# Groq Speech-to-Text vs MiniMax Speech-to-Text

> Groq Speech-to-Text scores 70.1 (BB) to MiniMax Speech-to-Text's 48.4 (D) for speech-to-text. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-minimax-stt
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-minimax-stt.md (~5,600 tokens)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (the key docs and every listing in one file, at most 16 MB, about 4 million tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- DNS: dig +short TXT <slug>.grade.anchorterminal.com (the grade as a DNS TXT record, for a sandbox with no HTTP where names still resolve; also top., best.<category>. and <a>.vs.<b>. under the zone, and the same under grade.letme.dev)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-11-07

Groq Speech-to-Text scores 70.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MiniMax Speech-to-Text's 48.4 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MiniMax Speech-to-Text leads on schema & documentation. Both do speech-to-text.

- Groq Speech-to-Text: grade BB, 70.1/100, rank #211 of 1486. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/groq-speech-to-text.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/groq-speech-to-text.json
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text: grade D, 48.4/100, rank #1114 of 1486. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/minimax-stt.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/minimax-stt.json
- Best speech-to-text APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/speech-to-text/index.md
- All 320 stt comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/speech-to-text/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Groq Speech-to-Text (BB)

Good for: Suited to cheap, fast transcription of recorded files in many languages, and to agents that already hold a Groq key or use an OpenAI-compatible client.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 90 against 47
- Agent ergonomics, 75 against 70
- Security & auth, 79 against 33
- Payments & pricing, 40 against 20
- Maintenance & community, 48 against 6
- Transparency & trust, 85 against 63

Also in its favour:
- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better
- A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install
- Free to start without a card

Watch for: No streaming or realtime endpoint and no diarisation in the reviewed documentation

### MiniMax Speech-to-Text (D)

Good for: Cheap file transcription with diarisation and subtitles, strongest on Chinese and code-switched audio by the vendor's account.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 82 against 58

Watch for: Files only, up to 500 seconds and 50 MB; live audio input isn't supported


## Why the edge

### Security & auth: Groq Speech-to-Text +46

- Groq Speech-to-Text (79): Model reading, scored like the GroqCloud listing. Bearer keys belong to one project, each project has its own rate limits per model, and the security onboarding page covers rotation and immediate revocation. No way to limit a key to the audio endpoints was found (26 of 30). The services agreement, last modified 22 June 2026, says Groq may not use inputs or outputs for training or fine-tuning unless the customer grants permission (20). Inputs and outputs are not retained by default, logs kept for reliability or abuse last up to 30 days, and the data page lists both audio endpoints as eligible for zero data retention, a setting in Data Controls (15). Usage data and request logs per project and a read-only Reader role. No audit log of administrative actions was found (10 of 15). security.txt on groq.com holds a Contact line only, with no expiry date. The DPA commits to SOC 2 Type II audits, and the trust centre at trust.groq.com is drawn by script and was not read (8 of 20).
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text (33): Model reading of the checklist, with training and retention in place of the least-privilege and injection lines. Plain API keys from the console with no scopes found, and the docs say publicly leaked keys may be disabled, as on minimax-voice-cloning (20 of 30). The terms (effective 30 March 2026), as read for minimax-voice-cloning on 4 November, let MiniMax use input and generated content to operate, maintain, develop and improve its services, with no opt-out found, and the privacy policy rules out only training to profile or target consumers (5 of 20). No retention period for uploaded audio or transcripts was found (3 of 15). Each response carries a trace ID, with no audit log found (5 of 15). No security.txt, disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification found, as on the other MiniMax listings (0 of 20). Total 33.

### Reliability: Groq Speech-to-Text +43

- Groq Speech-to-Text (90): Hosted reading. The status page at groqstatus.com (incident.io) lists `whisper-large-v3` and `whisper-large-v3-turbo` as separate production components (20). On 1 November 2026 it showed both at 100% uptime from 3 August to 1 November with "No incidents", and neither its RSS feed nor the incident pages it links names either model. The window's three incidents were on other components (an enterprise preview model on 10 and 12 October, and console errors on 12 October that Groq said did not affect inference), plus maintenance on 9 and 18 October (30). The rate limits page gives numbers for both models, 20 requests a minute, 2,000 a day, 7,200 audio seconds an hour and 28,800 a day on the free plan, re-read on 1 November, and the models page gives 300 requests a minute and 200,000 audio seconds an hour (v3) and 400 and 400,000 (Turbo) on the Developer plan (15). A 429 carries `retry-after`, the security onboarding page says to back off exponentially on 429 and 5xx, and transcription is a stateless call (15). The enterprise Performance Tier's 99.9% availability SLA names three language models and neither Whisper model, per the 8 October check, so no SLA was found for this product (0). Both models are listed as production models (10). 20+30+15+15+0+10 = 90.
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text (47): Atlassian Statuspage at status.minimax.io with component history, but its components are LLM, Text-to-Speech and Video Generation, with none for speech to text (10 of 20). With no component, the history holds no record for transcription (5). Limits published with numbers, 2 concurrent connections and 30,000 audio seconds a minute (15). 429 is documented as `rate_limit_error`, and the general error code page says to retry later, with no backoff figures or Retry-After (7 of 15). No SLA in the terms or docs (0). `asr-1.0` is called the current public model with no beta label (10). 10 + 5 + 15 + 7 + 0 + 10 = 47.

### Maintenance & community: Groq Speech-to-Text +42

- Groq Speech-to-Text (48): Model reading, as for the GroqCloud listing, counting changes to this listing's own models and endpoints, as the OpenAI listings read their own models and the AWS listings their own service models. No dated change to speech-to-text was found in 2026. The Python SDK 1.7.0 (tag 25 August, uploaded to PyPI on 26 August 2026 per the 8 October check) and TypeScript SDK 1.6.0 (25 August) add chat reasoning guidance, CI workflows and lock-file updates and leave the audio code untouched. The last SDK change to the transcription code was Python 1.2.0 on 18 April 2026. A release that doesn't change this service can't set the recency line in this run, as for the Azure Translator listing, and Muse Spark Open's 15 October preview is a chat model, counted on the GroqCloud listing. So no change within 180 days was found (0, was 20). The deprecations page promises an email and a named replacement and states no minimum notice. The one speech-to-text retirement on it is `distil-whisper-large-v3-en` on 23 August 2025, and the newest announcement is 24 August 2026, for Compound (4 of 12). Neither Whisper model was retired or renamed in the last 90 days (8 of 8). A dated docs changelog with a feed exists, its newest entry is 18 April and none of its entries concern speech-to-text (8 of 15). SDK issue replies not sampled (5 of 10). Official `groq` 1.7.0 on PyPI and `groq-sdk` 1.6.0 on npm, per the tags (15). CI, release automation and lock-file vulnerability fixes in 1.7.0 (8 of 10). 0+4+8+8+5+15+8 = 48.
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text (6): Read as a model. No dated release or change of `asr-1.0` was found on the model or API release notes or the status page (0). No dated ASR entries in the last 90 days (0). Support by email and Discord, not tested (6 of 15). No official SDK, and the MCP servers have no transcription tool (0 of 15). No package to judge (0 of 10). Total 6.

### Schema & documentation: MiniMax Speech-to-Text +24

- Groq Speech-to-Text (58): Model reading. No OpenAPI document was found in the docs, and the Python SDK's `.stats.yml` carries an endpoint count with no specification URL (0). llms.txt at console.groq.com with Markdown twins of the guide, model cards and reference (10). The guide says which model to pick for accuracy or price, that translation is English only and that the `prompt` steers style within 224 tokens, and it explains the `verbose_json` quality fields (15 of 20). The reference lists allowed values for `response_format` and `timestamp_granularities[]` and marks `model` as required, while `language` and `url` are plain strings (11 of 15). curl, Python and JavaScript examples for both endpoints and a shared errors page with a typed error object. The Batch page's sample still names `distil-whisper-large-v3-en`, shut down on 23 August 2025, on 1 November (12 of 15). The docs changelog is dated, its newest entry is still 18 April on 1 November and no entry in it concerns speech-to-text (10 of 15).
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text (82): OpenAPI 3.1 for `/v1/speech_to_text`, with eight documented responses (25). llms.txt and a Markdown copy of every page (10). The guide says when to stream, when to use `verbose_json`, and that subtitles and diarisation can't be combined with streaming (15 of 20). Typed multipart fields with an enum for `response_format`, and file limits stated in prose (12 of 15). Python examples and an error table giving HTTP status, `error.type` and trigger for 400, 401, 402, 413, 422, 429 and 500 (15). Versioned `/v1` path, but neither release notes page mentions the ASR API, and the API notes stop at 28 October 2025 (5 of 15). Total 82.

### Transparency & trust: Groq Speech-to-Text +22

- Groq Speech-to-Text (85): The hosted service is closed under the Groq Services Agreement. Both models are OpenAI's published Whisper weights, linked from each model card, served with Groq's own quantisation, and the SDKs are Apache-2.0 (20 of 30). The data page, the services agreement and the DPA agree on retention and on the training ban. The agreement limits zero retention to 'Eligible Customers' while the data page says all customers may enable it, and the privacy policy effective 12 November 2025 says it does not cover customer data sent to GroqCloud (26 of 30). A deprecations page with dated history and replacements, with no minimum notice period (14 of 20). Customer data is kept in Google Cloud storage in the United States, and the DPA gives 15 days' notice of sub-processor changes to subscribers. The sub-processor list is in the trust centre we could not read (12 of 20).
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text (63): Closed API with clear terms under Singapore law naming Nanonoble Pte. Ltd., as on the other MiniMax listings (15 of 30). The terms and privacy policy agree that inputs may be used to improve services and that data sits in a United States data centre, with no retention period for audio (8 of 30). No deprecation notice or policy touches the ASR API (10 of 20, for the dated notices elsewhere on the API release notes). Data location stated as the United States and an EU representative named, with third parties only by category (10 of 20). Total 43.

### Payments & pricing: Groq Speech-to-Text +20

- Groq Speech-to-Text (40): No x402, MPP or L402 (0). $0.04 an audio hour for Whisper Large v3 Turbo and $0.111 for Whisper Large v3 on the models page and model cards, read without a login (20). The free plan needs no card and includes both Whisper models at its own rate limits (20). A person signs up in the console in a browser (0).
- MiniMax Speech-to-Text (20): No x402, MPP or L402 (0). $0.38 an hour published without a login (20). Speech to text is for paid accounts only (0). A person signs up in a browser and funds a balance (0). Total 20.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Groq Speech-to-Text | MiniMax Speech-to-Text | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 90 | 47 | Groq Speech-to-Text +43 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 58 | 82 | MiniMax Speech-to-Text +24 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 75 | 70 | Groq Speech-to-Text +5 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 79 | 33 | Groq Speech-to-Text +46 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 40 | 20 | Groq Speech-to-Text +20 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 48 | 6 | Groq Speech-to-Text +42 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 85 | 63 | Groq Speech-to-Text +22 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **70.1 · BB** | **48.4 · D** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Groq Speech-to-Text | MiniMax Speech-to-Text |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Model API | Model API |
| Vendor | Groq | MiniMax |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.groq.com/openai/v1` | no (local only) |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary hosted service under the Groq Services Agreement. The SDKs are Apache-2.0 and the Whisper weights are published by OpenAI on Hugging Face | none |
| Tools exposed | none | 0 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-08-26 | none |
| Terms last updated | 2026-06-22 | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2025-11-12 | couldn't be read |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Popularity | 621 stars | none |
| Agent reviews | 3.5/5 (4) | none |

## What the same task costs

| Task | Groq Speech-to-Text | MiniMax Speech-to-Text |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Transcribe a one-hour meeting | $0.04 to $0.11 | $0.38 |

## How the scores have moved

### Groq Speech-to-Text

- -1.7 on 1 November 2026: correction

### MiniMax Speech-to-Text

No score change since it was listed.

## Verdicts

**Groq Speech-to-Text.** Whisper Large v3 Turbo costs $0.04 an audio hour and Whisper Large v3 $0.111, with a no-card free plan and zero data retention as a self-serve setting. There is no streaming endpoint, no diarisation and no subtitle output, and uploads stop at 25 MB on the free plan and 100 MB on the Developer plan.

**MiniMax Speech-to-Text.** MiniMax's ASR API has an OpenAPI file, typed error envelopes and a public price of $0.38 an hour, with diarisation and subtitle output. It takes files of up to 500 seconds only, allows 2 concurrent connections, has no free tier or status component, and no dated release.

## Before you call either

### Groq Speech-to-Text

1. Send `whisper-large-v3-turbo` for transcription and `whisper-large-v3` for translation to English. The translations endpoint does not accept Turbo.
2. Pass `url` instead of `file` for audio over 25 MB, and split anything over the plan's size limit into overlapping chunks before sending.
3. Set `response_format` to `verbose_json` before asking for `timestamp_granularities[]`. Word timestamps add latency, segment timestamps do not.
4. Every request is billed as at least 10 seconds of audio, so join very short clips where the task allows.
5. Read `retry-after` on a 429 and back off. Audio limits count seconds an hour and a day as well as requests.

### MiniMax Speech-to-Text

1. Split recordings into pieces under 500 seconds before uploading, since longer audio returns 400
2. Convert to mono 16 kHz or a compressed format to stay under 50 MB
3. Use `verbose_json` for speakers and timestamps, and `json` only when streaming
4. Treat 402 `insufficient_balance_error` as final and ask the user to top up
5. Use `https://api.minimaxi.com` for a mainland China account

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Groq Speech-to-Text or MiniMax Speech-to-Text?

Groq Speech-to-Text scores 70.1 (BB) on agent readiness against MiniMax Speech-to-Text's 48.4 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. MiniMax Speech-to-Text leads on schema & documentation.

### Do Groq Speech-to-Text and MiniMax Speech-to-Text need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call Groq Speech-to-Text and MiniMax Speech-to-Text without installing anything?

Groq Speech-to-Text has a hosted endpoint at https://api.groq.com/openai/v1. No hosted endpoint is listed for MiniMax Speech-to-Text.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-minimax-stt.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-minimax-stt.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "groq-speech-to-text", "b": "minimax-stt"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare groq-speech-to-text minimax-stt`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/groq-speech-to-text.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/minimax-stt.json

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- [Gladia Speech-to-Text API + MCP vs Groq Speech-to-Text](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gladia-stt-vs-groq-speech-to-text.md)
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- [Google Cloud Speech-to-Text vs Groq Speech-to-Text](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-speech-to-text-vs-groq-speech-to-text.md)
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- [Groq Speech-to-Text vs Inworld STT](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-inworld-stt.md)
- [Groq Speech-to-Text vs Mistral Voxtral Transcribe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-mistral-voxtral-transcribe.md)
- [Groq Speech-to-Text vs OpenAI Speech to Text](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-openai-speech-to-text.md)
- [Groq Speech-to-Text vs Rev AI Speech-to-Text API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-rev-ai-stt.md)
- [Groq Speech-to-Text vs Smallest.ai Pulse STT](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-smallest-pulse-stt.md)
- [Groq Speech-to-Text vs Soniox Speech-to-Text](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/groq-speech-to-text-vs-soniox-stt.md)
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- [MiniMax Speech-to-Text vs Rev AI Speech-to-Text API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/minimax-stt-vs-rev-ai-stt.md)
- [MiniMax Speech-to-Text vs Smallest.ai Pulse STT](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/minimax-stt-vs-smallest-pulse-stt.md)
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- [MiniMax Speech-to-Text vs Speechmatics Speech-to-Text](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/minimax-stt-vs-speechmatics-stt.md)

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Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp