Best Transcription Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Simon Says is ranked #1 of 43 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Happy Scribe and Superwhisper. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Happy Scribe. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Amazon Transcribe at $0.01/mo.
Transcription tools turn recordings into text, but the useful fit depends on what you need to capture and how you plan to use the result. Compare included minutes and languages supported, as well as speaker identification and timestamp support. Export formats help you assess output options, and API access may be relevant when transcription is part of a broader software workflow. Simon Says, Happy Scribe and Superwhisper are among the entries. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing offer cost context alongside the listed usage details, so you can weigh the capabilities against your recording and transcript requirements.
43 transcription software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
43ranked
15free plans on this page
$0.01/molowest paid tier
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Transcription Software 25 channels on this page · 119 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromLanguages supportedIncluded minutesSpeaker identificationTimestamp supportExport formatsAPI access Spec sheet Score
01 Simon Says Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported100 languagesIncluded minutes120 min/moSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsMicrosoft Word, text documents, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Final Cut Pro X, Final Cut Pro 7, Grass Valley EDIUS, Avid Pro Tools, Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, SAMI, SRT, Avid STL/SubCap, WebVTT, CSV, Microsoft Excel, JSON, Lumberjack Ready, MAXQDA, burned-in subtitles/timecodesAPI accessnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 8.0
02 Happy Scribe Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported150 languagesIncluded minutes120 min/moSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsDOCX, TXT, SRT, MP4API accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.7
03 Superwhisper Free planYesPaid from$8.49/moLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportnot statedExport formatsnot statedAPI accessnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.7
04 Notta Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported58 languagesIncluded minutes1,800 min/moSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsTXT, DOCX, SRT, PDF, XLSXAPI accessnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 7.6
05 InqScribe Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationnot statedTimestamp supportnot statedExport formatsnot statedAPI accessnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.4
06 Transkriptor Free planYesPaid from$9.99/moLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutes300 min/moSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsTXT, SRT, PDF, DOCX, JSONAPI accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.1
07 AssemblyAI Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported99 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsSRT, VTTAPI accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.0
08 Google Cloud Speech-to-Text Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsVTT, SRTAPI accessYes 5/8spec lines stated 7.0
09 MacWhisper Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported100 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsSRT, VTT, TXT, Markdown, PDF, HTML, DOTE, DOCXAPI accessnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.0
10 Express Scribe Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationnot statedTimestamp supportYesExport formatsnot statedAPI accessnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.8
11 FileToText Free planNoPaid from$10/moLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutes600 min/moSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsTXT, DOCX, SRT, WebVTTAPI accessYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.8
12 TurboScribe Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsPDF, DOCX, TXT, CSV, SRT, VTTAPI accessNo 5/8spec lines stated 6.8
13 Amazon Transcribe Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported113 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsJSON, WebVTT, SRTAPI accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.7
14 ELAN Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationnot statedTimestamp supportnot statedExport formatsnot statedAPI accessnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.7
15 Rev AI Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported1 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsTXT, JSON, SRT, VTTAPI accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.7
16 easytranscript Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsdocx, odt, rtf, txtAPI accessnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.6
17 Soniox Free planYesPaid from$19.99/moLanguages supported60 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsnot statedAPI accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.5
18 Buzz Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsTXT, SRT, VTTAPI accessnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.2
19 f4transkript Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported46 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsDOCX, RTF, SRTAPI accessnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 6.2
20 Transcribe by Wreally Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsDOC, TXT, SRT, VTTAPI accessnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.2
21 HyperTRANSCRIBE Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationNoTimestamp supportYesExport formatsPlain text, RTF, SBVAPI accessnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.1
22 3Play Media Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportnot statedExport formatsnot statedAPI accessnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.0
23 Aiko Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported100 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationNoTimestamp supportYesExport formatsJSON, CSV, SRT, subtitles, textAPI accessnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 6.0
24 Amberscript Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supportednot statedIncluded minutes60 min/moSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsWord, JSON, TXT, CSV, SRT, VTT, EBU-STL, AVID, PREMIEREAPI accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.0
25 Gladia Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLanguages supported100 languagesIncluded minutesnot statedSpeaker identificationYesTimestamp supportYesExport formatsSRT, VTTAPI accessYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.0
Is your tool 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 Specifiction?
Simon Says is ranked #1 of 43 with a score of 8.0. Happy Scribe is second and Superwhisper 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 on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing. Paid placements never change a rank.