Free audio to text With speakers and timestamps, on a 3-day trial.
To transcribe audio to text for free, pick an audio or video file, or paste a YouTube link, then create your account and upload. We transcribe it with speakers separated and a timestamp on every line, in 90+ languages, and you download TXT, PDF, SRT or MP3. The free trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media.
Free on the 3-day trialVideos, Shorts, live streams and youtu.be links. Private or age-restricted videos can't be imported.
- An audio file, a video file or a YouTube link
- Transcript with timestamps and speakers separated
- Language detected for you, among 90+ languages
- Downloads in TXT, PDF, SRT and MP3
- Cancel anytime in the app, no fee
You create the account and upload this file in the next step. The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media.
You create the account, start the trial and paste this link in the upload area. The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media and needs a card; cancel before it ends and you pay nothing.
How to transcribe audio to text for free
- 01
Pick a file or a link
Drag an audio or video recording into the box above, or open the YouTube link tab and paste the video's address. We show the file's length or the video's thumbnail.
- 02
Create your free account
Sign up in a few seconds and upload the same file, or paste the same link in the link tab of the upload area.
- 03
Get the text and download
The transcript is ready in minutes, with speakers and timestamps. Fix anything you need and download TXT, PDF, SRT or MP3.
Free audio transcription: what the trial covers and what's paid
FilmScribe has no free-forever plan. It has a free trial of 3 days or 1 hour of audio or video, whichever ends first, with the same transcription as the paid plans. You upload your own recording, and the trial starts with a card on file: cancel in the app before it ends and you pay nothing. One hour covers a research interview, a podcast episode or a full lecture.
If you don't cancel before the trial ends, the plan you picked starts. Plans include 10 to 35 hours of media a month, with transcription, chapters, clips and captions. You cancel from your account, with no fee and no need to contact support.
| Feature | Free trial | Paid plans |
|---|---|---|
| Media | 3 days or 1 hour | 10, 20 or 35 hours a month |
| Speakers and timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| TXT, PDF, SRT and MP3 | Yes | Yes |
| Languages | 90+ languages | 90+ languages |
| Captioned clips | FilmScribe mark at the end | No watermark |
How to convert audio to text with speakers and timestamps
Converting audio to text means turning everything said in a recording into text you can read, search and edit. We detect the language, split the lines by speaker and time every word. Each line shows the timestamp where it starts, and clicking the text jumps the player straight to that moment.
That changes the work after the transcript. In a research interview, you find the answer you need without listening to the whole thing again. On a three-host podcast, you filter to just the guest. In a recorded lecture, you copy the exact passage into your notes. If a name came out wrong, fix it once in the transcript and the fix carries to the text, the captions and every export.
TXT, PDF, SRT or MP3: which format should you download?
It depends on where the text is going. TXT is plain running text: it opens in Word, Google Docs and any editor, good for summaries, articles, meeting minutes or study notes. PDF is for reviewing, printing or sending the transcript to a client or advisor. SRT is a caption file with in and out times, ready for YouTube Studio, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro.
MP3 is the audio of the whole file or just a passage you marked in the transcript, handy for sending one quote by message. If captions are what you're after, the SRT generator shows what the file looks like inside and how to import it into each editor.
| Format | Use it for | Opens in |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | Summaries, articles, minutes, notes | Word, Google Docs, Notepad |
| Reviewing, printing, sending to a client | Any PDF reader | |
| SRT | Timed captions | YouTube, Premiere, DaVinci, Final Cut |
| MP3 | The whole audio or one passage | Phone, media player, messaging apps |
Is free automatic transcription accurate?
Not perfectly, and no transcription is. Audio quality matters most: a voice close to the mic, with no background music and nobody talking over it, gives you text that needs very few fixes. Echoey rooms, street noise, crosstalk, names and technical terms cause most of the errors. So review the text before you publish or quote it.
Three habits help, and the last one saves your trial hour. For a side-by-side of every way to turn a recording into text, including by hand and in Word, see the guide on how to transcribe video to text.
- Record with the mic close to whoever is speaking.
- Upload the audio from the recorder or the mixer when it sounds better than the camera's.
- If you only need one stretch, pick it before processing: only that stretch counts toward your hours.
More than free audio to text. The text becomes chapters, captions and clips.
See also
Frequently asked questions
Can I transcribe audio to text for free?
Yes, within the free trial: 3 days or 1 hour of audio or video, whichever ends first. It is the same transcription as the paid plans, with speakers, timestamps and TXT, PDF, SRT and MP3 downloads. The trial starts with a card on file; cancel in the app before it ends and you pay nothing. After the trial, transcription is part of the paid plans.
What happens when the trial ends?
If you don't cancel before the trial ends, the plan you picked starts, with 10, 20 or 35 hours of media a month, from R$ 59 (BRL). Cancel before then and you are not charged. You cancel from your account, with no fee and no need to contact support.
Which audio and video formats can I upload?
MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, OPUS, MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM and other common formats. You can also paste a YouTube link, including a livestream once the replay is available. Phone recordings, field recorder files and voice notes all work the same way.
Which languages does it transcribe?
90+ languages, with automatic detection, so you don't have to pick the language before uploading. English, Portuguese and Spanish are the most common, and an interview in French or Italian works the same way. Translating the transcript into other languages is on Studio and Agency.
Does it separate who is speaking?
Yes, on every plan. Each line shows the speaker and the timestamp, and you can filter the text to read one person only. Renaming speakers and identifying them by name from what is said in the recording is on Studio and Agency.
How long does transcription take?
Minutes. After the upload, we detect the language, separate the speakers and time every word. A short clip is ready fast, and a long recording takes a few more minutes. Once the upload finishes you can close the page: the transcript waits for you in your account.
Can I transcribe a video or a YouTube link, not just audio?
Yes. Transcription works from speech, so an audio file, a video file and a YouTube link behave the same and count the same toward your trial hour. Private or age-restricted videos can't be imported: in that case, upload the file. With video, the same transcript also becomes chapters, vertical clips and animated captions, with no new upload.
Transcribe your recording for free. With speakers and timestamps, in minutes.
Upload the audio or video, or paste a YouTube link. We transcribe it in 90+ languages and you download TXT, PDF, SRT or MP3. Trial of 3 days or 1 hour of media.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.