Free plan Free trial WindowsMacLinuxAPI
Best AI Transcription Tools 2026
Facts read 27 Sep 2026 – 21 Oct 2026
Speech-to-text services turn spoken audio into written words. They can help readers weigh language coverage, included minutes, voice separation, timestamps, export options and API availability.
The standings: top 10
| Name | In a line | Record score | Price from | Try it free | Runs on | Facts read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Express Scribe | 8.3 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, API | 15 Oct 2026 | |
| 02 Whisper | It suits developers and researchers building speech applications or running transcription locally. | 8.1 | $0.01 usage-based | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, API | 21 Oct 2026 |
| 03 Happy Scribe | Happy Scribe suits people who need transcripts, subtitles, or translations for meetings and recordings. | 8.1 | $8.50 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Mac, API | 27 Sep 2026 |
| 04 Notta | Notta suits people who need transcripts and summaries from meetings or recordings, including teams that want shared workspaces and administration controls. | 7.8 | $8.17 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 27 Sep 2026 |
| 05 Google Cloud Speech-to-Text | This service suits developers integrating transcription, speaker labeling, timestamps, or subtitle export through APIs. | 7.7 | $0.02 usage-based | Free plan | Web, API, Self-hosted | 3 Oct 2026 |
| 06 Amazon Transcribe | It suits developers and teams that need speech-to-text for live streams or recorded audio, including medical transcription and call analytics workflows. | 7.5 | $0.01 usage-based | Free plan | Web, API | 1 Oct 2026 |
| 07 Rev AI | 7.4 | — | Free trial | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, API | 15 Oct 2026 | |
| 08 Transkriptor | Transkriptor suits people who need transcripts with speaker labels or timestamps, including users working across its listed meeting platforms. | 7.4 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Browser extension | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 09 AssemblyAI | AssemblyAI suits developers building transcription, speech-analysis, or voice applications who want API access. | 7.3 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, API, Self-hosted | 1 Oct 2026 |
| 10 IBM Watson Speech to Text | 7.1 | $0.02 usage-based | Free plan | API, Self-hosted | 9 Oct 2026 |
The list is ordered by newest releases first, using figures makers publish. It is a finder list, not a scored ranking.
02
Whisper
It suits developers and researchers building speech applications or running transcription locally.
WindowsMacLinux+2 Record8.1 Visit
03
Happy Scribe
Happy Scribe suits people who need transcripts, subtitles, or translations for meetings and recordings.
AndroidiPhone & iPadMac+1 Record8.1 Visit
04
Notta
Notta suits people who need transcripts and summaries from meetings or recordings, including teams that want shared workspaces and administration controls.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 Record7.8 Visit
05
Google Cloud Speech-to-Text
This service suits developers integrating transcription, speaker labeling, timestamps, or subtitle export through APIs.
WebAPISelf-hosted Record7.7 Visit
6
Amazon Transcribe
WebAPI $0.01 usage-based Record7.5 Visit It suits developers and teams that need speech-to-text for live streams or recorded audio, including medical transcription and call analytics workflows.
8
Transkriptor
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+2 Free plan Record7.4 Visit Transkriptor suits people who need transcripts with speaker labels or timestamps, including users working across its listed meeting platforms.
9
AssemblyAI
WebAPISelf-hosted Free plan Record7.3 Visit AssemblyAI suits developers building transcription, speech-analysis, or voice applications who want API access.
11
Superwhisper
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+3 $84.99 a year Record7.0 Visit Superwhisper suits people who want to dictate into apps, work across supported languages, or use local speech processing offline.
12
Gladia
WebWindowsMac+1 $0.20 usage-based Record6.9 Visit Gladia suits developers building transcription or audio-processing workflows who need API access, streaming options, or language coverage.
14
Simon Says
iPhone & iPadWebWindows+3 $15 a month, billed yearly Record6.6 Visit It may suit people who need transcription or translation across many languages and want to edit transcripts or export them to video, audio, and subtitle formats.
15
Trint
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 — Record6.5 Visit It suits newsrooms, podcasters, local businesses, global organizations, and teams handling searchable audio or video content.
16
Vosk
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+4 Free plan Record6.5 Visit Vosk suits developers building speech recognition into applications that need offline operation, streaming, or configurable vocabulary.
22
Buzz
WindowsMacLinux Free plan Record5.7 Visit Buzz suits people who need desktop transcription or translation across Linux, macOS, or Windows.
23
Maestra
WebBrowser extensionAPI — Record5.7 Visit Maestra suits creators and teams working with video or audio, including YouTubers, educators, meeting and webinar organizers, podcasters, film and media teams, and…
24
InqScribe
WindowsMac $10 one-time Record5.7 Visit InqScribe suits researchers, translators, filmmakers, journalists, transcriptionists, educators, and other professionals working with recorded media.
25
MacWhisper
iPhone & iPadMac €64 one-time Record5.6 Visit MacWhisper suits people who need to transcribe or translate recordings, create subtitles, or dictate across Mac and iOS.
Before you choose
Compare free and paid access
Review each tool's free offering, entry-level price and trial conditions before deciding. Pricing models on the list include free, freemium and paid.
A free plan or trial can give you a way to assess fit before a paid commitment.
Match languages and minutes
Compare the languages supported with the languages in your audio. Included minutes can also shape the fit for your workload.
Read the maker's published figures for both fields before deciding.
Check transcript controls
Voice labels may distinguish different people in the transcript. Timestamp support can help connect text with the source audio.
Review export formats as well, especially if the transcript must move into another workflow.
Choose a platform and connection
Access options span API, macOS, web, Windows, Linux and self-hosted installations. Choose the access method that matches your system.
An API can link transcription with another service when that connection is needed. For code access, Whisper lists open-source code.
Questions
What does an AI transcription tool do?
It produces written text from spoken audio that you can read, edit or export.
Can I try an AI transcription tool for free?
Some entries provide free plans, while some also make trials available.
Which pricing models appear here?
Entries use free, freemium or paid pricing. Pricing notes include paid starting figures for selected tools.
Which platforms do these tools support?
Listed access environments include API, macOS, web, Windows, Linux and self-hosted setups.
What features should I compare?
Look at free-plan availability, starting paid price, supported languages, included minutes, voice separation, timestamps, export types and API availability.
Is open-source transcription available?
Whisper is listed with open-source code and a free pricing model.
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