Best Transcription Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Notta is ranked #1 of 43 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Simon Says and Happy Scribe. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Simon Says. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Amazon Transcribe at $0.01/mo.
Transcription software turns recorded speech into text, but the useful details vary by workflow. Compared on languages supported, included minutes, speaker identification and timestamp support, these entries also differ in export formats and API access. Free plans and paid-from pricing provide cost context. Notta, Simon Says and Happy Scribe are among the names to consider, alongside Superwhisper and Amazon Transcribe. Think about the recordings you need to process and where the transcript will go afterward; the listed language, output and integration details can help you compare options for that work.
43 transcription software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
15 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NottaWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone · Extension | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | $8.17/mo | 6.7 | |
| 2 | Simon SaysWeb · Windows · Mac · iPhone · Self-hosted · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $1.25/mo | 6.7 | |
| 3 | Happy ScribeMac · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $8.50/mo | 6.6 | |
| 4 | SuperwhisperWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $7.08/mo | 6.6 | |
| 5 | Amazon TranscribeWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.01/mo | 6.4 | |
| 6 | AssemblyAIWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.15/mo | 6.4 | |
| 7 | Express ScribeWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 8 | Google Cloud Speech-to-TextWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.02/mo | 6.4 | |
| 9 | InqScribeWindows · Mac | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $10/mo | 6.4 | |
| 10 | MacWhisperMac · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | €64/mo | 6.4 | |
| 11 | FileToTextAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $3/mo | 6.3 | |
| 12 | Rev AIAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $0.01/mo | 6.3 | |
| 13 | TurboScribeWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 14 | easytranscriptNo platforms listed | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | €5/mo | 6.2 | |
| 15 | SonioxAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $19.99/mo | 6.2 | |
| 16 | TranskriptorWeb · Android · iPhone · API · Extension | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | $8.33/mo | 5.6 |
| 17 | ELANWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 18 | BuzzWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 19 | noScribeWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 20 | WhisperWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 21 | ParlatypeNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 22 | pmTransNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | Sonal πNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 24 | VoskAPI | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 25 | XTransNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which transcription software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Notta is ranked #1 of 43 with a score of 6.7. Simon Says is second and Happy Scribe third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Amazon Transcribe has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.01/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.