15 Best Transcription Software in 2023 [Audio/Video to Text]
Here is a comprehensive list of the best Transcription Software to convert your audio/speech or video files into text files. These audio video transcription tools are used mainly by professional transcriptionists. Check out and compare these top automatic transcription services and download the best one for your Windows or Mac system:
Transcription software is a platform that converts audio files of different formats into textual form. The text can be further edited and shared.
Transcription is of two types:
- Automatic Transcription
- Manual Transcription
Automatic transcription is done with the help of AI-based technology. The machines convert the speech into text within minutes. We can even convert live speech into text with the help of automatic transcription software.
Manual transcription is done with the help of professional typists who listen to your audio/videos and write exactly what they hear. Manual transcription gives you more accurate results, as there are fewer chances of the error being caused due to changes in accent or dialect. However, manual transcription takes longer to complete, as compared to automatic transcription.
Transcription Software – Review
In this article, we have made a list of the top transcription software, after doing thorough research on the best available software in the industry. You can find the details about each one of them and their comparison based on several factors, in this article.
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Market Trends: As per a report by Grand View Research, the US transcription market was valued at $19.8 Billion in 2019. It is expected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.1% from the period 2020 to 2027.
The medical industry contributes by being the largest user of the software, followed by the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sector) and more.
Expert Advice: While choosing a transcription software, look for the following features:
- A cloud-based application that runs on all your devices.
- Automatic transcription is done within minutes.
- Support your desired language.
Benefits of using Transcription Software: Out of the many benefits of using transcription software, some are listed as follows:
- It saves much of your time and increases efficiency at the same time.
- You can get live subtitles for the video conference.
- Get automatic transcription tools that convert audio/video into text within minutes.
- Get transcripts of dictated texts.
- Manual transcription services are also offered by some software companies, which reduce the chances of errors to a great extent.
- Gives you access to the features with the help of your personal mobile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q #1) What is the best software for transcribing?
Answer: Trint, Descript, Express Scribe, Inqscribe, Otter, Sonix, SpeedScriber, Rev, and Temi are some of the best software for transcribing.
All these software offers you nice tools for transcribing, editing, and sharing your documents. Trint, Otter, and Temi even offer you mobile applications.
Q #2) How can I transcribe audio for free?
Answer: The FTW Transcriber, oTranscribe, Otter and Descript offer you free versions, which allow you to transcribe your audios for free.
Q #3) Is there a program to transcribe a video?
Answer: Yes, Trint, Describe, Express Scribe, InqScribe, and Otter are some of the best video transcription programs.
Q #4) What are transcription and translation?
Answer: Transcription means writing full details about something. For example, writing the medical record of a person, academic record, etc. A transcriptionist does the job of writing the dictated or recorded speech.
Suggested Reading => Top Machine Translation Software in the Market
On the other hand, translation means converting an audio or text file into another language. For example, converting an essay written in English into the French language would be called translation.
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List of Top Transcription Software
Some remarkable software for transcriptionists list:
- Rev
- GoTranscript
- Descript
- Otter
- The FTW Transcriber
- Audext
- Trint
- Express Scribe
- InqScribe
- Sonix
- SpeedScriber
- Temi
- Transcribe
- oTranscribe
- Scrible
- Amberscript
Comparing Some Best Audio Transcription Software
Software NameDeploymentNumber of Languages supportedFree Trial/ Free VersionPrice
RevWeb-Based15NAStarts at $1.50/minute
GoTranscriptWeb-Based47NAStarts at 0.77
USD/minute
DescriptOn Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mac/Windows desktop22A free version is available. Starts at $12 per editor per month
OtterOn Cloud, SaaS, Web, iOS/Android mobiles, iPadEnglish only. A free trial and a free version is available. Starts at $12.99 per month
The FTW TranscriberWindows, AndroidEnglish only. AvailableFree
AudextAI-based60Free trial is available for 30 Minutes. Automatic Transcription: $5 per hour
100% Professional Transcription: $1.2 per minute
TrintOn Cloud, SaaS, Web, iOS mobile 31 for transcription and 54 for translation. Free trial is available for 7 days. Starts at $78 per month
Express ScribeMac/Windows desktop6Not availableStats at $24.99
InqScribeWindows/Mac desktop.English, German, Arabic, Japanese and more.Free trial is available for 14 days. $99 per licence
Detailed Reviews:
Best for live captions and transcription by a professional typist.
Rev is an ADA & FCC compliant platform. The software integrates with YouTube, Vimeo, JW Player, and more platforms.
Rev supports Arabic, Czech, German, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Chinese (Simplified) languages.
Features:
- Professional typists write transcripts for your audios and videos.
- Transcript editing tools.
- AI-based transcription.
- Get subtitles for your videos in English or 15 other global languages.
- 90% accurate, live captions for Zoom.
Pros:
- Live Zoom captions.
- Subtitles in 15 global languages.
- 24/7 customer support.
Cons:
- Customer service was a bit slow.
Verdict: Trusted by Stanford University, DLA Piper, Viacom, Spotify, and many more renowned names, and having more than 170,000 customers, Rev offers one of the best transcription programs.
The software claims to deliver 99% accurate transcripts.
Price: Prices are as follows:
- Human Transcription: $1.50 per minute
- English Captions: $1.50 per minute
- Global Subtitles: $3-7 per minute
- Zoom Live Captions: Start at $20 per host
Best for Human-Based Transcription.
GoTranscript offers both video and audio transcription services for as low as $0.77/minute. All you have to do to get GoTranscript to transcribe your files is to upload your audio or video file via web or link. After this, you pay the amount via your chosen method of payment and get the transcript delivered to you via email.
The transcribed document goes through 4-step process to maximize accuracy. The documents are vociferously proofread and reviewed. The work done by GoTranscript is 99% accurate. All transcriptions are completely human generated.
Founded In: 2005
Deployment: Web-Based
Customer Support: Via phone, email, or chat
Client of GoTranscript: BBC, Netflix, Samsung, Pearson, and BOSE.
Number of Languages Supported: 47
Features:
- Human Based Transcription
- Audio and Video transcription
- Supports over 47 languages
- Build GoTranscript into your internal system using API
Pros:
- 4-step accuracy support
- Multilingual support
- Enterprise support
- Integrates with Google Drive and Dropbox
Cons:
- Only manual transcriptions offered
Verdict:
GoTranscript allows you to transcribe both video and audio files for as low as $0.77/minute. The service ensure 99% accuracy with a solid review, proofread, and quality check system. If you want to transcribe your files manually in an affordable, quick, and error-free manner, then GoTranscript should be at the top of your list.
Price:
- 5-day service: $0.77/minute
- 3-day service: $0.94/min
- 1-day service: $1.11/min
- 6-12 hour service: $2.13/minute
Best for being powerful and easy to use.
Descript is an American, one of the best video transcription software, founded in San Francisco. The company is a team of 40 people and offers some user-friendly tools for media creators.
The platform assures you to offer 95% accurate, automatic as well as human-powered transcription.
This cloud-based platform is extremely easy to use and everyone who uses it likes the range of features that it offers. The application is highly recommended. The only drawback is that Descript is not yet available for mobiles. You can only download it to your Mac/Windows desktop.
Founded in: 2017
Deployment: On Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mac/Windows desktop
Customer Support: Available through email, phone, chat, a knowledge base, and a forum.
Clients of Descript: ESPN, WNYC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, HubSpot, and more.
Number of languages supported: 22 [Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Malay, Turkish, Polish, Dutch, Hungarian, Czech, Swedish, Croatian, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, Slovak, Catalan, Lithuanian, Slovenian, Latvian, (and English)].
Features:
- Tools for audio and video recording, mixing, and editing.
- Tools to detect and remove filler words like ‘you know, ‘like’, etc.
- Live training for your team.
- SOC 2 Type 2 compliant data security.
Pros:
- A free version
- Data security
- Priority support
Cons:
- Transcription in languages other than English is not very good. The user has faced several issues.
- No mobile application for Android devices.
Verdict: Descript is a highly recommended transcript software. It is a powerful application for audio and video recording, editing, podcasting, and transcribing.
The main plus points found in the software are the free version and an appealing set of tools.
Price: A free version is available. Paid plans are as follows:
- Creator: $12 per editor per month
- Pro: $24 per editor per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing.
Best for the highly useful free version.
Otter is a popular transcription software. The platform is highly recommended. The tools offered for controlling playback speed, real-time annotation, file export, data security, and more are praiseworthy.
The company has been featured in The New York Times, Wired, Mashable, TechCrunch, and more. They offer you some impressive discounts if you are a student, faculty member, or full-time staff of a Nonprofit educational institution or an Accredited primary, secondary, or tertiary institution, School district, or regional service agency.
Founded in: 2016
Deployment: On Cloud, SaaS, Web, iOS/Android mobile, iPad.
Customer Support: Email support is available.
Clients of Otter: Students, Teachers, Businesses, and Individuals.
Languages supported: English (U.S. and U.K.) and regional accents.
Features:
- Get live notes on audio and videos.
- Control playback speed.
- Allows bulk export in different formats.
- AES-256 & TLS encryption, single sign-on, 2-factor authentication features.
Pros:
- A free version.
- Integration with Zoom, Dropbox, Google Calendar, and more.
Cons:
- Since the machine writes the transcripts for you, you do not get full accuracy. There are problems when there is some noise or accent problem.
Verdict: The free version is a plus point. It gives you 600 transcription minutes and even lets you record and transcribe live. Customer support is slow.
As the number of transcribing minutes you require increases, the prices also go up.
Price: A Basic plan is available, that is free to use. A free trial is also available. Paid plans are as follows:
- Pro: $12.99 per month
- Business: $30 per user per month
- Enterprise: Custom Pricing.
Best for superior sound quality.
The FTW Transcriber is used by people in police forces, hospitals, parliaments, and firms of all kinds.
This free transcription software is highly recommended because of the set of features that it offers, at absolutely no cost.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows as well as Android devices.
- Automated time stamp addition.
- Supports a wide range of file formats.
- Supports mpeg, wmv, flv, etc. video file formats.
Verdict: The software is available for free and the range of features offered is highly appreciable.
The platform does not support iOS devices and does not have a web-based application. Customer support is available for a lifetime, at no additional cost.
Price: Free
Best for comparatively affordable, advanced transcription tools.
They offer you transcripts written by professionals within 3 days.
Trusted by organizations like The University of Utah, Prescott College, Temple University, and more, Audext offers AI-based fast transcription as well as manual transcription.
Features:
- Automatic transcription was done with 80% accuracy.
- Easy file uploading and exporting tools.
- Supports more than 60 global languages.
- Professional transcription was done with 99% accuracy, by native speakers.
- Time stamping and speaker identification.
Verdict: Software to be fast and cost-savvy. It supports MP3, M4A, WAV, and more audio file formats.
The platform is a community of more than 50,000 native speakers, who guarantee you 99% accurate transcripts, being delivered to you in 1-3 business days.
Price: Prices are as follows:
- Automatic Transcription: $5 per hour
- 100% Professional Transcription: $1.2 per minute
#7) Trint
Best for real-time transcription tools.
Trint is a popular transcription software, which is perfect for journalists, media producers, researchers, authors, academics, freelancers, and more.
Founded by Jeff Kofman, an award-winning reporter, and foreign correspondent, Trint has 100+ employees today and its headquarters are located in London.
The platform offers flexible plans suitable for individuals, teams, and enterprises. The estimated annual revenue of Trint is $23.2 million. We would highly recommend this modern, AI-based transcription platform for everyone.
Founded in: 2014
Deployment: On Cloud, SaaS, Web, iOS mobile
Customer Support: Available through email, phone, and chat.
Clients of Trint: The Washington Post, Nike, Airbnb, and more.
Number of languages supported: 31 for transcription and 54 for translation.
Features:
- Convert audio and videos into written content.
- Transcripts in 31 languages.
- Tools to edit the documents.
- Share finished documents in different formats.
- ISO-certified data security.
- Translate transcripts into 54 languages.
Pros:
- Integration with Adobe Premiere Pro and many other apps.
- Free trial.
- Allows you to pause your plan when you do not need it.
Cons:
- No mobile application for Android devices.
Verdict: Trint offers ISO 27001:2013 certified data security, AES 256-bit encryption, and PCI DSS compliance.
Billing and payments are done through Stripe. The software performs backups of your data 4 times a day and assures you to deliver 99% accurate transcripts with the help of its AI-based technology. Trint is one of the best video transcription software.
Price: A free trial for 7 days is available. Price plans are as follows:
- Starter: $48 per month
- Advanced: $60 per month
- Pro Team: $68 per user per month
- Enterprise: Customized pricing.
Website: Trint
Further Reading => List of the BEST Transcription Services of the Year
#8) Express Scribe
Best for foot pedal control features.
Express Scribe is a 29 years old American transcription tool provider company.
The software runs on Mac and Windows desktops and supports 45+ audio and video formats. With Express Scribe, you can transcribe dictations, lectures, interviews, movies, voice notes, and much more. The software supports professional USB foot pedals that allow you to control playback speed and do uninterrupted transcribing.
The platform lets you integrate with applications like Express Dictate Dictation Recorder, FastFox Typing Expander, and more.
Founded in: 1993
Deployment: Mac/Windows desktop
Customer Support: Available through email, chat, and forum.
The number of languages supported: 6 [German, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish].
Features:
- Supports MP3, M4A, DSS, WAV, and more audio file formats.
- Audio as well as video transcription.
- Supports 3G2, 3GP, ASF, AVI, DivX, DV, FLV, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPEG, and WMV video file formats.
- Professional Foot Pedals to give you control of the playback so as to help you increase your words per minute.
Pros:
- Supports a number of audio and video file formats.
- Automation tools for sending and receiving files.
Cons:
- The response from the customer support team takes a lot of time.
- No Cloud/Web version.
Verdict: The software is suitable for medical, legal, video transcription, and more. It is affordable and easy to use.
The foot pedal features the most. It allows you to control the playback speed so that you can transcribe quickly. You can download the software for Mac or Windows desktop from their website.
Price: Prices start at $24.99 (one-time fee).
Website: Express Scribe
#9) InqScribe
Best for simple and affordable transcribing.
InqScribe is a transcription software for Windows as well as Mac that supports audio and video files from your hard drive, flash drive, CD, server, or URL (HTML5).
They also offer a foot pedal for controlling media playback and allow exporting files in different formats, including Premiere, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, YouTube, and XML. HTML, and more.
The software is intuitive, simple, and highly useful at the same time. You can do mouse-free transcribing with the help of the keyboard and a USB foot pedal.
Founded in: 2001
Deployment: Windows/Mac desktop.
Customer Support: Available through a knowledge base, user guide, and blog.
Languages supported: English, German, Arabic, Japanese and more.
Features:
- You can play a video and type the notes in a single window.
- Insert frequently used texts with the help of a keystroke.
- Type anywhere in the transcript.
- Use multiple languages in a single document.
Pros:
- Supports multiple languages.
- Comparatively affordable.
Cons:
- No automation tools for transcription.
Verdict: InqScribe is an intuitive transcript software. It is a simple platform that allows you to transcribe, type, and export your notes with easy-to-use tools.
The platform allows you to use multiple languages in a single document. It is affordable and highly recommended.
Price: There is a free trial for 14 days. The license code is priced at $99 per license.
Website: InqScribe
#10) Sonix
Best for powerful automation tools.
Sonix is a well-known, one of the best transcription services providing companies, which has its clients from over 100 countries.
The software supports Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, Danish, German, English, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Chinese (Simplified) languages.
Features:
- Automation tools for converting audio and videos into text (35 global languages).
- Let’s translate your transcripts into 30 global languages.
- Automation tools for adding subtitles to your videos.
- Tools for collaboration, file sharing, and publishing.
Pros:
- Integration with Zoom, Adobe Premiere, and more.
- SSL secured data security, two-factor authentication, and more security features.
Cons:
- No mobile application.
Verdict: Sonix is a popular name that is trusted by IBM, Adobe, GAP, Google, Microsoft, and many other well-established companies.
Small to large-scale enterprises trust Sonix for their transcription and translation-related requirements.
Price: 30 minutes of free transcription is offered. Price plans are as follows:
- Standard: $10 per hour
- Premium: $5 per hour + $22 per user per month
- Enterprise: Custom Pricing
Website: Sonix
#11) SpeedScriber
Best for automated, fast transcription.
SpeedScriber is an automatic transcription software available for macOS devices.
The software is GDPR, and PCI DSS compliant. It is compatible with payment processors like PayPal, Stripe, and Digital River. Customer support is available in the form of live chat, support tickets, and knowledge base.
Features:
- Import files from Finder or clips from Apple Final Cut Pro X.
- Quick upload and transcription of the imported files.
- Lets you edit the transcripts.
- Lets you print and export files.
Pros:
- 15 minutes of free transcription.
- Integrations with Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Apple Final Cut Pro X, and Avid Media Composer.
Cons:
- No Web or Android application.
Verdict: SpeedScriber has more than 20,000 registered users and has transcribed 1,790,889 minutes to date. The platform supports German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish languages.
Price: $0.50 per minute. (15 minutes of free transcription is offered.)
Website: SpeedScriber
#12) Temi
Best for high-quality audio recording and transcription.
Temi is one of the best audio transcription software. It offers advanced speech recognition, transcription tools, Zapier integration, file editing and sharing tools, standard data security, and more.
The software is fast and delivers accurate results with simple and affordable pricing.
Features:
- Tools to record clear audio and get 90-95% accurate transcripts.
- Save and export transcript files in the form of Word, PDF, SRT, VTT, and more.
- Simple editing tools.
- TLS 1.2 Data Encryption.
- Accepts all file formats.
Pros:
- Mobile applications for iOS as well as Android users
- Free trial of one transcript of under 45 minutes.
Cons:
- Supports only the English language. No other global language is supported.
Verdict: Trusted by 10,000 customers, including ESPN, The University of Texas at Austin, and many more, Temi is one of the best transcription software. One drawback of the software is that it doesn’t support languages other than English.
Price: $0.25 per audio minute.
Website: Temi
#13) Transcribe
Best for offline transcription.
Transcribe is an AI-based, one of the best audio transcription software. The software is used by journalists, lawyers, students, educators, podcasters, authors, and professional transcriptionists all across the globe.
Features:
- Types everything that you dictate.
- Foot pedal to control the playback speed.
- Text Expander allows you to type short forms of frequently used phrases, which automatically expand to the full form.
- Export transcripts in the form of doc, txt, or subtitle files.
Pros:
- Supports more than 80 global languages.
- Works offline.
Cons:
- No mobile application.
Verdict: Having Microsoft, NASA, and ESPN as their customers, Transcribe is one of the most popular automatic transcription software.
Offered by Wreally, Transcribe was founded in 2008. I like the customer support offered by the software. Another plus points are that it supports 80+ global languages and offers a free trial for a week.
Price: Transcribe offers a free trial for a week. Price plans are as follows:
- Self Transcription: $20 per year
- Automatic Transcription: $20 per year + $6 per hour
Website: Transcribe
#14) oTranscribe
Best for free transcribing.
oTranscribe is a web-based free application for transcription. The software offers you simple tools for transcription, including play/pause, skip, rewind, jump, speed up/down, insert timestamp, bold text, italic or underline.
Features:
- Allows you to pause, rewind and fast-forward with your keyboard.
- Available for free.
- Get your files auto-saved.
- Video files are supported through an integrated video player.
- Allows export of files to Markdown, plain text, and Google Docs.
Verdict: The platform is open source and web-based. It can run on a computer desktop.
The platform is easy to use, simple and available for free. It has been featured in TNW, The Guardian, Wannabe Hacks, and many more platforms.
Price: Free
Website: oTranscribe
#15) Scribie
Best for affordable transcription.
Scribie is a highly trusted name among transcriptionists. Amazon, Slack, Google, Stripe, Airbnb, Netflix, and Uber are some of its clients.
The software has transcribed 7 million+ minutes to date and is a community of more than 42,000 transcribers who work from different locations all over the world.
Features:
- Speaker tracking tools.
- 30 minute turnaround time in automatic transcription.
- 24 hour turnaround time for manual transcription.
- Online transcript editing.
Verdict: Scribie is a transcript software that guarantees 80-95% accuracy in automatic transcription and 99% accuracy in manual one.
The platform supports only English languages. No other global language is supported.
Price: Prices are as follows:
- Automated: $0.10 per minute
- Manual: $0.80 per minute
Website: Scribie
#16) Amberscript
Best for offering quality transcription services.
Amberscript is a popular platform that allows you to convert your audio as well as videos into texts. The software supports many languages including Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and more.
Features:
- Supports 39 languages in automatic transcription and 11 languages for manual transcription.
- Multiple speakers’ distinction.
- Online text editing tools.
- Mobile, as well as desktop applications, are available.
Verdict: Having been used by more than 1 million customers, Amberscript is a popular platform that offers automatic as well as manual transcription services.
The platform is fast, accurate, and secure (with GDPR compliance). The customer reviews have some really nice reviews about the software.
Price: 10 minutes free trial of automatic transcription is available. Prices are as follows:
- Pre-Paid: $8 per hour
- Subscription: $25 per month (up to 5 hours of transcription is allowed)
- Manual Transcription: $1 per minute
Website: Amberscript
Conclusion
Transcription software is one of the best examples of innovation and technological advancement. This software makes it possible for you to convert speech/dictation/audio files into text, and get subtitles for videos/live meetings within minutes.
This software is used in a number of fields, including healthcare, media, academics, and many more.
Some of the top transcription software are Trint, Descript, Express Scribe, Otter, Sonix, Rev, and Amberscript.
Apart from converting the audio as well as video files into transcripts (through AI or manually), you also get tools for recording audio/videos, editing and sharing transcripts, multi-speaker detection, playback speed control, data security, and a mobile application to access all these features.
Research Process:
- Time is taken to research this article: We spent 12 hours researching and writing this article so you can get a useful summarized list of tools with a comparison of each for your quick review.
- Total tools researched online: 21
- Top tools shortlisted for review: 15
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