Free plans only

9 Best Free Free Transcription Software of 2026

By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 9, 2026

9 of the 9 tools in our best free transcription software ranking offer a permanent free plan. TurboScribe scores highest among them at 8.9 out of 10.

1. 01

   TurboScribe

   Podcasters and students who upload recorded files and want the largest free allowance with no account card.

   Free plan with 3 transcripts a day up to 30 minutes each; Unlimited $10 per month billed yearly ($120), $20 monthly

   Full entry, No. 1 overall

   Paid from

   $10

   Score 8.9

2. 02

   Otter.ai

   Students who want live transcripts of lectures and study groups on their phone or laptop.

   Free Basic plan with 300 minutes a month; Pro $8.33 per user per month billed annually ($16.99 monthly)

   Full entry, No. 2 overall

   Paid from

   $8.33

   Score 8.8

3. 03

   Fireflies.ai

   Students and creators who record many online calls and can live with limited storage.

   Free plan with unlimited transcription and 400 minutes of storage; Pro $10 per seat per month billed annually ($18 monthly)

   Full entry, No. 3 overall

   Paid from

   $10

   Score 8.6

4. 04

   MacWhisper

   Mac users who want private, offline transcription without a monthly subscription.

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   Full entry, No. 4 overall

   Paid from

   Free plan

   Score 8.6

5. 05

   Happy Scribe

   Podcasters and video makers who need subtitles in many languages and occasional human-checked transcripts.

   Free plan with unlimited recordings up to 45 minutes; Basic $8.50 per month billed annually

   Full entry, No. 5 overall

   Paid from

   $8.50

   Score 8.3

6. 06

   Descript

   Podcasters who want transcription and editing in the same app.

   Free plan with 60 media minutes a month; Hobbyist $16 per person per month billed annually ($24 monthly)

   Full entry, No. 6 overall

   Paid from

   $16

   Score 8.2

7. 07

   Notta

   Students who upgrade to a cheap paid plan for long recordings and translation.

   Free plan with 120 minutes a month; Pro $8.17 per month billed annually ($97.99 a year)

   Full entry, No. 7 overall

   Paid from

   $8.17

   Score 8.2

8. 08

   Tactiq

   Students in online classes who want transcripts without a bot joining the call.

   Free plan with 10 transcripts a month; Pro $8 per user per month billed annually

   Full entry, No. 8 overall

   Paid from

   $8

   Score 8.1

9. 09

   Rev

   Researchers and podcasters who occasionally need a human-verified transcript.

   Free plan with 45 AI minutes a month; Essentials $25.49 per seat per month billed annually ($29.99 monthly)

   Full entry, No. 9 overall

   Paid from

   $25.49

   Score 7.7

Scores and prices come from our Best Free Transcription Software ranking, which uses one method for every tool. Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.com