openedai-speech vs OpenVoice
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosted ai options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | openedai-speech | OpenVoice |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 13 · At risk | 39 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Self-Hosted AI | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 857 | ★ 37,647 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API, ElevenLabs | ElevenLabs |
What are openedai-speech and OpenVoice?
openedai-speech
openedai-speech is a self-hosted text-to-speech server that mimics the OpenAI audio speech API. It uses local models such as Piper and Coqui XTTS to generate audio without sending data to the cloud.
- OpenAI speech API compatible
- Piper and XTTS backends
- Custom voice mapping
- Drop-in replacement
OpenVoice
OpenVoice is a voice cloning approach that replicates a speaker's voice from a short reference clip and generates speech in multiple languages. It allows control over emotion, accent, and other style parameters.
- Instant voice cloning
- Cross-lingual synthesis
- Style and emotion control
- Short reference clips
openedai-speech vs OpenVoice: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: openedai-speech's repository is archived and no longer developed, while OpenVoice is actively maintained. Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for openedai-speech versus MIT for OpenVoice. Openedai-speech is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for OpenVoice. OpenVoice has the considerably larger community, at 37,647 GitHub stars versus 857. Openedai-speech lists first-class Docker deployment; OpenVoice does not.
Why pick each one
Choose openedai-speech if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
Choose OpenVoice if…
- Clones from short clips
- Style and accent control
- Cross-lingual generation
Watch out for
- Python setup required
- Research-grade tooling
Frequently asked questions
Is openedai-speech or OpenVoice better?
Neither is universally better. OpenVoice has the larger community, while openedai-speech is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are openedai-speech and OpenVoice free and open-source?
Yes. openedai-speech is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OpenVoice under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run openedai-speech and OpenVoice with Docker?
openedai-speech: yes. OpenVoice: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, openedai-speech or OpenVoice?
openedai-speech has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for OpenVoice. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.