Onda Lite vs Onda Flash: Which Voice Model to Use
Onda Flash is the expressive model (1.5 credits per character, paid plans). Onda Lite costs 1 credit and is on every plan. See which to choose for each script.
Onda Lite is the everyday model. It costs 1 credit per character and is included on every plan, including Free. Onda Flash is the more expressive model. It costs 1.5 credits per character and needs a paid plan. Use Lite for lessons and explainers, and Flash when acting, emotion or character matters.
This post shows the differences, the cost of the same script on each model, and a simple test you can run before you choose.
Onda Lite vs Onda Flash at a glance
| | Onda Lite | Onda Flash | |---|---|---| | Label in the studio | Everyday | Expressive | | Plans | Every plan, including Free | Paid plans (Starter and up) | | Credits per character | 1 | 1.5 | | Voices | All 30 | All 30 | | Style directions | Yes | Yes | | Expressive tags | Yes (listed on the Free plan) | Yes, followed closely | | Dialogue | Yes | Yes | | Default for | Free accounts | Paid accounts |
The voice list and the style directions are the same on both models. The studio's voice picker shows one list of 30 voices no matter which model you choose. The main difference is how much acting control you get.
What Onda Flash adds
The in-app description of Onda Flash reads: "Acting, accents, emotion and dialogue. Follows style directions and expressive tags closely. Ideal for audiobooks, ads and characters." The landing page puts it as "more control over the acting, accents, and expressive moments."
In practice, Flash is the model to pick when a line needs a particular emotional shape. A narrator who has to sound worried, then relieved, is a typical case. So is a character with a specific accent or a dialogue scene where the reactions matter as much as the words.
What Onda Lite is good at
Lite is described as natural speech for lessons, explainers and everyday audio. It is the model Free accounts use by default, and it still supports style directions, expressive tags and dialogue. A paragraph read in a clear, steady style often needs no more than Lite.
Lite is also the cheaper place to draft. If you are still changing the wording, render the draft on Lite, then re-render the final version on Flash once the script is settled.
What it costs
Cost is the character count multiplied by the rate, rounded up. Tags count as characters, because they are typed into the text. The same script costs 1.5 times as much on Flash.
| Script | Characters | Onda Lite credits | Onda Flash credits | |---|---|---|---| | Ad voiceover example | 140 | 140 | 210 | | Bedtime storyteller example | 232 | 232 | 348 | | Short explainer paragraph | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,500 | | Maximum single generation | 5,000 | 5,000 | 7,500 |
Plan allowances are measured in minutes, and the app uses an estimate of 900 credits per minute on Lite. The same credits last one third less on Flash. The Starter plan's 170,000 credits cover about 189 minutes of Lite speech by the app's estimate. On Flash, the same credits cover about 283 minutes (170,000 divided by 600). The 283 figure is our arithmetic, not an official OndaLabs number.
Tiered pricing is common in this market. Amazon Polly's pricing page lists Standard voices at $4 and Generative voices at $30 per million characters, as of October 2026. Those are a different product with different billing, so the comparison only shows that higher tiers cost more, not which one sounds better.
What to listen for
Once both renders are ready, listen for four things. Each one shows whether the extra cost is buying something you can hear.
- Pacing. Does the paragraph land at the speed the script needs, with the pauses where you placed them?
- Emotion. Does the line carry the feeling your style direction asks for, without sounding forced?
- Tags. Do the expressive tags, such as a short pause or a breath, sound like a person doing them?
- Consistency. Does the voice keep the same character from the first sentence to the last?
If the two renders sound the same on all four, Lite is the better choice for that script. Judge the result by your own ear rather than by the product descriptions. The OndaLabs home page has the official wording for both models.
Which model for which project
This table is a rule of thumb, not a measured result. The reasons come from OndaLabs' own descriptions of each model.
| Project | Suggested model | Why | |---|---|---| | Lessons, explainers, read-aloud | Onda Lite | Plain delivery at the lowest cost | | Audiobook chapters and ads | Onda Flash | OndaLabs positions Flash for narration and ads | | Characters and emotional dialogue | Onda Flash | Acting and reactions matter more than price | | Drafting a script | Onda Lite | Test wording cheaply, then render the final take on Flash |
How to switch models in the studio
- In text to speech, the model choice sits in the Settings tab, next to the voice and language options.
- Onda Flash shows the label "Paid plans" and is disabled on Free accounts.
- The default after sign-in is Onda Lite for Free accounts and Onda Flash for paid plans.
- In dialogue, Free accounts see the note "Free plans use Onda Lite: 1 credit per character." Paid plans can pick either model.
A simple test before you commit
Running the same paragraph on both models is the fastest way to decide. Keep the test short so it costs little.
- Pick one paragraph from your script, about 300 characters, that has the emotion you care about.
- Choose one voice and one style direction. Keep both the same for each render.
- Generate the paragraph on Onda Lite, then on Onda Flash.
- Listen to both, and check whether the extra 50 percent per character changes the result you need.
- Use the cheaper model for the rest of the project if the difference does not matter for that script.
The built-in examples also let you hear delivery before you spend any credits.
Dialogue costs more than it looks
In dialogue, each line is priced by the speaker's name plus 2 characters plus the line text. Names therefore cost credits too. A line such as "Ana: Hello there." counts as about 17 characters, which is roughly 17 credits on Lite and about 26 on Flash. Long speaker names add up across a whole scene, so keep them short.
The same rule applies on both models, so choosing Flash for a scene multiplies the whole line cost by 1.5. Test a few lines first, then render the full scene once the timing works.
Read next
If you are not sure what a credit buys, read the OndaLabs pricing guide. For a full walkthrough of your first clip, read the first voiceover guide. You can also sign up free and compare the two models yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Onda Lite and Onda Flash?
Onda Lite costs 1 credit per character and is included on every plan. Onda Flash costs 1.5 credits per character and needs a paid plan. OndaLabs describes Flash as the more expressive model, with more control over acting, accents and emotion. Both models use the same 30 voices.
Is Onda Flash worth the extra credits?
It depends on the script. For plain narration, Lite is usually enough. For audiobook chapters, ads, characters or emotional dialogue, Flash gives more control over delivery for 50 percent more per character. Test one paragraph on each model before you commit a full project.
Can I use Onda Flash on the free plan?
No. Free accounts always generate with Onda Lite, and the Flash option is disabled with the label "Paid plans". Starter is the lowest plan that includes Onda Flash.
Do expressive tags work on Onda Lite?
Yes. The Free plan lists expressive tags and dialogue, and the Lite model is described as still natural and expressive. Tags work on both models. OndaLabs says Flash follows them more closely.
Does the model change which voices I can use?
No. The voice picker shows the same list of 30 voices whichever model you choose. Only the price per character and the amount of acting control change.