I just had a frustrating experience with ElevenLabs that I want to share with you. It’s a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on automated systems to detect suspicious activity.
I was testing their AI voice tool, adjusting voices and evaluating if it would fit into my upcoming marketing projects. Suddenly, my account was disabled with the message “Unusual activity detected – free tier usage disabled.”
The issue? I wasn’t running bots, I wasn’t sharing accounts. The only “suspicious” factor was probably my ISP/VPN environment. I reached out to support, explained clearly, and asked them to review my case. Their response? Once flagged, free tier access cannot be restored, even if it’s a false positive.
The Problem with Automated Systems
It seems that ElevenLabs’ automated system is prone to false positives, and once you’re flagged, there’s no going back. No investigation, no appeal process. You’re simply locked out of the free tier, and the only “solution” is to pay for a subscription.
The Consequences
This approach can have serious consequences for legitimate users who are simply trying out a service. It’s not a great way to build trust with users who are still in the testing phase before committing to payment.
A Cautionary Tale
My experience with ElevenLabs serves as a reminder to be cautious when using AI-powered free tiers. It’s essential to read the fine print and understand the risks involved. There are plenty of other AI voice tools out there that actually respect real users.
So, beware of false positives, and always have a backup plan. Your free tier access might depend on it.
Further reading: ElevenLabs’ terms of service