What is Eleven Realtime?

Eleven Realtime is a new class of Speech to Speech models for building natural voice agents. Each model combines speech recognition, turn-taking, LLM, and text to speech tuned together as one system, so you get a well-performing agent from a single model choice. It’s available in ElevenAgents and the Realtime API.

What’s the difference between v1 Mini and v1 Max?

V1 Mini is the lower cost choice for simpler use cases like AI assistants, tutors, and interactive characters. V1 Max adds reasoning capability for more complex tasks like customer support, lead qualification, and multi-step workflows with tool calls.

How do I use a Realtime model in ElevenAgents?

Create an agent, or open an existing one, and choose v1 Mini or v1 Max from the model dropdown. Your prompt, tools, knowledge base, channels, and settings work as before. Nothing changes for existing agents unless you update them.

How do I use the Realtime API?

It’s OpenAI-compatible. If you’re already on OpenAI’s Realtime API, change the endpoint and model name in the code you have, or run npx skills add elevenlabs/skills --skill openai-realtime-migration and the skill handles setup. OpenAI’s SDK works as is. The migration guide covers the differences. If you’re starting from scratch, we recommend ElevenAgents.

Does the Realtime API support WebRTC?

Not at launch. It connects over WebSocket, so a WebRTC integration needs to move to WebSocket first.

Can I use ElevenAgents features with the Realtime API?

No. The Realtime API and ElevenAgents run separately and use different connection protocols. If you need phone, WhatsApp, or contact center channels, a knowledge base, guardrails, testing, or monitoring, build on ElevenAgents.

How is Eleven Realtime priced?

In ElevenAgents, Realtime models use standard ElevenAgents per-minute pricing plus the LLM cost per token. The model selector in the app shows an estimated cost per minute. Through the Realtime API, you pay per minute of connected audio plus tokens, with the same token prices on every plan. See the pricing page for current rates.

How were the benchmark results measured?

Artificial Analysis evaluated both models independently on Big Bench Audio for speech reasoning, Full-Duplex-Bench for conversational dynamics, and the Speech Agent Arena for human preference and task success. Time to first audio is the average measured on Big Bench Audio.

Max

Mini

Instant conversationwith Eleven Realtime

Build in ElevenAgents Explore docs

A new class of Speech to Speech models for building voice agents that sound natural. Pick v1 Mini for natural conversations or v1 Max for complex tasks.

Optimized as one system

Speech recognition, turn-taking, LLM, and voice are all tuned end-to-end. Available in ElevenAgents and the Realtime API.

Eleven Realtime v1 MiniOptimized for natural conversations

Try in ElevenAgents

Best for use cases built around natural, expressive conversation, like AI assistants, educational tutors, and interactive characters.

Built for conversations that flow

Timing and tone stay natural through interruptions and quick back-and-forth.

Assistants

Tutors

Characters

View docs

Benchmark results

The performance figures behind conversations that don’t miss a beat.

Time to first audio: 620ms
Full-Duplex-Bench: 95.8%
Speech Agent Arena Elo: 988

Eleven Realtime v1 MaxOptimized for complex tasks

Try in ElevenAgents

Best for use cases that require precise, thoughtful responses, like customer support and lead qualification.

Benchmark results

The performance figures behind conversations built to reason.

Time to first audio: 570ms
Big Bench Audio: 98.8%
Task success rate: 87.1%

Built for complex business interactions

Reasons through complex questions and calls tools to get things done without slowing the conversation down.

Lead Qualification

Customer Support

Assisted Scheduling

View docs

Build with Eleven Realtimein ElevenAgents

Select a Realtime model when you create an agent, and start talking to it right away.

Try in ElevenAgents

Model selection menu with Eleven Realtime v1 Mini selected and Max option listed.

Set your agent’s model to v1 Mini or v1 Max. Transcription, turn-taking, and voice are already configured.

Channels menu listing telephony, WhatsApp, widget, Zendesk, Genesys, and support integrations.

Deploy the same agent to phone, web widget, WhatsApp, and your contact center platform without maintaining a separate integration for each.

Add a knowledge base, define guardrails, test against scripted scenarios, and monitor every conversation in production.

An OpenAI-compatible Realtime API

Eleven Realtime is also available through the Realtime API. It’s compatible with OpenAI’s Realtime API, so you change the endpoint and model name and keep the rest of your code.

npx skills add elevenlabs/skills \
  --skill realtime

Install with one command using our skill

Run the skill and watch as setup is handled for you. Realtime voice lands in your product in minutes.

Same events, same handlers

Every client and server event arrives as it does from OpenAI, so the handlers, logging, and tooling you built keep working.

Auditable conversations

View and audit conversations in a dedicated UI/dashboard. Every conversation is logged and searchable, fully ready for when compliance needs it.

Connect with OpenAI's SDK

Use the Realtime SDK you already have. Point its WebSocket transport at ElevenLabs, choose a Realtime model and a voice, and connect with your client secret.

View docs

import { OpenAIRealtimeWebSocket, RealtimeAgent, RealtimeSession } from "@openai/agents-realtime";

const { value: clientSecret } = await fetch("/api/token").then((res) => res.json());

const agent = new RealtimeAgent({
  name: "ElevenLabs agent",
  instructions: "You are a helpful, friendly voice assistant. Keep replies concise.",
});

const transport = new OpenAIRealtimeWebSocket({
  url: "wss://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/convai/realtime",
});

const session = new RealtimeSession(agent, {
  transport,
  model: "eleven_realtime_v1_mini",
  config: {
    outputModalities: ["audio"],
    audio: { output: { voice: "brian" } },
  },
});

await session.connect({ apiKey: clientSecret });

Cast from 17,500+ voices

Narration

Conversational

Social media

Character

Educational

Entertainment

Multilingual

Narration voices A place for the storytellers. Warm, authoritative, and consistent across every project.

Use voices View more

Conversational voices For everyday conversations, you need a natural, easygoing voice. Our conversational voices are built for dialogue and podcasts that are made to feel unscripted.

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Social media voices Voices that come alive in short-form content. Capture the energy and personality needed to make a user stay on your TikTok or Reel from end to end.

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Character voices A pool of voices for your fictional world. Select from a dynamic cast that brings your game, audiobook, or animation to life.

Use voices View more

Educational voices Trustworthy, patient voices that guide students through complex topics. These voices excel for courses, tutorials, training simulations, and guides at every level.

Use voices View more

Advertisement voices Polished voices brimming with confidence to land your next product sale. Perfect for digital ads or TV and radio reads.

Use voices View more

Entertainment voices From booming movie trailers to comic voices made for performance, these voices scream personality. Built for content where delivery matters as much as material.

Use voices View more

Multilingual voices Voices built for global content. Natural pacing, idiomatic expressions, and accents that connect with audiences in every market.

Use voices View more

90+ languages and a wide range of accents

Realtime conversation in over 90 languages. Adapt your product to serve customers across the globe.

Talen

Accenten

English

Enterprise-grade security and infrastructure at scale

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with support for SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance. EU Data Residency and Zero Retention modes are available for stricter data control.

Agents for Enterprise

SOC 2 Type II
ISO 27001
Regional Data Residency
Zero Retention Mode
On-prem options
ISO 42001
AIUC-1
HIPAA compliant
PCI DSS Level 1
See all certifications

Instant conversationwith Eleven Realtime

Optimized as one system

Eleven Realtime v1 MiniOptimized for natural conversations

Built for conversations that flow

Benchmark results

Eleven Realtime v1 MaxOptimized for complex tasks

Benchmark results

Built for complex business interactions

Build with Eleven Realtimein ElevenAgents

One dropdown

Deploy to any channel

Built for production

An OpenAI-compatible Realtime API

Install with one command using our skill

Same events, same handlers

Auditable conversations

Connect with OpenAI's SDK

90+ languages and a wide range of accents

Enterprise-grade security and infrastructure at scale

Veelgestelde vragen

What is Eleven Realtime?

What’s the difference between v1 Mini and v1 Max?

How do I use a Realtime model in ElevenAgents?

How do I use the Realtime API?

Does the Realtime API support WebRTC?

Can I use ElevenAgents features with the Realtime API?

How is Eleven Realtime priced?

How were the benchmark results measured?