Best free transcription tools compared (October 2026)

If you want free transcription without signing up, the most generous options today are Riverside (unlimited, no account) and TraScrivo (90 minutes a day with no account, 180 with a free account, 99 languages, also on WhatsApp and Telegram). TurboScribe gives 3 files a day of up to 30 minutes but requires an account; Otter, Notta and Happy Scribe have smaller free plans.

Service	How much is free	Max length per file (free)	Account needed?	Languages	Paid plans from
TraScrivo	90 min a day (180 with a free account)	30 min	No	99	Pass €3.90 one-off (10 hours) · Pro €7.90/month
TurboScribe	3 files a day	30 min	Yes	98+	$10/month (yearly)
Otter.ai	300 min a month · 3 file imports in total	30 min	Yes	6	$8.33/month (yearly)
Notta	120 min a month	3 min	Yes	58	$8.17/month (yearly)
Riverside	Unlimited	No published limit	No	100+	$24/month
Happy Scribe	10-minute trial	10 min (trial)	Yes	150+	$8.50/month (yearly)

Updated 10 October 2026 · figures taken from the official pricing pages

Which one to choose

Students (lectures, notes, thesis) — With TraScrivo you transcribe lectures of up to 30 minutes per file for free, 90 minutes a day with no account. For full lectures there is the €3.90 Pass: 10 hours with no expiry, files up to 4 hours, no subscription. If you only need one very long file for free, Riverside publishes no limit.
Professionals (meetings, interviews, minutes) — For recorded files: TraScrivo with Pro (€7.90 a month, 30 hours) or the Pass. If you need an assistant that joins live meetings and takes notes, Otter is built for that.
WhatsApp and Telegram voice messages — TraScrivo has WhatsApp and Telegram bots: forward the voice message and get the text in the chat, no app to install.
Many languages — TraScrivo recognises 99 languages, Riverside over 100, Happy Scribe over 150; Otter 6.

Where others fit better

Riverside: free with no stated limits and no account, useful for very long files; the free tool does not separate speakers.
Otter: live meeting transcription and speaker identification.
TurboScribe Unlimited: files up to 10 hours on the paid plan.
Happy Scribe: over 150 languages and paid human proofreading.
TraScrivo does not separate speakers yet.

How we checked

On 10 October 2026 we read each service's official pricing page (links below); TurboScribe's language count comes from its FAQ, Notta's from its App Store listing. TraScrivo is our own service, which is why we also say where others fit better. Prices change often: always check the source.

Sources: TurboScribe · Otter.ai · Notta · Riverside · Happy Scribe

The names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. TraScrivo is not affiliated with any of these services.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free tool to transcribe university lectures?

For lectures of up to 30 minutes, TraScrivo gives 90 minutes a day with no account (180 with a free account). For longer lectures, the €3.90 Pass gives 10 hours with no subscription and files up to 4 hours; for free, Riverside publishes no length limit.

Can I transcribe without signing up?

Yes: TraScrivo and Riverside work without an account. TurboScribe, Otter, Notta and Happy Scribe ask you to sign up.

Which service works for WhatsApp voice messages?

TraScrivo: besides the website it has WhatsApp and Telegram bots you can forward voice messages to and get the text in the chat.

Are these figures up to date?

They were checked on 10 October 2026 on the official pricing pages. Services change their terms often: check the sources before choosing.

Free audio transcription: free plans compared

Which one to choose

Where others fit better

How we checked

Frequently asked questions

Try TraScrivo for free

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