ABOUT
Who we are, how we test, how we’re paid
Who we are
Ear Tested is a small, independent testing project for independent video creators — YouTubers and course creators who need clear, usable narration without recording themselves repeatedly. We’re not a big publication, and we don’t pretend to be one. What we are is careful: every claim we publish is tied to an audio sample we actually generated, with the conditions written down.
We are not ElevenLabs. We don’t work for ElevenLabs, and nothing here is their official guidance. When we quote their policies or pricing, we cite the official page and the date we read it.
Every sample on this site is generated by an independent tester on a paid ElevenLabs Starter account (commercial license), with the model, voice, settings, and generation date documented alongside the audio.
How we test
Our method is a lab notebook, not a hype reel. For every test:
- State the specific problem — e.g. “acronyms read as garbled words.”
- Generate the sample — real output from the actual tool, not a mockup.
- Record the conditions — model, voice, settings (stability, similarity, style), script, generation date.
- Keep before/after comparable — same script, same conditions, one variable changed. We don’t cherry-pick an unusually bad baseline.
- Explain what changed — and where the fix audibly failed.
- Identify limitations — what the test doesn’t prove.
- Connect to the plan — which current tier supports the workflow, with prices re-verified on the official page.
- Give the next step — what you can try, free or paid.
We check audio for silence, clipping, missing words, pronunciation, and pacing where our tools allow. And when the honest answer is “the free tier is enough” or “re-record it yourself,” that’s what we print.
How we make money
Affiliate revenue doesn’t change our tests. We publish failures, recommend free tiers when they fit, and date every pricing check. If you ever catch us recommending something the audio doesn’t support, tell us.
What we don’t do
- No fake demos, mockups presented as real output, or invented listening results.
- No fabricated reviews, testimonials, or earnings claims — ours or anyone else’s.
- No invented discounts, scarcity claims, or “limited-time” pressure.
- No voice cloning of anyone without their clear permission.
- No paid search or social ads bidding on ElevenLabs brand terms — ever.