Deepgram Nova-3vsSmallest Pulse
Accuracy and speed
Left gets fewer words wrong. Lower has the final text ready sooner.
- Nova-33.46% · 103ms
- Pulse3.66% · 201ms
Deepgram Nova-3 is ahead of Smallest Pulse on final-text delay. The two tie on time to first text. The Pipecat Dataset and The Ocular Dataset are too close to call.
Last updated Methodology by Dileep Chagam
Who is better at what
- Pipecat Dataset WER3.46%3.66%
- Ocular Dataset WER4.39%3.46%
- Time to first text1.06s1.06s
- Final-text delay103ms201ms
Lower is better on every measure. Too close to call means the likely ranges overlap.
Nova-3 vs Pulse FAQ
Which is more accurate, Deepgram Nova-3 or Smallest Pulse?
Deepgram Nova-3 and Smallest Pulse are too close to call on accuracy. On the 1,000 public Pipecat clips, Deepgram Nova-3 scores 3.46% and Smallest Pulse 3.66%, with likely ranges of 3.16 to 3.78% and 3.34 to 3.99%. The ranges overlap, so the difference is too close to call. On the eight licensed Ocular recordings, Deepgram Nova-3 scores 4.39% and Smallest Pulse 3.46%, with likely ranges of 3.42 to 5.25% and 2.66 to 4.22%. The ranges overlap, so the difference is too close to call. Word error rate counts incorrect, missing, and extra words, so lower is better.
Deepgram Nova-3 and Smallest Pulse are too close to call on accuracy. On the 1,000 public Pipecat clips, Deepgram Nova-3 scores 3.46% and Smallest Pulse 3.66%, with likely ranges of 3.16 to 3.78% and 3.34 to 3.99%. The ranges overlap, so the difference is too close to call. On the eight licensed Ocular recordings, Deepgram Nova-3 scores 4.39% and Smallest Pulse 3.46%, with likely ranges of 3.42 to 5.25% and 2.66 to 4.22%. The ranges overlap, so the difference is too close to call. Word error rate counts incorrect, missing, and extra words, so lower is better.
Yes. Deepgram Nova-3 finishes the transcript 98ms sooner. Deepgram Nova-3 has the final transcript 103ms after the speaker stops and Smallest Pulse 201ms, at the median. Both are measured on the same 206 streamed turns.
Deepgram Nova-3 finishes the transcript 98ms sooner, and the two are too close to call on real conversations. A voice agent cannot reply until the final transcript arrives, and the Ocular recordings are real conversations.
Yes, both return partial text before the speaker stops. Deepgram Nova-3 shows first text after 1.06s and Smallest Pulse after 1.06s, at the median.