Key takeaways on choosing a speech-to-text model
- Best overall score:
LightandBest- versatile, all durations, all features - If pseudonymization is mandatory: stick with
Light,BestorGeminimodels -Parakeet,VoxtralandWhisperdon't offer it - For the best diarization at the best price:
Voxtral- top quality and diarization, lowest cost on the market. Read our dedicated article - For the best diarization without pseudonymization:
Parakeet- perfect score in diarization and time drift - For complex support with all features:
Gemini 2.5 Pro- best quality and diarization, but slower and more expensive - Watch end-of-life dates:
Gemini 2 Flashends February 5, 2026,Gemini 2.5 FlashandGemini 2.5 Proend June 17, 2026
What is Speech-to-Text and why is it crucial?
Speech-to-Text (STT) is the first step in any conversational analysis: it transforms your call audio into usable text. The quality of this transcription directly impacts the reliability of all subsequent analyses - whether for Quality Monitoring, Sales Compliance or Voice of Customer insights.
At Raisetalk, we now offer 8 different STT models to cover all use cases. But how do you choose the right one?
Quick glossary before we start
- Diarization: ability to identify and distinguish different speakers in a conversation ("who speaks when")
- Time drift: progressive offset between transcribed text and the actual moment words were spoken - problematic for syncing text with audio
- Pseudonymization: automatic replacement of personal data (names, numbers, addresses, etc.) with
###strings in compliance with GDPR
What criteria should guide your STT model choice?
Six main criteria should guide your choice:
| Criterion | What it measures | Business impact |
|---|---|---|
| Text quality | Transcription accuracy | Analysis reliability |
| Diarization | Speaker identification | Attributing statements to the right speaker |
| Time drift | Text/audio synchronization | Precise navigation in recordings |
| Long durations | Handling calls > 10 min | Relevance for support |
| Cost | Price per transcribed minute | Budget control |
| Features | Translation, pseudonymization, operating regions | Compliance and multilingualism |
What models are available on Raisetalk?
Here's the complete comparison of the 8 available STT models, ranked by total score:
| # | Model | Region | Duration | Trans. | Pseudo. | Cost | Speed | Quality | Diarization | Drift | Bonus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Light | EU & US | All | ✅ | ✅ | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | +20 | 41 |
| 2 | Best | EU & US | All | ✅ | ✅ | 2/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | +20 | 40 |
| 3 | Gemini 2 Flash | EU & US | < 10 min | ✅ | ✅ | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | +16 | 36 |
| 3 | Gemini 2.5 Flash | EU & US | < 25 min | ✅ | ✅ | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | +17 | 36 |
| 4 | Gemini 2.5 Pro | EU & US | < 45 min | ✅ | ✅ | 1/5 | 1/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | +19 | 35 |
| 5 | Voxtral | EU | < 30 min | ❌ | ❌ | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | +8 | 33 |
| 6 | Parakeet | EU | All | ❌ | ❌ | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | +8 | 30 |
| 7 | Whisper | EU | All | ❌ | ❌ | 3/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | +8 | 29 |
Legend: all scores are out of 5, higher is better. The feature bonus rewards multi-region availability, long duration support, translation and pseudonymization.
Which model for prospecting and qualification?
Our recommendation: Light (if pseudonymization required) or Parakeet (if diarization is priority)
For prospecting calls, Sales Compliance is often a key issue: verifying that sales reps follow the script, present legal disclaimers, and don't make non-contractual promises. Two approaches depending on your constraints:
Light is the versatile choice:
- Highest total score: best overall value
- All features: translation and pseudonymization included
- Maximum speed: near-instant results
- All durations supported: no practical limit
- Controlled cost: economical for high volumes
Parakeet is the specialized choice if diarization is critical:
- Perfect diarization: clear distinction between speakers - essential for attributing statements to the rep vs the prospect
- No time drift: precise navigation in the recording to replay a passage
- Maximum speed: near-instant results
Parakeet's constraint: no pseudonymization or translation, and only available in the Europe region.
Which model for sales teams?
Our recommendation: Best or Gemini 2.5 Flash
Sales conversations are longer and more complex than prospecting. They serve Quality Monitoring (evaluating sales techniques, commercial process compliance), Voice of Customer (objections, expressed needs, buying signals) and of course Sales Compliance, especially in banking and insurance. They require a balance between quality, diarization and advanced features.
Best is the premium choice:
- Best text quality: maximum precision on business terms and customer objections
- No time drift: perfect synchronization for targeted replay
- All durations supported: no practical limit
- All features: translation and pseudonymization included
Gemini 2.5 Flash offers a good compromise:
- Better diarization than
Best- useful for clearly distinguishing sales rep and customer - More cost-effective than
Best - Durations up to 25 minutes: covers most commercial calls
Warning: Gemini 2.5 Flash has slight time drift (3/5 vs 5/5 for Best). If audio/text synchronization is critical for your evaluations, prefer Best.
Which model for customer support and long conversations?
Our recommendation: Best (balance) or Gemini 2.5 Pro (maximum quality)
Technical support calls can last 30, 45 minutes or more. They're a goldmine for Voice of Customer (pain points, feature requests, satisfaction) and Quality Monitoring (procedure compliance, resolution quality, empathy). Every word counts.
Best is often the best choice:
- Maximum transcription quality: precision on technical vocabulary and expressed signals
- No time drift: perfect synchronization to replay key moments
- All durations supported: no limit, even for very long calls
- Speed: near-instant results
Gemini 2.5 Pro is justified if diarization is critical:
- Perfect diarization vs
Best: crucial when multiple speakers alternate (transfers, escalations) - Maximum transcription quality: equivalent to
Best - Durations up to 45 minutes: covers most support calls
Gemini 2.5 Pro's trade-off: it's the most expensive and slowest model. Reserve it for conversations where multi-speaker diarization is non-negotiable.
Why do Light and Best dominate the ranking?
Light and Best lead the overall ranking thanks to their versatility:
| Advantage | Light | Best |
|---|---|---|
| All durations | ✅ | ✅ |
| All regions (EU & US) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Translation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pseudonymization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Speed | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| No time drift | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Text quality | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Cost | 4/5 | 2/5 |
In summary:
Light: best value for high volumes - ideal for analyzing 100% of conversations for Voice of CustomerBest: best text quality for demanding cases - perfect for Quality Monitoring and Sales Compliance
Best has no announced end-of-life date; Light's is set for April 13, 2026 (see the schedule below).
When to choose Parakeet or Whisper?
These two models share similar characteristics: excellent diarization, no time drift, maximum speed, and support for all durations. But they offer neither translation nor pseudonymization, hence their lower total score.
Parakeet is recommended if:
- Perfect diarization is your absolute priority
- You don't need pseudonymization
- You're in the Europe region
Whisper is not recommended at this time for production use on Raisetalk.
Whisper (faster-Whisper-large-v3-turbo) has lower transcription quality compared to Parakeet. We offer it for:
- Comparative testing
- Users who already know it and want to compare
What end-of-life dates should you anticipate?
Some models have a scheduled end-of-life. Here's the timeline:
| Model | End-of-life date |
|---|---|
Gemini 2 Flash | ⚠️ February 5, 2026 |
Gemini 2.5 Flash | June 17, 2026 |
Gemini 2.5 Pro | June 17, 2026 |
Light | April 13, 2026 |
Best, Voxtral, Parakeet, Whisper | No date announced |
If you're using Gemini 2 Flash, plan your migration now to Gemini 2.5 Flash or another model.
These dates are subject to change. We'll keep you informed of any updates.
Need help choosing?
Our team can help you identify the optimal configuration based on your volumes, budget and quality requirements.
You can also test for yourself on our trial space: https://app.raisetalk.com/try
