If you’ve been wondering how your favorite TV shows come with subtitles or how you can convert your favorite videos into readable text without sitting with your video to take notes, here is your answer.
As artificial intelligence continues to penetrate every aspect of human life, we are seeing tremendous changes in how content is made and converted from one form to another. Converting video to text can help business owners to convert the videos on their sites for marketing purposes or help educators create study materials to get the job done quickly and easily.
This is ordinarily an arduous, time-consuming task. But with the right transcription software, what would ordinarily take hours could get done within minutes. In this post, we shall be looking at some of the best tools available today, their key features, as well as their pros and cons.
What Is a Video Transcription Software and What Are the Uses?
A video transcription software is a type of software that helps you convert videos into text. This can be helpful for a number of reasons, such as being able to read the words that are being said in a video or for finding specific quotes or information.
Some of the features of video transcription software include the ability to convert videos into text quickly and easily, as well as the ability to export the text into different formats.
There are different uses for a video transcription software. Some of the most common uses include:
Creating transcripts for marketing purposes: Video transcription can be a great way to create marketing materials for your business. By creating a transcript of your video, you can easily create a written document that outlines the contents of your video.
Creating study materials: A video transcription can also be used to create study materials for students, especially students who are studying a foreign language.
Research purposes: A video transcription software can also be used to transcribe the contents of a video for research and citation purposes.
Subtitling videos: If you have a video that is in a foreign language, you can use a video transcription software to create subtitles for the video.
Reviews of the Best Video Transcription Software From Our Research
GoTranscript
Best for Human-Based Transcription
GoTranscript is an audio and video human-based transcription service that can cater for complex projects with a high level of accuracy. GoTranscript prides itself on providing human-based transcription services in multiple languages. It uses its AI to review the work done by human transcriptionists to ensure the best output. The platform also offers captioning, translation, and subtitling services in different languages.
Key Features
Multi-Language – GoTranscript offers transcription and captioning services in over forty languages.
Fast turnaround – Has a minimum turnaround time of about six hours.
99% accuracy guaranteed – GoTranscript boasts of a 99% plus accuracy level.
Uses AI and Human Intelligence – Uses both artificial and human intelligence for its transcription services.
Client-Specific Order – GoTranscript allows clients to leave notes for customizing stuff like speaker labels, timestamps, formatting, and punctuation.
Pros
- An easy-to-use dashboard that improves customer experience
- A multi-stage process that ensures accuracy
- It has a mobile app that allows you to record and upload media files directly
- Multiple languages
- Supports most audio and video formats
Cons
- Low rates for human transcriptionists
Pricing
- Free Trial
- Transcription – $0.77 per minute
- Captions – $1.11 per minute
- Translation – $0.06 per word
- Foreign Subtitles – $8.50 per minute
Rev
Best for Live Captions
Rev is an audio and video transcription service combining AI and human transcription. The easy-to-use, affordable platform is focused on ensuring accurate voice recognition for a diverse set of accents and dialects in over thirty languages. The captioning and subtitling feature is one of the most highly rated in the market.
Key Features
Live Captioning – The platform has accurate captioning services for apps like Zoom.
Easy-to-use – Rev has a fairly easy-to-use site and accompanying mobile app that makes transcribing much easier.
Easy Workflow – Integrates well with google drive and dropbox for easy work flow.
Pros
- Affordable
- Combines AI with human intelligence
- Easy to use
- Easy integration with workflow apps
- Supports multiple languages
Cons
- Poor customer service
- Slow turnaround
Pricing
- Audio and Video transcription – $1.50 per minute
- English closed captions – $1.50 per minute
- Global translated subtitle – $5 – 12 per minute
Sonix
Best for Automation
Sonix is one of the best video transcription software because it offers powerful automation features that make transcriptions fast and easy. With Sonix, you can quickly create accurate transcripts of your videos with just a few clicks. Sonix’s machine learning algorithms ensure accuracy even for difficult videos with poor audio quality. Sonix also has a built-in editor that allows you to make corrections and changes to your transcriptions quickly and easily.
Key Features
Automatic transcription – Accurate transcripts of your videos with just a few clicks.
Machine Learning – Machine learning algorithms ensure accuracy even for difficult videos with poor audio quality.
Built-in Editor – Built-in editor allows you to make corrections and changes to your transcriptions quickly and easily.
Pros
- Superbly fast transcription
- Supports multiple languages
- Customizable subtitles and captions
- Easy integration and collaboration
- Support various file formats for both media files and transcripts export
Cons
- Might be difficult to navigate
- No free trial available
Pricing
- Standard Plan – Allows you to pay for what you use at $10 for every hour. Suitable for small projects
- Premium Plan – $5 per hour, plus $22 per user/month. There is a discount of up to 25% if billed annually.
- Enterprise plan – Custom pricing for high volume transcription with advanced user controls
Descript
Most Flexible Transcription Software for Team Work
Descript is a collaborative video editing, podcasting, screen recording, and transcription tool. Descript makes sharing data with other teammates considerably easier and improves media content creation. Descript is also a cloud-based tool meaning that you can easily access your projects from anywhere at any time. The in-built editor is also very flexible, allowing you to stitch additional media content to already transcribed ones.
Key Features
Powerful Speaker Identification – Descript has a powerful speaker identification feature that allows you to add speaker labels easily.
Overdubbing – You can add new content to already transcribes content.
Cloud Storage – You can save your files in any cloud storage platform of yur choice such as Google Drive, Dropbox through Zapier.
Pros
- Easy collaboration
- Supports multiple file formats
- Overdubbing
- Cloud-based storage ability
- Has multiple abilities asides from transcribing
- High level of accuracy
- Filler words removal
Cons
- No copy and paste of video clips
- Only transcribes in English
Pricing
- Free – 3 hours of free transcription
- Creator – $12 / editor / month for up to 10 hours of transcription per month
- Pro – $24 / editor/month allows up to 30 hours of transcription per month
- Enterprise – Custom pricing
Otranscribe
Best Free Video Transcription Software
Otranscribe is a free, open-source transcription program. The program is web-based and can also be used offline. Otranscribe helps users protect their data by storing files locally instead of on a remote server or on the cloud.
Key Features
Export – You can export to markdown, plaintext, and google docs.
Keyboard shortcuts – You can control your video – pause/play/rewind/fast forward using keyboard shortcuts.
Interactive Timestamps – You can easily navigate within your transcript with the timestamp.
Pros
- Free to use
- Timestamp feature for easier navigation and editing
- You can customize the playback speed of your media files
- Iterative keyboard shortcuts
- Autosaving of transcripts
- Can work offline
Cons
- Works only on desktop computers
- Limited customization features
Pricing
- Free
Happyscribe
Best for High Workload
Happyscribe is another powerful automated transcription platform. Happyscribe handles large files, and its services are competitively priced. The platform has an 85% accuracy automated transcription service and a 99% accuracy human transcription service. Happyscribe also supports multiple languages.
Key Features
No file restriction – Happyscribe can support a file of practically any size, making it suitable for heavy workloads.
Interactive Text Editor – intuitive editor makes it better than ost transcription programs available.
Integrations – Integrates well with YouTube, Zapier and other platforms.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Supports different file formats
- Speaker identification
- No file size restriction
- Allows for easy collaboration
Cons
- No live transcription
Pricing
- Automatic transcription – Free Trial/£0.20 per minute
- Human-made transcriptions – £2.00 per minute
Amberscript
Best Value for Money
Amberscript is a trusted AI transcription software with intelligent speech recognition features and an embedded text editor that makes transcripts more accurate. Amberscript offers both automatic transcription services and manual transcriptions with a fast turnaround. It is also a GDPR-compliant tool making it a secure choice.
Key Features
Multiple languages – Amberscript supports up t 39 languages for automatic transcription and 11 languages for manual transcription.
Online editing – It has an in-built text editor that makes transcripts better polished
Mobile Application – Has a mobile and desktop app for easier use.
Pros
- Mobile app
- Multiple language support
- Instant draft texts
- Intuitive dashboard
- Security and privacy
- Excellent GUI
- Text editor
Cons
- Not the most accurate tool out there, so you have to spend time editing
Pricing
- Free Trial
- Prepaid – £15 per hour
- Subscription – £40 per month
- Manual transcription – £1.90 per minute
Trint
Best AI Transcription Software
Trint is an AI-based transcription software that converts video or audio to texts in different languages on both Windows and macOS devices. Trint’s AI has a very high accuracy rate and good security policies. Trint offers different customization features, allowing users to add markers, assign speaker names, search for certain words, and even leave notes. It also has a mobile application for Android and iOS devices.
Key Features
Compatibility – Compatible with both macOS and Windows devices.
Personal dictionary – Allows you to add specialized spellings, brand names, jargons people names.
Export – You can export your transcripts in different formats such as docx., srt, vtt, .txt, .stl, .cdl, html, xml, csv.
Pros
- High accuracy
- Responsive mve mobile app
- Closed captioning of audio and video
- Online editor
- Machine learning transcription
- Easy collaboration
- Multiple language
- Export in different formats including Word Doc, csv.
Cons
- Expensive
- Poor accuracy for complex files
- Insufficient sharing in app
- Does not work well with video or YouTube links
Pricing
- Free Trial for seven days
- Starter – £44 per user/month (billed annually)
- Advanced – £52 per user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise – Custom pricing
Temi
Most Budget Friendly Transcription Software
Temi is a highly affordable transcription software with specialized machine learning and speech recognition features. Temi offers accurate speaker recognition, custom timestamps, and an in-built editor to help refine transcripts. It comes with a mobile app for iOS and Android devices.
Key Features
Data encryption – Your files are safe and secure with the TLS 12 data encryption.
All file formats – Works well with all file formats so you don’t need to convert files first.
Easy to Navigate – The tool has a fairly simple interface that makes it easy to navigate.
Pros
- Free trial
- Mobile application
- Easy to navigate
- Great customer support
- It is cheap
- API support available
Cons
- Supports only the English language
- Doesn’t work well with complex files hence only suitable for simple tasks
- Can’t edit extensively on the program
Pricing
- Free Trial
- $0.25 per minute
Buyer’s Guide for the Best Transcription Software
When choosing a transcription software to convert your videos into text or to caption and subtitles your videos, there are a few things you should look out for.
Level of Accuracy
A video transcription software must be as accurate as possible. The main purpose of a transcription software is to save you time, so it makes absolutely no sense that you would still have to spend good time editing the transcripts produced by a transcription software. A good program should guarantee about 95 – 99% accuracy.
Turnaround Time
Again time is at the core of the usefulness of a transcription software. Hence, a program that will take as much time as a human transcriptionist would is probably not your best bet. Depending on the length of your video files, you should be able to find a program that reduces the time spent transcribing by at almost half.
Workload
When choosing a transcription software, you should consider the workload such a program can support and compare it to your individual or business needs. If you have a workload that spans hours of video content, you do not want to choose a software that lags or crashes when the input is heavy.
Language
If you have a multi-lingual audience or better yet, your content is in different languages, you should choose a programme that supports multiple languages. It is an added advantage if the program has an advanced voice recognition feature that picks up different accents and dialects.
Features
Very importantly, your chosen program should have a range of features that allows you to customize your transcription experience. For example, stuff like seamless integration with third-party programs, automatic timestamping, an inbuilt editor, a mobile application will make transcriptions a lot better.
Frequently Asked Questions on Best Transcription Software
A transcription software is computer software that helps users transcribe audio and video files into text. It typically has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to convert media files into written transcripts. Most transcription software also supports multiple languages, making it easy to transcribe videos and audio recordings in various languages.
There are a few limitations to using transcription software. First, the accuracy of the transcriptions may vary depending on the quality of the audio or video file.
Second, some transcription software only supports certain file formats, so you may need to convert your files into a supported format before you can begin transcribing them. Third, transcription software may not work well with complex files without a clean audio.
Yes, many transcription software programs offer support for multiple languages so that you can transcribe videos and audio recordings in various languages. This can be helpful if you need to transcribe a recording in a language you are unfamiliar with.
There are pros and cons to both human transcription services and computer transcription. Human transcription services are typically more accurate than computer transcription but can also be more expensive and slow. Computer transcription is typically less accurate than human transcription but is faster and less expensive.
Transcription software typically runs at a speed of around 150 words per minute. However, some transcription software programs offer faster or slower speeds, so be sure to compare the speeds of different programs before choosing one.
Other questions you may want to ask about the best video transcription software include its supported file formats (e.g., MP4, MOV), whether it offers cloud-based storage options, and how many licenses are included in each purchase.
Final Thoughts
Overall, using a transcription software is a great way to improve communication and ensure everyone is on the same page. It can also help with productivity by providing an easy way to keep track of meeting minutes and other important notes. We recommend checking out our top picks if you’re looking for reliable and user-friendly transcription software.
Depending on your transcription needs, some of the best tools are GoTranscript, Descript, Sonix, and Trint. GoTranscript offers a highly accurate human-based transcription service, while
Sonix is a highly automated tool that ensures accuracy even when the audio quality is poor. Descript, is an all-in-one tool that allows you to record, edit, and transcribe in one place. Trint is a popular AI tool because of its strong machine learning algorithms.
Regardless of your personal and business needs, you can be sure to find a suitable tool from our top picks.
