We bring you a list of 17 tools to transcribe audio to text, offering you some that simply do it with dictated audio, but also others capable of uploading audio files. The collection is varied, and we have mobile applications, web pages, and computer programs capable of doing so.
The idea is to offer you a collection large enough so that you can choose depending on the context in which you need to use this type of tool. You also have some that will be useful for almost everything, but that is up to you to decide.
As we always say at Xataka Basics, we give you this initial list, but if you know of any other application or service that you think should be here, I invite you to share it with everyone in the comments section. Thus, the rest of the readers will be able to benefit from the extensive knowledge of our community of xatakeros.
Bear File Converter
We are going to start with a page that has a rather unintuitive design, and a specific functionality without as many possibilities as others. It is used to transcribe MP3 audio content into text. Neither dictations nor anything, what you have to do is upload your mp3 file recorded with a recorder and wait for the results, which are not always optimal but are very interesting.
It also works with WAV, MWV, and OGG formats, although they must be files of a maximum of 3MB. Therefore, it is a small online tool but it can be used for small transcriptions. The service belongs to Bear File Converter, a website specializing in products to convert the format of different types of files.
- Link: Official Website
Dictation
It is a fairly simple website and without major complications. It is used to dictate texts that are transcribed. It has the advantage that it offers you a link to the formatting commands, something very useful for knowing how you should dictate things such as periods, commas, new lines, hyphens, or other punctuation marks or elements.
Another peculiarity is that the result is shown to you on a virtual sheet of paper, with options to format the resulting text. Below you also have options to copy the text, save it to your PC, print it, or tweet it. You don’t need to register anywhere to use it.
- Link: Official Website
Gboard
In this list, you will find up to three solutions offered by Google, and the first one we are going to mention is the Gboard keyboard. It is perfect for when you want to dictate a transcription in mobile apps since the keyboard itself has a button with a microphone icon to start the dictation.
What the keyboard does is send Google live what you are saying, and return a transcription. It works in Spanish, something other popular keyboards like Microsoft’s Swiftkey have not yet implemented. The advantage is that since it is a mobile keyboard, you can use this function in any app.
- Link: Google Play and App Store
Google Docs
All users who have a Google account also have access to the Google Drive suite, where they have 15 GB of storage and free office applications. Google Docs is Google’s text editor, and it has a dictation function that can be used for short transcriptions, although it doesn’t work as well for long ones.
It is free and works in almost any language, although we already told you that it is not useful for long transcriptions such as classes or audio sessions, and it also does not have functions such as uploading audio files. It also doesn’t get along very well with punctuation marks. But it’s something we all have access to, so we’ve decided to include it on the list even though almost all other resources are better.
- Link: Google Drive
Microsoft Speech-to-Text
Microsoft has a text transcription service within the Azure service framework, its catalog of cloud products for businesses and developers. However, for small translations, you can use its free demo, with which you do not need to register anywhere to use it.
In this demo, you just have to click on the Talk button and start using the microphone. You can also upload an audio file to test the service and choose the language, or if you want the system to put automatic punctuation marks depending on your pauses, you have to dictate them to them. For small tests, it can be very useful.
- Link: Official Website
ListenAll
It is a fairly well-known application and is available for Android and iOS. Its operation is simple, you simply speak and what you hear will be transcribed on the screen. You can change the resulting notes by modifying the background color, font, or size.
It is a Spanish app, and you can save the notes as audio or as a document, or export them to other third-party applications. Its interface is very clean, and it is being updated with options such as importing audio messages from other applications to transcribe them.
- Link: Official Website
Otter
Possibly one of the best and most useful transcription applications you can find, and it has a version for browser and mobile applications. It is a voice note app, but it also transcribes the content of these notes so that you can have a text version.
It is a paid service with a free version for 600 minutes per month, which is 10 hours of transcription. You will be able to record audio, receive live transcriptions, or upload a file from your device. You will get the text with timestamps. Unfortunately at the moment it only works in English, but it does it well.
- Link: Google Play and App Store
Speech notes
A well-known application for transcribing audio to text, either to make dictations or to save time when our hands are busy. All you have to do is click on the corresponding button and start talking. Everything you speak and dictate, the application will transcribe it in a text box.
The app also has a web version in addition to the Android one and has extra options such as exporting the text in PDF or creating several notes that you can save to a microSD if your Android has a slot. The app is free and with advertising, although it has a system with which you pay to remove that advertising.
- Link: Official Website and Google Play
SpeechLogger
It is a website that uses Google’s voice recognition systems and uses them to transcribe what we say to it. This means that it is quite effective at understanding us and that the way of dictating things to it is the same that we use in the rest of the search engine company’s services. You can choose between automatic punctuation, dictation, or manual punctuation using the text box controls.
One of its attractions is that, if you link it with your Google account, it has a section to upload audio files and be able to transcribe them. You can upload the results to Google Drive or download them in formats such as Doc and Txt, in addition to the STR used for subtitles of video files.
- Link: Official Website
SpeechTexter
It is a fairly simple page, and not too professional in appearance. However, it is quite useful if what you want is to dictate and transcribe what you are saying. It is easy to use, and all you have to do is choose your language from the extensive list that you can display at the top right, and start dictating after pressing Start.
The advantage of this page is that it shows you a column on the right that tells you how to pronounce the punctuation marks so that voice recognition interprets them correctly. In addition, you also have options to format the resulting text. Its other advantage is that you can save the text in the browser’s cache so as not to lose it.
- Link: Official Website
TalkTyper
This is one of the simplest tools on the list, and it is a dictation transcription app completely in Spanish. It’s easy to use, just tap on the microphone icon and start talking. You can copy, print, tweet, or download the results directly to your computer.
- Link: Official Website
Transcribe for WhatsApp
Transcribe for WhatsApp is a quite peculiar tool and different from the rest since it is used to transcribe the voice messages that you receive on WhatsApp. If you are one of those people who hates receiving voice messages, or you simply don’t have time to listen to one, this application that is still in the beta phase will help you.
It installs as a standalone application and is easy to use. All you have to do is select the voice message you want within WhatsApp and click on the share button. In the selector of apps to share the audio with, choose Transcriber for WhatsApp, and the app will listen to and transcribe the audio message. It is an exclusive app for Android, but on iOS you have another one called Audio to Text for WhatsApp.
- Link: Google Play
Google Instant Transcription
Google has an app for transcribing audio to text, and it’s called Google Instant Transcription. It is a tool designed especially for deaf and hearing-impaired people, but you can also use it to make any type of transcription in other contexts.
This application is very simple and serves to transcribe in real time the conversations, and even sounds, that occur around us. You simply activate it and it starts listening to tell you what is being said or tell you if there are background sounds. Of course, it does not have as many options as some other alternatives that you will find on the list.
- Link: Google Play
Watson Speech-to-Text
Watson is IBM’s artificial intelligence and is particularly specialized in the recognition and interpretation of natural language. This AI system has several uses, including speech-to-text transcription. It works in English, Japanese, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Korean and, according to IBM, works even on low-quality audio.
It is a paid service, although it has a free option with 500 minutes of transcription per month. In addition, its main benefit is that you can record audio yourself on the spot or upload an audio file for it to be transcribed, something good for when you have a recording that you want to convert to text. There is also a free demo that does not respect punctuation marks, but it can help you test the power of this translator.
- Link: Official Website
Voice Notebook
A page for audio transcriptions that is quite accurate, and has support for multiple languages. Its operation is simple, and all you have to do is click on the Start recording button, give the microphone access to the web, and start dictating so that the resulting text appears on the screen.
The text is shown to you in plain text, and you will be able to download the transcription in text format. It also has buttons for handwriting punctuation symbols. In addition to the web, this service also offers an extension for Chrome and a web app for any operating system, so you can choose the method you like best.
- Link: Official Website
Voice Texting Pro
Just as we have included some exclusive Android apps on the list, this one has been around for quite a few years and is exclusive to iOS. Despite the Pro in its name, it is a very simple free app, you just have to speak into the microphone of your mobile phone and what you say will be transcribed. You have options so that you can send the text by email, SMS, or social networks.
- Link: Official Website
Windows 10
And we are going to finish with something that not everyone knows, and that is that Windows 10 has its voice recognition system. It’s generally a system used just so you can talk to Cortana, but you can run it as a standalone app to use in any other context, and any program or application.
All you have to do is open the start menu and search for Speech Recognition, which will take you to the old control panel inherited from other versions of Windows. First, you will have to configure it, and from there, when you open it, Windows will transcribe everything you say on the screen where the writing cursor is. Wow, you can use it in any application or program.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
