1 model trained on diverse datasets
* 🌐 **Multilingual** - English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and more
* 🎁 **\$50 free credits** - No credit card required for signup

## Free Tier

<Tip>
  **New AssemblyAI users get \$50 in free credits!**

  That's approximately **5,000+ minutes** of transcription - several weeks to months of regular use.

  **No credit card required** to sign up and start transcribing.
</Tip>

### What You Get

* **\$50 in credits** upon signup
* **No credit card required** for free tier
* **All features included** - Universal-1, punctuation, streaming, etc.
* **Credits valid** for active accounts

After credits are used, pay-as-you-go pricing starts at \$0.0009 per minute (very affordable!).

## Getting Your Free API Key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Visit AssemblyAI">
    Go to [assemblyai.com](https://www.assemblyai.com) and click **Get Started Free** or **Sign Up**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create an account">
    Sign up with:

    * Email address and password
    * Or use Google/GitHub sign-in

    **No credit card required!**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify your email">
    Check your email for a verification link from AssemblyAI and click it to activate your account.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Access the Dashboard">
    Once logged in, you'll be redirected to the AssemblyAI Dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find your API key">
    Your API key is displayed prominently on the Dashboard:

    1. Look for the **API Key** section
    2. Click **Copy** to copy your key to clipboard
    3. Or click **Show** to reveal the full key
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add key to Stenox">
    1. Open Stenox Settings
    2. Go to **Transcription** tab
    3. Select **AssemblyAI** as provider
    4. Paste your API key
    5. Choose your model (Universal-1)
    6. Click **Save**
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  **Keep your API key private!** Don't share it or commit it to public repositories.
</Note>

## Available Models

### Universal-1 (Recommended)

AssemblyAI's flagship model optimized for accuracy across diverse scenarios:

**Universal-1 English:**

* Trained on diverse English accents (US, UK, Australian, Indian, African, etc.)
* Best for: English dictation with any accent

**Universal-1 Multilingual:**

* Supports English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese
* Auto-language detection
* Best for: Non-English languages or code-switching

<Tip>
  **Recommendation:** Use **Universal-1 English** for English dictation, or **Universal-1 Multilingual** if you speak multiple languages.
</Tip>

## Language Support

AssemblyAI supports multiple languages with auto-detection:

**Supported Languages:**

* **English** - All accents and dialects (US, UK, Australian, Indian, etc.)
* **Spanish** - Spain and Latin American variants
* **French** - France and Canadian variants
* **German**
* **Italian**
* **Portuguese** - Portugal and Brazilian variants
* **Auto-detect** - Automatically identify language being spoken

Configure language in Stenox profile settings.

## Configuration in Stenox

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Stenox Settings">
    Click Stenox menu bar icon → **Settings**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to Transcription">
    Select the **Transcription** tab
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select AssemblyAI">
    Choose **AssemblyAI** from the provider dropdown
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter your API key">
    Paste the API key you copied from AssemblyAI Dashboard
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose model">
    Select **Universal-1** (recommended)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure language">
    * **English only:** Select `English`
    * **Other languages:** Select `Spanish`, `French`, etc.
    * **Multiple languages:** Select `Auto-detect`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save** to activate AssemblyAI
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Features

### Accent Optimization

AssemblyAI's Universal-1 model excels with diverse accents:

* Non-native English speakers
* Regional accents (Southern US, Boston, Scottish, etc.)
* International English (Indian, Nigerian, Singaporean, etc.)
* Mixed accent environments

<Tip>
  If you have a strong accent or speak with non-native pronunciation, AssemblyAI often provides better accuracy than other providers.
</Tip>

### Streaming Transcription

AssemblyAI uses WebSocket streaming for real-time results:

* Audio streams to AssemblyAI as you speak
* Processing begins immediately
* Results return in \< 1-2 seconds after you stop speaking

### Automatic Features

**Punctuation:**

* Automatic periods, commas, question marks
* Natural capitalization
* Sentence structure optimization

**Formatting:**

* Numbers formatted appropriately (e.g., "twenty-five" → "25")
* Dates and times formatted correctly
* Currency and units handled intelligently

## Performance

**Expected processing times with AssemblyAI:**

| Recording Length | Processing Time |
| ---------------- | --------------- |
| 5 seconds        | \< 1 second     |
| 10 seconds       | 1-2 seconds     |
| 30 seconds       | 2-3 seconds     |
| 60 seconds       | 3-4 seconds     |

<Note>
  AssemblyAI is optimized for streaming, so longer recordings don't significantly increase processing time.
</Note>

## Usage Tracking

Monitor your credit usage in the AssemblyAI Dashboard:

1. Visit [assemblyai.com](https://www.assemblyai.com) and log in
2. Go to **Dashboard**
3. View:
   * **Remaining credits** (\$50 initially)
   * **Usage this month**
   * **Detailed transcription logs**

Stenox does not track AssemblyAI usage. Check your Dashboard for accurate credit balance.

## Privacy Considerations

**What AssemblyAI sees:**

* Your audio is sent to AssemblyAI servers for processing
* Audio and transcripts may be logged for quality improvement
* Data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/WSS)
* AssemblyAI offers data retention control options

**For complete privacy:**

* Use [WhisperKit (local)](/providers/transcription/whisperkit-local) for 100% offline processing
* Or review AssemblyAI's privacy policy and configure data retention settings

## When to Use AssemblyAI

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Non-native accents" icon="earth-americas">
    Optimized for diverse English accents and dialects.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multilingual use" icon="language">
    Supports multiple languages with auto-detection.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reliable accuracy" icon="medal">
    Consistent quality across different speakers and environments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cost-effective cloud" icon="dollar-sign">
    Affordable pricing (\$0.0009/min) after free credits.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="API key not working" icon="key">
    * Verify you copied the complete key from AssemblyAI Dashboard
    * Check that your account is verified (email confirmation)
    * Try generating a new API key in the Dashboard
    * Ensure no extra spaces or characters were added
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Transcription fails or errors" icon="triangle-exclamation">
    * Check your internet connection
    * Verify you have remaining credits in Dashboard
    * Ensure audio is being captured (check Stenox recording overlay)
    * Try a shorter test recording first
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Poor accuracy for your accent" icon="microphone-slash">
    * AssemblyAI is generally excellent with accents, but try:
      * Speaking slightly more clearly
      * Reducing background noise
      * Using a better microphone
      * Adding custom vocabulary in Stenox
    * Compare with DeepGram or WhisperKit for your specific accent
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Wrong language detected (auto-detect)" icon="globe">
    * Instead of auto-detect, manually select your language in Stenox profile settings
    * Speak longer phrases (auto-detect needs more context)
    * Ensure you're using Universal-1 Multilingual model
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Pricing After Free Credits

Once your \$50 in credits are used:

| Feature                    | Price               |
| -------------------------- | ------------------- |
| **Standard transcription** | \$0.0009 per minute |
| **Per hour**               | \~\$0.054 per hour  |

**Example monthly costs:**

* 1 hour per day = \~\$1.62/month
* 30 minutes per day = \~\$0.81/month

Very affordable for regular use!

[View full pricing →](https://www.assemblyai.com/pricing)

## Comparison: AssemblyAI vs Others

| Feature             | AssemblyAI        | DeepGram           | WhisperKit      |
| ------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------ | --------------- |
| **Provider cost**   | \$50 free credits | \$200 free credits | No cost (local) |
| **Speed**           | Fast (1-2s)       | Fastest (\< 1s)    | Medium (3-5s)   |
| **Accent handling** | Excellent         | Very Good          | Good            |
| **Multilingual**    | 6 languages       | 30+ languages      | 100+ languages  |
| **Privacy**         | Cloud             | Cloud              | 100% local      |
| **Ongoing cost**    | \$0.0009/min      | \$0.0125/min       | Free            |

<Tip>
  All providers work within your Stenox plan limits. Lifetime unlocks unlimited daily use with any provider.
</Tip>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Add AI Enhancement" icon="sparkles" href="/providers/overview#ai-enhancement-providers">
    Enhance transcripts with grammar correction and formatting.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create Profiles" icon="sliders" href="/profiles/creating-profiles">
    Different providers for different apps or use cases.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Free Tier Guide" icon="gift" href="/guides/free-tier-providers">
    Maximize free usage across all providers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add Vocabulary" icon="book" href="/setup/vocabulary">
    Improve accuracy with custom words and terms.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>