Imagine sitting for hours trying to transcribe a huge video or video file manually; that must be a daunting task and extremely time-consuming!
Thankfully, technology is changing things, and AI-powered transcription software has come to the rescue, which converts any video or audio recording into text without human labor. In fact, speech-to-text tools have become a must-have for businesses and professionals who want to get the most out of their audio and video content.
Whether you want your audio/video converted to text for education, journalism, podcast, or other purposes, we’ve put together the 15 best transcribing software to get the job done efficiently. Read on!
Automatic vs. Manual Transcription: What’s the Difference?
Basically, transcription services can be divided into two types:
Automatic transcription
Manual (human) transcription
Automatic transcription adopts AI-based technology called natural language processing (NLP) that converts audio and video files to text automatically. The text can be further edited and shared. The major benefits of using automatic transcription software are fast and cheap.
Moreover, it usually includes extra features like speaker recognition and time stamps that enable you to review the transcript easily.
Human transcription, however, is completed by trained transcriptionists who listen to the audio recording and then transcribe it manually. Due to this, it takes a longer turnaround time with a higher accuracy rate than automated transcription, though the cost is higher.
The benefits of using automatic transcription software are as follows:
Saves you a lot of time and money.
Improves accessibility.
Eliminates miscommunication.
Quickly review and search content.
What Makes a Great Transcription App?
Before jumping to the list, we’d like to clarify the specific criteria for why each video transcription software lands in its role as one of the best options available.
We didn't choose our top picks without serious consideration, and below are the standards.
First, the app must have an AI-based transcription system that delivers accurate results. Although errors are common with using transcription software, they should be within a limit.
The second criterion is affordability. The price of transcription software services can range from free to hundreds of dollars per month. We looked at both extremes to find the best middle ground for businesses with different budgets.
The third characteristic we considered is versatility. The transcription software should be able to convert multiple types of video and audio files into text, including the most common ones like MP3, MP4, MOV, WMV, and more.
And lastly, ease of use is a must since no one wants to waste time trying to figure out how to use a new app. The best transcription software will have an intuitive interface that even first-time users can get the hang of it.
15 Best Transcription Software to Convert Audio to Text
Now that we've explained our criteria for choosing the best transcription software, let's move on and reveal our top 15 picks.
1) Rev
Being one of the most renowned transcription services in the market, Rev provides accurate video/audio transcripts, on-screen captions, and translated subtitles powered by AI. With Rev, you can upload lectures, interviews, podcast episodes, or meeting recordings and receive a written transcript fastly.
Moreover, it offers speech-to-text APIs that can be easily integrated and are 99.9% uptime. Now, Rev claims to have 750,000 users around the world, including individuals and businesses of all sizes.
Pros:
Human and automated transcription
Promise 99% accuracy
Fast turnaround time
Supports up to 31 transcription languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, and more.
Cons:
Sometimes miss brand or technical terms
Slow customer support
Pricing:
Rev offers a subscription plan with 20 automated transcription and captioning per month at a flat rate of $29.99, which is best for professionals who use a transcription service regularly.
If you only need to transcribe a file occasionally, a non-subscription charge based on time is more suitable:
Audio & video human transcription: $1.50 per minute
Automated transcription: $0.25 per minute
Rev is a versatile tool when you need transcripts of your audio and video files. Trusted by Turner Classic Movies, CBS, Viacom, PBS, Spotify, and Stanford, it's well worth it to give Rev a try when you want to test human transcriptions aided by artificial technology.
2) Airgram
One more top choice for AI transcription is Airgram, which not only converts audio and video into written texts but also helps transcribe online meetings live and take notes.
To transcribe a file, you just need to upload or drag it directly. The app supports all popular media file types like MP3, MP4, MOV, WAV, AVI, and WMV - no need to worry about compatibility.
What makes Airgram unique is that it links the transcript to the original video and adds timestamps that make getting to any information much more straightforward. Its in-app editing features enable you to change the speaker’s name, search through the transcript, mark highlights and share with others for collaboration.
The best part of this software is that it offers 5 free transcriptions each month; it doesn’t cost a penny if you only need transcription occasionally.
Pros:
Automatic transcription with high accuracy
Live transcribe Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams calls
Integration with Slack, Notion, and Google Docs
Powerful search, edit, collaboration, and sharing capabilities
Keep all transcripts in one centralized place
SOC 2 and GDPR compliance for data safety
Cons:
Doesn't include a mobile app
Pricing:
Airgram offers a subscription model.
Free: with 5 transcriptions per month
Pro: starting at $8.99 per month
Team: starting at $17.99 per month
Airgram is the best meeting transcription software choice for hybrid teams that need to record, transcribe, and take notes on multiple meetings each month. Having won #1 Product of Day on Product Hunt, this tool is loved by team leaders, agencies, and customer success managers.
Try Airgram to see how much it frees your mind while more positively engaging in online classes, presentations, and meetings.
3) Trint
Trint is an AI-powered tool that offers automated transcriptions of your audio and video files. You can either capture the content with live transcription or upload the existing files and get it transcribed.
After getting the transcript file, you can search, edit, and collaborate with others, maximizing the value of your video or audio content. Besides, Trint can generate closed captions for your video that are accessible to everyone.
Pros:
Automated transcription powered by artificial intelligence
Transcribe content in 30+ languages and translate the transcripts in 50+ languages
Powerful editing and collaboration
ISO-certified security
Cons:
The transcription is not accurate enough with complex files
Expensive
Pricing:
Trint offers subscription plans monthly or manually.
Starter: $48/user/month for 7 transcriptions
Advanced: $60/user/month for unlimited transcription
Enterprise: Contact for pricing
4) Otter.ai
Founded in 2016, Otter is a reputable transcription software that can transcribe pre-recorded video and audio files to text. It has a web app, a mobile app for iOS and Android, and a Chrome extension so that you can access it almost anywhere.
Otter also has an assistant that will join virtual meetings and record and transcribe the voice conversations in real time. With this tool, you can review, edit, and manage the transcriptions directly in the app.
Pros:
Intuitive interface
Automatically transcribe audios
In-app editing
Generous free trial plan
Cons:
Only supports English (U.S. and U.K.)
Poor accuracy for complex audio
Pricing:
Basic: offers 300 monthly transcription minutes for free
Pro: $16.99 per month with 1,200 monthly transcription minutes
Business: $30/user/month with 6,000 monthly transcription minutes
Enterprise: custom pricing
If you're a faculty member at a school, a student, or a staff member inside a nonprofit, you can receive discounts from Otter on its plans.
👉 Read our comprehensive Otter review
5) Notta
Notta is AI-powered transcript software that automatically transcribes live recordings from a microphone, audio/video files, webpages, and online meetings. It has a well-designed interface that you can navigate through easily when using it for the first time.
Once the transcription is complete, this tool allows you to search for keywords, edit the text, insert images, and share the transcripts.
Pros:
Automated video and audio transcription
Transcribe up to 100 languages
Accessible on desktop, mobile, and Chrome extension
Export a transcript to DOCX, TXT, PDF, and SRT files
Cons:
The free version severely limits the features
Pricing:
Basic: $0 for 120 transcription minutes
Pro: $8.25 per month for 1,800 transcription minutes
Team: $18/user/month
Enterprise: custom pricing
With Notta, you get a solid option for recording your audio files and keeping them organized across all your devices. It also lets you create video subtitles to help create more effective video presentations.
6) Happyscribe
Happyscribe is one of the best transcription software in the market that offers fast and accurate transcription and subtitle services via artificial intelligence technology.
Currently, this tool offers automatic transcription in 60+ languages and human-made transcription in 10 languages. Simply upload the files, and you will get a transcript at half-time of the audio length, e.g., it takes 5 minutes to transcribe a 10-minute file.
Happytranscribe also has an interactive editor that allows you to edit and manage the text freely. Students, professionals, and busy people who need to transcribe audio files for work or school will enjoy using the tool.
Pros:
Automatic and human transcription
Add captions to videos
Support audio files of any size and length
Export your file to TXT, PDF, SRT, Word, STL, VTT, and more
Cons:
The editing takes a long time
Many customers consider it expensive
Pricing:
Happyscribe charges based on the audio length.
Automatic transcription: €0.20 / minute with up to 85% accuracy
Human transcription: €2.00 / minute
You can choose to use its automated software to get your transcription work completed or hire Happyscribe's human transcribers to create more accurate transcripts.
👉 Get Happyscribe
7) Sonix
Sonix is another AI-powered platform that makes it easy to convert audio and video files in over 35 languages. With Sonix, you can transcribe meetings, lectures, interviews, and any kind of audio or video. Plus, you are able to search through, edit, organize, and share the transcript with teams afterward.
Sonix’s integrations with popular productivity tools like YouTube, Zoom, and Zapier will make your workflow easier.
Pros:
Automated transcription, translation, and subtitles
In-app media player
Collaboration with teams
Enterprise-grade security
Cons:
Doesn't offer a mobile app
Pricing:
Standard: $10 per hour
Premium: $22/user/month + $5 per hour
Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Sonix is an excellent transcription software for businesses of all sizes. It's easy to use and integrates with popular productivity tools. Plus, you can start your account and get 30 minutes of free use. If you're looking for transcription software for your business, Sonix is a good option.
8) Descript
Descript is essentially a video and audio editing software that comes with transcription features. It offers automatic audio transcription with speaker labels in 23 languages, but if you demand perfection, go for its professional transcriptionists who assure 99% accuracy.
With Descript, you can transcribe audio files and then edit the transcriptions right in the software. The software works well for podcasters and YouTubers because it allows you to easily edit and format your transcriptions to place on blog posts. You can also use Descript to create subtitles for your videos or caption files for your audio.
Pros:
Automatic and human transcription
Remove filler words from transcripts
Sync the files across platforms
Integrate with YouTube, Vimeo, and other video hosting platforms
Cons:
Transcription in languages other than English is not very good
Difficult to add custom branding as overlay text
Pricing:
Free plan with 1 transcription hour per month
Creator: $12/use/month for 10 transcription hours
Pro: $24/user/month for unlimited features
Enterprise: Contact for custom pricing
If you are a content creator who records videos or podcasts, Descript is an excellent tool to transcribe your audio files and then easily edit the transcriptions. The software also offers screen recording and webcam recording options.
9) Amberscript
Amberscript, being one of the best video transcription software, provides audio and video to text transcription with fast turnaround time by combining artificial and human intelligence.
This tool supports machine-made transcription in 39 languages and manual transcription (with a claim of up to 100% accuracy) in 15 languages.
What’s more, you can try Amberscript for free to ensure that you like either its automatic software solution or its manual transcription services before committing to one of its paid plans.
Pros:
A hybrid of automatic and manual transcription services
Edit, search through, and export transcription files
GDPR-compliant for data security
Cons:
Its accuracy for automatic transcription is not high
Takes time to do the final editing
Pricing:
Pre-paid: $8 per one hour of uploaded audio or video
Subscription model: $32 per month for 5 automatic transcription hours
Manual transcription: $1.25 per minute
10) Scribie
Scribie is a nice option for those who need to transcribe audio files regularly. While it doesn't have as many features as the ones we introduced above, Scribie does offer accurate transcription with a simple 4-step process (transcribe, review, proofread, and quality check) and its price might be the lowest in the current market.
Scribie claims to transcribe files quickly and efficiently with 80%-95% accuracy for its automatic transcription service, and the rate can be up to 99% in manual one.
Pros:
Automatic and manual transcription
Online transcript editor
Fast turnaround time
All transcribers are under NDA
Affordable price
Cons:
Only supports English
Doesn’t have a mobile app
< 60% accuracy for noisy/poor audio
Pricing:
Automated: $0.10 per minute
Manual: $0.80 per minute
Pro Subscription: $9 per month
Due to its flexible pricing plans, Scribie is an excellent choice for either individuals or businesses who need a large volume of transcription and don’t care for advanced editing and sharing features.
11) Transcribe.com
Transcribe (by Wreally) gives you valuable speech-to-text service using AI-powered automatic transcription in more than 120 languages.
You can record the conversations in real-time or simply upload the recorded files to get a transcript. This tool will convert videos, interviews, audio notes, phone calls, speeches, lectures, and podcasts into text fast and accurately.
The Transcribe software is a nice option for podcasters, journalists, and businesses who needs to get the most out of media content and save time.
Pros:
Works offline without an Internet connection
Supports various formats like mp3, m4a, wav, m4v, mp4, mov and avi.
Export transcribed text with timestamps
Integration with Zoom
Cons:
Out-dated interface
Pricing:
Free for a 15-minute trial
Pro: $99.9 to enjoy all features
Trusted by the World Bank, Time, Lyft, Adobe, Groupon, PayPal, Pepsi, and VISA, Transcribe gives you a transcription solution that doesn’t break the bank. Use it for unlimited voice typing to transcribe your next podcast interview or Zoom team meeting.
12) Audext
Audext is an online transcription tool that converts audio files to text using both professional and automatic transcriptions.
Timestamping and speaker identification are included in the transcript to help you go through the text quickly. Audext also supports the most common audio and video formats like MP3, M4A, WAV, and others.
Pros:
Works for over 60 languages in automatic transcription
Built-in editor
Ensures data privacy
Cons:
The software will sometimes freeze and need to reset
Takes a longer transcription time
Pricing:
Automatic transcription at $5/hour while manual one costs $1.2 per minute
Subscription: $30 per month for 2 transcription hours
Enterprise: Contact for pricing
13) Temi
If you're looking for a speech-to-text software that transcribes audio and video files efficiently using AI technology, Temi is the way to go. It claims a 90% - 95% accuracy rate on condition that the audios are with little background noise and minimal accents.
The software is easy to use and offers accurate speaker recognition so that you know who says what clearly. Moreover, it has a free transcript editor that allows you to edit the final transcript online if you find any errors.
Pros:
Support all file types
Download transcripts to PDF, Word, VTT, and SRT format
Add timestamps
The editor adjusts playback speed and allows for skipping through transcripts
Cons:
Only supports English
The software isn't always accurate
Pricing:
Base rate of $0.25 per minute
Be careful about sending files to the software where the first 10 minutes consist of greetings and general chit-chat. Otherwise, you’ll waste money paying for the per-minute charge. Overall, Temi is a nice option for anyone needing a less expensive transcription service.
14) oTranscribe
If you occasionally transcribe files and don’t need advanced features such as collaboration and sharing, oTranscribe is the free online transcription tool that meets your needs. It’s an open-source, web-based platform where you upload audio or video without logging into the software.
But one thing should be noted is that this tool doesn’t offer automatic transcription but is designed to make manual transcription less painful.
Pros:
Pause, fast-forward, and rewind files from a simple dashboard
Interactive timestamps
Integrated video player
Export transcripts via text, Markdown, and Google Docs
Cons:
No available customer support
No automatic transcription
Pricing:
Free
oTranscribe provides a limited transcription experience. It’s the one solution on our list that offers the least amount of bells and whistles. In one web-based interface, you will upload your file and transcribe the audio manually. It’s a good option for anyone who is not ready to invest in paid software and needs to transcribe files every once in a while.
15) SpeedScriber
Closing our list of the best transcription software is SpeedScriber, and it’s the best for Mac users because it can import files from Finder or clips from Apple Final Cut Pro X. It will transcribe a one-hour file in less than 10 minutes.
The interface is user-friendly, and you can easily find and review sections of the audio immediately upon the software completing its task. With its built-in editing, you can also make changes to words wherever you want.
Pros:
Automatically create timestamps as you transcribe
Export transcripts to TXT, PDF, Avid DS, SRT, and other formats
Supports languages like French, Spanish, English, German, and Dutch
Integration with Apple Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Avid Media Composer.
Cons:
Only available for macOS devices
Can't log in from the web (download required)
Pricing:
15 free minutes after creating an account
Up to 120 minutes: $0.50 per minute
300 minutes: $0.47 per minute
600 minutes: $0.45 per minute
1500 minutes: $0.42 per minute
With limited features and platforms, SpeedScriber offers a relatively lower price. If you are a Mac user, be sure to give it a try.
Buying Guide: The Best Transcription Apps of 2023
AI transcription is one of the most valuable technology in this century, which saves us a lot of time and maximize the value of content by making it easier to transcribe audio and video files.
We have researched and reviewed over 20 transcription software and chosen 15 top ones. Below is a conclusion of the best transcription software, and you can choose the one that suits your needs:
Best for automatic transcription: Trint, Notta, Sonix
Best for accuracy with human transcription: Rev, Descript, Amberscript, Happyscribe
Best for real-time transcription: Airgram
Supports most languages: Transcribe
Best for price: Scribie
Best for self-transcription: oTranscribe
Michael started his career as a product manager and then developed a passion for writing. He has been writing on technology, remote working, productivity, etc., hoping to share his thoughts with more people.
