Best software · Productivity
10 Best Transcription Software of 2026
This list is for anyone turning speech into text: meeting notes, interview transcripts, subtitles, podcast edits or phone call records. Otter.ai leads for meetings, Happy Scribe and Sonix for recorded files, and Descript for people who edit what they record.
By the Mojolin research desk · Updated November 2, 2026 · 10 tools compared · Prices checked on vendor pages, latest November 2, 2026
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
Mojolin is self-funded How we score
Otter.ai is our top pick for most people: it joins your meetings, transcribes live and has a free plan with 300 minutes a month. Notta is the best value for meetings plus uploads, Happy Scribe is best for multilingual work and subtitles, and Rev is the choice when you need human-verified accuracy.
Top picks
Best overall
Otter.ai
8.8 / 10
Professionals and teams who mainly need meeting transcripts and notes.
Read the review →Runner-up
Happy Scribe
8.7 / 10
Multilingual teams and video producers who need transcripts and subtitles.
Read the review →Also great
Notta
8.6 / 10
Individuals who want cheap meeting and file transcription with AI summaries.
Read the review →Comparison table
| # | Tool | Pricing | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Otter.ai | Professionals and teams who mainly need meeting transcripts and notes. | Free Basic plan with 300 monthly minutes; Pro $8.33 and Business $19.99 per user per month billed annually | 8.8 |
| 2 | Happy Scribe | Multilingual teams and video producers who need transcripts and subtitles. | Free plan with a 10-minute AI trial; Basic $17 per month or $8.50 per month billed annually; human proofreading from $2.00 per minute | 8.7 |
| 3 | Notta | Individuals who want cheap meeting and file transcription with AI summaries. | Free plan with 120 minutes per month; Pro $8.17 per month and Business $16.67 per month billed annually | 8.6 |
| 4 |  Typist | Students, podcasters and researchers who transcribe uploaded files on a budget. | Free 60 minutes on sign-up; Lite $6.99, Premium $19.99 and Max $49.99 per month | 8.6 |
| 5 |  Descript | Podcasters and video creators who transcribe so they can edit. | Free plan; Hobbyist $16, Creator $24 and Business $50 per person per month billed annually ($24, $35 and $65 monthly) | 8.5 |
| 6 |  Scribiz | Creators and researchers who need transcripts of online videos from a link. | Free plan with 30 minutes a month; Pro $10 per month for 600 minutes; Mac app $99 once | 8.5 |
| 7 |  Sonix | Journalists, researchers and producers who transcribe recorded files. | Pay as you go $10 per hour; Core $25, Advanced $50 and Pro $80 per month; free trial | 8.4 |
| 8 |  Rev | Legal teams and anyone who needs human-verified accuracy. | Human transcription $1.99 per minute; platform Essentials $25.49 and Pro $47.99 per seat per month billed annually | 8.2 |
| 9 |  VoxNote | Brokers, agents and other professionals who do business over regular phone calls. | Essential $13.33 per month billed annually ($159.99 per year) or $16.99 monthly; Pro $29.17 per month billed annually; 7-day free trial | 7.9 |
| 10 |  iScribe Live Transcribe | d/Deaf and hard of hearing people who want live captions of face-to-face conversations. | Free version with 3 transcriptions per day; premium subscription with a 7-day free trial (price shown in the App Store) | 7.8 |
Scoring weights
Every tool gets three editorial scores out of 10, from vendor documentation, product pages and the published price. The overall score is the weighted average below, the same method on every list. Full method
The full ranking
Rank 1 · Best overall
Otter.ai
An AI meeting notetaker that records, transcribes and summarizes Zoom, Teams and Google Meet calls.
otter.ai8.8
out of 10
Best for: Professionals and teams who mainly need meeting transcripts and notes.
Otter.ai is the easiest way to get a written record of your meetings. It joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls, transcribes live with speaker labels, and writes summaries you can query with AI chat later, across one meeting or many. The mobile apps cover in-person conversations, and new AI meeting workflows and an MCP server let teams push meeting content into other tools.
The free Basic plan gives 300 transcription minutes a month, and Pro costs $8.33 per user per month billed annually for 1,200 minutes and more file imports. Where Otter is weaker is uploaded media: the free plan allows only three lifetime imports, so podcasters or researchers transcribing recorded files will get more from Sonix, Happy Scribe or Typist. For meetings, it remains the default choice.
Standout feature
It joins your Zoom, Teams and Meet calls on its own and lets you query past meetings with AI chat.
Use cases
Account managers
Record client calls and share summaries
Outcome: No manual note-taking
Remote teams
Ask AI chat what was decided last week
Outcome: Decisions found in seconds
Students
Record lectures on the mobile app
Outcome: Searchable lecture notes
Key features
- Live transcription with speaker identification
- Joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet
- AI chat within and across meetings
- iOS and Android apps for in-person recording
- Salesforce, HubSpot and Zapier integrations on Business
Pros
- Free plan includes 300 transcription minutes a month
- Very little setup for recurring meetings
- AI chat makes past meetings searchable
Cons
- Free plan allows only 3 lifetime file imports
- Built around meetings more than uploaded media
Rank 2 · Runner-up
Happy Scribe
AI and human transcription, subtitles and translation in 150+ languages, plus a meeting notetaker.
happyscribe.com8.7
out of 10
Best for: Multilingual teams and video producers who need transcripts and subtitles.
Happy Scribe covers transcription, subtitles and translation in more than 150 languages and dialects, which makes it a strong choice for teams working outside English. It detects speakers automatically, records meetings on Google Meet, Zoom and Teams, and exports to DOCX, TXT, SRT and MP4, and you can order human proofreading from $2.00 per minute when the AI draft needs checking.
Basic costs $17 per month, or $8.50 billed annually, with extra AI minutes at $0.20 each, and Pro adds more minutes and three seats. The free plan is mostly a sampler, with a 10-minute transcription trial and watermarked video exports. For subtitles and multilingual work it is one of the best balanced tools on the list.
Standout feature
AI transcription in 150+ languages and dialects with optional human proofreading in the same account.
Use cases
Video editors
Create and translate subtitles
Outcome: Captions in several languages
Researchers
Transcribe interviews in other languages
Outcome: Text ready for analysis
Key features
- AI speech-to-text in 150+ languages and dialects
- Automatic speaker detection
- Subtitles and translation
- Meeting recording on Google Meet, Zoom and Teams
- Human proofreading from $2.00 per minute
Pros
- Very wide language coverage
- Human proofreading available on demand
- Exports to DOCX, TXT, SRT and MP4
Cons
- Free plan transcription is only a 10-minute trial
- Video exports are watermarked on Free
Rank 3 · Also great
Notta
AI transcription and meeting notes for web meetings, uploads and mobile recordings.
notta.ai8.6
out of 10
Best for: Individuals who want cheap meeting and file transcription with AI summaries.
Notta covers both meetings and files at a low price. It transcribes web meetings with speaker identification, handles uploaded recordings up to five hours long on Pro, and writes AI summaries, with the same account on web and mobile. Translation is available as an add-on for bilingual meetings.
Pro costs $8.17 per month billed annually and includes 1,800 transcription minutes, and Business at $16.67 per month offers unlimited transcription. The free plan is useful for trying the interface, but its three-minute limit per conversation makes it a demo rather than a working plan. For individuals who want Otter-style meeting notes plus file transcription at a lower price, Notta is excellent value.
Standout feature
Pro includes 1,800 minutes a month for $97.99 a year, one of the lowest per-minute costs for meeting transcription.
Use cases
Consultants
Transcribe client meetings and get AI summaries
Outcome: Notes ready after every call
Students
Upload long lecture recordings
Outcome: Full transcripts for revision
Key features
- Transcribe web meetings with speaker identification
- File uploads up to 5 hours per recording on Pro
- AI summaries
- Web and mobile apps on one account
- Translation add-ons
Pros
- Low annual price for 1,800 minutes a month on Pro
- Free plan needs no credit card
- Business includes unlimited transcription
Cons
- Free plan limits conversations to 3 minutes
- Best prices require annual billing
Rank 4
Typist
Upload-based AI transcription that lets you pick OpenAI Whisper, xAI Grok or ElevenLabs Scribe per file.
iamtypist.dev8.6
out of 10
Best for: Students, podcasters and researchers who transcribe uploaded files on a budget.
Typist is a simple upload-and-transcribe tool with one unusual feature: you choose the speech model for each file, between OpenAI Whisper, xAI Grok and ElevenLabs Scribe, all on one balance. That lets you trade speed for accuracy depending on the recording. Transcripts include speaker labels and export to TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT, and Premium adds AI Insights such as summaries, chapters, quotes and action items.
You can try 15 minutes without an account and get 60 free minutes on sign-up with no card. Lite costs $6.99 per month for 500 credits, Premium $19.99 and Max $49.99. There is no meeting bot and free files expire after seven days, so it is a tool for recorded media rather than live calls. For cheap, accurate file transcription it is a strong pick.
Standout feature
You can choose between Whisper, Grok and ElevenLabs Scribe for each file on a single balance.
Use cases
Students
Transcribe recorded lectures and export to DOCX
Outcome: Study notes without typing
Podcasters
Generate SRT subtitles from episodes
Outcome: Captioned video clips
Key features
- Choice of Whisper, Grok or ElevenLabs Scribe models per file
- Speaker labels and filler word handling
- Export to TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT
- AI Insights with TL;DR, chapters, quotes and actions on Premium
- Files up to 5 GB on Lite
Pros
- Free tier needs no card and works without an account for 15 minutes
- Pick the model that suits each recording
- Low starting price
Cons
- No live meeting bot
- Free files are kept for only 7 days
8.5
out of 10
Best for: Podcasters and video creators who transcribe so they can edit.
Descript is less a transcription service than an editor built on transcripts. You import a recording, Descript transcribes it, and then cutting a sentence from the text cuts it from the audio or video. Add Remove Filler Words, Studio Sound for cleaner audio, Create Clips for social cuts, the Underlord AI co-editor and voice cloning, and a podcaster can finish an episode without touching a waveform.
Plans are priced per person: Hobbyist at $16 per month billed annually includes 10 media hours and 400 AI credits, and Creator at $24 raises the limits. If all you want is a text file, that is more tool and more money than you need, and Typist, Notta or Happy Scribe will be cheaper. If you edit what you record, Descript is the best fit here.
Standout feature
Deleting words from the transcript deletes them from the recording, which makes editing spoken media fast.
Use cases
Podcasters
Cut an episode by deleting words in the transcript
Outcome: Edits done in minutes
Video marketers
Turn long videos into clips with Create Clips
Outcome: Social posts from one recording
Key features
- Text-based editing of audio and video
- Remove Filler Words, Studio Sound and Create Clips tools
- Underlord AI video co-editor
- AI Speech with custom voice clones
- Export in 1080p without watermark on Hobbyist
Pros
- Transcript and editor in one tool
- Strong AI cleanup tools for spoken audio
- Free plan to try text-based editing
Cons
- Overkill if you only need a transcript
- Media hours are capped per plan, starting at 10 per month on Hobbyist
Rank 6
Scribiz
A transcript generator for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, podcasts and uploaded files.
scribiz.com8.5
out of 10
Best for: Creators and researchers who need transcripts of online videos from a link.
Scribiz focuses on online video. Paste a YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Vimeo, X or podcast link and it uses existing captions when they exist, listens when they do not, and also reads text shown on screen, such as slides or code, with timestamps. Results include speaker labels, a summary and chapters, and export to SRT, VTT, TXT, Markdown or JSON. There are also bulk, playlist and channel modes and an MCP server for AI assistants.
Your first video is free with no account, a free account covers 30 minutes a month, and Pro costs $10 per month for 600 minutes with videos up to six hours, plus a 14-day full refund. It is not built for meetings, but for anyone who works from online videos it is quick and cheap.
Standout feature
It reads on-screen text such as slides and code alongside the speech, each with a timestamp.
Use cases
Researchers
Pull transcripts from a whole YouTube playlist
Outcome: Searchable text in playlist order
Content marketers
Summarize a competitor webinar from its link
Outcome: Key points with timestamps
Key features
- Transcripts from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Vimeo, X and podcast links
- Listens to videos that have no captions
- Reads on-screen text such as slides and code
- Speaker labels, summaries and chapters
- Exports to SRT, VTT, TXT, Markdown and JSON, plus an MCP server
Pros
- First video free with no account
- Captures on-screen text as well as speech
- Top-up minutes never expire
Cons
- Free plan covers only 30 minutes a month
- Mac lifetime app is not on sale yet
Rank 7
Sonix
Automated transcription and translation with a browser editor, sold by the hour or by plan.
sonix.ai8.4
out of 10
Best for: Journalists, researchers and producers who transcribe recorded files.
Sonix is a straightforward choice for transcribing recorded audio and video files. You upload, it transcribes in any of 54+ languages, and you correct the result in a browser editor before exporting. Translation is built in, and subscription plans add an AI workspace for analyzing transcripts.
Pricing is unusually transparent: pay as you go at $10 per hour with no subscription, or plans from $25 per month for five hours, $50 for 20 hours and $80 for 40 hours. That makes it easy to predict costs for interview-heavy work. It lacks the live meeting bot that Otter and Notta offer, so pick Sonix for recorded files, not for live calls.
Standout feature
A no-subscription pay as you go rate of $10 per hour makes occasional transcription cheap and predictable.
Use cases
Journalists
Transcribe recorded interviews pay as you go
Outcome: No subscription for occasional work
Podcast producers
Transcribe and translate episodes
Outcome: Show notes in several languages
Key features
- Transcription and translation in 54+ languages
- Browser editor for reviewing and correcting transcripts
- AI workspace for analysis on subscription plans
- Pay as you go option with no subscription
- Extra seats at $25 per month
Pros
- Pay as you go suits occasional users
- Clear hourly pricing
- Free trial before paying
Cons
- AI workspace is not available on pay as you go
- Per-seat add-ons raise team costs
Rank 8
Rev
AI and human-verified transcription, with a platform now aimed at legal and investigative work.
rev.com8.2
out of 10
Best for: Legal teams and anyone who needs human-verified accuracy.
Rev built its name on human transcription, and that is still the reason to pick it. Human transcripts are guaranteed at 99% or better accuracy and delivered in 12 hours or less for $1.99 per minute, and Rev also sells human captions, legal transcripts and court reporting. When a transcript will be quoted in court or published, that guarantee is worth paying for.
Its subscription platform has shifted toward legal and investigative teams, with multi-file evidence analysis, workflow templates and large AI allowances, such as 5,000 AI minutes per user per month on Essentials at $25.49 per seat billed annually. That is overkill for a podcaster or student. Use Rev for high-stakes transcripts and pick a cheaper AI tool for everyday work.
Standout feature
Human transcripts come with a 99%+ accuracy guarantee and delivery in 12 hours or less.
Use cases
Law firms
Order human-verified transcripts of interviews
Outcome: Court-ready accuracy
Investigators
Analyze many recordings at once on the platform
Outcome: Faster case review
Video producers
Order human captions
Outcome: FCC and ADA compliant subtitles
Key features
- Human transcription with 99%+ accuracy in 12 hours or less
- 5,000 AI transcription minutes per user per month on Essentials
- Multi-file evidence analysis and workflow templates
- English and Spanish, or 37+ languages on Pro
- Legal transcripts, court reporting and FCC and ADA compliant captions
Pros
- One of the few vendors offering guaranteed human accuracy
- Large AI minute allowances on platform plans
- Subscriptions discount human transcription
Cons
- Platform plans are priced for professional firms
- Human transcription at $1.99 per minute adds up for long recordings
Rank 9
VoxNote
A phone call notetaker that transcribes and summarizes calls on the number you already have.
voxnote.ai7.9
out of 10
Best for: Brokers, agents and other professionals who do business over regular phone calls.
VoxNote fills a gap that meeting tools ignore: ordinary phone calls. You connect it once to the number you already use, with no new SIM or hardware, and calls ring as normal. VoxNote records in the background and sends back a transcript, a summary and a draft follow-up email, available on your phone and on the web. The examples on its site, such as mortgage renewals and client follow-ups, show who it is built for.
Essential costs $13.33 per month billed annually, or $16.99 monthly, with unlimited calls and 500 minutes of notes, while Pro at $29.17 per month billed annually removes the notes cap. A Team plan adds seats and a webhook to send every summary to a CRM. It does not transcribe files or video meetings, so most people will pair it with another tool, but for phone-heavy professionals it saves real time.
Standout feature
It transcribes ordinary phone calls on your existing number, a job meeting notetakers do not cover.
Use cases
Mortgage brokers
Get a summary of every client call
Outcome: Accurate notes for the file
Real estate agents
Send follow-up emails drafted from call notes
Outcome: Faster follow-up after calls
Key features
- Transcripts and summaries of regular phone calls
- Works on your existing number with no new SIM or hardware
- Call history, summaries and follow-up emails on phone and web
- Unlimited calls on all plans
- Team plan with a webhook to send summaries to your CRM
Pros
- Covers phone calls that meeting bots miss
- Five-minute setup on the number you already use
- Seven-day free trial
Cons
- Essential is capped at 500 minutes of notes a month
- Narrow focus on phone calls, not files or video meetings
Rank 10
iScribe Live Transcribe
A live captioning app for iPhone and iPad, designed for d/Deaf and hard of hearing users.
livetranscribe.pro7.8
out of 10
Best for: d/Deaf and hard of hearing people who want live captions of face-to-face conversations.
iScribe is different from everything else on this list because it is an accessibility tool first. It shows live captions on an iPhone or iPad as people speak, so a d/Deaf or hard of hearing user can follow a conversation at a shop counter, an appointment or a family dinner. Text size and fonts can be adjusted for readability, transcripts can be saved and shared, and it supports more than 100 languages.
The free version allows three transcriptions per day, and premium adds unlimited use plus AI summaries, key points and action items, with a seven-day free trial. The premium price is not published on the website, and the app is iOS only. As a meeting or file transcription tool it is limited, but for its intended audience it does one job well.
Standout feature
It is designed as a live captioning aid for d/Deaf and hard of hearing people, not as a meeting tool.
Use cases
Hard of hearing users
Caption face-to-face conversations in real time
Outcome: Follow what is said at appointments
Students
Save lecture captions as transcripts
Outcome: Notes to review later
Key features
- Real-time captions of conversations on iPhone and iPad
- 100+ languages
- Saved, searchable and shareable transcripts
- Customizable font and text size
- AI summaries, key points and action items on premium
Pros
- Built specifically as an accessibility tool
- Free to start with no account needed to try
- Readable display options
Cons
- iPhone and iPad only
- Premium price is not listed on the website
Frequently asked questions
+What is the best free transcription software?
Otter.ai has the most useful free plan for meetings, with 300 transcription minutes a month. For uploaded files, Typist gives 60 free minutes on sign-up, and Scribiz offers 30 free minutes a month for online videos.
+What is the most accurate transcription service?
For guaranteed accuracy, use human transcription. Rev guarantees 99%+ accuracy on human transcripts delivered in 12 hours or less for $1.99 per minute, and Happy Scribe offers human proofreading from $2.00 per minute.
+Which transcription tool is best for meetings?
Otter.ai and Notta both join video meetings and produce transcripts and AI summaries. Otter.ai works with Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, and Notta Pro includes 1,800 minutes a month for $8.17 per month billed annually.
+How much does transcription software cost?
AI transcription usually costs between about $7 and $25 per month for individual plans. Typist Lite is $6.99 per month, Notta Pro is $8.17 per month billed annually, and Sonix charges $10 per hour on pay as you go. Human transcription costs more per minute.
+Can I transcribe phone calls?
Yes. VoxNote connects to your existing phone number and returns a transcript and summary of each call, with plans from $13.33 per month billed annually and a seven-day free trial.
+What is the best transcription tool for podcasts?
Descript is best if you also edit the episode, since editing the transcript edits the audio. If you only need text or subtitles, Happy Scribe, Sonix or Typist are cheaper.
About this list
Updated November 2, 2026 by the Mojolin research desk. Mojolin is self-funded
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
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