speech to text app for writers

The Best Dictation and Speech-to-Text Apps for Writers (2024)

by Guest Blogger | 0 comments

Start Your Story TODAY! We’re teaching a new LIVE workshop this week to help you start your next book. Learn more and sign up here.

If you're more comfortable talking through your ideas than typing them out, you may want to try one of these speech to text apps for writers. Dictation and transcription provide quick solutions for everything from working through interviews to recording story ideas and chapters. Check out our guide by guest writer Jamie Biggs and see which one is the best fit for you! 

Welcome to one of our favorite community members and writers Jamie Biggs who loves to use dictation as she writes. You can read more about Jamie at the end of her article, and for a full run-down of the Best Book Writing Software, see our post here . 

What is dictation software?

Dictation software is a type of speech-to-text technology that allows you to create written documents without having to type or write them out. The voice recognition software converts your speech into text and then saves the document in an easily shareable format.

It’s perfect for writers, students, and professionals who need to get their ideas down quickly. With dictation software, you can save yourself time by speaking your thoughts rather than writing them out.

Why use dictation?

Want an edge in writing? I gave speech-to-text dictation a try, and find it’s a must-have for anyone who wants to up their creativity game and work smarter.

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, prepping interview transcripts for ghostwriting, or just trying to get your ideas out of your head fast, dictation software can expedite the process.

Many people find it easier to express their thoughts and ideas aloud, and speaking is quicker than typing (in most cases). It's perfect for writers who want to record their story ideas, and it can also be a useful tool to overcome writer’s block. When you’re having trouble organizing your thoughts, speaking those ideas instead of facing a blank page can be helpful.

Dictation is also an effective way to decrease physical strain. Typing for long periods can lead to physical discomfort or repetitive strain injuries. If you're spending hours behind a keyboard, consider trying it out. Dictation software provides an alternative method of text input, helping to ease strain on the fingers, hands, and wrists.

And of course, the convenience of writing on the go. Dictation software on mobile devices allows you to capture ideas or notes while on the move without needing to stop and type. We can capture writing during a walk outside, commuting to and from work, or even while waiting in line at a gas station using an app on your phone. 

Features of a strong dictation app

There are a few features that I looked at when testing these apps out. Here are the features I found most important: 

Accuracy: The most critical factor in any dictation app is its ability to accurately convert spoken words to written text. A great app needs accurate voice recognition for diverse accents and speech styles.

Real-time Transcription: Real-time transcription can provide writers with instant feedback on their dictation, enabling them to identify areas where they need to improve their writing skills.

Punctuation and Formatting: An app’s punctuation and formatting controls can make it possible for you to speak naturally without naming each punctuation mark.

Customization: The ability to control saving, sharing, and navigating through voice commands is available on some dictation apps. Customization options, such as language models or personalized dictionaries, can also improve accuracy. Adding an unusual name or unfamiliar word to your personalized dictionary will save you editing time.

Let's take a look at the best dictation apps I tried for writers. Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. 

The best dictation apps for writers:

Dragon naturally speaking (dragon professional individual).

Dragon NaturallySpeaking (now called Dragon Professional Individual) has been a leading force in the speech-to-text software market for a long time. The tool provides high accuracy, advanced punctuation and formatting options, support for multiple languages, and can be easily integrated with writing tools.

Initially, there is a learning curve for using this software. You will need time to train it to recognize your voice and speech patterns accurately. Learning how to use voice commands effectively can also take time.

Nuance Communications, the makers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking no longer supports iOS. They offer it for Windows only. However, they have an Apple application called Dragon Anywhere Mobile that is available on both iOS and Android devices. It is a scaled-down version of the Windows application.

I don't have a Windows PC and have not used the Dragon Professional Individual version for Windows. However, I use the Dragon Anywhere Mobile App on my iPad Pro.

The menu is easy to navigate and aside from a couple of missed words, it does a good job transcribing my voice.

Dragon is a little pricey compared to the other apps, but its level of accuracy and customization options might make it an investment worth making as a writer.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking – single user license Price: $699.00

Dragon Anywhere Mobile App Price: $150 yearly subscription or $15 monthly subscription

Here are some of the main pros and cons for the Dragon Apps: 

Otter.ai transcribes speech in real-time, making note-taking easy during interviews, or brainstorming sessions. Writers can easily record and organize content with this feature and not forget important details.

Otter.ai integrates with writing apps, allowing easy transfer of transcribed text. Writers can keep their writing workflow while using speech-to-text technology for productivity and creativity.

You can access Otter.ai by visiting their website (otter.ai) using a web browser on your computer. It is also available for both iOS and Android devices.

I found Otter.ai to be user-friendly, and it accurately transcribed speech. It automatically added punctuation, and did not require me to give punctuation commands as I dictated. 

The app added a time stamp with every start and stop. It was designed for meeting transcription and can identify multiple speakers within the meeting.

Writer’s will need to copy and paste the transcribed text into an editing software application to edit and remove the time stamps. If you are on a budget, the Basic subscription is a great place to start.

Otter.ai is available as a monthly or annual subscription based on monthly transcription minutes. BASIC – 300 monthly transcription minutes; 30 minutes per conversation. Price: Free

PRO – 1200 monthly transcription minutes: 90 minutes per conversation. Price: $99.99 yearly subscription or $16.99 monthly subscription

Otter.ai is a strong place to start if you're new to speech-to-text apps, as you can try those free features before committing to the larger subscription. 

Speechnotes

Speechnotes offers a user-friendly interface for quick and effortless dictation. Real-time transcription provides instant feedback, improving productivity and usability.

This website application was easy to navigate allowing me to immediately jump in and begin. You have the option to speak punctuation as you go, or to go back and insert by clicking the needed punctuation from the side menu.

You can dictate offline with Speechnotes, but with limitations. Multiple languages are supported, catering to diverse backgrounds and accommodating native language dictation.

It also offers a few ways to move your newly transcribed document from the dictation screen to upload into a Google Doc, Word Doc, or txt file. It also gives you the option to email or print your work from the same screen.

I liked this app. If you get past the ads at the bottom of the screen, then the price is definitely right.  But if ads are bothersome for you, the Premium subscription is very affordable.

Speechnotes Plans Dictation – Online dictation notepad and voice typing Chrome extension Price: Free

Dictation Premium – Premium online dictation notepad and voice typing Chrome extension. Support from the development team. No Ads. Price: $1.90 per month

Transcription – Pay as you go – no subscription Audio & Video recordings. $0.10 per minute of audio

Google Docs Voice Typing

Google Docs Voice Typing is a built-in feature of Google Docs that offers real-time transcription, offline support, and extensive language options. It also integrates seamlessly with Google's productivity suite, making it a convenient choice for writers who use Google Workspace.

Google Docs Voice Typing is a built-in feature of Google Docs, available to all Google account users at no additional cost. It's easily accessible and user-friendly for Google Docs users.

The feature transcribes spoken words into text in real-time.

Text-to-Speech with Google Voice is easy to set up from the Google Docs file menu. Select “tools” from the menu bar, and select “voice typing” from the drop down.

It is simple to use. click the microphone to start and stop transcribing. Google Voice Typing accurately transcribed for me, but required me to give punctuation voice commands which slowed the process, but you can even dictate and apply text styles using voice commands.

If you regularly use Google Docs for writing, this is can be easily added to your work in progress.

Google Docs Voice Typing Price: Free with any Google account

The price is right for this one, but it doesn't have the additional features or accuracy and sensitivity as some of the other paid app services. 

Apple Pages Dictation

Apple Pages Dictation offers users a hands-free writing experience with real-time transcription. It supports multiple languages and dialects.

There is some set-up required in order to utilize speech to text on Apple Pages. You will need to access settings from your Apple menu, click keyboard settings and turn on Dictation. Once this is completed, voice transcription is activated by double tapping the control key on the keyboard.

It has basic punctuation command capabilities like adding a comma or period. But it was not able to add a new paragraph or new line on command. I had to stop and add the new line manually and then restart by double clicking the control key again.

If you are testing the waters with speech to text, this is an option worth experimenting with if you are an Apple user. Pages comes with every Apple system.

Apple Dictation Price: Included in all Apple Devices

What is transcription?

Transcription and dictation are two related yet distinct processes. While dictation involves directly speaking into a program that instantly converts your words into text on the page, transcription follows a slightly different path.

For transcription, you provide the app with an audio file, which it then meticulously transcribes, transforming spoken content into written form. 

Why use transcription?

Using a transcription service offers a straightforward and user-friendly alternative voice recognition software. Transcription services eliminate the need to memorize and execute specific voice commands for punctuation, formatting, and editing. Instead, you simply upload your audio files, and the service handles the transcription process, delivering accurate written content.

This approach is particularly advantageous for individuals who may not be comfortable with or have the time to master complex voice commands. Transcription services cater to a wide range of users, including those without technical expertise. The process is as simple as submitting an audio file and receiving a transcribed text in return.

In contrast, mastering speech-to-text commands requires familiarization with a set of commands, which might vary across different platforms or software. It involves a learning curve that might not align with everyone's preferences or requirements.

Ultimately, utilizing a transcription service streamlines the process, making it accessible to users of varying technical skill levels. It allows individuals to focus on content creation, without the need to navigate intricate command structures, resulting in a smoother and more efficient transcription experience.

Do you need any special recording equipment?

In most cases, special recording equipment isn't necessary for using voice dictation and transcription. Modern voice dictation software is designed to work with the built-in microphones of devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets. These microphones are generally sufficient for capturing your spoken words accurately. However, if you're in an environment with significant background noise, using an external microphone or a noise-canceling headset can improve the accuracy of the transcription.

For professionals who require high-quality recordings, such as podcasters or journalists conducting interviews, investing in a good-quality external microphone might be beneficial to ensure clear and crisp audio. Additionally, using a quiet environment without excessive ambient noise can enhance the accuracy of voice dictation.

Ultimately, while specialized recording equipment can enhance the quality of your recordings, it's not a strict requirement. 

The best transcription services for writers

Writers are increasingly turning to transcription services as invaluable tools to streamline their work processes and enhance productivity. Here are four online transcription services, features and benefits to consider.

Rev is a popular transcription service that provides accurate and quick transcription for audio and video files. They offer human-generated transcriptions and have options for different turnaround times.

Rev's interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate. select the type of order you would like to place and then upload your file.

Rev Services Pricing:

TranscribeMe

TranscribeMe offers both automated and human-powered transcription services. They specialize in providing accurate transcriptions for various industries.

Uploading an audio file was simple and straightforward, drag and drop.

TranscribeMe Services Pricing:

Happy Scribe

Happy Scribe offers both automated and human-assisted transcription services. They also provide options for translating transcripts into different languages.

The website is easy to navigate and upload your audio file. They offer the first 5 minutes of your audio file transcribed for free, giving you an opportunity to test drive their service.

Happy Scribe Pricing:

Scribie is another transcription service that offers human-generated transcriptions. They focus on providing accurate transcriptions and offer a variety of turnaround options.

 I have used Scribie for my own transcription needs and found the service quick and accurate. The have recently changed their pricing to a flat rate for human verified transcripts, no longer offering the AI transcribed files option. 

Scribie pricing:

Useful tips for dictation or transcription

By following these tips, you can make your dictation and transcription processes more efficient and accurate, ensuring that your spoken content is accurately transformed into written text.

Dictation tips

• Speak Clearly and Calmly : Enunciate your words clearly and speak at a moderate pace. Avoid speaking too fast or mumbling to ensure accurate transcription.
• Punctuation and Formatting Commands : Learn and use voice commands for punctuation (“period,” “comma,” “new line”) and formatting (“bold,” “italics”) to maintain proper structure in your text.
• Practice Makes Perfect : Familiarize yourself with the voice recognition system's response time and accuracy by practicing dictation with shorter passages before tackling longer content.
• Break Down Complex Sentences : For complex sentences, break them into smaller, manageable phrases to enhance accuracy.
• Proofread and Edit : After dictating, proofread and edit the transcribed text for any errors or discrepancies that might have occurred during dictation.
• Minimize Background Noise : Choose a quiet environment to reduce background noise that could interfere with accurate transcription.

Transcription tips

• Use Quality Audio : Provide clear and high-quality audio file recordings for accurate transcription. Minimize background noise and ensure the speakers' voices are distinct.
• Speaker Identification : If multiple speakers are involved, indicate speaker changes or use timestamps to differentiate speakers during transcription.
• Provide Context : Give transcribers context by sharing any relevant information about the subject, speakers, or terminology used in the recording.
• Accent and Jargon Awareness : If you have an accent or are using industry-specific jargon, consider using a transcription service or software that's familiar with these nuances.
• Review and Edit : After receiving the transcription, review and edit it for any errors or inconsistencies. Sometimes, context-based errors can occur.
• Time Management : Transcribing can be time-consuming. Consider using transcription services or software to expedite the process, especially for longer recordings.
• Backup and Security : Keep your audio recordings secure and backed up to prevent loss of valuable content.
• Regular Breaks : If you're transcribing for extended periods, take regular breaks to avoid fatigue and maintain accuracy.

Speech to text apps for writers can be incredibly useful tools, allowing them to quickly transcribe their spoken words into written form. By following these simple tips, you can make sure that your dictation and transcription processes are more efficient and accurate.

Pick a favorite paragraph or scene from your work in progress and convert it using a speech-to-text software or a transcription service.

When you’re finished, share your experience in the Pro Practice Workshop here . Not a member yet? Join us here !

Guest Blogger

This article is by a guest blogger. Would you like to write for The Write Practice? Check out our guest post guidelines .

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Best Resources for Writers Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Table of Contents

Why Use Speech Recognition Software?

• Dictation vs. Transcription

Why Use Dictation?

Why use transcription.

• Do You Need Special Recording Equipment?

The Best Transcription Services

The 5 best dictation software options, the best dictation software for writers (to use in 2023).

A lot of Authors give up on their books before they even start writing .

I see it all the time. Authors sit down to write and end up staring at a blank page. They might get a few words down, but they hate what they’ve written, harshly judge themselves, and quit.

Or they get intimidated by the prospect of writing more and give up. They may come back, but if so, it’s with less and less enthusiasm, until they eventually just stop.

In order to break the pattern, you have to get out of your own head. And the best way to do that is to talk it out.

I’m serious. Who ever said that you have to write your book? Why not speak it?

Authors don’t need to be professional writers. You’re publishing a book because you have knowledge to share with the world.

If you’re more comfortable speaking than writing, there’s no shame in dictating your book.

Sure, at some point, you’ll have to put the words on a page and make them readable, of course.

But for your first draft, you can stop focusing on being a perfect writer and instead focus on getting your ideas out in the world.

In this post, I’ll cover why dictation software is such a great tool, the difference between dictation and transcription, and the best options in each category.

When Authors experience writer’s block , it’s not usually because they have bad ideas or because they’re unorganized. The number 1 cause of writer’s block is fear.

So, how do you get rid of that fear?

The easiest solution is to stop staring at the screen and talk instead.

Many Authors can talk clearly and comfortably about their ideas when they aren’t put on the spot. Just think of how easy it is to sit down with colleagues over coffee or how excited you get explaining your work to a friend.

There’s a lot less pressure in those situations. It’s much easier than thinking, “I’m writing something that thousands of people are going to read and judge.”

When that thought is in your head, of course you’re going to freeze.

Your best bet is to ignore all those thoughts and really focus on your reader . Imagine you’re speaking to a specific person—maybe your ideal client or a close friend. What do they want to know? What can you help them with? What tone do you use when you talk to them?

When you keep your attention on the reader you’re trying to serve, it helps quiet your fear and anxiety. And when you speak, rather than write, it can help you keep a relaxed, confident, and personable tone.

Readers relate to Authors’ authentic voices far more than overly-crafted, hyper-intellectual writing styles.

Speaking will also help you finish your first draft faster because it helps you resist the desire to edit as you go.

We always tell Scribe Authors that their first draft should be a “vomit draft.”

You should spew words onto a page without worrying whether they’re good, how they can be better, or whether you’ve said the right thing.

Your vomit draft can be—and possibly will be—absolute garbage.

But that’s okay. As the Author of 4 New York Times bestsellers, I can tell you: first drafts are often garbage. In the end, they still go on to become highly successful books.

It’s a lot easier to edit words that are already on the page than to agonize over every single thing you’re writing.

That’s why speech recognition software is the perfect workaround. When you talk, you don’t have time to agonize. Your ideas can flow without your brain working overtime on grammar, clarity, and all those other things we expect from the written word.

Of course, your spoken words won’t be the same as a book. You’ll have to edit out all the “uh”s and the places you went on tangents. You might even have to overhaul the organization of the sections.

But remember, the goal of a first draft is never perfection. The goal is to have a text you can work with.

What’s the Difference between Dictation & Transcription?

If you know you want to talk out your first draft, you have 2 options:

• Use dictation software
• Use a transcription service

1. Dictation Software

With dictation software, you speak, and the software transcribes your words in real-time.

For example, when you give Siri a voice command on your iPhone, the words pop up across the top of the screen. That’s how dictation software works.

Although, I should point out that we aren’t really talking about Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, or Microsoft’s Cortana here. Those are AI virtual assistants that use voice recognition software, but they aren’t true dictation apps. In other words, they’re good at transcribing a shopping list, but they won’t help you write a book.

Some dictation software comes as a standalone app you use exclusively for converting speech to text. Other dictation software comes embedded in a word processor, like Apple’s built-in dictation in Pages or Google Docs’ built-in voice tool.

If you’re a fast speaker, most live dictation software won’t be able to keep up with you. You have to speak slowly and clearly for it to work.

For many people, trying to use dictation software slows them down, which can interrupt their train of thought.

2. Transcription Services

In contrast, transcription services convert your words to text after-the-fact. You record yourself talking and send the completed audio files to the service for transcription.

Some transcription services use human transcription, which is exactly what it sounds like: a human listens to your audio and transcribes the content. This kind of transcription is typically slower and more expensive, but it’s also more accurate.

Other transcription services rely on computer transcription. Using artificial intelligence and advanced voice recognition technology, these services can turn around a full transcript in a matter of minutes. You’ll find some mistakes, but unless you have a strong accent or there’s a lot of background noise in the recording, they’re fairly accurate.

Dictation is the way to go if you want to sit in front of your computer and type—but maybe just type a little faster. It’s especially useful for people who want to switch between talking and typing.

It’s probably not your best option if you want to speak your entire first draft. Voice recognition software still requires you to speak slowly and clearly. You might lose your train of thought if you’re constantly stopping to let the software catch up.

With dictation software, you may also be tempted to stop and read what the software is typing. That’s an easy way to get sucked into editing, which you should never do when you’re writing your first draft.

I recommend using dictation as a way to shake up your writing process, not to replace typing entirely.

If you want to get your vomit draft out by speaking at your own natural pace, we recommend making actual recordings and sending them to a transcription service.

Transcription is also preferable if you’re being interviewed or if you have a co-author because it can recognize multiple voices. It’s also a lot more flexible in terms of location. People can interview you over Zoom or in any other conferencing system, and as long as you can record the conversation, it will work.

Transcription is also relatively cheap and works for you while you do other things. You can record your content at your own pace and choose when you want a computer (or person) to transcribe it. You could record your whole book before you send the audio files for transcription, or you could do a chapter at a time.

Transcription may not work well for you if you are a visual person who needs to see text in order to stay on track. Without a clear outline in front of you, sometimes the temptation to verbally wander or jump around can be too great, and you’ll waste a lot of time sorting through the transcripts later.

Do You Need Any Special Recording Equipment?

No. Most people don’t need anything special.

Whether you’re using transcription or dictation, don’t waste your money on fancy audio equipment. The microphone that comes with your computer or smartphone is more than adequate.

Some people find headsets useful because they can move around while they’re speaking. But you don’t want to multitask too much. If you’re trying to dictate your book while you’re cooking, you’ll be distracted, and the ambient noise could mess up the recording.

Scribe recommends 2 transcription services:

Temi works well for automated transcription (i.e., transcribed by a computer, not a human).

They charge $.25 per audio minute, and their turnaround only takes a few minutes.

Their transcripts are easy to read with clear timestamps and labels for different speakers. They also provide an online editing tool that allows you to easily clean up your transcripts. For example, you can easily search for all the “um”s and remove them with the touch of a button.

You can also listen to your audio alongside the transcript, and you can adjust the playback speed. This is very useful if you’re a fast talker.

If you prefer to work on the go, Temi also offers a mobile app.

Rev offers many of the same features as Temi for automated transcripts. They call this option “Rough Draft” transcription, and it also costs $.25 per audio minute. The average turnaround time for a transcript is 5 minutes.

What sets Rev apart is that they also offer human transcription. This service costs $1.25 per minute, and Rev guarantees 99% accuracy. The average turnaround time is 12 hours.

Human transcription is a great option if your audio file has a lot of background noise. It’s also great if you have a strong accent that automatic transcription software has trouble recognizing.

1. Google Docs Voice Typing

This is currently the best voice typing software, by far. It’s driven by Google’s AI software, which applies Google’s deep learning algorithms to accurately recognize speech. It also supports 125 different languages.

One of the best aspects of Voice Typing is that you don’t need to use a specific operating system or install any extra software to use it. You just need the Chrome web browser and a Google account.

It’s also easy to use. Just log into your account and open a Google Doc. Go to “Tools” and select “Voice Typing.”

A microphone icon will pop up on your screen.

Click it, and it will turn red. That’s when you can start dictating.

Click the microphone again to stop the dictation.

Voice Typing is highly accurate, with the typical caveats that you have to speak clearly and at a relatively slow pace.

It’s free, and because it’s embedded in the Docs software, it’s easy to integrate into your pre-existing workflow. The only potential downside is that you need a high-quality internet connection for Voice Typing, so you won’t be able to use it offline.

2. Apple Dictation

Apple Dictation is a voice dictation software that’s built into Apple’s OS/ iOS. It comes preloaded with every Mac, and it works great with Apple software.

If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, you can access Apple dictation by pressing the microphone icon on the keyboard. Many people use this feature to dictate texts, but it also works in Pages for iPhone. It can be a useful option for taking notes or dictating content while you’re away from your desktop.

If you’re on a laptop or desktop, you can enable dictation by going to System Preferences > Keyboard.

Apple Dictation typically requires an internet connection, but you can select a feature in Settings called “Enhanced Dictation” that allows you to continuously dictate text when you’re offline.

Apple Dictation is great because it’s free, it works well with Apple software across multiple devices, and it generates fairly accurate text.

It’s not quite as high-powered as some “professional” grade dictation programs, but it would work well for most Authors who already own Apple products.

3. Windows Speech Recognition

The current Windows operating system comes with a built-in voice dictation system. You can train the system to recognize your voice, which means that the more you use it, the more accurate it becomes.

Unfortunately, that training can take a long time, so you’ll have to live with some inaccuracies until the system is calibrated.

On Windows 10, you can access dictation by hitting the Windows logo key + H. You can turn the microphone off by typing Windows key + H again or by resuming typing.

Windows Speech Recognition is a good option if you don’t own a Mac or don’t use Google Docs, but overall, I’d still recommend one of the other options.

4. Otter.ai

Otter allows you to “live transcribe” or create real-time streaming transcripts with synced audio, text, and images. You can record conversations on your phone or web browser, or you can import audio files from other services. You can also integrate Otter with Zoom.

Otter is powered by Ambient Voice Intelligence, which means it’s always learning. You can train Otter to recognize specific voices or learn certain terminology. It’s fast, accurate, and user-friendly.

Otter is based on a subscription plan with basic, premium, and team options. I’ll only mention the basic and premium plans since most Authors won’t need the team features.

The free basic plan allows 600 minutes of transcription per month, which should be plenty—but the maximum length of each file is only 40 minutes. You also can’t import audio and video, and you can only export your transcripts as txt files, not pdf or docx files.

The premium plan is $8.33 per user per month, and it grants you access to a whopping 6,000 monthly minutes, with a max speech length of 4 hours. More importantly, you can import recordings from other apps and export your files in multiple formats (which will make your writing process much smoother).

Dragon is one of the most commonly recommended programs for standalone dictation software. It has high-quality voice recognition, but that high quality comes with a hefty price tag. The latest version, Dragon Home 15, costs $150, but it’s not compatible with Apple’s operating system. Mac users have to upgrade to the Professional version ($300).

With all the solid free options available—several of which are better than Dragon—I don’t recommend buying Dragon.

The Scribe Crew

Read this next.

Never Stop Launching [How to Make Your Book Successful]

Authors Receive Authority – What does ‘The Medium Is the Message’ Really Mean?

Audiobooks: Who Benefits Most and Why Authors Should Consider Them

10 Best Dictation Apps For Writers (In 2024)

The journey to discovering my go-to app began with an unexpected challenge. Years of typing had finally caught up to me, manifesting as a repetitive strain injury. Writing, my once-beloved craft, became a painful chore. As part of my mission to combat this, I revamped my setup with a vertical mouse and created an ergonomic workspace . But the real magic? Discovering dictation software. This game-changer allowed me to rediscover the joy in writing without the pain. Beyond comfort, I noticed my writing productivity soaring. Think about it: we can speak almost three times faster than we type! By embracing voice typing, my word count per hour nearly doubled. A heads up, though: dictation might require a bit more editing than traditional typing. But as we writers know, editing can be the fun part. Ready to dive in?

Here are the best dictation apps for writers:

The 10 best dictation apps for writers (in-depth review):, 1. nuance dragon.

This speech recognition software is my chief recommendation , as there’s nothing better (on Windows) that can recognize spoken words. It’s not free and you would need to pay $200 for the lifetime license for the Home Version. But it’s worth every penny. Once you shift from a free voice to text app to Dragon, you’ll notice a big boost in productivity. With Dragon, you get 99% voice recognition out-of-the-box, and it even improves over time because of fancy algorithms. Indeed, this is more than dictation software. It allows you to do many tasks on your computer by using your voice through voice control. What kinds of tasks? Mostly surfing the web, opening programs, text editing, and OS navigation. But the biggest game-changer is that with Dragon, you can write in any text field you choose (chats, apps, emails, social media, etc.) The app is 100% compatible with Microsoft Word, and it has over 60 different voice commands . It has a few drawbacks, but it’s still one of the top speech-to-text programs. I even wrote a complete review of Nuance Dragon , so check it out to learn more.

Bottom line:

It’s the top app used by many respected writers and authors. It allows you to work in a hands-free mode while enhancing your productivity at the same time. Minor drawbacks aside, it is a fantastic writing tool for everyday use.

2. Google Docs Voice Typing

It’s the best option for beginners who want to dictate in any language. Just speak naturally, and it will be accurate 99% of the time. While this solution is not perfect, and it only works on the Chrome browser, it’s still pretty amazing. The best thing about it is that it’s free and you don’t even have to sign up for anything. You only need to create a Google Doc, go to “Tools” in the upper menu, and choose “Voice Typing.” This will open up the dictation tool and a menu from which you can choose your preferred language and press record. The number of languages is truly remarkable, making it a perfect app for note-taking without having to pay a hefty price tag. In the past, the record button would be available just for a couple of seconds before switching off. But now you can use dictation continually, which is much better for maintaining productive flow.

If you’ve never used dictation software before, this should be your primary choice. It will allow you to get your feet wet and gain dictation skills without investing a dime. Check it out right now.

3. Apple Dictation

The standard version of this dictation app requires the internet to work and has a time limit of about 30 seconds for each piece of speech, however, once you enable Enhanced Dictation available for OS X v10.9 or later or iPhone 6s or newer, you can dictate without limits and don’t need to be online. One thing great about it is that you can turn it on and off by using a keyboard shortcut (my favorite option is double hitting the command key) Apple dictation gives you broader capabilities than the free tool from Google Docs because you can write in any text field. What I like about Apple Dictation is that it has many extra commands and robust features you can use to format your text. For example, it allows you to open parentheses, and quotes, or add new lines or paragraphs. This makes it convenient if you want to avoid touching the keyboard altogether.

4. Braina Pro

Here’s an app that recognizes many languages and serves as your assistant. It’s the biggest competitor of Dragon Naturally Speaking , and it lets you dictate in languages other than English. It has a speech-to-text feature in 120 languages. It also recognizes local dialects, so you don’t have to worry that it will misspell words if you have an unusual accent. Just like Dragon, it comes with 99% speech recognition capability out-of-the-box. You don’t even need to “train” the app by dictating loads of text so it gets used to your pronunciation. You can set it up in a matter of minutes and start enjoying increased productivity in hands-free mode. You can even take advantage of added voice commands such as “new line” or “delete that”. Braina will help you write in any text field. This includes your email client, social media platforms, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or any other text editor. You can use it even in noisy environments, provided you have a decent microphone . The app also has a virtual assistant function. It’s better than Siri or Cortana, as it’s designed to maximize  productivity , especially for writers. For example, you could say “synonyms of joy,” and it will generate an answer. There are dozens of commands like that, and you can check them here . Finally, the Braina mobile app lets you control your PC through your mobile device. You only need to be connected to a home Wi-Fi network.

5. Windows Speech Recognition

A useful free dictation app for Windows users. If you’re reading this on a Windows PC, you can try out this free tool right now. Open “Control Panel” and click on “Ease of access” and then “speech recognition.” Then click on “Start speech recognition”. Afterward, you’ll need to go through a couple more steps (like setting up your microphone, etc.) before you’re ready. But the whole setup should take only five minutes. Now you’ll be able to use Windows 10 Speech Recognition for writing and use voice commands to control your computer hands-free. Once the app is in listening mode, you can start using commands like “comma”, or “open quote”, and even do basic web searches. Finally, the app lacks advanced voice recognition software capabilities and commands you can find in Dragon or other apps.

It’s not a perfect solution, especially if you plan to write daily. This is not designed for prolific writers, but it can be helpful if you’re looking to experiment with voice recognition software.

6. Speechnotes

7. dragon anywhere.

The best mobile app for power users, with advanced built-in features. This is the top choice if you’re a writer who loves to crunch out words onto your mobile screen as it offers fully formed dictation capabilities powered via the cloud. Whether you’re sitting in a local cafe, shopping, or even walking in the park – it’s always there with you. It’s nice, especially if you already use Dragon Naturally Speaking on your desktop computer. It shares a lot of similar features. It lets you dictate with no word limits, and with a 99% accuracy rate if you’re a native English speaker. Also, it allows you to open the correction menu to rectify any spelling or grammar mistakes . You can also program it to understand industry-specific vocabulary , so you don’t have to hand-type it like with other apps. Like the regular Dragon, the app uses advanced deep-learning algorithms that adapt to your speech patterns. Many professional authors use this app to write complete book manuscripts , as it lets you dictate up to 5,000 words per hour.

8. Google mobile voice typing (Gboard)

The best free mobile solution for Android users (especially if you have a Google Pixel phone). If you’re already using Gboard on your Android device, then switching to voice typing is an easy decision. I use this feature all the time to take notes in Google Keep and compose articles in Google Docs. I also find it useful when writing emails or writing social media posts while out of the office. Of course, voice recognition quality depends on the type of microphone you’re using. Your built-in smartphone mic is usually enough. But if you’re seriously considering voice writing on your phone, invest in an inexpensive lapel mic ($15-$20) with a 3.5 mm jack that can be plugged into your phone. This will vastly improve your results and turn your phone into a professional writing machine . This app works in 120 languages, so it’s great if you’re multilingual and want to switch from one language to another fast. And the best part? You can even type while offline. That’s perfect if you’re exploring the wilderness or sitting on a long-haul flight.

It’s a viable alternative to a paid option like Dragon Anywhere. It’s always free and readily accessible on your Android mobile device.

9. Siri Dictation

This is your top solution for an iOS device. Siri works great where voice-to-text capability is required. Now you can write at a greater speed than ever before on your mobile device.

10. Microsoft Dictation App for Microsoft 365 and the Web

Free dictation app for all devices with a Microsoft 365 subscription and MS Word online. This dictation app works on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, provided you have a Microsoft 365 subscription or signed up on MS Office online. Microsoft Dictation App for MS Word allows you to type Word documents using your voice. Even during the session, you can use your keyboard to modify the document. You can even dictate punctuation marks such as period, comma, question mark, etc., and the system would understand. The auto-punctuation mode will automatically close your sentence if you use it. This app can also be used in 20 different languages. Besides English, you can dictate Spanish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and several other widely used languages. It even has a profanity filter that masks swear words with ****. It is so convenient to use even when you are on the road. As long as you have an internet connection on your mobile phone or PC, you can use this app. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, the microphone icon automatically appears near the right end of your Word toolbar. All you have to do is click it and once it says: “Start listening” you can begin dictating and the system will start typing the words you said.

To learn more about how you can use this feature on your device, just check out this easy-to-follow guide .

The Top 5 Benefits of Using Dictation Software For Writing:

1. it’s faster than typing.

I used to write around 900 words an hour on a keyboard. But with a high-quality dictation app, I increased my output to about 1700 words during the same period. That’s a considerable boost in productivity.

2. It’s more ergonomic

I so wish that someone told me about dictation software a couple of years ago. It would have saved me from a tremendous amount of pain and frustration. By using voice to write and edit, I’ve been keeping my valuable wrists, neck, and back pain-free .

3. It lets you “write as you speak”

4. it makes you a better verbal communicator, 5. it’s the future.

You’re probably already using voice to communicate through a variety of apps. Using your voice for writing is the logical next step . Plus, you can use voice control, and create custom voice commands to further enhance your experience.

Additional Dictation Tips For Writers

Bonus tip #1: use the right microphone to get the most out of the dictation software.

I learned that using a proper microphone is one of the best things you can do to improve the quality of dictation . Even if you get the best piece of software, you won’t get an optimum result if you’re speaking into a crappy microphone or if there’s a lot of background noise. You can choose between three different popular types, depending on your needs.

1. Bluetooth Headset

2. podcasting microphone.

The second option is a podcasting microphone. This is convenient for many users because it allows you to dictate while listening to music on your headphones. On the minus side, a mic like this takes up more space and has to be fixed to your desk. Here’s a recommended model you can use.

3. Gooseneck Microphone

Option number three is the best of both worlds. A gooseneck microphone gives you all the flexibility while picking up sounds perfectly. Yes, you still need to sit (or stand) at your desk to make it work. But at least it doesn’t take up a lot of space, and it can provide a desirable dictation quality. Here’s a recommended model you can use .

Bonus Tip #2: How to use dictation for maximum speech-to-text efficiency

Once you have the right software and hardware in place, the only thing you need to do is to learn how to dictate accurately. Here’s how:

If you want to learn and master the skill, you can read a book like “ Dictate Your Book: How To Write Your Book Faster, Better, and Smarter ” by Monica Leonelle. In 59 pages, you’ll get all the info you need along with exercise prompts.

Final Thoughts

Rafal reyzer.

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

The best dictation software in 2024

These speech-to-text apps will save you time without sacrificing accuracy..

The early days of dictation software were like your friend that mishears lyrics: lots of enthusiasm but little accuracy. Now, AI is out of Pandora's box, both in the news and in the apps we use, and dictation apps are getting better and better because of it. It's still not 100% perfect, but you'll definitely feel more in control when using your voice to type.

I took to the internet to find the best speech-to-text software out there right now, and after monologuing at length in front of dozens of dictation apps, these are my picks for the best.

The best dictation software

What is dictation software.

If this isn't what you're looking for, here's what else is out there:

AI assistants, such as Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Microsoft's Cortana, can help you interact with each of these ecosystems to send texts, buy products, or schedule events on your calendar.

Transcription services that use a combination of dictation software, AI, and human proofreaders can achieve above 99% accuracy.

What makes a great dictation app?

How we evaluate and test apps.

Dictation software comes in different shapes and sizes. Some are integrated in products you already use. Others are separate apps that offer a range of extra features. While each can vary in look and feel, here's what I looked for to find the best:

High accuracy. Staying true to what you're saying is the most important feature here. The lowest score on this list is at 92% accuracy.

Ease of use. This isn't a high hurdle, as most options are basic enough that anyone can figure them out in seconds.

Availability of voice commands. These let you add "instructions" while you're dictating, such as adding punctuation, starting a new paragraph, or more complex commands like capitalizing all the words in a sentence.

Availability of the languages supported. Most of the picks here support a decent (or impressive) number of languages.

Versatility. I paid attention to how well the software could adapt to different circumstances, apps, and systems.

I tested these apps by reading a 200-word script containing numbers, compound words, and a few tricky terms. I read the script three times for each app: the accuracy scores are an average of all attempts. Finally, I used the voice commands to delete and format text and to control the app's features where available.

What about AI?

Also, since this isn't a hot AI software category, these apps may prefer to focus on their core offering and product quality instead, not ride the trendy wave by slapping "AI-powered" on every web page.

Tips for using voice recognition software

Though dictation software is pretty good at recognizing different voices, it's not perfect. Here are some tips to make it work as best as possible.

Speak naturally (with caveats). Dictation apps learn your voice and speech patterns over time. And if you're going to spend any time with them, you want to be comfortable. Speak naturally. If you're not getting 90% accuracy initially, try enunciating more.  

Punctuate. When you dictate, you have to say each period, comma, question mark, and so forth. The software isn't always smart enough to figure it out on its own.

Learn a few commands . Take the time to learn a few simple commands, such as "new line" to enter a line break. There are different commands for composing, editing, and operating your device. Commands may differ from app to app, so learn the ones that apply to the tool you choose.

Know your limits. Especially on mobile devices, some tools have a time limit for how long they can listen—sometimes for as little as 10 seconds. Glance at the screen from time to time to make sure you haven't blown past the mark. 

Practice. It takes time to adjust to voice recognition software, but it gets easier the more you practice. Some of the more sophisticated apps invite you to train by reading passages or doing other short drills. Don't shy away from tutorials, help menus, and on-screen cheat sheets.

The best dictation software at a glance

Best free dictation software for Apple devices

.css-12hxxzz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} apple dictation (ios, ipados, macos).

Look no further than your Mac, iPhone, or iPad for one of the best dictation tools. Apple's built-in dictation feature, powered by Siri (I wouldn't be surprised if the two merged one day), ships as part of Apple's desktop and mobile operating systems. On iOS devices, you use it by pressing the microphone icon on the stock keyboard. On your desktop, you turn it on by going to System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation , and then use a keyboard shortcut to activate it in your app.

Apple Dictation price: Included with macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Apple Watch.

Apple Dictation accuracy: 96%. I tested this on an iPhone SE 3rd Gen using the dictation feature on the keyboard.

Best free dictation software for Windows

Windows 11 speech recognition (windows).

Windows 11 Speech Recognition (also known as Voice Typing) is a strong dictation tool, both for writing documents and controlling your Windows PC. Since it's part of your system, you can use it in any app you have installed.

To start, first, check that online speech recognition is on by going to Settings > Time and Language > Speech . To begin dictating, open an app, and on your keyboard, press the Windows logo key + H. A microphone icon and gray box will appear at the top of your screen. Make sure your cursor is in the space where you want to dictate.

When it's ready for your dictation, it will say Listening . You have about 10 seconds to start talking before the microphone turns off. If that happens, just click it again and wait for Listening to pop up. To stop the dictation, click the microphone icon again or say "stop talking."  

As I dictated into a Word document, the gray box reminded me to hang on, we need a moment to catch up . If you're speaking too fast, you'll also notice your transcribed words aren't keeping up. This never posed an issue with accuracy, but it's a nice reminder to keep it slow and steady. 

While you can use this tool anywhere inside your computer, if you're a Microsoft 365 subscriber, you'll be able to use the dictation features there too. The best app to use it on is, of course, Microsoft Word: it even offers file transcription, so you can upload a WAV or MP3 file and turn it into text. The engine is the same, provided by Microsoft Speech Services.

Windows 11 Speech Recognition price: Included with Windows 11. Also available as part of the Microsoft 365 subscription.

Windows 11 Speech Recognition accuracy: 95%. I tested it in Windows 11 while using Microsoft Word. 

Best customizable dictation software

.css-12hxxzz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} dragon by nuance (android, ios, macos, windows).

In 1990, Dragon Dictate emerged as the first dictation software. Over three decades later, we have Dragon by Nuance, a leader in the industry and a distant cousin of that first iteration. With a variety of software packages and mobile apps for different use cases (e.g., legal, medical, law enforcement), Dragon can handle specialized industry vocabulary, and it comes with excellent features, such as the ability to transcribe text from an audio file you upload. 

For this test, I used Dragon Anywhere, Nuance's mobile app, as it's the only version—among otherwise expensive packages—available with a free trial. It includes lots of features not found in the others, like Words, which lets you add words that would be difficult to recognize and spell out. For example, in the script, the word "Litmus'" (with the possessive) gave every app trouble. To avoid this, I added it to Words, trained it a few times with my voice, and was then able to transcribe it accurately.

It also provides shortcuts. If you want to shorten your entire address to one word, go to Auto-Text , give it a name ("address"), and type in your address: 1000 Eichhorn St., Davenport, IA 52722, and hit Save . The next time you dictate and say "address," you'll get the entire thing. Press the comment bubble icon to see text commands while you're dictating, or say "What can I say?" and the command menu pops up. 

Once you complete a dictation, you can email, share (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox), open in Word, or save to Evernote. You can perform these actions manually or by voice command (e.g., "save to Evernote.") Once you name it, it automatically saves in Documents for later review or sharing. 

Accuracy is good and improves with use, showing that you can definitely train your dragon. It's a great choice if you're serious about dictation and plan to use it every day, but may be a bit too much if you're just using it occasionally.

Dragon by Nuance price: $15/month for Dragon Anywhere (iOS and Android); from $200 to $500 for desktop packages

Dragon by Nuance accuracy: 97%. Tested it in the Dragon Anywhere iOS app.

Best free mobile dictation software

.css-12hxxzz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} gboard (android, ios).

Back to the topic: it has an excellent dictation feature. To start, press the microphone icon on the top-right of the keyboard. An overlay appears on the screen, filling itself with the words you're saying. It's very quick and accurate, which will feel great for fast-talkers but probably intimidating for the more thoughtful among us. If you stop talking for a few seconds, the overlay disappears, and Gboard pastes what it heard into the app you're using. When this happens, tap the microphone icon again to continue talking.

Wherever you can open a keyboard while using your phone, you can have Gboard supporting you there. You can write emails or notes or use any other app with an input field.

The writer who handled the previous update of this list had been using Gboard for seven years, so it had plenty of training data to adapt to his particular enunciation, landing the accuracy at an amazing 98%. I haven't used it much before, so the best I had was 92% overall. It's still a great score. More than that, it's proof of how dictation apps improve the more you use them.

Gboard price : Free

Gboard accuracy: 92%. With training, it can go up to 98%. I tested it using the iOS app while writing a new email.

Best dictation software for typing in Google Docs

.css-12hxxzz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} google docs voice typing (web on chrome).

Just like Microsoft offers dictation in their Office products, Google does the same for their Workspace suite. The best place to use the voice typing feature is in Google Docs, but you can also dictate speaker notes in Google Slides as a way to prepare for your presentation.

To get started, make sure you're using Chrome and have a Google Docs file open. Go to Tools > Voice typing , and press the microphone icon to start. As you talk, the text will jitter into existence in the document.

You can change the language in the dropdown on top of the microphone icon. If you need help, hover over that icon, and click the ? on the bottom-right. That will show everything from turning on the mic, the voice commands for dictation, and moving around the document.

It's unclear whether Google's voice typing here is connected to the same engine in Gboard. I wasn't able to confirm whether the training data for the mobile keyboard and this tool are connected in any way. Still, the engines feel very similar and turned out the same accuracy at 92%. If you start using it more often, it may adapt to your particular enunciation and be more accurate in the long run.

Google Docs voice typing price : Free

Google Docs voice typing accuracy: 92%. Tested in a new Google Docs file in Chrome.

Best dictation software for collaboration

.css-12hxxzz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} otter (web, android, ios).

It's not as robust in terms of dictation as others on the list, but it compensates with its versatility. It's a meeting assistant, first and foremost, ready to hop on your meetings and transcribe everything it hears. This is great to keep track of what's happening there, making the text available for sharing by generating a link or in the corresponding team workspace.

The reason why it's the best for collaboration is that others can highlight parts of the transcript and leave their comments. It also separates multiple speakers, in case you're recording a conversation, so that's an extra headache-saver if you use dictation software for interviewing people.

When you open the app and click the Record button on the top-right, you can use it as a traditional dictation app. It doesn't support voice commands, but it has decent intuition as to where the commas and periods should go based on the intonation and rhythm of your voice. Once you're done talking, Otter will start processing what you said, extract keywords, and generate action items and notes from the content of the transcription.

If you're going for long recording stretches where you talk about multiple topics, there's an AI chat option, where you can ask Otter questions about the transcript. This is great to summarize the entire talk, extract insights, and get a different angle on everything you said.

Otter price: Free plan available for 300 minutes / month. Pro plan starts at $16.99, adding more collaboration features and monthly minutes.

Otter accuracy: 93% accuracy. I tested it in the web app on my computer.

Otter supported languages: Only American and British English for now.

Is voice dictation for you?

Dictation software isn't for everyone. It will likely take practice learning to "write" out loud because it will feel unnatural. But once you get comfortable with it, you'll be able to write from anywhere on any device without the need for a keyboard. 

And by using any of the apps I listed here, you can feel confident that most of what you dictate will be accurately captured on the screen. 

Related reading:

This article was originally published in April 2016 and has also had contributions from Emily Esposito, Jill Duffy, and Chris Hawkins. The most recent update was in November 2023.

Get productivity tips delivered straight to your inbox

We’ll email you 1-3 times per week—and never share your information.

Miguel Rebelo

Miguel Rebelo is a freelance writer based in London, UK. He loves technology, video games, and huge forests. Track him down at mirebelo.com.

• Video & audio
• Google Docs

Related articles

The 4 best read it later apps to save content in 2024

The 4 best read it later apps to save...

The 5 best QuickBooks alternatives in 2024

The 8 best self-employed accounting software tools in 2024

The 8 best self-employed accounting software...

The 5 best Hootsuite alternatives in 2024

Improve your productivity automatically. Use Zapier to get your apps working together.

Best speech-to-text app of 2024

Free, paid and online voice recognition apps and services

Best overall

Best for business, best for mobile, best text service, best speech recognition, best virtual assistant, best for cloud, best for azure, best for batch conversion, best free speech to text apps, best mobile speech to text apps, how we test.

The best speech-to-text apps make it simple and easy to convert speech into text, for both desktop and mobile devices.

1. Best overall 2. Best for business 3. Best for mobile 4. Best text service 5. Best speech recognition 6. Best virtual assistant 7. Best for cloud 8. Best for Azure 9. Best for batch conversion 10. Best free speech to text apps 11. Best mobile speech to text apps 12. FAQs 13. How we test

Speech-to-text used to be regarded as very niche, specifically serving either people with accessibility needs or for  dictation . However, speech-to-text is moving more and more into the mainstream as office work can now routinely be completed more simply and easily by using voce-recognition software, rather than having to type through members, and speaking aloud for text to be recorded is now quite common.

While the best speech to text software used to be specifically only for desktops, the development of mobile devices and the explosion of easily accessible apps means that transcription can now also be carried out on a  smartphone  or  tablet . 

This has made the best voice to text applications increasingly valuable to users in a range of different environments, from education to business. This is not least because the technology has matured to the level where mistakes in transcriptions are relatively rare, with some services rightly boasting a 99.9% success rate from clear audio.

Even still, this applies mainly to ordinary situations and circumstances, and precludes the use of technical terminology such as required in legal or medical professions. Despite this, digital transcription can still service needs such as basic  note-taking  which can still be easily done using a phone app, simplifying the dictation process.

However, different speech-to-text programs have different levels of ability and complexity, with some using advanced machine learning to constantly correct errors flagged up by users so that they are not repeated. Others are downloadable software which is only as good as its latest update.

Here then are the best in speech-to-text recognition programs, which should be more than capable for most situations and circumstances.

We've also featured the best voice recognition software .

The best paid for speech to text apps of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

1. Dragon Anywhere

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Dragon Anywhere is the Nuance mobile product for Android and iOS devices, however this is no ‘lite’ app, but rather offers fully-formed dictation capabilities powered via the cloud. 

So essentially you get the same excellent speech recognition as seen on the desktop software – the only meaningful difference we noticed was a very slight delay in our spoken words appearing on the screen (doubtless due to processing in the cloud). However, note that the app was still responsive enough overall.

It also boasts support for boilerplate chunks of text which can be set up and inserted into a document with a simple command, and these, along with custom vocabularies, are synced across the mobile app and desktop Dragon software. Furthermore, you can share documents across devices via Evernote or cloud services (such as Dropbox).

This isn’t as flexible as the desktop application, however, as dictation is limited to within Dragon Anywhere – you can’t dictate directly in another app (although you can copy over text from the Dragon Anywhere dictation pad to a third-party app). The other caveats are the need for an internet connection for the app to work (due to its cloud-powered nature), and the fact that it’s a subscription offering with no one-off purchase option, which might not be to everyone’s tastes.

Even bearing in mind these limitations, though, it’s a definite boon to have fully-fledged, powerful voice recognition of the same sterling quality as the desktop software, nestling on your phone or tablet for when you’re away from the office.

Nuance Communications offers a 7-day free trial to give the app a try before you commit to a subscription. 

Read our full Dragon Anywhere review .

• ^ Back to the top

2. Dragon Professional

Should you be looking for a business-grade dictation application, your best bet is Dragon Professional. Aimed at pro users, the software provides you with the tools to dictate and edit documents, create spreadsheets, and browse the web using your voice.   

According to Nuance, the solution is capable of taking dictation at an equivalent typing speed of 160 words per minute, with a 99% accuracy rate – and that’s out-of-the-box, before any training is done (whereby the app adapts to your voice and words you commonly use).

As well as creating documents using your voice, you can also import custom word lists. There’s also an additional mobile app that lets you transcribe audio files and send them back to your computer.   

This is a powerful, flexible, and hugely useful tool that is especially good for individuals, such as professionals and freelancers, allowing for typing and document management to be done much more flexibly and easily.

Overall, the interface is easy to use, and if you get stuck at all, you can access a series of help tutorials. And while the software can seem expensive, it's just a one-time fee and compares very favorably with paid-for subscription transcription services.

Also note that Nuance are currently offering 12-months' access to Dragon Anywhere at no extra cost with any purchase of Dragon Home or Dragon Professional Individual.

Read our full Dragon Professional review .

Otter is a cloud-based speech to text program especially aimed for mobile use, such as on a laptop or smartphone. The app provides real-time transcription, allowing you to search, edit, play, and organize as required.

Otter is marketed as an app specifically for meetings, interviews, and lectures, to make it easier to take rich notes. However, it is also built to work with collaboration between teams, and different speakers are assigned different speaker IDs to make it easier to understand transcriptions.

There are three different payment plans, with the basic one being free to use and aside from the features mentioned above also includes keyword summaries and a wordcloud to make it easier to find specific topic mentions. You can also organize and share, import audio and video for transcription, and provides 600 minutes of free service.

The Premium plan also includes advanced and bulk export options, the ability to sync audio from Dropbox, additional playback speeds including the ability to skip silent pauses. The Premium plan also allows for up to 6,000 minutes of speech to text.

The Teams plan also adds two-factor authentication, user management and centralized billing, as well as user statistics, voiceprints, and live captioning.

Read our full Otter review .

Verbit aims to offer a smarter speech to text service, using AI for transcription and captioning. The service is specifically targeted at enterprise and educational establishments.

Verbit uses a mix of speech models, using neural networks and algorithms to reduce background noise, focus on terms as well as differentiate between speakers regardless of accent, as well as incorporate contextual events such as news and company information into recordings.

Although Verbit does offer a live version for transcription and captioning, aiming for a high degree of accuracy, other plans offer human editors to ensure transcriptions are fully accurate, and advertise a four hour turnaround time.

Altogether, while Verbit does offer a direct speech to text service, it’s possibly better thought of as a transcription service, but the focus on enterprise and education, as well as team use, means it earns a place here as an option to consider.

Read our full Verbit review .

5. Speechmatics

Speechmatics offers a machine learning solution to converting speech to text, with its automatic speech recognition solution available to use on existing audio and video files as well as for live use.

Unlike some automated transcription software which can struggle with accents or charge more for them, Speechmatics advertises itself as being able to support all major British accents, regardless of nationality. That way it aims to cope with not just different American and British English accents, but also South African and Jamaican accents.

Speechmatics offers a wider number of speech to text transcription uses than many other providers. Examples include taking call center phone recordings and converting them into searchable text or Word documents. The software also works with video and other media for captioning as well as using keyword triggers for management.

Overall, Speechmatics aims to offer a more flexible and comprehensive speech to text service than a lot of other providers, and the use of automation should keep them price competitive.

Read our full Speechmatics review .

6. Braina Pro

Braina Pro is speech recognition software which is built not just for dictation, but also as an all-round digital assistant to help you achieve various tasks on your PC. It supports dictation to third-party software in not just English but almost 90 different languages, with impressive voice recognition chops.

Beyond that, it’s a virtual assistant that can be instructed to set alarms, search your PC for a file, or search the internet, play an MP3 file, read an ebook aloud, plus you can implement various custom commands.

The Windows program also has a companion Android app which can remotely control your PC, and use the local Wi-Fi network to deliver commands to your computer, so you can spark up a music playlist, for example, wherever you happen to be in the house. Nifty.

There’s a free version of Braina which comes with limited functionality, but includes all the basic PC commands, along with a 7-day trial of the speech recognition which allows you to test out its powers for yourself before you commit to a subscription. Yes, this is another subscription-only product with no option to purchase for a one-off fee. Also note that you need to be online and have Google ’s Chrome browser installed for speech recognition functionality to work.

Read our full Braina Pro review .

7. Amazon Transcribe

Amazon Transcribe is as big cloud-based automatic speech recognition platform developed specifically to convert audio to text for apps. It especially aims to provide a more accurate and comprehensive service than traditional providers, such as being able to cope with low-fi and noisy recordings, such as you might get in a contact center .

Amazon Transcribe uses a deep learning process that automatically adds punctuation and formatting, as well as process with a secure livestream or otherwise transcribe speech to text with batch processing.

As well as offering time stamping for individual words for easy search, it can also identify different speaks and different channels and annotate documents accordingly to account for this.

There are also some nice features for editing and managing transcribed texts, such as vocabulary filtering and replacement words which can be used to keep product names consistent and therefore any following transcription easier to analyze.

Overall, Amazon Transcribe is one of the most powerful platforms out there, though it’s aimed more for the business and enterprise user rather than the individual.

8. Microsoft Azure Speech to Text

Microsoft 's Azure cloud service offers advanced speech recognition as part of the platform's speech services to deliver the Microsoft Azure Speech to Text functionality. 

This feature allows you to simply and easily create text from a variety of audio sources. There are also customization options available to work better with different speech patterns, registers, and even background sounds. You can also modify settings to handle different specialist vocabularies, such as product names, technical information, and place names.

The Microsoft's Azure Speech to Text feature is powered by deep neural network models and allows for real-time audio transcription that can be set up to handle multiple speakers.

As part of the Azure cloud service, you can run Azure Speech to Text in the cloud, on premises, or in edge computing. In terms of pricing, you can run the feature in a free container with a single concurrent request for up to 5 hours of free audio per month.

Read our full Microsoft Azure Speech to Text review .

9. IBM Watson Speech to Text

IBM's Watson Speech to Text works is the third cloud-native solution on this list, with the feature being powered by AI and machine learning as part of IBM's cloud services.

While there is the option to transcribe speech to text in real-time, there is also the option to batch convert audio files and process them through a range of language, audio frequency, and other output options.

You can also tag transcriptions with speaker labels, smart formatting, and timestamps, as well as apply global editing for technical words or phrases, acronyms, and for number use.

As with other cloud services Watson Speech to Text allows for easy deployment both in the cloud and on-premises behind your own firewall to ensure security is maintained.

Read our full Watson Speech to Text review .

1. Google Gboard

If you already have an Android mobile device, then if it's not already installed then download Google Keyboard from the Google Play store and you'll have an instant text-to-speech app. Although it's primarily designed as a keyboard for physical input, it also has a speech input option which is directly available. And because all the power of Google's hardware is behind it, it's a powerful and responsive tool.

If that's not enough then there are additional features. Aside from physical input ones such as swiping, you can also trigger images in your text using voice commands. Additionally, it can also work with Google Translate, and is advertised as providing support for over 60 languages.

Even though Google Keyboard isn't a dedicated transcription tool, as there are no shortcut commands or text editing directly integrated, it does everything you need from a basic transcription tool. And as it's a keyboard, it means should be able to work with any software you can run on your Android smartphone, so you can text edit, save, and export using that. Even better, it's free and there are no adverts to get in the way of you using it.

2. Just Press Record

If you want a dedicated dictation app, it’s worth checking out Just Press Record. It’s a mobile audio recorder that comes with features such as one tap recording, transcription and iCloud syncing across devices. The great thing is that it’s aimed at pretty much anyone and is extremely easy to use. 

When it comes to recording notes, all you have to do is press one button, and you get unlimited recording time. However, the really great thing about this app is that it also offers a powerful transcription service. 

Through it, you can quickly and easily turn speech into searchable text. Once you’ve transcribed a file, you can then edit it from within the app. There’s support for more than 30 languages as well, making it the perfect app if you’re working abroad or with an international team. Another nice feature is punctuation command recognition, ensuring that your transcriptions are free from typos.   

This app is underpinned by cloud technology, meaning you can access notes from any device (which is online). You’re able to share audio and text files to other iOS apps too, and when it comes to organizing them, you can view recordings in a comprehensive file. 

3. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is yet another easy to use dictation app. A useful touch here is that you don’t need to create an account or anything like that; you just open up the app and press on the microphone icon, and you’re off.   

The app is powered by Google voice recognition tech. When you’re recording a note, you can easily dictate punctuation marks through voice commands, or by using the built-in punctuation keyboard. 

To make things even easier, you can quickly add names, signatures, greetings and other frequently used text by using a set of custom keys on the built-in keyboard. There’s automatic capitalization as well, and every change made to a note is saved to the cloud.

When it comes to customizing notes, you can access a plethora of fonts and text sizes. The app is free to download from the Google Play Store , but you can make in-app purchases to access premium features (there's also a browser version for Chrome).   

Read our full Speechnotes review .

4. Transcribe

Marketed as a personal assistant for turning videos and voice memos into text files, Transcribe is a popular dictation app that’s powered by AI. It lets you make high quality transcriptions by just hitting a button.   

The app can transcribe any video or voice memo automatically, while supporting over 80 languages from across the world. While you can easily create notes with Transcribe, you can also import files from services such as Dropbox.

Once you’ve transcribed a file, you can export the raw text to a word processor to edit. The app is free to download, but you’ll have to make an in-app purchase if you want to make the most of these features in the long-term. There is a trial available, but it’s basically just 15 minutes of free transcription time. Transcribe is only available on iOS, though.   

5. Windows Speech Recognition

If you don’t want to pay for speech recognition software, and you’re running Microsoft’s latest desktop OS, then you might be pleased to hear that speech-to-text is built into Windows.

Windows Speech Recognition, as it’s imaginatively named – and note that this is something different to Cortana, which offers basic commands and assistant capabilities – lets you not only execute commands via voice control, but also offers the ability to dictate into documents.

The sort of accuracy you get isn’t comparable with that offered by the likes of Dragon, but then again, you’re paying nothing to use it. It’s also possible to improve the accuracy by training the system by reading text, and giving it access to your documents to better learn your vocabulary. It’s definitely worth indulging in some training, particularly if you intend to use the voice recognition feature a fair bit.

The company has been busy boasting about its advances in terms of voice recognition powered by deep neural networks, especially since windows 10 and now for Windows 11 , and Microsoft is certainly priming us to expect impressive things in the future. The likely end-goal aim is for Cortana to do everything eventually, from voice commands to taking dictation.

Turn on Windows Speech Recognition by heading to the Control Panel (search for it, or right click the Start button and select it), then click on Ease of Access, and you will see the option to ‘start speech recognition’ (you’ll also spot the option to set up a microphone here, if you haven’t already done that).

Aside from what has already been covered above, there are an increasing number of apps available across all mobile devices for working with speech to text, not least because Google's speech recognition technology is available for use. 

iTranslate Translator  is a speech-to-text app for iOS with a difference, in that it focuses on translating voice languages. Not only does it aim to translate different languages you hear into text for your own language, it also works to translate images such as photos you might take of signs in a foreign country and get a translation for them. In that way, iTranslate is a very different app, that takes the idea of speech-to-text in a novel direction, and by all accounts, does it well. 

ListNote Speech-to-Text Notes  is another speech-to-text app that uses Google's speech recognition software, but this time does a more comprehensive job of integrating it with a note-taking program than many other apps. The text notes you record are searchable, and you can import/export with other text applications. Additionally there is a password protection option, which encrypts notes after the first 20 characters so that the beginning of the notes are searchable by you. There's also an organizer feature for your notes, using category or assigned color. The app is free on Android, but includes ads.

Voice Notes  is a simple app that aims to convert speech to text for making notes. This is refreshing, as it mixes Google's speech recognition technology with a simple note-taking app, so there are more features to play with here. You can categorize notes, set reminders, and import/export text accordingly.

SpeechTexter  is another speech-to-text app that aims to do more than just record your voice to a text file. This app is built specifically to work with social media, so that rather than sending messages, emails, Tweets, and similar, you can record your voice directly to the social media sites and send. There are also a number of language packs you can download for offline working if you want to use more than just English, which is handy.

Also consider reading these related software and app guides:

• Best text-to-speech software
• Best transcription services
• Best Bluetooth headsets

Which speech-to-text app is best for you?

When deciding which speech-to-text app to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as free and budget  options may only provide basic features, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid-for platform is better suited to you. Additionally, higher-end software can usually cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your speech-to-text app.

To test for the best speech-to-text apps we first set up an account with the relevant platform, then we tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each speech-to-text platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

Get in touch

• Want to find out about commercial or marketing opportunities? Click here
• Out of date info, errors, complaints or broken links? Give us a nudge
• Got a suggestion for a product or service provider? Message us directly
• You've reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

Brian has over 30 years publishing experience as a writer and editor across a range of computing, technology, and marketing titles. He has been interviewed multiple times for the BBC and been a speaker at international conferences. His specialty on techradar is Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, covering everything from office suites to IT service tools. He is also a science fiction and fantasy author, published as Brian G Turner.

Save 15% on Photoshop for three months with this exclusive Adobe deal

ConnectWise ScreenConnect review: great remote access and other controls

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's release date leaks ahead of official reveal

Most Popular

• 2 Report suggests AMD’s new Ryzen 9000 CPUs aren’t selling well at all – but Intel shouldn’t get too excited yet
• 3 This new dual resolution Alienware monitor looks like the best of both worlds for PC and console gamers
• 4 Sonos is thinking the unthinkable: bringing the old app back
• 5 Netflix just renewed Supacell and The Gentlemen for season 2 and I can't wait for one of the best shows to return

5 Best Dictation Apps For Writers (In 2024)

As a writer, enhancing productivity and streamlining your creative process is crucial. Dictation software has become indispensable for many writers, allowing them to transcribe spoken words into written text effortlessly. This article will explore the five best dictation apps for writers in 2024, highlighting their unique features and benefits.

1. Voice In

Voice In is a versatile dictation app that integrates seamlessly with your browser as a Chrome extension. It’s perfect for writers who prefer working online and need a reliable tool to transcribe their voice into text in real time. Voice In supports over 50+ languages and 100+ dialects , making it an excellent choice for multilingual writers. Additionally, it works with various online platforms such as Google Docs, Gmail, and WordPress, ensuring you can dictate directly into your favorite writing or communication tools.

Key Features:

• Real-time transcription: Converts speech to text instantly.
• Multi-language support: Supports over 50 languages and 100 dialects.
• Platform integration: Works with Google Docs, Gmail, WordPress, and more.
• High accuracy: Offers precise recognition with low latency.

How to Get Started with Voice In

• Install the Extension : Download Voice In from the Chrome Web Store .
• Grant Permissions : Allow access to your microphone for setup.
• Open Your Favorite Website : Open Gmail , Notepad , Outlook.com , Microsoft Word , or another website with a textbox.
• Start Dictating : Use the keyboard shortcut (Alt + L) to start Voice In . Voice In will transcribe your speech into written content in real time.

Try Voice In →

2. Dictanote

Dictanote is an excellent dictation app designed specifically for writers. It combines the functionality of a note-taking app with powerful voice recognition capabilities. Dictanote allows you to switch between typing and dictation effortlessly, making it ideal for those who like to mix both methods in their writing process. The app also supports multiple languages and provides a rich text editor for formatting your notes and documents.

• Seamless mode switching: Easily switch between typing and dictation.
• Language support: Recognizes multiple languages.
• Rich text editor: Format your notes with ease.
• Cloud sync: Provides offline access to your notes.

How to Install:

• Visit the Dictanote website .
• Open Dictanote and start dictating your content.

Try Dictanote →

3. Audio Scribe

Audio Scribe converts your voice notes into clearly summarized text. It acts like your AI writing assistant and is known for its accuracy and ease of use. It is designed to handle lengthy dictations, making it suitable for writers working on long-form content such as novels, articles, or reports. You can simply dictate your content into Audio Scribe and have it output text in a any style you like.

• AI Transcription and Rewriting: Uses Advanced AI to transcribe and rewrite your text.
• Long-form dictation: Perfect for extended content.
• User-friendly interface: Easy to navigate and use.
• Multi-language support: Recognizes multiple languages.
• Visit the Audio Scribe website .
• Open Audio Scribe and start dictating your content.

Try Audio Scribe →

4. Google Docs Voice Typing

Google Docs Voice Typing is a free and accessible dictation tool that comes built into Google Docs. It offers a straightforward way to transcribe your voice into text directly within a document. While it lacks some advanced features, its integration with Google Docs makes it highly convenient for writers who already use this platform. Google Docs Voice Typing supports numerous languages and includes basic voice commands for punctuation and formatting.

• Free and easy to use: No cost to use.
• Direct integration: Built into Google Docs.
• Multi-language support: Supports numerous languages.
• Basic voice commands: Includes punctuation and formatting commands.

Try Google Docs Voice Typing →

5. Nuance Dragon

Nuance Dragon is one of the most powerful and widely recognized dictation apps available. Known for its exceptional accuracy and extensive feature set, Dragon is a top choice for professional writers. The software learns from your voice over time, improving its accuracy the more you use it. It also offers custom vocabulary options for specialized terminology.

• Exceptional accuracy: Learns and adapts to your voice.
• Custom vocabulary: Add specific terms and phrases.
• Software integration: Works with various applications.
• Voice editing: Comprehensive editing tools via voice commands.

Try Nuance Dragon →

Speech to Text - Voice Typing & Transcription

Take notes with your voice for free, or automatically transcribe audio & video recordings. amazingly accurate, secure & blazing fast..

~ Proudly serving millions of users since 2015 ~

I need to >

Dictate Notes

Start taking notes, on our online voice-enabled notepad right away, for free. Learn more.

Transcribe Recordings

Automatically transcribe (& optionally translate) recordings, audio and video files, YouTubes and more, in no time. Learn more.

Speechnotes is a reliable and secure web-based speech-to-text tool that enables you to quickly and accurately transcribe & translate your audio and video recordings, as well as dictate your notes instead of typing, saving you time and effort. With features like voice commands for punctuation and formatting, automatic capitalization, and easy import/export options, Speechnotes provides an efficient and user-friendly dictation and transcription experience. Proudly serving millions of users since 2015, Speechnotes is the go-to tool for anyone who needs fast, accurate & private transcription. Our Portfolio of Complementary Speech-To-Text Tools Includes:

Voice typing - Chrome extension

Dictate instead of typing on any form & text-box across the web. Including on Gmail, and more.

Transcription API & webhooks

Speechnotes' API enables you to send us files via standard POST requests, and get the transcription results sent directly to your server.

Zapier integration

Combine the power of automatic transcriptions with Zapier's automatic processes. Serverless & codeless automation! Connect with your CRM, phone calls, Docs, email & more.

Android Speechnotes app

Speechnotes' notepad for Android, for notes taking on your mobile, battle tested with more than 5Million downloads. Rated 4.3+ ⭐

iOS TextHear app

TextHear for iOS, works great on iPhones, iPads & Macs. Designed specifically to help people with hearing impairment participate in conversations. Please note, this is a sister app - so it has its own pricing plan.

Audio & video converting tools

Tools developed for fast - batch conversions of audio files from one type to another and extracting audio only from videos for minimizing uploads.

Our Sister Apps for Text-To-Speech & Live Captioning

Complementary to Speechnotes

Reads out loud texts, files & web pages

Listen on the go to any written content, from custom texts to websites & e-books, for free.

Speechlogger

Live Captioning & Translation

Live captions & simultaneous translation for conferences, online meetings, webinars & more.

Need Human Transcription? We Can Offer a 10% Discount Coupon

We do not provide human transcription services ourselves, but, we partnered with a UK company that does. Learn more on human transcription and the 10% discount .

Dictation Notepad

Start taking notes with your voice for free

Speech to Text online notepad. Professional, accurate & free speech recognizing text editor. Distraction-free, fast, easy to use web app for dictation & typing.

Speechnotes is a powerful speech-enabled online notepad, designed to empower your ideas by implementing a clean & efficient design, so you can focus on your thoughts. We strive to provide the best online dictation tool by engaging cutting-edge speech-recognition technology for the most accurate results technology can achieve today, together with incorporating built-in tools (automatic or manual) to increase users' efficiency, productivity and comfort. Works entirely online in your Chrome browser. No download, no install and even no registration needed, so you can start working right away.

Speechnotes is especially designed to provide you a distraction-free environment. Every note, starts with a new clear white paper, so to stimulate your mind with a clean fresh start. All other elements but the text itself are out of sight by fading out, so you can concentrate on the most important part - your own creativity. In addition to that, speaking instead of typing, enables you to think and speak it out fluently, uninterrupted, which again encourages creative, clear thinking. Fonts and colors all over the app were designed to be sharp and have excellent legibility characteristics.

Example use cases

• Voice typing
• Writing notes, thoughts
• Medical forms - dictate
• Transcribers (listen and dictate)

Transcription Service

Start transcribing

Fast turnaround - results within minutes. Includes timestamps, auto punctuation and subtitles at unbeatable price. Protects your privacy: no human in the loop, and (unlike many other vendors) we do NOT keep your audio. Pay per use, no recurring payments. Upload your files or transcribe directly from Google Drive, YouTube or any other online source. Simple. No download or install. Just send us the file and get the results in minutes.

• Transcribe interviews
• Captions for Youtubes & movies
• Auto-transcribe phone calls or voice messages
• Students - transcribe lectures
• Podcasters - enlarge your audience by turning your podcasts into textual content
• Text-index entire audio archives

Key Advantages

Speechnotes is powered by the leading most accurate speech recognition AI engines by Google & Microsoft. We always check - and make sure we still use the best. Accuracy in English is very good and can easily reach 95% accuracy for good quality dictation or recording.

Lightweight & fast

Both Speechnotes dictation & transcription are lightweight-online no install, work out of the box anywhere you are. Dictation works in real time. Transcription will get you results in a matter of minutes.

Super Private & Secure!

Super private - no human handles, sees or listens to your recordings! In addition, we take great measures to protect your privacy. For example, for transcribing your recordings - we pay Google's speech to text engines extra - just so they do not keep your audio for their own research purposes.

Health advantages

Typing may result in different types of Computer Related Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). Voice typing is one of the main recommended ways to minimize these risks, as it enables you to sit back comfortably, freeing your arms, hands, shoulders and back altogether.

Saves you time

Need to transcribe a recording? If it's an hour long, transcribing it yourself will take you about 6! hours of work. If you send it to a transcriber - you will get it back in days! Upload it to Speechnotes - it will take you less than a minute, and you will get the results in about 20 minutes to your email.

Saves you money

Speechnotes dictation notepad is completely free - with ads - or a small fee to get it ad-free. Speechnotes transcription is only $0.1/minute, which is X10 times cheaper than a human transcriber! We offer the best deal on the market - whether it's the free dictation notepad ot the pay-as-you-go transcription service.

Dictation - Free

• Online dictation notepad
• Voice typing Chrome extension

Dictation - Premium

• Premium online dictation notepad
• Premium voice typing Chrome extension
• Support from the development team

Transcription

$0.1 /minute.

• Pay as you go - no subscription
• Audio & video recordings
• Speaker diarization in English
• Generate captions .srt files
• REST API, webhooks & Zapier integration

Compare plans

Privacy Policy

We at Speechnotes, Speechlogger, TextHear, Speechkeys value your privacy, and that's why we do not store anything you say or type or in fact any other data about you - unless it is solely needed for the purpose of your operation. We don't share it with 3rd parties, other than Google / Microsoft for the speech-to-text engine.

Privacy - how are the recordings and results handled?

- transcription service.

Our transcription service is probably the most private and secure transcription service available.

• HIPAA compliant.
• No human in the loop. No passing your recording between PCs, emails, employees, etc.
• Secure encrypted communications (https) with and between our servers.
• Recordings are automatically deleted from our servers as soon as the transcription is done.
• Our contract with Google / Microsoft (our speech engines providers) prohibits them from keeping any audio or results.
• Transcription results are securely kept on our secure database. Only you have access to them - only if you sign in (or provide your secret credentials through the API)
• You may choose to delete the transcription results - once you do - no copy remains on our servers.

- Dictation notepad & extension

For dictation, the recording & recognition - is delegated to and done by the browser (Chrome / Edge) or operating system (Android). So, we never even have access to the recorded audio, and Edge's / Chrome's / Android's (depending the one you use) privacy policy apply here.

The results of the dictation are saved locally on your machine - via the browser's / app's local storage. It never gets to our servers. So, as long as your device is private - your notes are private.

Payments method privacy

The whole payments process is delegated to PayPal / Stripe / Google Pay / Play Store / App Store and secured by these providers. We never receive any of your credit card information.

More generic notes regarding our site, cookies, analytics, ads, etc.

• We may use Google Analytics on our site - which is a generic tool to track usage statistics.
• We use cookies - which means we save data on your browser to send to our servers when needed. This is used for instance to sign you in, and then keep you signed in.
• For the dictation tool - we use your browser's local storage to store your notes, so you can access them later.
• Non premium dictation tool serves ads by Google. Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Ads Settings . Alternatively, users can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting https://youradchoices.com/
• In case you would like to upload files to Google Drive directly from Speechnotes - we'll ask for your permission to do so. We will use that permission for that purpose only - syncing your speech-notes to your Google Drive, per your request.

• All About the New Google Pixel 9!
• Get 'Em Now: 12 Student Discounts!

The 8 Best Voice-to-Text Apps of 2024

Dragon Anywhere is the best overall voice-to-text app

Stacey has worn many hats throughout her writing career, working in content marketing, nonprofit communications, and journalism at different points in her life.

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

In This Article

Best Voice-to-Text Apps of 2024

Final verdict.

• Compare Options
• Guide to Choosing Apps

Methodology

Voice-to-text apps can be helpful for accessibility needs and busy professionals alike. If you’re always on the go, transcribing interview notes, or you can think faster than you can write, these special programs can increase your efficiency and store the recordings safely and sound via the cloud. Depending on your needs, you can choose an app with customizable language for commonly used words or industry terms.

The main features to consider when looking at voice-to-text apps include accuracy, shortcuts, and available languages. Accuracy is one of the most critical factors, and some options perform much better than others in this area. These apps are becoming more mainstream, from basic software to advanced technology. Whether you want to take notes , send quick messages, or translate on the fly, the best voice-to-text apps below are ready to help.

Best Overall: Dragon Anywhere

Best assistant: google assistant.

• Best Transcription: Transcribe
• Best for Long Recordings: Speechnotes

Best for Notes: Voice Notes

• Best for Messages: SpeechTexter  

Best for Translation: iTranslate Converse

Best for niche industry terms: braina.

Dragon Anywhere

• Price: $15 per month or $150 per year
• Free Trial: One week
• Accuracy Rate: 99 percent

Why We Chose It

We chose Dragon Anywhere because of its 99 percent accuracy rating and options for voice editing and formatting.

Pros & Cons

No word limits

99 percent accuracy

Multiple ways to share documents

Expensive compared to some other apps

May take time to learn the built-in commands

Available for Android and iOS devices, Dragon Anywhere is a premium professional tool that’s a big deal in the world of dictation apps. It’s 99 percent accurate and comes with voice editing and formatting. You can use the app for as long as you need—there are no word limits.

Dragon Anywhere allows you to customize industry lingo for even more accuracy. After transcription, share your notes by email, Dropbox, Evernote, and more. For supported versions, you can synchronize Dragon Anywhere with your desktop and do voice work on your computer as well. However, to do this, you will need to purchase a desktop version of Dragon as well.

Its accuracy and rich features come with a cost, but the bill could be a worthy business investment if you often think of ideas on the fly or need to record meetings. The application costs $15 per month or $150 per year.

Google Assistant

• Price: Free
• Free Trial: N/A
• Accuracy Rate: Not disclosed

We chose Google Assistant because it can help you accomplish a variety of tasks.

Integrated into services you already use, such as email and messaging

Free to use

Not specifically designed for note-taking

Must use applets to boost note-taking abilities

Google Assistant does a lot, including playing music and opening maps. One of its best features? Voice recognition. You can use voice command to look up information and tell Google Assistant to perform certain functions, but it can also convert speech to text.

The app sends messages, manages tasks, and sets reminders. While it’s not a speech-to-text app in the purest sense, it will still help organize your ideas and notes with voice recognition.

Use IFTTT (If This Then That) to maximize your Google Assistant note-taking abilities. In one applet , Google Assistant can log all of your notes into a spreadsheet. You can also search IFTTT for other productivity-boosting applets or create your own as you see fit.  

Best for Transcription: Transcribe - Speech to Text

Transcribe - Speech to Text

• Price: $5 per hour of transcription, subscription options also available
• Free Trial: 15 minutes of transcription

Transcribe - Speech to Text offers you the opportunity to transcribe any voice or video file using the help of artificial intelligence.

Transcription available for over 120 languages and dialects

Easy-to-use software

Only available for Apple products

Journalists or executive assistants who have a lot of conversations to track may find this app useful. Using A.I., Transcribe can turn any voice or video memo into a transcription in over 120 different languages and dialects. After recording, you can drop your file in this app and export your raw text into another app such as DropBox.

Keep in mind that Transcribe is only available for Apple products with Voice Memo and video since there’s no direct in-app dictation. Transcribe can also get pricey. Users receive a free trial for 15 minutes of transcription. Every extra hour costs $5 and 10 hours costs $30, but there are also subscriptions available for frequent users.

Best for Long Recordings: Speechnotes - Speech to Text

Speechnotes - Speech to Text

• Accuracy Rate: 90 percent or better

We chose Speechnotes because it allows for extremely long recordings.

Long recordings allowed

Can add in punctuation where needed

In-app advertisements as a free app

Only available in browser and on Android

Writers who think faster than they can type will appreciate this app. Speechnotes is excellent for organizing long notes thanks to two special features. First of all, it doesn't stop recording—even if you pause to think or breathe—so you can keep the recording open for as long as needed. Second, you can tap a button or use a verbal command to insert punctuation marks into your work so they won't become too unwieldy.

The free app has a small ad banner, but you can upgrade to a premium version to get rid of it. Other perks: It won't clog up your phone space at 4 MB, plus it saves all your recordings as TXT files. Plus, you won’t need to open the app to use it either; you can tap on a widget to access Speechnotes. Keep in mind that Speechnotes is only available on your browser and Android. 

Voice Notes

We chose Voice Notes for its efficient layout to help you store notes.

Recognizes 120 languages

Only available on Android phones

Voice Notes has speech recognition that allows you to create notes efficiently. You can then organize your notes into categories and create reminders by customizing alerts synced with your phone calendar. The interface is intuitive and easy to use; simply press the microphone button and speak to record. You’ll even be able to make your notes with the phone screen turned off.

The app can recognize up to 120 languages, just in case you need to record notes in something other than English. The app is free, though you can subscribe to a premium plan to support the developer.

Of course, there are a few caveats. Voice Notes is a popular app, but the one major limitation is that it's only available on Android phones. Plus, you need to have Google voice search installed to use it.

Best for Messages: SpeechTexter - Speech to Text

SpeechTexter - Speech to Text

• Accuracy Rate: Better than 90 percent

SpeechTexter is a useful tool to help you draft texts, notes, emails, reports, and more with your voice. 

Desktop and android versions available

Over 70 languages supported

Customizable commands

Offline mode is less accurate

Need to send a quick message but find your hands occupied with other tasks? Here’s a quick solution. Using Google’s backend, SpeechTexter allows you to create text notes, emails, and reports with your own voice. The easy-to-use app supports over 70 languages with an accuracy rate higher than 90 percent. You can customize your own commands for punctuation as well.

It's possible to use the app when you're not connected to the Internet, though keep in mind that the accuracy lowers in offline mode and the recognition speed depends on your Internet connectivity. To use the app offline, make sure that you install language packs of your preference.

iTranslate Converse

• Price: $6 per month or $50 per year
• Free Trial: Yes

We chose iTranslate Converse because it is designed to help you translate languages on the go in noisy environments.

Works well in noisy environments

Enables real-time communication with someone in another language

38 languages recognized

Subscription fee

Unknown accuracy rate

Brought to you by the same developers behind the popular iTranslate app, iTranslate Converse is as close to real-time translation as you’ll get, which is convenient if you need to communicate with clients who don’t speak the same language as you or if you’re traveling abroad. All you have to do is set the two languages. Then tap, hold, and speak into your phone.

The app will pick up on the language that you’re speaking, then issue out a translation—yes, even in noisy environments. The app is capable of recognizing 38 languages. After your conversation is done, you can download full transcriptions. It’s not always perfect, of course, but it’s faster than going through a personal assistant app to look up translations for you.

While it has a subscription fee, iTranslate won't stretch your budget significantly. When you download it, you'll receive a free trial. After that runs out, you'll be upgraded to the pro version for $6 per month or $50 per year. You must cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the trial to avoid being put on a paid membership.

• Price: $0-$399
• Free Trial: No
• Accuracy Rate: 99%

Briana can help you utilize voice-to-text in a jargon-filled industry.

Personal A.I. builds to recognize your industry jargon

Over 100 languages recognized

May take some time to customize

Braina is a personal A.I. for Windows P.C.s with companion Android and IOS apps. The program can convert your voice into text for any website or software program, including a word processor. It recognizes most medical, legal, and scientific terms, which makes it ideal if you work in a niche industry with technical jargon. You can also teach Braina uncommon names and vocabulary with ease.

Braina has other helpful voice recognition features besides learning niche industry terms. For example, it can recognize over 100 languages to serve non-English users. The program also includes convenient dictation commands for deleting, tabbing, and casing.

The app has a few price tiers; there is a free version with limited access to features, while the pro version costs $79 per year or $399 for lifetime access (which often goes on sale for $199).

Dragon Anywhere is our pick for the best overall voice-to-text app thanks to its streamlined tools, high accuracy rating, and accessible computer synchronization. The app costs a bit more than other popular options, but discounts are available on annual subscriptions, and it has no limit on words.

As a bonus, Dragon Anywhere also allows users to customize their experience for specific industry lingo and other terms. This app is also accessible for Android and iOS devices and features simple sharing options to multiple apps or email accounts.

Compare the Best Voice to Text Apps

Guide to Choosing a Voice-to-Text App

Not sure how to choose a voice-to-text app? Consider the following factors to select the best option for your needs:

• Accuracy rating
• Available languages
• Limits on words or usage
• Platform (Android or iOS)
• Exporting files
• Translation
• Customizable terms or industry language

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best voice to text app.

Dragon Anywhere is the best voice-to-text app on our list. This app is available for both Android and iOS users, has a high accuracy rating, and makes it easy to export files to your computer, email, or other apps.

What Is the Best Free Voice to Text App?

Speechnotes, Voice Notes, Google Assistant, and SpeechTexter are all great choices for free voice-to-text apps. Choose the best option for your specific needs based on maximum length of recording, available languages, and exporting options.

What Is the Best Way to Convert Voice to Text?

Voice-to-text apps and computer programs are both helpful ways to convert your voice to text. If you need to record notes on the go or away from your computer, a mobile app is likely best for you. On the other hand, some people prefer apps downloaded to their computers to take notes during meetings or classes.

What Is the Most Realistic Speech-to-Text?

Dragon Anywhere has the highest accuracy rating of voice-to-text apps compared in this list. Additionally, this app allows users to customize specific industry language and commonly used terms to make their transcriptions more realistic.

To find the best voice-to-text apps we compiled a list of the most popular options available. Next, we took a closer look at several factors, including the price, free trial options, accuracy rates, and more. Finally, we decided which providers were best suited for what our readers needed.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• The 8 Best Microsoft Office Alternatives
• The 10 Best Online Photo Printing Services
• The 8 Best TV Streaming Apps of 2024
• The 10 Best Educational Websites for Taking Online Courses in 2024
• The 6 Best Antivirus Apps for iPhones in 2024
• The Best Storm Tracker Apps of 2024
• Best Online Coding Courses
• Is ChatGPT Plus Worth It? 5 Reasons Why You Should Sign Up
• Outlook.com vs. Gmail
• What Is elgooG?
• How to Use Preview on the Mac: Apple’s Secret Image Editor
• 2024's Best Budget-Friendly Phone Plans
• 7 Best Movie Trailer Websites
• The 7 Best Senior Cell Phone Plans of 2024
• TrueCaller App Review
• Best LinkedIn Learning Courses

Transcribe App and Online Editor

Your personal assistant for note taking and transcribing. our voice transcription service saves you time and helps you focus on what’s important..

Automatic transcription

Transcribe is your AI-powered speech-to-text service. Use the Transcribe app and online editor to automatically generate notes from meetings, interviews, videos and more.

More than 120 languages

Turn audio and video into searchable, editable and shareable content in more than 120 languages.

Spanish (Spain)

Spanish (Mexican)

Spanish (Colombian)

Traditional Chinese

Variety of formats

Import files from any app or cloud storage system. Supported formats include mp3, m4a, wav, m4v, mp4, mov and avi.

Document export

Export transcribed text into a document with timestamps and polish it there. Supported formats include PDF and Microsoft Word.

Zoom integration

Record your Zoom calls and get meeting notes almost instantly.

Voice recorder

Record and review conversations in real time with our live transcription service.

Dim the lights when you work late into the night.

Collaboration tools

Collaborate with your colleagues by exporting voice notes or using Teams feature.

Bonus 5 hours of transcription time

Additional time credits every month.

Additional export formats

Export to TXT, PDF, DOCX, SRT and JPG.

Cloud storage

Up to 500 files of speech recording can be backed up in the cloud.

Synchronization

Access your documents from any device (iPhone, iPad, MacOS or a web browser).

Edit on your phone, PC or Mac

Proofread and polish the transcription on whichever device you prefer.

Priority support

Speedier replies and help when you need it.

Bonus 30 hours of transcription time

Ability to create teams for collaboration (up to 5 teams).

Up to 1 000 audio files with infinite storage time.

For podcasters

Transcribe podcasts into written notes.

For business

Get meeting notes in an instant.

For journalists

Transcribe interviews to get news out fast.

For academics

Save time on your academic research.

For students

Transcribe lectures and seminars.

What our users are saying

I’m a freelance writer who uses the Voice Memo app when conducting interviews. It would take me HOURS to transcribe what was recorded. And that wasted my time when I could have been writing the article. Transcribe has now freed up that time.

I am disabled and I’ve been looking for this exact technology for at least two years because I can’t type anymore. A lot of these transcriptions don’t work, but this one does. I’ve probably done 60 hours of transcribing audio memos checks and with with very few exceptions it was Word for Word perfect. And when you didn’t get the word right it was because I was mumbling, or what have you.

This converted my rambling voice memos directly into text for use in a word document. My audio quality was low: I recorded with my iPhone in my lap while driving on the highway so there is lots of background noise. Still, the imperfections in text are all from me stammering. Actually, the app cut out lots of ums and repeated words improving what I said. It still requires editing and correcting - mostly formatting - but really couldnt be improved much at all. This is mature technology. Also, the software interface is top notch, like google or even better.

Time-saver and amazing results! Thanks a lot for this help! I often have to work with texts in German, English, Italian.

Just used this app to transcribe a 24 minute interview (on Apple Voice Memos) with my dad, about our family history. Using this app vs. transcribing it myself has literally saved me hours. The transcription was good enough that all I will need to do is clean up a few minor “misreads”, and I can present a written version of this interview to my dad as a gift for Christmas. Thanks for a great app!

I am very pleased with this app. I use it primarily to transcribe short information videos. I purchase time in one hour increments which is suitable for my needs.

Experts talk about Transcribe

Best voice-to-text apps.

Voice-to-text apps can be very useful for busy professionals. If you're always on the go or you think faster than you can write, these special programs can increase efficiency and store your recordings safe and sound via the cloud.

The 6 Best Dictation Apps for iPhone

If the iPhone's built-in dictation feature doesn't cut it for you, here are a few good dictation apps for you.

10 iPhone Speech-to-Text Apps 2021

If you don't want to type long texts yourself, a transcription service will be the best solution for you.

Advertisement

• Accessibility and Aging
• For maintaining independence

The Best Dictation Software

By Kaitlyn Wells

Dictation software makes it easy to navigate your computer and communicate without typing a single phrase.

This flexibility is great if you simply need a break from your keyboard, but it’s especially important for people with language-processing disorders or physical disabilities. Firing off a quick text or typing a memo can be difficult—or even totally infeasible—if you have limited hand dexterity or chronic pain, but this kind of software can make such tasks a relative breeze.

After considering 18 options, we’ve found that Apple Voice Control and Nuance Dragon Professional v16  are more accurate, efficient, and usable than any other dictation tools we’ve tested.

Everything we recommend

Apple Voice Control

The best dictation tool for apple devices.

Apple’s Voice Control is easier to use and produces accurate transcriptions more frequently than the competition. It also offers a robust command hub that makes corrections a breeze.

Buying Options

Upgrade pick.

Nuance Dragon Professional v16

The best dictation tool for windows pcs.

Dragon Professional v16 is the most accurate dictation tool we tested for any operating system—but its hefty price tag is a lot to swallow.

But the technology behind dictation software (also called speech-to-text or voice-recognition software) has some faults. These apps have difficult learning curves, and the inherent bias that humans program into them means that their accuracy can vary, especially for people with various accents, sociolects and dialects like African American Vernacular English, or speech impediments. Still, for those able to work within the technology’s constraints, our picks are the best options available for many people who need assistance using a word-processing tool.

Apple’s Voice Control comes installed with macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, so it’s free to anyone who owns an Apple device. In our testing, it produced accurate transcriptions most of the time, especially for speakers with standard American accents. Competing tools from Google and Microsoft averaged 15 points lower than Apple’s software in our accuracy tests. Among our panel of testers, those with limited hand dexterity loved Voice Control’s assistive-technology features, which made it easy to navigate the OS and edit messages hands-free.

But while the experience that Voice Control provides was the best we found for Apple devices, it often misunderstood words or entire phrases spoken by testers with regional or other American accents or speech impediments such as stutters. Although such accuracy issues are expected for speech-recognition modeling that has historically relied on homogenous data sources , other tools (specifically, Nuance Dragon Professional v16 , which is available only for Windows) performed slightly better in this regard. Apple’s tool may also lag slightly if you’re running multiple processor-intensive programs at once, which our panelists said slowed their productivity.

At $700, Nuance Dragon Professional v16 is the most expensive speech-recognition tool we’ve found, but it’s the best option for people who own Windows PCs. Professional v16 replaces our previous Windows PC pick, the now-discontinued Nuance Dragon Home 15 . It offers added functionality for those working in finance, healthcare, and human services—and is probably overkill for most people. (If you need a free PC option, consider Windows Voice Recognition , but know it has significant flaws .)

Like its predecessor, Professional v16 involves a learning curve at first, but the Dragon tutorial does a great job of getting you started. Our panelist with language-processing disabilities said Dragon was one of the most accurate dictation options they tried, and the robust command features made it possible for them to quickly navigate their machine. Like our Apple pick, Dragon had trouble with various American dialects and international accents; it performed better for those testers with “neutral” American accents. It also struggled to eliminate all background noise, though you can mitigate such problems by using an external microphone or headset. Although Dragon produced the fastest transcriptions of any tool we tested, this wasn’t an unqualified positive: Half of our panelists said that they preferred slower real-time transcriptions to Dragon’s sentence-by-sentence transcription method because they found its longer pauses between sentences’ appearance on their screen to be distracting.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is—and isn’t—for, how we picked and tested, the best dictation tool for apple devices: apple voice control, the best dictation tool for windows pcs: nuance dragon professional v16, other good dictation software, how to use dictation software, should you worry about your privacy when using dictation software, the competition.

As a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, I’ve spent five years covering complex topics, writing articles focusing on subjects such as dog DNA tests , blue-light-blocking glasses , email unsubscribe tools , and technology-manipulation tactics used by domestic abusers . I was an early adopter of dictation software back in the early aughts, with a much less polished version of Nuance’s Dragon software. Like other people I interviewed for this guide, I quickly abandoned the software because of its poor performance and difficult learning curve. Since then, I’ve occasionally used dictation and accessibility tools on my devices to send quick messages when my hands are sticky from baking treats or covered in hair product from my morning routine. While writing this guide, I dictated about a third of the text using the tools we recommend.

But I’m not someone who is dependent on dictation tools to communicate, so I consulted a variety of experts in the AI and disability communities to better understand the role that this kind of software plays in making the world more accessible for people with disabilities. I read articles and peer-reviewed studies, I browsed disability forums that I frequent for advice on my chronic pain, and I solicited input from affinity organizations to learn what makes a great dictation tool. And I brushed up on the latest research in AI technology and voice-recognition bias from Harvard Business Review , the Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute , and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Speech Accessibility Project , among others.

I also chatted with Meenakshi Das , a disability advocate and software engineer at Microsoft, and Diego Mariscal, CEO of the disabled-founders startup accelerator 2Gether-International , about the limitations of dictation tools for people with various disabilities. I discussed the ethics of artificial intelligence with Princeton University PhD candidate Sayash Kapoor . I attended a lecture by Kapoor’s advisor, Arvind Narayanan, PhD , entitled “ The Limits Of The Quantitative Approach To Discrimination .” I spoke with Christopher Manning , co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University, about the evolution of dictation software. And I consulted with Wirecutter’s editor of accessibility coverage, Claire Perlman, to ensure that my approach to this guide remained accessible, nuanced, and reflective of the disability community’s needs.

Lastly, I assembled a testing panel of nine people with varying degrees of experience using dictation software, including several with disabilities ranging from speech impediments to limited hand dexterity to severe brain trauma. Our testers also self-reported accents ranging from “neutral” American to “vague” Louisianan to “noticeable” Indian.

Assistive technology such as speech-to-text tools can help you do everything from sending hands-free texts while driving to typing up a term paper without ever touching your keyboard.

We wrote this guide with two types of users in mind: people with disabilities who rely on dictation software to communicate, and people with free use of their hands who occasionally use these tools when they need to work untethered from their keyboard. However, we put a stronger focus on people with disabilities because dictation software can better serve that population and can ultimately make it easier for them to access the world and communicate.

Users with limited or no hand dexterity, limb differences, or language-processing challenges may find speech-recognition software useful because it gives them the freedom to communicate in their preferred environment. For example, our panelists with learning disabilities said they liked to mentally wander or “brain dump” while using voice-recognition software to complete projects, and they felt less pressure to write down everything perfectly the first time.

Still, our approach had limits: We focused on each tool’s ability to integrate with and edit text documents, rather than to verbally navigate an entire computer screen, which is a feature that some people with cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, quadriplegia, and other neurological disabilities need—especially if they have no speaking issues and limited or no motor control. Our picks offer some accessibility features, such as grid navigation, text editing, and voice commands, that make using devices easier, but not everyone who tested the software for us used those features extensively, and the majority of voice-recognition software we considered lacks these premium options.

Aside from the absence of accessibility features, there are other potential hindrances to these software programs’ usefulness, such as how well they work with a range of accents.

The biases of dictation software

Speech-recognition software first became increasingly available in the 1980s and 1990s, with the introduction of talking typewriters for those with low vision , commercial speech-recognition software, and collect-call processing, according to Christopher Manning , co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence . But “speech recognition used to be really awful,” he said. “If you were an English-Indian speaker, the chances of it [understanding you] used to be about zero; now it’s not that bad.”

As we found in our tests, an individual’s definition of “bad” can vary widely depending on their accent and their speaking ability. And our AI experts agreed that the limitations of the natural language processing (NLP) technology used in dictation software are laid bare when faced with various accents, dialects, and speech patterns from around the world.

Sayash Kapoor , a second-year PhD candidate studying AI ethics at Princeton University, said that NLP tools are often trained on websites like Reddit and Wikipedia, making them biased against marginalized genders and people from Black, indigenous, and other communities of color. The end result is that most dictation software works best with canonical accents, said Manning, such as British and American English. Our experts told us that some speech-to-text tools don’t have fine-grain modeling for different dialects and sociolects, let alone gender identity, race, and geographic location.

In fact, one study found that speech-to-text tools by Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, and Microsoft exhibited “ substantial racial disparities ,” as the average word-error rate for Black speakers was nearly twice that of white speakers. This limitation affects not only how easily speakers can dictate their work but also how effectively they can correct phrases and give formatting commands—which makes all the difference between a seamless or painful user experience.

Inherent bias in speech-recognition tools extends to speech impediments, as well. Wirecutter approached several people with stutters or other types of speech and language disabilities, such as those resulting from cerebral palsy or Parkinson’s disease, about joining our panel of testers. But most declined, citing a history of poor experiences with dictation tools. Disability advocate Meenakshi Das, who has a stutter, said she doesn’t use any speech-to-text tools because more work needs to be done industry-wide to make the software truly accessible. (Das is a software engineer at Microsoft, which owns Nuance , the company that produces our pick for Windows PCs .)

Both Das and Kapoor have noticed a trend of accelerators working to close the bias gap for people with accents, speech impediments, and language-processing disabilities in order to make it possible for those groups to use dictation tools. In October 2022, for example, the University of Illinois announced a partnership with Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and nonprofits on the Speech Accessibility Project to improve voice recognition for people with disabilities and diverse speech patterns.

But until truly inclusive speech-to-text tools arrive, people in those underserved groups can check out our advice on how to get the most out of the software that’s currently available.

We solicited insights on speech-to-text tools from our experts and read software reviews, peer-reviewed studies, disability forums, and organization websites to learn what makes a great dictation tool.

We identified 18 dictation software packages and compared their features, platform compatibility, privacy policies, price, and third-party reviews. Among the features we looked for were a wide variety of useful voice commands, ease of navigation, the presence of customizable commands and vocabulary, multi-language support, and built-in hint tools or tutorials. Those programs that ranked highest on our criteria, generally offering a mix of robust features and wide platform availability, made our short list for testing:

• Apple Dictation ( macOS , iOS , iPadOS )
• Apple Voice Control ( macOS , iOS , iPadOS )
• Google Assistant on Gboard
• Google Docs Voice Typing
• Microsoft Word Dictate
• Nuance Dragon Home 15 (discontinued)
• Windows Voice Recognition
• Windows Voice Typing

We defaulted these tools to the American English setting and rotated using each tool for a couple of hours on our computers and mobile devices. Afterward, we graded their performance on accuracy, ease of use, speed, noise interference, and app compatibility. We placed an emphasis on accuracy rates, performing a series of control tests to see how well the dictation tools recognized 150- to 200-word samples of casual speech, the lyrics of Alicia Keys’s song “No One,” and scientific jargon from a peer-reviewed vaccine study . From there, we advanced the dictation tools with the highest marks to our panel-testing round.

Nine panelists tested our semifinalists over the course of three weeks. Our diverse group of testers included those with disabilities ranging from speech impediments to limited hand dexterity to severe brain trauma. They self-reported accents ranging from American to Catalan to Indian. All the panelists had varying degrees of prior experience with dictation software.

Meet our testers:

• Aum N., 34, who works in quality assurance and has an Indian accent
• Ben K., 41, an editor with a “moderate” stutter and a “standard” American accent
• Chandana C., 64, an analyst with a “noticeable” Indian accent
• Claire P., 31, an editor with a musculoskeletal disability called arthrogryposis
• Davis L., 27, an audio producer with a “vague” Louisianan accent
• Franc C. F., 38, a software engineer from Spain
• Juan R., 52, who survived a car accident that caused severe brain trauma and now has limited short-term memory and limited reading comprehension
• Polina G., 49, an engineering manager with ADHD
• Vicki C., 33, a software engineer with a shoulder injury and repetitive stress injury

The panelists sent text messages, drafted emails, and coded software using the various speech-to-text tools, after which they provided extensive notes on their experiences and identified which tools they would feel comfortable using regularly or purchasing on their own.

To arrive at our picks, we combined the panelists’ experiences with the results of our control round, as well as recommendations from our experts.

Price: free Operating system: macOS, iOS, iPadOS Supported languages: 21 to 64 languages , depending on the settings, including Hindi, Thai, and several dialects of English and Italian.

Apple Voice Control is easy to use, outperforms major competitors from Google, Microsoft, and Nuance, and offers dozens of command prompts for a smoother experience, an especially helpful feature for people with limited hand dexterity. Because Voice Control is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, it’s more accessible than many of the other tools we tested. It’s available for free in macOS , iOS, and iPadOS ; you can activate it by going to Settings > Accessibility on your preferred device. Once you activate it, you may notice that it works similarly to the Dictation and Siri functions on your phone. That’s because they use the same speech-recognition algorithms. This means the learning curve inherent to all speech-to-text tools is marginally less difficult with Voice Control, particularly if you’ve used Dictation or Siri before, as they’re already familiar with your speech patterns. (If you’re wondering how Dictation and Voice Control differ, Dictation is a speech-to-text tool that omits the various accessibility and navigation functions of Voice Control.)

In our tests, Voice Control routinely produced more accurate transcriptions than the competition, including Nuance Dragon, Google Docs Voice Typing , and Windows Voice Recognition . In our control tests, it was 87% accurate with casual, non-accented speech. Comparatively, Dragon was 82% accurate, while Windows Voice Recognition was only 64% accurate. Google Docs Voice Typing performed on a par with Voice Control, but it failed at transcribing contractions, slang, and symbols much more frequently. Most of the tools we tested, Voice Control included, were about 10% less accurate during our jargon-rich control tests that included scientific words from an immunology study. (One notable exception in this regard was Dragon, which showed no noticeable drop-off with more technical language.)

Half of our testers agreed that they would regularly use Voice Control, and that they would even pay for it if they relied on dictation software. Specific words they used to describe the software included “accurate,” “good,” and “impressive.” Still, our real-world tests pushed Voice Control to its limits, and the software often misunderstood words or phrases from testers who had diverse accents or stutters. Unfortunately, such accuracy issues are to be expected for speech-recognition modeling that has historically relied on homogenous data sources. But Voice Control’s performance improves the more you use it , so don’t give up immediately if you find inaccuracies frustrating at first.

Apple’s assistive technology was a standout feature for our testers with limited hand dexterity, as it allowed them to navigate their machines and edit their messages hands-free. These command prompts have a challenging learning curve, so you’re unlikely to have a flawless experience out of the gate. But asking “What can I say?” brings up a library that automatically filters contextually relevant commands depending on your actions. For example, selecting a desktop folder produces a short list of prompts related to file access (such as “Open document”), while moving the cursor to a word-processing tool brings up “Type.” The interface allows you to quickly sort through the relevant commands, a feature that some panelists found useful.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Our panelists with accents experienced mixed accuracy results using Apple Voice Control. Testers with nonstandard English accents or speech impediments said that the performance of Apple’s software improved when they spoke slowly. “When using it to type, sometimes it got things quite off,” noted panelist Franc, a native Spanish and Catalan speaker who tested the software in English. Similarly, my own experience dictating this guide proved challenging: I found that I had to overenunciate my words to prevent Voice Control from capitalizing random words and mistyping the occasional phrase.

Our panelists agreed that Apple Voice Control was the slowest tool they tested for transcribing text, though that difference in speed was a matter of seconds, not minutes. Sometimes speech-recognition software processes a complete sentence, rather than single words, before displaying the text on the screen, a tendency that about half of our panelists found frustrating. “It was really distracting to wait to see whether [Voice Control] had picked up what I said,” noted tester Vicki, who has a repetitive stress injury that makes typing difficult.

Wirecutter’s editor of accessibility coverage, Claire Perlman, who also served on our panel, echoed this sentiment. She said the lag time was marginal at the start of her session but became noticeably painful the longer she used the software. Claire also noted that her 2019 MacBook Pro, equipped with a 1.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, overheated while running Voice Control for extended periods. “The lag that I’m experiencing now is very distracting and makes me feel like I have to slow my thought process in order to have it typed correctly,” she said. We attempted to replicate this issue with a 2019 MacBook Pro equipped with a 2.6 GHz six-core Intel Core i7 processor, and after an hour of use we found that Apple’s Speech Recognition process fluctuated between occupying 54% to 89% of our CPU and that Apple Dictation’s usage ranged from 1% to 35%, confirming that the robust platform requires a lot of processing power. That said, you may find that the lag disappears when you close other CPU-intensive programs, such as Chrome or a game.

As we previously mentioned, successfully wielding Voice Control’s command prompts requires experience and finesse. Testers who read through the quick-start guide and watched YouTube tutorials reported the easiest experience. “There is a learning curve,” said tester Chandana, who has an Indian accent. But the software’s “What can I say?” screen was a big help, Chandana said: “I was able to use many functions that I wanted to use before but did not know that I could.”

Lastly, Voice Control works best within Apple’s own apps, and some people may find that inherent limitation challenging or annoying. “I found it to be more accurate in Pages and iMessage than Google Docs and WhatsApp,” Claire noted. In just one example, although Voice Control correctly captured dictated commands such as “Select line” or “Delete ” in Pages , it couldn’t execute them in Google Docs.

Price: $700 per license Operating system: Windows Supported languages: English, French, Spanish (depending on purchase region)

Nuance Dragon Professional v16 is the best option for Windows PC users because it surpasses the Microsoft Word and Windows dictation tools in accuracy, quickly processes and displays transcriptions, and offers a helpful training module and selection of command prompts to get you swiftly up to speed. Unlike most other dictation software in our tests, it worked well with technical, jargon-heavy language, an advantage that could make it useful for people who work in the sciences. (While we only tested the now-discontinued Nuance Dragon Home 15 for this guide, Professional v16 uses the same technology while making it easier to dictate large amounts of data in a corporate setting. Plus, if you’ve used earlier versions of Dragon in the past, you’ll be happy to know that this version of Dragon represents a significant improvement over previous generations.)

Our panelists said that Dragon was one of the most accurate speech-recognition tools they tried, describing it as “extremely accurate,” “reliable,” and in at least one case, “flawless.” Wirecutter’s Claire Perlman, who has arthrogryposis , said, “I was truly blown away by the accuracy of Dragon. It had only two to three errors the whole time I used it.” Our control tests found similar results. Dragon was 82% accurate in transcribing casual speech (slightly behind Apple Voice Control, which produced 87% accuracy), and in transcribing technical language, it didn’t exhibit the steep decline in accuracy that we saw from other software, including Apple’s Voice Control and Dictation tools.

Dragon’s transcriptions appeared with minimal lag time on testers’ screens, whereas tools like Otter and Windows Voice Recognition took twice as long to produce phrases or sentences. But panelists found Dragon’s sentence-by-sentence transcription to be a mixed bag. Some testers preferred to see entire phrases or sentences appear simultaneously on the screen. “The speed combined with the accuracy meant that I did not feel like I had to pay constant attention to what was happening on the screen and could instead focus on my thoughts and writing,” Claire said. Other testers preferred real-time, word-by-word transcriptions: “There were definitely moments where I was sitting there drumming my fingers and waiting,” said Wirecutter editor Ben Keough. Dragon lets you adjust for less lag time or better accuracy by going to Options > Miscellaneous > Speed vs. Accuracy. But we didn’t notice a difference in performance when we changed this setting during our control tests.

Like all the dictation software we tested, Dragon requires a bit of know-how to get the most out of its features and achieve the best performance, but its multitude of accessibility voice commands were a favorite feature among our panelists. Unlike most of the options we tested, Dragon launches with a brief tutorial that walks you through how to use it, from setting up the best microphone position to dictating text to using punctuation prompts.

You can revisit the tutorial at any point if you need a refresher, which panelist Juan found helpful with his traumatic brain injury and short-term memory problems. “The tutorial gives you a good start on its functionality,” he said. Wirecutter’s Claire Perlman noted, “I used to use Dragon years ago, and back then, training the system to recognize your voice was an onerous process. This time, I found the whole setup and training process genuinely helpful and very quick. And I felt like I could really operate it hands-free.”

The biggest drawback to Dragon is that it costs $700 per license. The experts we spoke with said that this barrier to entry may make using this software infeasible for many people who are disabled, including those who are on a limited income because they can’t find remote work that accommodates their disabilities. Additionally, having to download and enable the software can be a hassle that reminds people with disabilities that their situation is an afterthought in the digital age—especially in comparison with Apple Voice Control or even Windows Voice Recognition, which are integrated into device operating systems.

This software is compatible only with the Windows desktop operating system; you can’t install it on Android, Apple’s operating systems, or ChromeOS. (That is, unless you partition your hard drive, but in that case you run the risk of slowing down the operating system, which one panelist with a drive partition experienced.) Users can subscribe to Dragon Anywhere ($150 a year), which works with iOS and Android devices. But because our panelists didn’t test Dragon Anywhere, we can’t comment on its usability or accuracy.

Dragon isn’t a speech-recognition tool that you can use right out of the box—the first time you load the software, it prompts you to complete a series of short tutorials. This means it’s important to set aside some time getting to know the program before rushing to write, say, an overdue memo or term paper. (That said, regardless of the speech-to-text tool you choose, we recommend familiarizing yourself with it before diving into a text-heavy project.)

Although Dragon was the most accessible and accurate Windows-compatible dictation software we tested, it still faltered in its transcriptions at times, especially for testers who didn’t use a dedicated microphone or headset. Nuance recommends buying its Dragon USB headset ($35) or Dragon Bluetooth headset ($150) for the best experience and says that users can improve the program’s accuracy rate by making corrections to text via voice prompt and running its Accuracy Tuning feature to optimize its language models. Judging from our testing, we can say that any high-quality dedicated mic that’s positioned correctly will improve your results. Even so, one panelist who used a wired headset noticed that Dragon could not capture diverse names like “Yeiser” but had no issues with traditionally Anglo names like “Brady.”

Finally, this dictation software is available in only three languages—English, French, and Spanish—a stark reminder that accessibility isn’t always accessible to all. Within those constraints, you can specify a language region to ensure that the spelling matches your preferred region, such as Canadian English versus American English. (The ability to purchase a preferred-language license may vary depending on where you live .)

If you want a free Windows-compatible option: Consider Windows Voice Recognition . In our tests, its accuracy rate was 64% compared to Dragon’s 82%, but like Dragon you can train Windows to better understand your voice the more you use it. Other free tools we tested that had subpar accuracy rates can’t be trained, including Google Docs Voice Typing .

Our panelists agreed that no dictation software is perfect, but for the most part, such programs’ functionality improves the more you use them. Here’s how to get the most out of your speech-to-text tool:

• Take the tutorial. Seriously. Some of these tools have difficult learning curves, with specialized commands for numerals, punctuation, and formatting. Before dictating your memoir, make sure to review the software’s instruction manual and keep a list of its command shortcuts nearby.
• Set your primary language. Less than half of the tools we tested allow you to set your primary language if it’s outside the country of origin. But if your tool has this option, make sure to use it. This can make the difference between the software transcribing theater or theatre , or even recognizing your accent at all.
• For immediate accuracy, enunciate. For long-term success, speak naturally. Many dictation tools offer vocabulary builders or claim to learn your speech patterns over time, so don’t force yourself to sound like a machine—unless you want to use that stiff voice every time you dictate.
• Consider a dedicated microphone. Speech-to-text tools, including our top picks, work better when you keep your mouth close to the microphone and work in a quiet environment. In general, you can cut out the majority of background disturbances and transcription misfires by using a dedicated external USB microphone or a wireless or wired headset that crisply captures your voice.
• Pay attention to the on/off switch. Some of these tools go into sleep mode after a few seconds of silence, or they may pick up side conversations you don’t want to transcribe. If you pause to collect your thoughts or turn around to answer a colleague’s question, make sure the dictation tool is on the right setting before you speak.

You give up some privacy when you speak into a microphone so that a speech-to-text tool can transcribe your words. As is the case when you’re speaking on the phone, anyone nearby may hear what you say. And many dictation tools feed your audio into their learning algorithms to improve their service or to sell you something. In some cases, a company may even turn over all of your speech-to-text recordings and transcriptions to law enforcement. Ultimately, if you’re dealing with sensitive data and have another means to communicate—which we know isn’t possible for many people who need these tools—it’s best not to share your information with a speech-to-text program. Of course, we could say the same thing about sending unsecured texts or uploading documents into the cloud, too.

Here’s what the makers of our picks do with your data:

Apple’s Voice Control processes dictations and commands only locally, on your device , so no personal data is shared or saved with a third party. But some information that you speak into sibling programs Dictation and Siri may transmit to Apple’s servers. (Because many people, including several of our panelists, use Dictation and Siri, we concluded that the differences are worth calling attention to.)

Typically, Apple can’t access Dictation and Siri audio recordings that you compose on your device unless you’re dictating into a search box or the service requires third-party app access. Apple may collect transcripts of Siri requests, dictation transcripts, IP addresses, and contact information to perform app tasks, improve its services, and market its products. And anytime Apple interacts with a third-party app, such as a transcription service for meeting notes, that voice data may be sent to Apple, or you could be subject to that app’s separate terms and conditions and privacy policy. When you opt in to Apple’s “Improve Siri and Dictation,” the audio recordings and transcripts that Apple saves are accessible to its employees , and data is retained for two years, though the company may extend retention beyond that period at its discretion.

Apple also uses your audio and transcripts to market products and services. You can opt out of allowing Apple to review your audio files under System Settings ( Settings on mobile devices) > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements ; you can delete your six-month history by going through System Settings ( Settings on mobile devices) > Siri & Search > Siri & Dictation History . With iOS 14.6, however, according to Gizmodo , Apple may still collect some analytics data even if you opt out.

As for information shared with third parties, certain providers must delete personal information at the end of the transaction or take undisclosed steps to protect your data. And Apple may disclose your information to law enforcement agencies as required by law.

Nuance, which owns Dragon software, routinely collects dictation data. The service can access any sensitive information you dictate, including medical records or proprietary information, and doesn’t always require your direct consent to do so. For example, in its privacy policy , Nuance says, “If we are processing personal data on behalf of a third party that has direct patient access, it will be the third party’s responsibility to obtain the consent.” And “snippets” of audio recordings are reviewed by people who manually transcribe the data in order to improve Nuance’s services. Nuance retains data for three years after you stop using the services, and you can request that the company delete your data record .

Additionally, although Nuance collects electronic data such as your IP address and registration information to market its products, the company says it doesn’t sell customer data to third parties. However, Nuance affiliates and partners may have access to the data through its sales division or customer service division. And like Apple, Nuance may share personal data to comply with the law .

Beyond considering dictation software in particular, be sure to examine the data-retention policies of any software you’re dictating into (whether that’s Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or whatever else), which fall under the maker’s own privacy practices.

Apple Dictation ( macOS , iOS , iPadOS ) performs similarly to our pick, Apple Voice Control, but it lacks the robust features that many people want in a speech-to-text tool, including key command functions.

We can’t recommend Microsoft Word Dictate  or Otter due to their transcription lag times and subpar accuracy rates, which ranged from 54% to 76%, far behind Apple Voice Control’s 87% and Dragon’s 82%. Additionally, Otter’s platform is not a great choice for document dictation, as it doesn’t integrate well with word-processing tools; it’s better suited for live-event closed captioning.

The Braina Pro tool was popular in the mid-aughts, but its website is outdated, and it hasn’t had any user reviews in years.

The Google Assistant on Gboard interface works only with Gboard-compatible mobile devices, which means it’s useless to desktop users and anyone who doesn’t own an Android or iOS smartphone.

In our tests, Google Docs Voice Typing failed to accurately capture sociolects and casual speech. It also doesn’t work well for people with speech impediments, has poor formatting features, and is nearly impossible to use for anyone who can’t access a mouse and keyboard.

IBM’s Watson Speech to Text is a transcription service that charges by the minute after the first 500 minutes. And the free plan deletes your transcription history after a month of inactivity. We think those shortcomings are enough to disqualify it.

Windows Voice Typing isn’t as robust a tool as Windows Voice Recognition, and we found its accessibility commands to be limiting.

We considered several Chrome-specific apps, including Chromebook Dictation , Speechnotes , and SpeechTexter , but we skipped testing them because of their limited features and usage restrictions that made them inaccessible to most people.

We also considered the following options but quickly learned that they’re designed for specific commercial uses:

• Amazon Transcribe is built for commercial products.
• Speechmatics is designed for commercial products, such as live transcription for video conferences, so it’s too expensive and inaccessible for the average person.
• Suki Assistant is designed for medical dictation.
• Verbit offers transcription services for businesses.

This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.

Meenakshi Das, disability advocate and software engineer, Microsoft , text interview , September 30, 2022

Sayash Kapoor, PhD candidate, Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University , phone interview , October 6, 2022

Christopher Manning, co-director, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford University , Zoom interview , October 5, 2022

Diego Mariscal, founder, CEO, and chief disabled officer, 2Gether-International , Zoom interview , October 26, 2022

Steve Dent, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Google to improve speech recognition for people with disabilities , Engadget , October 3, 2022

Su Lin Blodgett, Lisa Green, Brendan O’Connor, Demographic Dialectal Variation in Social Media: A Case Study of African-American English (PDF) , Proceedings of the 2016 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing , November 1, 2016

Prabha Kannan, Is It My Turn Yet? Teaching a Voice Assistant When to Speak , Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford University , October 10, 2022

Allison Koenecke, Andrew Nam, Emily Lake, Sharad Goel, Racial disparities in automated speech recognition , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , March 23, 2020

Speech Recognition for Learning , LD OnLine, “Tech Works” brief from the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) , August 1, 2010

Arvind Narayanan, The Limits Of The Quantitative Approach To Discrimination , James Baldwin Lecture Series, Department of African American Studies, Princeton University , October 11, 2022

Meet your guide

Kaitlyn Wells

Kaitlyn Wells is a senior staff writer who advocates for greater work flexibility by showing you how to work smarter remotely without losing yourself. Previously, she covered pets and style for Wirecutter. She's never met a pet she didn’t like, although she can’t say the same thing about productivity apps. Her first picture book, A Family Looks Like Love , follows a pup who learns that love, rather than how you look, is what makes a family.

Further reading

The Best Label Makers

by Elissa Sanci

A label maker can restore order where chaos reigns and provide context where it’s needed, and the best one is the Brother P-touch Cube Plus .

The Best Transcription Services

by Signe Brewster

We found that the AI-based Temi is the best transcription service for people who need a readable and affordable transcript for general reference.

Which iPhone Should I Get?

by Roderick Scott

USB-C, and better screens and cameras, make the iPhone 15 easy to recommend, but iPhone 14 owners don’t need to upgrade.

5 Cheap(ish) Things to Help With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

by Melanie Pinola

The good news is, you don’t have to spend a lot to alleviate this potentially debilitating and common condition.

10 Best Speech to Text Tools to Speed Up Your Writing Process

Writing is one of the most common tasks we do in our professional careers. Whether we’re writing a blog post, answering an email, sending a newsletter, or even writing a novel, writing is a slow process. Even for those who type fast, they can usually talk faster than they can type. Fortunately, you can speed up the writing process by using speech to text software.

Many find that software helps them silence their internal editor so they can focus on writing now and editing later. Speech to text software is also great for those who have difficulty using their hands, have dyslexia, etc.

In this article, we’ll look at the 10 best speech to text tools to speed up your writing process. These apps have a high rate of accuracy of usually around 90% or higher. Prices range from free to hundreds of dollars, so there should be something here for every need and budget. The apps are in no particular order.

Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel

• 1 1. Google Docs Voice to Text
• 2 2. Windows Dictation
• 3 3. Apple Dictation
• 4 4. Dragon Professional Individual
• 5 5. Braina
• 6 6. Speechnotes
• 7 7. Dictation
• 8 8. Speech Texter
• 9 9. Voice Finger
• 10 10. e-Speaking
• 11 Ending Thoughts

1. Google Docs Voice to Text

Google Docs Voice to Text works with Chrome browsers when using Google Docs or Google Slides. It’s available in lots of languages. You can add punctuation by saying the name of the punctuation you want to use. It also has voice commands to select, format, edit, add tables, move around the documents, stop or start, open help, and accessibility. It includes a help file with the instructions and all of the commands.

Price: Free | More Information

2. Windows Dictation

Windows Dictation is built into Windows 10. I typed this line with Windows 10 dictation. You have to initialize it, open it, and select the microphone icon, but then it types what you say at the location of your cursor. It works with documents, social media, email, etc. I placed my cursor in the address bar and said “Google dot com, enter” and I was taken to Google. I’ll have to spend some more time with it and learn the commands. The help file includes a list of commands and instructions for typing punctuation, numbers, symbols, and letters. It’s only available in English.

3. Apple Dictation

Apple Dictation is built into Mac, but it has to be turned on and enabled. Siri can do this for you (just say “turn on Dictation”). It has multiple languages and dialects. It has an enhanced mode that works without being connected to the Internet. The help file includes instructions for punctuation, characters, and formatting. It will type wherever you’ve placed your cursor, so it’s great for word processors. It also adapts to your accent.

4. Dragon Professional Individual

Dragon is probably the most well-known name in speech to text software. Dragon Professional Individual was designed specifically for business and professional writing. It syncs with the mobile app, Dragon Anywhere. It does dictation and transcription. It has Deep Learning so it can adapt to your voice and environment. It’s customizable and includes voice commands, editing, and it’s compatible with lots of applications. It works with Windows 7-10, but there are versions of Dragon available for Mac. There’s also a home version available for half the price.

Price: $300 | More Information

Braina is a personal and office productivity application that’s available in both a free and a pro edition. The Pro edition of Braina includes a speech to text feature along with many other features to control your computer with your voice from anywhere in your house or over a Wi-Fi network. It includes over 100 languages. It converts voice into text with any website or application such as Word, Notepad, etc., and includes dictation commands. It’s available for Windows.

Price: $49 | More Information

6. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is an online notepad that takes dictation. It will also read your writing back to you. It only works with Google Chrome. It includes punctuation and formatting. It auto-saves your work as you go. You can store it within folders, download, email, save as a Word document or a text file, upload to your Google Drive , and copy it to your clipboard. It works with 10 different languages. It also has a premium extension for Google Chrome that adds a few simple features such as word count and a quick access button to your Chrome bar.

7. Dictation

Dictation is an online app that works with Google Chrome. It stores the text in your browser, so nothing is uploaded to any website. It records the writing within a text editor and includes some rich text formatting options. It works with lots of languages. You can copy, save as plain text, publish, tweet, play the text as speech, email, and print your text. It includes commands for smileys, special characters, punctuation, quotes, and brackets. It also has a list of phrases to perform certain commands.

8. Speech Texter

Speech Texter is an online app for Chrome that includes lots of formatting options. It has a custom dictionary with short commands to enter data such as punctuation, phone numbers, addresses, etc., and you can add your own commands. It supports over 60 languages with 90% accuracy for most languages and 95% accuracy for English. You can download your file as text or a Word document, or you can print it.

9. Voice Finger

Voice Finger allows you to control your Windows PC vocally and includes a dictation feature. Open your document in any editor, turn on the dictation features, and start talking. This disables the keyboard and mouse by default, but you can turn them back on again with voice commands. You have control over the settings and you can tune it to your voice.

Price: $10 | More Information

10. e-Speaking

e-Speaking is a Windows app that lets you control your PC with 100 built-in voice commands. Its speech to text feature lets you write in any text editor with 26 commands for dictation, navigation, edit the text, add formatting, and add punctuation, numbers, symbols, etc. It includes the list of commands and you can add your own or edit them, and train words so the program responds better to your voice.

Price: $14 | More Information

Ending Thoughts

That’s our look at the 10 best speech to text tools to speed up your writing process. Some work in your browser and provide a simple editor while others work within your operating system and allow you to write with your favorite word processing software.

Whether you’re writing a blog post or the next big novel, if you’re interested in speeding up your writing process with speech to text tools then you’re sure to find what you need on this list.

On a final note, if you are interested in how AI can be used in the realm of text-to-speech, check out our review of Otter Voice Notes . It’s amazing how this technology is evolving!

We want to hear from you. Have you used any of the speech to text tools in this list? Let us know what you think about them in the comments.

Featured Image via Bplanet / shutterstock.com

It's The Divi Summer Sale! Save Big For A Limited Time 👇

Save big on Divi and Divi products for a limited time.

By Randy A. Brown

Randy A. Brown is a freelance writer from east TN specializing in WordPress and eCommerce. He's a longtime WordPress enthusiast and loves learning new things and sharing information with others. If he's not writing or reading, he's probably playing guitar.

Explore Divi, The Most Popular WordPress Theme In The World And The Ultimate Page Builder

Check Out These Related Posts

• Best AI Tools for Content Creation in 2024 (Expert Picks)

Posted on August 9, 2024 in Business

Yes, AI tools can simplify content creation, but they should not be used to generate shareable content without human review. Relying on AI for publish-ready content harms your brand and is equal to wasting its potential. Instead, AI is best used as an assistant to enhance human output by automating...

5 Best Open-Source Website Builders in 2024 (Top New Picks)

Updated on August 4, 2024 in Business

Are you struggling with a budget when building a website for your small business? Check out our list of the best open-source website builders in 2024. By opting for open-source solutions, one can save on licensing fees and invest the saved funds in other critical areas of the project. Open-source...

How To Make A Website That Makes Money (2024 Guide)

Posted on August 1, 2024 in Business

Have you collected a domain or two over the years and want to put it to use? Or do you feel like you have some computer skills and extra time that you’d rather put toward making some extra cash? You might feel a little unsure about all of this, but if you act now, with some help, you can make...

10 Comments

Thanks a lot for sharing useful article. All the best.

Wow… I really found this helpful and thanks a lot for the sharing this amazing article. Keep rocking.

Thank you for sharing Voice to Text Converter to speed writing skills. basically, I am using only google tool to voice to text converter. basically, I am looking for the text to voice converter. if you have any idea related to text to voice converter with actual voice with Indian sound. please share. I am waiting for your reply.

What … no Speechmatics…

Please try their website and maybe a comparison between each provider would be helpful?

thanks a lot

Great article! Maybe it’s time I give this speech to text a try.

Good to see this post as Best Speech to Text Tools. I heard & e-Speaking so my experience with e-Speaking was good.

Great article, may I suggest doing one on Text to Voice, with a focus on the most natural sounding voices.

This one is close to my heart since I used to work at a voice to text company back in my intern days, which eventually got bought by Nuance/Dragon.

These days I’m partial to the built-in Apple voice to text, just because I use those devices a lot. But I think whatever tool you pick, it can be a huge time saver and help you get drafts of blog posts out much faster. (I also use it to outline ideas on the go!)

I’m facing this problem it’ll helpful to me in writing anything thank you so much for sharing this info

Leave A Reply Cancel reply

• Recent Posts
• The Divi Summer Sale Starts Now!
• New Divi Starter Site for Weddings (Quick Install)
• How to Manage Multiple WordPress Websites from One Place
• 6 Best Construction WordPress Themes for Builders in 2024
• Divi Resources
• Theme Releases
• Tips & Tricks

Wait! 👋 Today Is The Divi Summer Sale! Get Up To 70% Off When You Join Today.

Divi features.

• All Features Explore Divi
• Divi Modules
• Divi Layouts
• Quick Sites Brand New!
• No-Code Builder
• Ecommerce Websites
• Theme Builder
• Marketing Platform
• Speed & Performance
• Premium Support
• Divi Theme 70% Off
• Divi Marketplace 50% Off
• Divi Cloud 40% Off
• Divi AI 40% Off
• Divi Teams 40% Off
• Divi VIP 40% Off
• Divi Hosting
• Divi Dash 70% Off
• Extra Theme 70% Off
• Bloom Plugin 70% Off
• Monarch Plugin 70% Off
• Plans & Pricing Get Divi Today
• Documentation
• Help Articles & FAQ
• 24/7 Support
• Developer Docs
• System Status
• Product Updates
• Best Plugins
• Best Hosting
• Divi Meetups
• Divi Facebook Group
• Divi Examples
• Divi Integrations
• Divi Reviews
• Community Forum
• Affiliate Program
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2024 Elegant Themes ®

👋 It's The Divi Summer Sale!

The 6 best free speech-to-text apps for creators

What type of content do you primarily create?

Discover the best free speech-to-text apps for seamless transcription! Enhance productivity with accurate and efficient voice recognition.

If you're an online creator who works with video and audio (say, a podcaster or YouTuber), chances are you spend a lot of time or money writing scripts and transcribing your content. Or, you let YouTube automatically caption your videos and hope for the best, often with colorful results .

But it doesn't have to be that way.

You don't have to spend hours manually transcribing or a ton of money for per-minute transcription services. Instead, you can use free speech-to-text software, some of which include artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed for creators , to help you get your words onto the page in minutes.

6 best free speech-to-text apps for creators

• oTranscribe
• Apple Dictation
• Google Docs Voice Typing

What is a speech-to-text app?

A speech-to-text app, or dictation app, is software that lets you record your voice (or upload an audio/video file) and transcribes it into text within the app.

The technology basis of these apps is speech recognition software, which takes a recording and breaks it down into bits it can interpret, converting them into digital text. It's worth noting that speech recognition technology and voice recognition aren't the same; the latter only looks to identify a spoken voice (and often specific voice commands) rather than transcribe what’s being said.

One of the most common use cases for speech-to-text is for transcribing interviews and meetings, which makes them more accessible for those with hearing difficulties and better for SEO purposes.

However, you can also use them for transcribing voiceover videos , vlogs, audio-only podcasts, and more.

How to choose the best free speech-to-text software

In this section, we'll cover a few core features you should look out for when choosing free speech-to-text software for creating content. If the software you're looking at doesn't have these, you'll most likely need to look elsewhere.

Transcription minutes

Of course, you need your speech-to-text app to transcribe. However, not every app or tool will transcribe pre-recorded audio or video and offer 'live' transcription. For apps that do both (and if this feature is what you need), you'll want to pay attention to the amount of transcription you get for free.

On the other hand, if you only want to use speech-to-text for script planning (e.g., voicing your ideas out loud), you may only need a dictation tool that'll put your spoken words into a document. We'll be showing you tools that cater to these different needs in our comparison section below.

Format compatibility and export

If you need software or tools to help you use speech-to-text for transcribing videos and podcasts, you'll need to keep an eye out for import and export format compatibility.

If the software you're considering only accepts .wav audio files, you'll need to convert to that format if your recording is in another. On the other end of the workflow, if you need your transcription to be able to export as a Microsoft Word document, you'll need to make sure your software exports Word docs before you waste your time.

Storage and organization

Whether you're only using a dictation tool or full speech-to-text software, you'll want your words to be easily accessible. Some software (if not all) will have storage limits, so if you record a lot of content, look for one with a generous amount of storage.

You'll also want to consider the organization of your files — granted, this point is entirely subjective and depends on what kind of user interface you like to use. Since we're specifically looking at free options (or software with free plans), it won't hurt to try a few out to see which you like best.

Automatic speaker labels

If you record a podcast or other video content with guests, you'll need to be able to separate who's who in your transcription. You can manually separate speakers in your transcription, but the best way to save time here is to use software that automatically adds speaker labels.

Usually, this means the software will ask you to identify the speakers first; then, it'll handle the rest of the transcription (typically with AI).

An easy-to-use editor

The final feature you want to consider is editing. No transcription software is 100% accurate, so you'll want to use one that has a smooth and easy editor to help you get the job done faster and more easily.

6 best speech-to-text apps for creators

With all of the above in mind, let's get into the details of some of the best speech-to-text software tools currently available that are most suitable for creators.

We make this distinction because some speech-to-text software tools are specifically designed for professional industry use (e.g., medical and legal) and are costly because of that specialization.

1. De‎script

‎ Key features:

• Automatic high-quality transcription (up to an hour free) with up to 95% accuracy
• Automatically remove filler words and periods of silence with Descript AI tools
• Easy document-style editing, which adjusts both the script and media
• Highlights potential errors to help you proofread and review
• Easily add subtitles to your video with the transcription
• Descript supports 23+ different languages 

Upgrade options: The Creator plan (from $12/month) includes 10 transcription hours, and the Pro plan (from $24/month) includes 30 transcription hours. Each comes with even more features besides more hours.

Platforms: Web app, Windows 10 (or newer), Mac OS High Sierra (or newer).

Descript's speech-to-text transcription tool is embedded within its editor software and is one of the best free options specifically for creators. You can create a project for either an existing video to upload or record a new one straight into the software, and the audio-text feature will add the words to your script.

When I added a video of one of my virtual academic conference presentations (originally 12:53 in duration), it transcribed my words in about a minute and a half with suprising accuracy, given that I was using some highbrow academic language.

After editing, using filler words and word gap removal, I cut my video down to 11:29 in just a few seconds and made the video a lot more presentable (unfortunately for me, I didn't have Descript when I initially presented at that conference). 

Descript also lets you use Studio Sound to improve the overall sound quality—it’s free for files up to 10 minutes on the free plan, and unlimited on paid plans.

2. oT‎ranscribe

Key features:

• A simple HTML web app means good cross-platform accessibility
• Keyboard shortcuts for easy playback, rewind, and fast-forward
• Integrated video player to stop tab/software switching
• Interactive timestamps
• Automatic saving to your browser's storage every second
• Export to Markdown, Plain Text, and Google Docs

Upgrade options: Completely free, no plans or upgrade options.

Platforms: Web app (worked in Chrome and Safari at the time of writing).

This one, admittedly, is cheating a little. oTranscribe is technically a transcription-specific tool, so there's no speech-recognition tech involved. But it's a great tool if you want to work on your video or audio manually. For example, suppose you're using a lot of niche vocabulary (fantasy names, industry-specific terms, etc.). In that case, you can sometimes spend more time editing a generated transcript than writing it with better accuracy.

It has a simple HTML interface with a familiar-looking document editor and immediately tells you the most important keyboard shortcuts to use. Using it on the same conference video test made manual transcription much easier than I remember compared to previous projects.

While this is fine for creating a standalone transcript, it doesn't help you add captions or do anything else (e.g., text summaries, repurposing your script, etc.).

3. Di‎ctanote

• Familiar notebook-style file organization of your notes
• Basic text editing, which is easy to pick up
• You can install its dedicated app instead of using the web
• Decent speech-to-text accuracy
• Dictation is completely free

Upgrade options: You can pay 10 cents per minute for AI transcription of existing audio files.

Platforms: Web app, Chrome app (when it asked me to install, it installed on my MacBook as a Chrome app).

If you want to use a tool to help you type as you speak, Dictanote is a great option. It's packaged as a note-taking app, where you can easily store and organize notes you've made. You can type notes as usual, but its key feature is its speech-to-text function and voice commands.

If you've never dictated before, it takes some getting used to, i.e., voicing punctuation and new lines. However, once you get the hang of it, speaking your thoughts can be much faster than typing them by hand.

This option is mainly for creators who want their creative ideas out of their heads and onto the page and provide a dedicated space for their ideas.

For the downsides, while testing the app, it didn't seem to like my AirPods when dictating (it didn't register my voice at all, even after granting permissions), and I had to switch to my Macbook Air microphone. That might be down to me not having the correct settings, but it's worth mentioning. Also, not having any free transcription options for existing media can be a deal-breaker for creators who primarily record content on the fly.

4. ‎ Apple Dictation

• No internet connection required (with Apple Silicon devices)
• Setting up Voice Control can add even more functionality to dictation
• User-friendly; use it anywhere you’d usually type
• Up to 96% accuracy

Upgrade options: Comes free with Apple devices.

Platforms: Apple Mac and iOS devices only.

To test Apple dictation, I've decided to use it to write this section of the article using the Apple Notes app, then copy and paste what I've written into my draft (with a bit of editing).

It's a great tool to help you write as you speak; what’s more, it’s entirely free because it comes embedded within Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

Another great benefit of using Apple dictation is that you can easily swap between using your voice and typing, making editing easy for simple mistakes (such as capitalizing brand names). However, when you set it up with voice commands, you can also use dictation to edit instead. Apple dictation also switches off if it doesn’t detect your voice after about 15 seconds or so.

Of course, if you're not an Apple user, Apple dictation is not the tool for you. However, Microsoft has an equivalent dictation tool with an equally reasonable accuracy rate. If you're the type of creator who likes to think out loud and can get used to voicing punctuation and new lines quickly, then Apple dictation is the right tool to help you get thoughts on the page.

As a downside, I found that Apple dictation works best with other Apple software products, such as the Notes app. The dictation keyboard shortcut doesn't work at all in Google Docs, which is likely because Google Docs has its own dictation tool, which we’ll be looking at next.

5. ‎ Google Docs Voice Typing

• Google Docs is an extremely widely used, cross-platform tool for professionals and creators, making collaboration easy.
• Activate voice typing with a keyboard shortcut no matter where you are on the page
• Clear, large icon indicates you've started voice typing

Upgrade options: It comes as a free feature of Google Docs; there's no upgraded version.

Platforms: Web (I'd recommend Chrome specifically for Google Docs, but other browsers may work just as well). It may also work on the Docs app using the Gboard keyboard, but it doesn't work with the default iOS keyboard.

I've used Google Docs as the main deliverable format in my career for years, and I'd never thought to use the native Google speech-to-text feature. However, as a speech-to-text option, it works in the same way as Apple Dictation and Dictanote.

The main difference between these dictation options is the software platform and UI. If you're a creator who uses Google Docs for your ideas, transcripts, collaboration opportunities, and Google Drive for storage, then voice typing directly into Google Docs could be a great option.

However, as with the other dictation tools we've covered, they don't help you with existing media; they’re only for live speech. This lack of transcription can add to your work rather than make your workflow smoother.

6. ‎ Otter.ai

• AI meeting assistant that keeps audio recordings, transcribes, captures slides, and generates summaries in real time.
• Automatically integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and MS Team to write and share notes
• 300 transcription minutes and up to 30 minutes per conversation on the free plan
• You can import up to 3 audio or video files for transcription (period). You get a monthly limit if you upgrade.

Upgrade options: Pro from $10/month, Business from $20/month (gets you 1,200 and 6,000 transcription minutes, respectively).

Platforms: Web, iOS app, Android app

My personal experience with Otter.ai started when a client of mine would send me interview transcripts she'd made with it. While they helped create content based on the interviews, the transcripts were never super accurate (I'd say roughly 75%).

However, using my conference presentation video, the accuracy is more within the 90% range. I imagine this huge difference comes from the fact that with more than one person speaking, it can be difficult for the AI to keep speakers separated — and on top of that, neither my client nor the interviewees ever seemed to use dedicated microphones.

For creators who post a lot of videos or audio content online, Otter.ai can be a time saver for transcribing podcast interviews you've recorded on Zoom , Google Meets, or MS Teams.

On the other hand, while you can edit the transcript within the Otter.ai software, you can't edit the media the transcript came from. So, if you need a tool to do both, Otter.ai can't help you. Otter.ai also only works in English, so if you need to use another language, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Honorable mention: Just Press Record

If you're a creator with an iPhone or Apple Watch who finds yourself coming up with content ideas in the most random places, and you typically make voice notes with the Voice Memo mobile app to record your ideas, Just Press Record is a great on-the-go speech-to-text service. It's an honorable mention here because it has a one-time purchase fee from the app store ($/£4.99).

With the iPhone app, you can record pro-level audio (if you've got a plug-in microphone), transcribe every word with high accuracy (no limits), edit the transcript in-app, sync across iCloud, and organize your notes by folder.

However, you can also cut/trim the audio to better match an edited transcript, though you have to do this manually.

Another software often cited as a great choice is Nuance Dragon Professional and Dragon Anywhere mobile app. However, upon researching, I discovered that the app has a lot of poor reviews (it's sitting at 2.4/5 on the app store at the time of writing). So, I decided not to include it in this list.

Quick tip for the best speech-to-text results

No matter which type of speech-to-text tool you use, to get the best results, you'll want to use a good-quality microphone so that the audio is as clear as possible.

If you still have trouble with inaccurate dictation or transcription, try speaking more clearly and making sure you don't have too much background noise.

Best free speech-to-text app FAQs

Is there a free app for voice-to-text transcription.

Yes. There are several free voice-to-text transcription apps available. Descript is one of the best options for creators. However, many people can use their device's onboard dictation solution with a note-taking app.

What is the best AI speech-to-text tool?

Descript is the best transcription option for creators who want to use speech-to-text alongside media editing — editing the transcript also edits the media.

On the other hand, if you don't need to edit media, Otter.ai is another great option for transcribing personal meetings and internal interviews.

What are the benefits of using a speech-to-text app?

• Saves time. People often speak much faster than they can type, so a speech-to-text tool can help you get words onto a page more quickly.
• Saves money. Many speech-to-text apps are reasonably accurate and free, which saves you from needing to pay for professional transcriptions (unless you really need human transcription services).

Greater accessibility. People with specific disabilities find it difficult, if not impossible, to type by hand, and so speech-to-text is a critical tool for those who need it.

Related articles

Featured articles:

Calendly hacks for podcasters: Save time and maximize your marketing efforts

Learn how to tailor your scheduling form to get the answers and assets you need to save time in pre- and post-production and podcast marketing.

Best podcast equipment for beginners (that won't break the bank)

You don't need to spend a lot to start a podcast. Here's the best podcast equipment for beginners that will give you quality without the spend.

10 best Audacity alternatives to upgrade your audio workflow

When it's time to upgrade, these Audacity alternatives will give you the modern interface and powerful features you need.

15 best video collaboration tools for remote teams

Whether you're working on marketing materials or feature-length films, these video collaboration tools will keep your team on the same page.

The 9 best free video trimming software tools

Discover the best 9 free video trimming software tools for Windows and Mac in this guide

Top 10 best slow motion apps for compelling video

Explore the best slow motion apps for stunning videos. Compare costs, features, and pros and cons in this guide.

Articles you might find interesting

Scene blocking and staging: How fiction podcasts keep your ear on the action

Fiction podcasts borrow from theatre principles to help listeners follow the story. The secret lies in two tools of sound design: panning and attention to locational detail.

Product Updates

New in Descript: Um detection, search, and more

Descript 3.1 is now available. Here’s what’s new:

Cutting time with custom templates: a #MadewithDescript Q&A

Ko-fi brand ambassador Tim Balogh relies heavily on custom Descript templates to create his Ko-fi Break video series. We asked him about his process.

What is cross-cutting? 6 examples of cross-cutting in film

From establishing shots to action sequences, cross-cutting technique is used to cut back and forth between scenes taking place in different spaces or settings.

Product marketing: The bridge between the product and the market

What is product marketing, and how does it affect your overall marketing strategy? We'll run through the basics in this article.

AI for Creators

5 prompts for making ChatGPT more accurate

ChatGPT often gets things wrong. It turns out that you can help steer it in the right direction with these five prompts.

Join millions of creators who already have a head start.

Get free recording and editing tips, and resources delivered to your inbox.

Related articles:

Share this article

Best Speech to Text Software: 8 Top Choices (2024)

In this guide, we test and review the best speech to text software options, both free and paid.

Do you spend hours time sitting in front of the computer writing and editing documents? If so, you understand how physically demanding typing is. I remember the first time I felt a shock of pain in my wrists. 

I was so scared that I was developing carpal tunnel syndrome. I instantly started looking for ways to save my wrists, knowing that if I could not type, I could not do my job. That is where I uncovered speech-to-text software.

Speech-to-text software programs are great because they use artificial intelligence programs to translate your spoken words to text. Then, this software program transcribes it into text for you, displaying it on the screen.

In addition to enabling faster work, you can also prevent the development of wrist problems, including carpal tunnel syndrome .

There are numerous software programs available. In this guide, we try and test some of the best speech-to-text software options available.

How I Curated This Speech-to-Text Software List

1. dragon anywhere, 2. windows speech recognition, 3. braina pro, 4. google docs voice typing, 5. speechnotes, 6. dragon professional individual.

• 7. Apple Dictation or Siri

8. Otter.AI

Why you can trust us.

• Are speech-to-text programs accurate?

How Does Voice Recognition Software Work?

Are dictation programs expensive, does dragon naturallyspeaking need the internet, can dragon naturallyspeaking transcribe audio files, how much does dragon speech to text software cost, what’s the best dictation software for mac, what’s the best dictation app for writers, what is the best voice recognition software, voice dictation resources.

Dragon offers professional-grade speech to text with near 95% accuracy. It's available on iOS and Android.

I tested each of these speech-to-text apps in this review extensively. I picked a paragraph of text from The Irish Times newspaper and read it into each different apps. I used a set of Apple Airpods Pro and an iPhone 7 and also an iMac. I also commissioned a third-party freelance writer who dictates freelance articles extensively to share his experiences.

The original text reads as follows:

The interim analysis by a committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) determined that serious side effects of rare blood clots are likely to occur in 1 out of 100,000 vaccinated people, the regulator said in a statement.

Before we get into the software choices, remember these tips to ensure better accuracy:

• Use a quality headset (the Apple Airpods work well)
• Speak in slow, complete sentences
• Dictate in a quiet environment
• Avoid editing and dictating at the same time

8 Best Speech to Text Software For You

This is the best speech-to-text software for dictating on mobile devices. It’s also the best choice for Mac users. Cost: $14.99 per month

If you need a dictation software program for your mobile device, then consider Dragon Anywhere, available through Nuance.

This program has excellent speech recognition capabilities similar to those on the desktop version. Even though there may be a delay in spoken words showing up on the screen, this application is responsive, fast, and accurate. You can also share documents easily using cloud services, including Dropbox.

Here is Dragon Anywhere‘s output for my test (Errors in bold):

The interim analysis by a committee of  the European medicines agency  determined that serious side-effects of their blood clots are likely to occur in 1/100,000 vaccinated people, the regulator said in a statement.

I currently use Dragon Anywhere regularly via my iPhone 11 as it’s accurate, portable, and fast. It’s my recommended choice for writers and Mac users who take dictation seriously.

• Works well on mobile devices
• Exceptional functionality when compared to other dictation apps
• Works well the desktop Dragon program (if you’re on Windows)
• Expensive subscription service
• Delay in the spoken text showing up on the screen
• Editing dictated text is a challenge

This is the best free speech-to-text software for Windows 10 and upwards. Cost: Free

If you need free speech-to-text software for Windows, the freelance writer I worked with on this review recommends Windows 10 Speech Recognition.

This program is available on Microsoft’s desktop OS. It has solid voice recognition abilities included in the operating system, even if it is not named Cortana.

It’s not always an accurate program, particularly when compared to Dragon, but it won’t cost you extra money. Furthermore, documents improve as the program learns your vocabulary and manner of speech.

Here are the results (errors in bold)

The interim analysis by a pity of the European Edison Agency determines that serious side effects of rare flood clot are likely to occur in 1/10000 fractured people the regulator said in a statement.

• Integrates with your existing operating system
• Becomes more accurate as it learns your voice
• Not that accurate compared to other choices
• Can freeze up if you speak too quickly

This is the best speech-to-text software to use as a virtual assistant. Cost: $49 per year

Braina Pro is a speech recognition software that handles dictation but also acts as a virtual assistant for your PC. It supports transcription through third-party software programs and not only English but dozens of other languages as well.

You can also instruct this virtual assistant to start your computer for files, browse the internet, or set alarms. It can even read a book out loud for you or play an MP3 file using customized commands. Here are the results, errors in bold:

The interim analysis by a committee of the European Medicineregency determined that sirius side effects of rare blood clots are likely to occur in 1 out of 100000 vaccinated people the regulator said in a statement.

• Handles dictation in different languages
• Searches your computer, the internet, and even play music files
• Supports and Android application for remotely controlling your PC
• Subscription service can be expensive
• Works online only

A good choice if you use Android apps or want to transcribe text on the go. Cost: Free

If you are looking for voice recognition software you can use for free, then consider the voice typing feature from Google Docs. All you have to do is open up a Google Document via the Google Chrome Browser, turn on the microphone, and start speaking. 

This is a sensitive dictation program that can even pick up your voice if you are across the room. Of course, that means that if there’s any background noise, this could mess up your dictation. This is a great way to try out real-time dictation software for the first time. 

Here is the Google Docs output of my test (errors in bold):

The  interim analysis by a committee of the European medicines agency emea determines  that serious side effects are rare blood types are likely to occur  in one hour vaccinated people  the regulator said in a statement

• Free and widely available
• Short learning curve
• Background noise interferes with the program from time to time
• Software lags if speak too quickly

This is a good online choice if you don’t want to create an account or take out a subscription. Cost: Free

Speechnotes is another dictation program that is easy to use. One of the things that set this program apart is that you do not need to create an account to use it.

You simply have to open the application, press the microphone, and get started. This application is powered by the same software that powers Google’s voice recognition technology.

You can also dictate punctuation marks and formatting using voice commands as well. Finally, you can also include greetings, signatures, and names using custom keys that you set up on the keyboard.

Here is the output of my test (errors in bold):

The  age of analysis by a committee of the European medicines agency emea determines  that serious side effects are rare blood types are likely to occur  in one hour vaccinated people  the regulator said in a statement .

• You do not need to create an account
• A mobile application is intuitive to use
• The program is free to use
• No iOS mobile app available for Mac or Apple products, such as the iPhone
• You need to purchase additional features to access TK

This is the best choice for businesses that run Windows machines. Cost: $500

If you need a dictation software program for your business, then consider Dragon Professional. When I need to quickly type up records at work, Dragon Professional is invaluable.

I can speak at 150 words per minute easily with almost complete accuracy, even if I’m using industry jargon. I am also able to import customized word lists with ease.

A flexible, powerful tool, Dragon Professional significantly reduces the amount of time I spend going through records. The company behind it also offers different versions for medical and legal companies with specific needs.

I used an older version of this tool for several years on my Mac machine. The test results were similar to Dragon Anywhere, not surprising considering they are powered by the same technology.

Unfortunately, the older versions are buggy and unreliably on Mac. What’s more, the developers no longer support it for Mac. Microsoft recently purchased Nuance for $19.7 billion. It’s unclear if they’ll support a new Mac version (I suspect unlikely).

Here is  the output for my test (Errors in bold):

• Powerful and accurate
• Handles industry jargon well
• One of the fastest dictation programs available
• Can control your computer too
• One of the most expensive software programs available
• Takes time to learn your voice, which impairs accuracy
• No longer supported on Mac

7.  Apple Dictation or Siri

Apple Mac and iOS users can dictate text for free using Siri . Cost : Free

This option works well for short dictation sessions via your iOS device or Mac. On iOS, Siri handles 30-40 seconds at a time. This makes it ideal for jotting down notes or sending short texts.

This program also has a voice-to-text feature that controls commands on a Mac computer. It doesn’t work well for dictating large pieces of content, however.

Here is Siri‘s output (errors in bold):

The interim analysis by a committee of the European medicines agency  the term is that serious side-effects are where clock clocks are likely to occur in one and a 100,000 vaccinated people.

• Online and offline features
• Works well for note-taking
• Compatible with iOS devices
• Not a dictation app for long pieces
• Handles 40 seconds at a time
• Comparably inaccurate to Dragon

Otter works well if you want to transcribe phone calls, meetings, and interviews. Cost: Free/from $8.33 per month.

Otter.ai is a transcribing tool for speeches and conversations that works online and via a mobile app. You can take it into your business meeting to get a quick transcript of what was said. You can also add speaker notes, audio files, images, and video files to the transcript after the meeting.

Otter has a free version that has 600 minutes of transcription time a month. It also has several premium plans based on your needs. It’s a good choice for transcribing meetings and interviews, although don’t expect 100% accuracy. That said, it performed well with my test.

Here are the results:

The interim analysis by a committee of the European Medicines Agency FMEA  determines that  serious side effects of rare blood clots are likely to occur in one out of 100,000 vaccinated people, the regulator  said in the statement .

• Free option
• Built-in team collaboration options
• Real-time captioning
• Excellent accuracy
• Limited minutes on the free version
• Not designed for writers
• No desktop version

My recommended choices are Dragon Anywhere and Otter.ai. The price point and accuracy should meet the needs of most writers and those with dictation needs.

When selecting speech-to-text software for your project or work, consider your operating system, budget, and whether you’re using a desktop or mobile device. It’s also a good idea to consider what you’re dictating. For example, Otter.ai works well for meetings and podcasts whereas Dragon is ideal for articles.

Remember, it takes time to adapt to writing via speech to text. However, the rewards are great. You’ll rapidly increase a daily word count and save your wrists from developing overuse injuries. Remember, always proofread and edit your work before submitting to clear up dictation errors!

I’ve written and published dozens of articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications including Forbes and Lifehacker. I’m also a best-selling non-fiction author and a trained journalist.

Speech-to-text software forms a key part of my writing workflow for non-fiction. I regularly outline articles and then dictate first drafts using some of the software options in this guide.

FAQs About Best Speech To Text Software

Are  speech-to-text  programs accurate.

Most speech-to-text programs are relatively accurate. Many of the programs get more accurate as you use them because they learn your voice. Some programs will prompt you to correct unclear dictation issues to expedite this learning process.

Voice recognition software recognizes your speech and uses artificial intelligence to transform that into typed words. Many programs also use voice commands to handle formatting and punctuation needs.

They do not have to be expensive. Even though the best programs can require a significant investment, there are free options available. You may want to try out these free options before you figure out exactly what features you are willing to pay for.

Once you activate your software you can dictate while offline.

You can upload a personal audio file or one from social media to Dragon NaturallySpeaking and it will transcribe it. You may have to clean up the result.

Dragon costs anywhere from $59 to $300. It depends on which version you buy.

If you’re on a budget, use the inbuilt dictation software first until you’re comfortable dictating. After that, your best choice is Dragon Anywhere, which is usable via an iOS or Android device. You could also use Rev.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a good dictation app for writers as you can train it to recognize character names and unusual words. Rev is a popular transcription alternative.

Dragon products regularly top the list of best voice recognition software because of their robust features, tutorials and integration into most operating systems. However, the best software for your needs will be the one that fits your budget and has the features you need for your work.

Practice Dictation With These 9 Simple Exercises

How To Write Faster And Send More Work Out Into The World

9 Speedy And Effective Dictation Tips

Otter.Ai Review: Is It Worth It?

Dragon Anywhere App Review: Is It Worth It?

What Are The Best Apps For Dictating A Book?

What Is The Best Dictation Software? 7 Top Choices

The Best Transcription Services Reviewed

16 Best Speech to Text Apps for Free

Save time and effort by using the best free speech-to-text app. Speak your thoughts and let the app handle the typing for you.

Speech-to-text technology enables users to quote and write effortlessly without typing. This is also useful for those who are visibly imparted or require assistance with gadgets. We’ve curated a list of the best free speech-to-text apps available online. Let’s explore these innovative tools together.

Table of Contents

With the power of Artificial Intelligence , these apps can transcribe your spoken words into text with impressive accuracy. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best speech to text apps free and paid available today, so you can choose the one that suits your needs.

1. Google Assistant

As one of the most popular speech to text apps available for free, Google Assistant has an array of features that make it stand out from the rest. From sending messages hands-free to setting reminders , Google Assistant can do it all with just a simple voice command . So, if you’re ready to experience the convenience of a smart virtual assistant, let’s dive into the features that make Google Assistant the best speech to text app free!

• Accurate speech recognition
• Natural language processing capabilities
• Support for multiple languages
• Integration with other Google services and devices
• Ability to perform various tasks through voice commands
• Contextual understanding of conversations
• Personalization options
• Continuous learning and improvement
• Price : Free

2. Apple Dictation

Are you looking for a reliable and accurate speech to text app for your Apple device? Look no further than Apple Dictation! With its advanced features and intuitive interface, Apple Dictation is the perfect speech to text convertor for anyone who needs to transcribe their voice into text quickly and easily.

To Dictate words on your Apple device, simply tap the mic icon on your keyboard . If you’re dictating emails, taking notes, or composing documents, Apple Dictation makes it easy to get your thoughts down on paper without the hassle of typing, making it one of the best speech to text app free.

• Precise speech recognition
• Integration with Apple devices and services
• Multiple-language support
• Ability to dictate in various apps and contexts
• Support for punctuation and formatting commands
• Hands-free activation with Hey Siri
• Offline functionality
• Price: Free

Also Read : How to Use Text to Speech on TikTok

3. Dragon Anywhere

Dragon Anywhere is one of the most advanced and innovative speech to text apps that you can find in the market today. If you’re a student, writer, or busy professional, Dragon Anywhere has a range of features that will help you improve your productivity and efficiency .

With its powerful speech recognition technology and customizable formatting options , Dragon Anywhere is a must-have tool for anyone looking to streamline their workflow and get more done in less time. So, if you’re looking for a speech to text app that can keep up with your busy schedule, Dragon Anywhere is definitely worth checking out!

• Automatic and Accurate speech recognition
• Advanced customization options
• Support for specialized vocabularies and industry jargon
• Ability to edit and format dictated text
• Multi-device syncing
• Integration with cloud storage services
• Advanced dictation features, such as voice commands and macros
• Price : 1-Week Free Trial & then $15 per month

4. Voice Notes

Looking for an easy-to-use and reliable speech to text app? Look no further than Voice Notes! With its intuitive interface and powerful features, this app is perfect for anyone who needs to quickly and accurately transcribe their voice memos, interviews, or meetings . Whether you’re a busy professional, a student, or just someone who wants to stay organized, Voice Notes has everything you need to stay on top of your game.

• Ability to save and organize notes
• Multi-language support
• Adjustable playback speed
• Integration with Google Drive and other cloud storage services
• Easy sharing of notes through various platforms

Also Read : 15 Best Note Taking App with Stylus

5. Transcribe

Transcribe is the best speech to text app free that allows users to transcribe audio and video files into text effortlessly. Its impressive features make it one of the best speech to text apps on the market. Whether you’re a journalist, writer, or student, Transcribe is a reliable tool that will save you time and effort in transcribing your recordings.

• Ability to transcribe audio and video files
• Advanced editing and formatting tools
• AI-powered speaker identification and formatting
• Adjustable playback speed and pitch
• Price : Free version with $12 for a monthly Pro subscription

6. SpeechTexter

Get ready to experience the ultimate speech to text app that will revolutionize how you communicate – SpeechTexter. With its impressive array of features, this app is not only accurate but also fast and easy to use. Whether you’re a busy professional, a student, or simply looking for a more efficient way to transcribe your voice, SpeechTexter has got you covered.

• Ability to save and share transcribed text
• User-friendly interface

7. iTranslate Converse

iTranslate Converse is the best speech to text app free for language enthusiasts and frequent travelers. This app provides near-perfect accuracy and can instantly translate your spoken words into over 40 languages , eliminating the language barrier wherever you go.

Its intuitive interface and real-time translation capabilities make it easy to communicate with people from different countries and cultures. If you’re ordering food, asking for directions, or simply making new friends, iTranslate Converse is the perfect speech to text convertor to help you break down language barriers and connect with the world around you.

• Real-time translation
• Natural conversation mode
• Offline functionality for some languages
• Ability to save and organize translated conversations
• Integration with iTranslate’s other services and apps
• Hands-free activation with Hey iTranslate
• Price : Free with in-app purchases

Also Read : 22 Best Speech To Text Applications For Android Phone

Braina is a cutting-edge speech to text converter that caters to the needs of professionals and casual users alike. It offers unparalleled accuracy, transcribing your spoken words with precision and speed.

With its advanced features like voice commands, artificial intelligence , and support for multiple languages , Braina is the perfect tool to streamline your workflow and boost your productivity. Whether you’re a writer, a student, or a business professional, it is the perfect assistant to help you achieve your goals.

• Integration with the Windows operating system and other apps
• AI-powered conversation mode
• Price : Free version (Braina Lite) with $79 for Braina PRO and $199 for lifetime Braina PRO

9. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is a powerful and of the best free speech-to-text app that is sure to delight both tech-savvy users and casual users alike. It uses advanced algorithms to provide a highly accurate transcription of your spoken words in real-time, saving you the time and hassle of typing.

The app features a simple yet effective interface , customizable hotkeys , and support for multiple languages , making it a top contender in the speech to text converter market. With Speechnotes, you can streamline your workflow and boost your productivity with just a few clicks. So why wait? Try Speechnotes today and experience the power of voice dictation!

• Hands-free activation with a hotkey
• Automatic capitalization and spacing

10. Microsoft Dictate

Microsoft Dictate liberates users from the confines of their keyboards and unleashes their creativity with effortless speech to text conversion. This feature expedites document creation by enabling users to effortlessly dictate their ideas, while also supporting multiple languages to reach a global audience.

With advanced capabilities such as punctuation commands and voice editing and formatting , users can now wield their voices as powerful tools in crafting professional-grade content. With Dictate, the only limit is one’s imagination.

• Integration with Microsoft Word
• Ability to customize voice commands and preferences
• Real-time transcription and correction
• Cloud-based language recognition

Also Read : How to Integrate ChatGPT into Microsoft Word

11. Google Docs Voice Typing

Google Docs Voice Typing is a powerful tool that allows users to easily convert their speech into written text. With this feature, users can dictate their thoughts and ideas without the need for a physical keyboard, making it an ideal solution for those with mobility issues or for those who simply prefer speaking rather than typing. Voice Typing can also help increase productivity by enabling users to create documents quickly and efficiently.

• Support for punctuation and formatting
• Seamless integration with Google Docs
• Hands-free activation
• Customizable voice commands and preferences

Otter is the talkative friend you never knew you needed – except this friend doesn’t just listen, it transcribes everything you say quickly. This speech to text app is a true superstar, with advanced features like real-time collaboration and custom vocabularies. And the best part? It’s completely free! If you’re a student taking notes during class or a journalist interviewing sources, Otter is the perfect companion to help you stay on top of your game. With its impressive accuracy and user-friendly interface, Otter is the gift that keeps giving.

• Accurate and automatic transcription
• Real-time collaboration
• Integration with other productivity tools
• Speaker identification
• Custom Vocabulary
• Import and export functionality
• Voice and keyword search

The pricing for Otter is as such:

• Basic plan : Free
• Pro plan : $16.99 per month
• Business plan : $20 per user per month
• Enterprise plans : Custom

Notta boasts a super-fast and highly accurate transcription service, with the added bonus of being completely free. Notta’s user-friendly interface offers a seamless experience that’s as smooth as butter, and its integration with popular apps like WhatsApp and Telegram makes it a true game-changer. With Notta, you can transform your spoken words into text with ease, and without breaking the bank. Who knew that the best things in life really are free?

• Accurate and fast transcription
• Natural language processing
• Advanced security and privacy features
• High-quality audio recording

And the prices for the available versions are:

• Pro plan : $8.25 per month billed annually
• Team plan : $18 per month billed annually

Also Read : How to Use Text to Speech Android

Gboard is the James Bond of speech to text conversion, serving up the perfect blend of speed and convenience. With its sleek and user-friendly interface, G Board provides a seamless experience that’s both effortless and enjoyable.

This app’s impressive AI capabilities make dictation a breeze, with virtually no errors in transcriptions. It also offers a wide range of language support, letting you speak your mind in over 100 languages . Whether you’re texting, emailing, or creating notes, G Board is the best speech to text app free.

• Accurate voice recognition
• Built-in Google search functionality
• Easy-to-use interface
• Gesture typing
• Smart correction and suggestions
• Integration with other Google services
• Customizable keyboard themes

Verbit is the unicorn of speech to text converter, providing the best features at no cost! It offers impeccable accuracy, transcribing every word like a boss. With its support for over 100 languages , Verbit can translate your words into any language you speak. And if you’re worried about the flow, don’t be.

Verbit seamlessly integrates with your workflow, syncing with your favorite apps and software. From creating captions for your videos to transcribing your lectures, Verbit does it all with a single click. So why pay for an app when Verbit offers the best service for free?

• Accurate and automated transcription
• Custom vocabulary and industry-specific terminology
• AI-powered speaker identification and segmentation
• Price : Custom pricing

Also Read : 26 Best AI Assistant for Android

16. Speechmatics

If you’re a journalist on a tight deadline or a podcaster looking to transcribe interviews, Speechmatics has got your back. With its advanced algorithms and support for over 30 languages , Speechmatics is a global superstar. But that’s not all – this superhero comes with customizable vocabularies, making it a true champion of speech recognition technology. So, when you must transcribe audio and video content faster than a speeding bullet, Speechmatics is the best speech to text converter.

• Multi-device syncing and cloud storage
• Real-time transcription and translation
• Supports over 100 languages
• Integration with popular productivity tools
• Customizable vocabulary and commands
• Speaker identification and separation
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Price : There is a Free tier, but prices start at $2.75 per hour. Enterprise has custom pricing based on requirements

So, these apps have revolutionized the way we communicate and have made life easier for millions of people. Say goodbye to tedious typing and hello to effortless transcription. So, what are you waiting for? Download the app that suits you best and start transcribing today!

With these best speech to text apps free , you can transcribe your conversations, lectures, and even your own thoughts. Feel free to reach out to us with your queries and suggestions via the comments section below. Also, let us know what you want to learn about next.

About The Author

Pete Mitchell

How to Book 2 Uber Rides at Once

How to Reserve Rides in Another City in Uber

How to Enable Dark Mode in Wikipedia on Mobile

How to Change Language on Waze

How to Set up Waze App Police Alert

How to Change Voice on Waze

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search results for

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.

10 best dictation apps for Android to transcribe audio to text

Published on August 27, 2023

Dictation is a niche, but important function. After all, your voice is a lot faster than typing, pretty much all the time. Your mobile is perfect for this, given its portability. Of course, you’ll need a good app to use speech-to-text. Here are the best dictation apps for Android.

The best dictation apps for Android

Google keep, google translate.

• Live Transcribe

Microsoft Translate

Speechnotes, speechtexter, dragon anywhere, dictation websites, gboard (or most keyboards).

Price: Free

Gboard is a pretty good choice for voice dictation. It has a mic icon that you press. From there, just speak your sentences, and the app types it out. You can do this in a variety of apps, including note-taking apps, emails, or other text documents. We list Gboard because it uses Google’s speech-to-text technology. It works pretty well overall. However, most keyboards have a mic option that also works. It’s a good method for voice dictation because you can use your keyboard in almost any app.

By the way, this option is even better if you have a Pixel 6 or newer Pixel phone. These devices have Assistant voice typing , which is a much more advanced version of this app’s voice-to-text feature.

Google Keep is another good solution for dictation. You do need a keyboard with the functionality as well, though. The charm of Keep is that it keeps your audio file saved while your keyboard types out the transcription as you talk. You wind up with both the original audio file and also the transcription. It’s an excellent tool for this sort of thing, as many people use dictation for notes for the most part. Google Keep is a free option. Those looking for something a bit more professional can try Evernote as well.

Google Translate is a good option for dictation. You can easily and quickly translate between many languages, and a wide variety of them work offline. You can then copy and paste the translations wherever you want. It’s an excellent option for interviews where there is a multilingual element. Every translation stays on screen until you clear it. It can be a little tedious if you need to do a lot of translating, but it gets the job done.

Live Translate

Google’s Live Transcribe is an excellent way to transcribe things. You simply talk into it, and the app puts your voice into text. It has a variety of features, mainly for accessibility. That’s what the app is for, after all. However, it does save every transcription for three days on your phone. While it’s there, you can copy and paste it to your chosen note-taking or text document app. It may not work for super long applications, but otherwise, it works surprisingly well.

Microsoft Translate is one of the better dictation apps for the same reason as Google Translate. You can conduct things like interviews and get translations if the answers are in a different language from yours. The app boasts 70 languages, a two-pane mode in case both speakers need translation, and you can copy and paste stuff from the app into another one for future reference. Google Translate is the better option, but this is a good second option if Google isn’t doing it for you.

Price: Free / $16.99 per month

Otter is one of the most popular dictation apps on mobile right now. It’s technically a voice recorder app. You record voice audio, whether it be a work meeting or a school lecture. The app then gives you the option to listen and transcribe the audio. The free version of the app supports 300 minutes per month for free. Anything more serious and you need the subscription. There are also a bunch of other features, like collaboration features, the ability to identify speakers, and more. This is easily one of the best on mobile and one of the ones we’d recommend first.

Price: Free / $2.99 per month / $22.99 once

Speechnotes is an older option, but it still works decently well. This one is good for longer dictation. It boasts unlimited, non-stop dictation until you fill up your phone storage. Some other features include Google Drive backup, offline support, and controls for punctuation. There is also a home screen widget if you need it. The app has its ups and downs, a result of being around for so long. It’s also reasonably cheap with options for both a single and subscription price tier.

SpeechTexter is one of the better free dictation apps. It’s pretty simple to use. You simply open the app, hit the mic button, and start talking. This one supports more than 70 languages, decent accuracy, a custom commands dictionary, and you can share transcriptions if you need to. There aren’t a ton of features, but it is entirely free (with ad support), so it’s unreasonable to think it’ll compete with more expensive dictation apps. It still works well, even if it’s a bit anemic on features.

Price: $15 per month / $150 per year

Dragon Anywhere is made by Nuance, and is a professional-grade speech recognition service for your mobile device. It offers fast dictation, document creation/sharing, voice editing, cloud syncing, and seamless integration with Dragon Professional desktop services. Sounds fancy? It kind of is, which is why this app has no free version. You can get a 7-day trial, but the app costs $15 a month otherwise.

There are several free services online that can dictate and transcribe voice audio. Some examples include Dictanote, Amazon Transcribe , Speechnotes , Dictation.io , and many others. The services are usually free, at least to an extent, and you can access them from your mobile browser. Your browser needs mic permission, though, so be prepared for that. During testing, it seems most of them need Google Chrome to function properly so you’ll most likely need Chrome to make this solution work.

If we missed any great dictation apps to transcribe audio to text, tell us about them in the comments. You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists .

The 6 Best Speech-to-Text Apps for Note-Taking

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Whether you're taking meeting minutes, interviewing someone, or researching for a project, speech-to-text apps are an excellent tool that saves time. Both students and professionals can benefit from using an app that provides speech-to-text functionality.

You can use some apps in the list below in your browser, or you can use them in an app on your phone. Depending on what you want to do with the transcribed notes, some apps may be more valuable than others. You can find the apps on Android and iOS, so your options aren't limited depending on your phone.

1. Dragon Anywhere

Dragon Anywhere provides you with dictation capabilities without any word limits. Suppose you've had bad experiences with talk-to-text apps transcribing your audio incorrectly. You don't have to worry about that with Dragon Anywhere since it has 99% accuracy with powerful voice formatting and editing.

You can use the Train Words feature to teach Dragon Anywhere how you speak. Once you have your audio transcribed, you can share your documents by email, Dropbox, and other apps. The app doesn't limit the length of your documents. You can easily adjust formatting, edit them quickly, and share them on the most common cloud-sharing platforms.

Dragon Anywhere allows you to add custom words for industry-specific terminology for better dictation accuracy. The platform has solid voice formatting and editing options, including selecting words and sentences for deletion or editing.

You can save time crafting emails and dictating your text. You can open your dictation files in Microsoft Word or save your dictation to Evernote as a new note. Furthermore, you can change between Dragon Anywhere and your desktop to complete documents. The app allows you to dictate on multiple mobile devices, as long as you log in to your accounts and synchronize all your customizations.

Download : Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases)

Gboard is a platform that accurately converts audio to text with an API (application programming interface) powered by the best of Google's AI technology and research. You can access Gboard using Google Assistant, and the app transcribes your speech with accurate captions. You benefit from Google's advanced intense learning neural network algorithms in its automatic speech recognition.

You can test the app's Teach Speak-to-Text user interface to manage and create custom resources, such as standard industry terms and acronyms. One of Gboard's key features is its speech adaptation, which provides hints to improve your transcription accuracy of unique words or phrases. The feature uses classes to automatically convert spoken numbers into currencies, addresses, and years.

You can use Gboard to dictate emails, create Google Docs, and in any other app on your phone. You can transcribe video meetings to take meeting minutes. Gboard offers robust language support in over 125 languages and variations. If you're in a noisy room, the app's speech-to-text can handle the audio without needing any noise cancellation.

You can transcribe audio the app receives from the audio on your device's microphone, or you can upload pre-recorded audio from the cloud or your device. You may be interested in learning how to transcribe speech in real-time with Google Translate .

Download : Android | iOS (Free)

3. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is available as a mobile app and a web service. The online version of the platform works in your Chrome browser, so you don't have to download any programs—the company endeavors to provide the best online dictation tool. The app's creators designed it to provide an environment without distractions. The app simulates a blank sheet of white paper to spark your mind.

The app is free, and the creators claim that the accuracy is comparable to Dragon Anywhere. If you're looking for an app that allows you to use voice control other apps, Speechnotes isn't the app you're looking for, and the app is strictly a dictation app.

Features of Speechnotes include Autosave, which saves the document in real time when you make changes, so you don't have to interrupt yourself. You can save your transcription in Google Drive or download it as a document to your computer to email or print your note.

Data from Speechnotes shows that speaking instead of typing allows you to think and talk it out uninterrupted, which supports creative thinking, which is good for content creators. If you have a podcast, you might be interested in what Descript is and how you use it .

Download : Android (Free, in-app purchases)

4. Transkriptor

Transkriptor can convert audio recorded on your device or audio you've uploaded in minutes. When your transcription is ready, you get a notification on your phone, if you allow it, and receive an email.

You can transcribe interviews, video content, meetings, podcasts, and phone calls. You can save time and money using a transcription app to convert audio to text. Before talk-to-text apps, you had to hire someone to listen to audio and make notes, and now you can take advantage of the technology advancements.

Regardless of your profession, if you need to make notes, you can benefit from using Transkriptor. Whether you're a journalist, academic researcher, student, or lawyer, as long as you have to take notes, you can use the app to improve your efficiency.

You can download the text in various formats, such as SRT, TXT, or Microsoft Word, to share the text with others. To make your videos more accessible, you can create subtitles when you convert your event recordings to text. You might be interested in working with closed captions and transcriptions in Adobe Premiere .

Braina is another dictation application with speech recognition software that converts your voice into text on any website or software. For example, you can dictate in Microsoft Word or Notepad. The platform supports over 100 languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Italian, French, Spanish, Hindi, German, and English. The app is easy, fast, and accurate, helping you be more productive.

Braina is an app you can use to control your computer. You can customize your voice commands and replies to automatically launch any software, open a website, or trigger keyboard macros utilizing the app to interact with your computer via Wi-Fi from anywhere in your home.

The app goes beyond the functionality of Siri and Cortana, providing you with a powerful office productivity tool. Braina is the result of solid research the creators did in the artificial intelligence industry. Like a human brain, the app is a digital assistant that can think, understand, and learn from experience.

Otter can take notes, record meetings, and generate text that you can share. If staff need to miss meetings to meet deadlines, you can record meetings and share notes to keep members in the loop.

You can capture all your important meetings and conversations, whether they take place in person or virtually. Otter assistant integrates with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. You can save the transcriptions in a secure, central, and accessible place.

Otter allows you to customize the app's vocabulary, including names and acronyms. It doesn't matter where you are; you can record and transcribe conversations in person, on your phone, or via video.

Otter for business allows you to connect with your Google or Microsoft Calendar and automatically schedule your Otter assistant to join Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams meetings. You can pay more attention to the discussion when you know the app is recording it, and it notes everything participants say. You may be interested in learning about the best tools for transcribing video meetings to shareable documents ​​​​​.

Are You Ready to Increase Your Efficiency?

Once you find a talk-to-text app that works for you, you can take advantage of the functionality to save time on minute-taking and researching topics. Some apps allow you to control your laptop or desktop computer from your phone, as long as you connect your device to your Wi-Fi network.

You can try different apps to see which one you feel more comfortable with. Depending on what you want to use the app to achieve, you can find an app that you can use to take notes, write emails, and write documents.

• Productivity
• Speech to Text
• Speech Recognition

Top 10 Speech to Text Software in 2024

"Words have power," they say. And now, with the remarkable advancements in speech to text, those words hold even greater significance. Imagine effortlessly converting spoken language into written text with just a few clicks or simple voice commands. It's no longer a far-fetched dream but a tangible reality that has reshaped our relationship with technology.

From capturing the essence of interviews to unleashing the creativity of writers to empowering individuals with hearing impairments, speech to text software has become an indispensable tool in our digital toolbox. This rapidly evolving technology has a plethora of options, making it essential to have an understanding of the market leaders.

This article has you covered. We have curated a list of the best speech to text software based on key features, unique selling propositions, advantages, and limitations to help you make an informed choice that fits your specific needs perfectly.

Table of Contents

Ibm watson speech to text, amazon transcribe, microsoft azure speech to text, nuance dragon, braina pro , speechmatics, apple dictation , language and dialect support , customization options, integration capabilities, pricing plans , user reviews and testimonials, free trials or demos , top 10 speech to text software of 2024.

Here are the best speech to text apps shaping how we convert voice into text.

Otter.ai, an innovative AI-powered speech to text software, is known for its precise transcription services. It uses ambient voice intelligence (AVI), a unique feature that enhances the tool's learning capabilities, improving accuracy as it is used more.

Key features

Live transcription: Changes voice to text instantly, aids work.

Voice sharing: Enables voiceprint exchange for easy collaboration.

Talk recording: Stores conversations, useful for reference and documents.

However, users should be mindful of a few limitations. Otter.ai has a monthly cap on transcription time and may delay the final text from an audio recording. Despite this, its robust features make it an exceptional choice for accurate speech to text conversions.

IBM Watson speech to text, a cloud-native solution on this list, is a unique AI-powered tool with impressive capabilities. It provides real-time transcription alongside an option for batch conversion of audio files, catering to various languages, audio frequencies, and output preferences.

Speaker Diarization: Differentiates speakers, currently in beta.

Watson Assistant Integration: Watson can be integrated with the Watson Assistant to process natural language questions directly.

Security and Deployment: Ensures data security, flexible deployment on cloud or on-premises

Compared to competitors, IBM Watson's cost may be a deterrent for some. The beta multi-speaker recognition feature's inconsistency could be a concern for users.

Despite its pricing and a few ongoing tweaks, IBM Watson speech to text is the best speech to text software that emphasizes accuracy, flexibility, and a user-friendly interface, making it an outstanding choice for businesses and individuals alike.

A standout in the speech to text software landscape, Amazon Transcribe is a cloud-based solution developed for app integration. It delivers remarkably accurate transcriptions, even from low-quality audio sources, a key advantage for environments like contact centers.

Vocabulary editing: Ensures consistent product names, simplifying transcript analysis.

Audio for apps: Facilitates direct integration into custom apps.

Speaker and channel recognition: Differentiates multiple speakers and annotates transcripts accordingly.

However, adding industry-specific vocabulary can be cumbersome, and transcriptions may need careful proofreading for accuracy. Regardless of these, Amazon Transcribe's unique features and applications make it an influential player in the AI speech to text landscape.

Microsoft Azure speech to text, part of the Azure cloud service, emerged as an advanced speech recognition platform in 2024. It utilizes deep neural network models to deliver real-time audio transcription and handle multiple speakers.

Domain-specific recognition: Identifies field-specific terms.

Proper noun adaptation: Adjusts to speech patterns, noises, and specialized vocab.

Microsoft integration: Works smoothly with all Microsoft products, improving convenience.

Azure's complicated setup may challenge users, requiring technical expertise to manage. Ultimately, Microsoft Azure speech to text represents cutting-edge voice recognition platforms, offering an unparalleled service for those seeking a powerful and adaptable speech to text solution.

Dragon Speech Recognition Solutions, owned by Nuance, is an advanced dictation application with powerful AI-based speech recognition capabilities. It offers two powerful products: Dragon Professional and Dragon Anywhere. Each designed to cater to different needs stands out in the dictation tools. Dragon Professional, intended for professional use, presents robust dictation and document management capabilities. 

High-speed dictation: Can take dictation at a typing speed of 160 words per minute with a 99% accuracy rate.

Custom word list import: Enhances recognition accuracy by incorporating commonly used words.

Audio file transcription: Transcribes audio files sent from a mobile app, facilitating document management.

However, users might find the user interface a tad outdated, and its recording transcription could be better. 

On the other hand, Dragon Anywhere is a fully functional Android and iOS mobile application. It provides a powerful dictation feature powered by cloud technology, syncing with the desktop Dragon software.

Both Dragon tools, despite some limitations, offer high-quality speech recognition and excellent accuracy, making them valuable assets in the speech to text environment.

Renowned for its exceptional dictation capabilities, Braina Pro is more than just a speech to text software. The software shines for its AI-based voice recognition, enabling dictation in over 90 languages with an impressive 99% accuracy.

Adaptive AI: Software learns from each interaction, enhancing speech understanding.

Multilingual: Unlike competitors, Braina supports nearly 90 languages.

Versatile Assistant: Braina Pro does various tasks, like setting alarms or web searching, not just dictation

Braina Pro is widely appreciated for its high accuracy and flexible capabilities despite the dated interface and subscription-only model. The software is compatible with Windows, iOS, and Android, and has a companion Android app for remote PC control, further enhancing user convenience.

A unique blend of AI and human expertise is what sets Verbit apart from other speech to text software. Specifically designed for enterprise and educational establishments, Verbit uses AI to enhance transcription and captioning.

Smart AI: Verbit uses speech models and neural networks to reduce noise, identify accents, and deliver accurate transcriptions.

Enterprise focus: Verbit enables collaboration, providing reliable service for businesses and schools.

Fast, Precise Service: High accuracy and speedy results, perfect for situations needing precision

Verbit may not offer real-time availability or customizable pricing, but their use of AI and human intervention guarantees precise transcriptions. It offers extensive video captioning tools and features real-time status updates, ensuring users can monitor their transcription process conveniently. Given its focus on accuracy and team use, it certainly earns its spot as one of the best speech to text software.

Speechmatics is a powerful AI-driven speech to text tool that relies on machine learning to convert spoken words into text. It stands out with its automatic speech recognition solution, applicable to both existing audio/video files and live use.

Accent Support: Speechmatics supports major English accents, versatile for global users.

Media Captioning: Provides captions for videos, useful for multimedia tasks.

Keyword Triggers: Lets users manage specific transcription keywords, adding extra utility

While the lack of a free version might be a setback, the speech recognition software still shines due to its robust AI performance. It offers one of the most accurate transcriptions in the industry, making it a strong contender for one of the top AI speech to text software.

Gboard, a popular keyboard app by Google, is a leading choice for Android users seeking reliable speech to text capabilities. With its hands-free voice typing and swipe functionality, Gboard transforms the typing experience on mobile devices.

Voice Typing: Gboard enables hands-free text dictation, great for fast messages or notes.

Emoji and GIFs: Integrated emoji and GIF search for interactive chatting.

Multilingual: Supports over 60 languages, reflecting Google's inclusive tech approach.

Gesture Control: Unique typing experience with gesture-based cursor control

Apart from some drawbacks, such as the lack of shortcut commands and occasional lag in recording audio, Gboard is still lauded for its easy-to-use design and various features. Especially noteworthy is the fact that it is free via voice control, making it accessible to a broad range of users. While it may not fully understand slang or colloquialisms, its overall efficiency as the best dictation software is undeniable.

Apple Dictation, a powerful tool with Apple's operating systems, shines as a free and convenient speech to text software for Apple devices. Known for its seamless integration and dependable accuracy, Apple Dictation is supported by the technology behind Siri, Apple's voice-controlled assistant.

Keyboard Dictation: Transforms voice to text in any typing application, boosting productivity.

Audio Sharing: Users can share audio recordings, increasing versatility.

Multi-Language: Though mainly U.S. English-focused, it supports other languages, serving a broad user base.

Although the software is not ideally suited for longer dictations, it excels in transcribing short notes and controlling functions using voice commands. The dictation software remains a powerful tool integrated into Apple's ecosystem, providing an efficient and free solution to transcribe text on Mac devices by activating voice control. 

Tips for Choosing the Right Speech to Text Software

If you're a student, content creator, or executive needing speech to text software, picking the right one is key. Here are some tips for your decision:

Accuracy is paramount when it comes to speech to text software. Look for software that boasts high accuracy rates in transcribing speech to text. User reviews and testimonials can provide valuable insights into the accuracy of different software options.

The software should support a wide range of languages and dialects. It's essential for users who may need to transcribe content in multiple languages or work with a multilingual team.

Users should look for software that allows for the personalization of voice commands and the creation of custom vocabularies. This feature can enhance efficiency and user experience, particularly for users who frequently use industry-specific terminology.

The software should seamlessly integrate with other applications and platforms users already use. This facilitates a smooth workflow and improves productivity.

Pricing plans play a vital role in the selection process. The software should offer competitive pricing without compromising on features and functionality.

Users should explore reviews and testimonials from others to gain insights into user satisfaction and the software's performance in real-world scenarios.

Users should take advantage of free trials or demos to test the software. This can help users assess if the software fits their needs before purchasing.

In the grand symphony of progress, speech to text software has emerged as a brilliant maestro, harmonizing the spoken word with the written, elevating the melody of communication. Each tool, unique in its composition, caters to diverse rhythms and needs. However, remember, the perfect software is the one that orchestrates your voice most harmoniously.

What is speech to text?

Speech to text is a technology that converts voice commands into written words, commonly used for transcription, voice assistants, and accessibility.

What are the benefits of using speech to text software?

Speech to text software enhances productivity, provides accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments, aids in transcribing meetings or interviews, and facilitates the hands-free operation of devices.

Can speech to text software accurately transcribe accents and dialects?

Yes, advanced speech to text software can transcribe accents and dialects with varying degrees of accuracy, improving with machine learning and diverse training data.

Can I use speech to text software on my mobile device?

Yes, many speech to text software options are available on mobile devices, such as Google's Gboard, Windows speech recognition software, and various standalone apps like Otter.ai.

You should also read:

How to Dictate Text on Android Devices 

How Speech Recognition is Changing Language Learning

Future of AI in Speech Recognition 

The 9 Best Speech-to-Text Software in 2024 (Ranked)

You talkin' to me? Well, your words just got a whole lot more powerful. 

Today, we're talking about speech-to-text software that's got your back when you want to get those thoughts from your mouth to the page. 

(All without having to use your mammalian digits — what is this, 1985?)

We’ll cover: 

• What is speech-to-text software? 
• The best 9 in the business
• What should you look for in speech-to-text
• Common-use cases for speech-to-text 

Best practices for speech-to-text tools

• A detailed breakdown of the best 9 tools

Let’s get started!

What is speech-to-text software?

Speech-to-text software is like having your own personal secretary who listens to the words you speak and instantly writes them down. Instead of typing everything out on your keyboard, you can just open your mouth and get talking. 

This type of software uses fancy AI with natural language processing (NLP) to translate your speech into text on the screen.

Pretty neat, huh? With speech recognition software, you can compose emails, write essays, fill out forms, update social media, and much, much more — just by talking. 

The options today are very advanced compared to even a few years ago. Many are over 95% accurate, can translate multiple languages, adapt to your voice and vocabulary over time, and some even come with voice commands so you can edit, punctuate, and format using speech alone. 

The best 9 speech-to-text software tools

Looking for the shortlist version? We’ve got your back: 

• Lindy : Lindy is an all-purpose AI-powered virtual army with 99%+ accuracy speech-to-text recognition, effortlessly turning your spoken words into text. ‍
• Otter.ai : Otter Voice Notes is your go-to for effortless transcription of lectures, meetings, or important audio across Android and computers. ‍
• Apple Dictation : Apple Dictation provides a hands-free way to dictate text for messages, social media, or web searches on your iOS device. ‍
• Just Press Record : Just Press Record is a no-frills solution for easy recording of lectures, interviews, or meetings, offering offline transcription. ‍
• Windows 10 Speech Recognition : Control your Windows 10 computer and Cortana with your voice using the built-in speech recognition. ‍
• IBM Speech to Text : IBM Speech to Text offers powerful and customizable transcription that works seamlessly across multiple devices. ‍
• Speechnotes Pro : Speechnotes Pro is the perfect note-taking companion for students and professionals, allowing you to type, dictate, record, and sync with OneNote. ‍
• Transcribe : Transcribe provides a well-rounded speech-to-text experience with timed recordings, transcription tools, and cloud storage for easy access. ‍
• Braina Pro : Braina Pro delivers versatile voice control across various apps, along with a scheduler, memo manager, and other useful tools.

What should you look for in speech-to-text software? 

When evaluating speech-to-text tools, accuracy is obviously priority numero uno.  

Otherwise, do you really want to end up with a document that says, “Explode my client list” when you actually said, “Export my client list”?

• Versatility matters. Can your software roll with the punches? We looked for speech-to-text tools that play nicely with different apps, systems, and whatever curveballs life throws at them. ‍
• Don't make me think too hard. Nobody wants to wrestle with a complicated interface. All the options here are easy to use — even your tech-challenged great-grandma could figure them out. ‍
• Lost in translation? Not here. Most of these tools offer a decent (or seriously impressive) range of languages, so you can go global with your audio creations. ‍
• Voice commands are awesome and necessary. Imagine telling your software to throw in some commas or capitalize a whole sentence. Dictation power moves, anyone? ‍
• Accuracy matters more than you think. Typos are the worst. These tools are all top-notch in the accuracy department, so your words come out just the way you intended. ‍
• Compliance (but in a good way). Looking for a tool that aligns with your professional needs? You’re going to need HIPAA-compliant (or similar) tools if you’re a doctor or therapist, for example. We threw in one of those. 

Common use cases for speech-to-text software

Now you’re probably wondering, “What exactly can I use this for?” 

There are loads of practical use cases for speech-to-text tools:

• Ditch the keyboard, doc: Medical professionals can streamline note-taking, transcribe patient consultations, and generally save their poor fingers from endless typing. ‍
• A good time to be a student (except for the debt): No more cramming in frantic note-taking sessions after lectures. You can turn any recording or speech note into text, easy-peasy.  ‍
• Accessibility win: Speech-to-text tools can also help the hearing impaired by neatly transcribing the contents of speech with very few mistakes.  ‍
• Go full multitasking: Emails, grocery lists, random ideas... dictate them all while driving, cooking, or folding laundry. ‍
• Let your author flag fly: Got a brilliant novel idea? Dictate your first draft while pacing around dramatically — it's the writer's way. The best AI-powered software may also pitch in with a few ideas of its own!

So, you’ve decided to give this whole speech-to-text thing a whirl, eh? Before you dive in, there are a few tips to keep in mind to make sure your experience goes as smooth as a Slip N’ Slide. 

• Don’t speak as if you were talking to a robot. It can be tempting to over-enunciate, but avoid sounding like a robot. Speak clearly, but keep your normal speech rhythm and flow. Take normal pauses — don’t try to cram it all into one breath.  ‍
• Check before you sign off. Most tools will give you a chance to review and edit the text before saving it. Do a quick scan to make sure everything looks right. If it transcribed “anomaly” as “a llama,” you’ll want to catch that. Make minor corrections as needed. The more you review and correct, the more your program will learn your voice and get better at understanding you. ‍
• Use shorter voice commands. Many speech-to-text tools offer voice commands to help you navigate and edit your work. Get familiar with options like “start over,” “delete that,” “comma,” “period,” “new paragraph,” and “undo.” Using voice commands will save you time and frustration compared to manually correcting the text.
• Learn how to punctuate out loud. It can feel silly at first, but say things like “period,” “question mark,” “exclamation point” and “comma” to properly punctuate your work. Your tool may allow for shortcut commands like “period, space” to end a sentence with proper spacing. If you don’t punctuate as you go, you’ll end up with a wall of text and have to go back and edit it all in. The best tools can add punctuation on their own, though you’ll have to review their input. 

Lindy is not just a speech-to-text tool, it’s the overall best AI assistant tool out there. ‍

Whether you're drafting emails, brainstorming ideas, or just need a break from the keyboard, Lindy can take a huge load off your back: 

• Over 99% accuracy: Lindy's AI engine is trained to understand natural language, minimizing those frustrating typos and misheard words — even if you’ve got an accent or speak in complex professional lingo. ‍
• It plays well with other tools: Works hand-in-hand with your favorite text editors, note-taking apps, and over 3000 productivity tools — no clunky workarounds required. ‍
• Supports 50+ languages: And you may be thinking “I have a difficult accent.” Not an issue with Lindy. ‍
• A time-saving miracle: Dictating is often way faster than typing, so you can get your thoughts down quickly and efficiently — potentially getting back hours every day. ‍
• Learns as you go: Lindy adapts to your unique speech patterns and vocabulary over time, improving accuracy with every use. ‍
• Safe and secure? Yes! If you’re a medical professional, Lindy has HIPAA and PIPEDA compliance to keep patient information under lock and key.  ‍
• More than just talk-to-text: Lindy can generate summaries of your dictations, helping you quickly grasp the main takeaways without replaying everything. ‍
• Infinite potential: Lindy is an all-purpose tool that allows you to create “Lindies,” each tailored to a different task. The best part? These Lindies can talk to themselves. Imagine one summarizing your meetings while connecting with a scheduler Lindy, and automatically making a follow-up meeting!
• Try out the 7-day free trial and then it’s just $49/mo . 

Let's be real: This is only just a tiny use-case for Lindy, which excels at creating an army of interconnected AI assistants that can handle… well, just about anything you throw at them, really. 

#2 Otter.ai

Otter Voice Notes shines when you need to record lectures, meetings, or other important audio, then get it transcribed effortlessly.

• Audio recording and easy transcription ‍
• Works on Android devices and computers for cross-platform use ‍
• Basic (Free): Limited minutes and features ‍
• Pro ($8.33 per month billed annually): Increased minutes, custom vocabulary, and more ‍
• Business (Contact for quote) : Collaboration features for teams

Things to keep in mind:

The free version might have limitations for heavy users.

#3 Apple Dictation

Apple Dictation is the built-in solution for iOS users who want to dictate text for messages, social media, or web searches.

• Hands-free control of your iOS device ‍
• Works with Siri for even more voice commands ‍
• Free (included with iOS devices) ‍
• Limited to Apple devices only

#4 Just Press Record

Need a no-frills solution for recording lectures, interviews, or meetings? Just Press Record does exactly what it says.

• Easy one-button recording ‍
• Offline transcription ‍
• Adjustable playback speeds for review ‍
• One-time purchase of $4.99 ‍

Might lack features for users needing advanced transcription options.

#5 Windows 10 Speech Recognition

Windows 10 comes with built-in speech recognition , letting you control your computer with your voice.

• Works with Cortana for extended commands ‍
• Control your Windows device hands-free ‍
• No additional software to install ‍
• Free (included with Windows 10)

Accuracy may vary based on your hardware and accent.

#6 IBM Speech-to-Text

IBM Speech to Text is a powerful solution for those who need accurate and versatile transcription. It boasts features for customization and works seamlessly across devices.

• Accurate transcription with customizable models ‍
• Works across multiple devices for flexibility ‍
• Lite (Free): Limited usage ‍
• Standard ($0.02 per minute): Increased limits and features ‍
• Custom plans available for enterprise needs ‍
• Pricing is usage-based, so costs can vary

#7 Speechnotes Pro

Speechnotes Pro is designed with students and professionals in mind, offering a robust note-taking experience with seamless integration.

• Type, dictate, and record all within the app ‍
• Syncs with OneNote for streamlined organization ‍
• Offers both online and offline functionality ‍
• One-time purchase (price varies slightly by platform)

Might require some setup for optimal OneNote integration.

#8 Transcribe 

Transcribe is great at providing a well-rounded speech-to-text experience with helpful tools and cloud integration.

• Timed recordings for easy reference ‍
• Transcription tools for editing and accuracy ‍
• Cloud storage for cross-device access
• Subscription options (weekly, monthly, yearly) ‍
• May offer a free trial period

Subscription-based pricing could be a factor for some users.

#9 Braina Pro

Braina Pro offers versatile speech recognition, giving you voice control across various apps.

• Works with text, video, and photo apps ‍
• Includes a scheduler, memo manager, and other useful tools ‍
• Lifetime license: $79 ‍
• Annual license: $49

Might have a steeper learning curve than simpler options.

And there you have it, folks — the best speech-to-text software options for 2024.  

Whether you're a student trying to take notes hands-free, a blogger pumping out articles at light speed, or an entrepreneur building a business without lifting a finger, these tools have got you covered. 

AI is rapidly advancing on its way to perfection, and these speech-to-text apps are only getting smarter, faster, and more accurate. 

Take Lindy for a spin with a 7-day free trial.

Your AI Medical Scribe.

Privacy Policy

SpeechTexter is a free multilingual speech-to-text application aimed at assisting you with transcription of notes, documents, books, reports or blog posts by using your voice. This app also features a customizable voice commands list, allowing users to add punctuation marks, frequently used phrases, and some app actions (undo, redo, make a new paragraph).

SpeechTexter is used daily by students, teachers, writers, bloggers around the world.

It will assist you in minimizing your writing efforts significantly.

Voice-to-text software is exceptionally valuable for people who have difficulty using their hands due to trauma, people with dyslexia or disabilities that limit the use of conventional input devices. Speech to text technology can also be used to improve accessibility for those with hearing impairments, as it can convert speech into text.

It can also be used as a tool for learning a proper pronunciation of words in the foreign language, in addition to helping a person develop fluency with their speaking skills.

Accuracy levels higher than 90% should be expected. It varies depending on the language and the speaker.

No download, installation or registration is required. Just click the microphone button and start dictating.

Speech to text technology is quickly becoming an essential tool for those looking to save time and increase their productivity.

Powerful real-time continuous speech recognition

Creation of text notes, emails, blog posts, reports and more.

Custom voice commands

More than 70 languages supported

SpeechTexter is using Google Speech recognition to convert the speech into text in real-time. This technology is supported by Chrome browser (for desktop) and some browsers on Android OS. Other browsers have not implemented speech recognition yet.

Note: iPhones and iPads are not supported

List of supported languages:

Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Basque, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Catalan, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Norwegian Bokmål, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Southern Sotho, Spanish, Sundanese, Swahili, Swati, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tsonga, Tswana, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Venda, Vietnamese, Xhosa, Zulu.

Instructions for web app on desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux OS)

Requirements: the latest version of the Google Chrome [↗] browser (other browsers are not supported).

1. Connect a high-quality microphone to your computer.

2. Make sure your microphone is set as the default recording device on your browser.

To go directly to microphone's settings paste the line below into Chrome's URL bar.

chrome://settings/content/microphone

To capture speech from video/audio content on the web or from a file stored on your device, select 'Stereo Mix' as the default audio input.

3. Select the language you would like to speak (Click the button on the top right corner).

4. Click the "microphone" button. Chrome browser will request your permission to access your microphone. Choose "allow".

5. You can start dictating!

Instructions for the web app on a mobile and for the android app

Requirements: - Google app [↗] installed on your Android device. - Any of the supported browsers if you choose to use the web app.

Supported android browsers (not a full list): Chrome browser (recommended), Edge, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi.

1. Tap the button with the language name (on a web app) or language code (on android app) on the top right corner to select your language.

2. Tap the microphone button. The SpeechTexter app will ask for permission to record audio. Choose 'allow' to enable microphone access.

3. You can start dictating!

Common problems on a desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux OS)

Error: 'speechtexter cannot access your microphone'..

Please give permission to access your microphone.

Click on the "padlock" icon next to the URL bar, find the "microphone" option, and choose "allow".

Error: 'No speech was detected. Please try again'.

If you get this error while you are speaking, make sure your microphone is set as the default recording device on your browser [see step 2].

If you're using a headset, make sure the mute switch on the cord is off.

Error: 'Network error'

The internet connection is poor. Please try again later.

The result won't transfer to the "editor".

The result confidence is not high enough or there is a background noise. An accumulation of long text in the buffer can also make the engine stop responding, please make some pauses in the speech.

The results are wrong.

Please speak loudly and clearly. Speaking clearly and consistently will help the software accurately recognize your words.

Reduce background noise. Background noise from fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. can drop the accuracy significantly. Try to reduce background noise as much as possible.

Speak directly into the microphone. Speaking directly into the microphone enhances the accuracy of the software. Avoid speaking too far away from the microphone.

Speak in complete sentences. Speaking in complete sentences will help the software better recognize the context of your words.

Can I upload an audio file and get the transcription?

No, this feature is not available.

How do I transcribe an audio (video) file on my PC or from the web?

Playback your file in any player and hit the 'mic' button on the SpeechTexter website to start capturing the speech. For better results select "Stereo Mix" as the default recording device on your browser, if you are accessing SpeechTexter and the file from the same device.

I don't see the "Stereo mix" option (Windows OS)

"Stereo Mix" might be hidden or it's not supported by your system. If you are a Windows user go to 'Control panel' → Hardware and Sound → Sound → 'Recording' tab. Right-click on a blank area in the pane and make sure both "View Disabled Devices" and "View Disconnected Devices" options are checked. If "Stereo Mix" appears, you can enable it by right clicking on it and choosing 'enable'. If "Stereo Mix" hasn't appeared, it means it's not supported by your system. You can try using a third-party program such as "Virtual Audio Cable" or "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" to create a virtual audio device that includes "Stereo Mix" functionality.

How to use the voice commands list?

The voice commands list allows you to insert the punctuation, some text, or run some preset functions using only your voice. On the first column you enter your voice command. On the second column you enter a punctuation mark or a function. Voice commands are case-sensitive. Available functions: #newparagraph (add a new paragraph), #undo (undo the last change), #redo (redo the last change)

To use the function above make a pause in your speech until all previous dictated speech appears in your note, then say "insert a new paragraph" and wait for the command execution.

Found a mistake in the voice commands list or want to suggest an update? Follow the steps below:

• Navigate to the voice commands list [↑] on this website.
• Click on the edit button to update or add new punctuation marks you think other users might find useful in your language.
• Click on the "Export" button located above the voice commands list to save your list in JSON format to your device.

Next, send us your file as an attachment via email. You can find the email address at the bottom of the page. Feel free to include a brief description of the mistake or the updates you're suggesting in the email body.

Your contribution to the improvement of the services is appreciated.

Can I prevent my custom voice commands from disappearing after closing the browser?

SpeechTexter by default saves your data inside your browser's cache. If your browsers clears the cache your data will be deleted. However, you can export your custom voice commands to your device and import them when you need them by clicking the corresponding buttons above the list. SpeechTexter is using JSON format to store your voice commands. You can create a .txt file in this format on your device and then import it into SpeechTexter. An example of JSON format is shown below:

{ "period": ".", "full stop": ".", "question mark": "?", "new paragraph": "#newparagraph" }

I lost my dictated work after closing the browser.

SpeechTexter doesn't store any text that you dictate. Please use the "autosave" option or click the "download" button (recommended). The "autosave" option will try to store your work inside your browser's cache, where it will remain until you switch the "text autosave" option off, clear the cache manually, or if your browser clears the cache on exit.

Common problems on the Android app

I get the message: 'speech recognition is not available'..

'Google app' from Play store is required for SpeechTexter to work. download [↗]

Where does SpeechTexter store the saved files?

Version 1.5 and above stores the files in the internal memory.

Version 1.4.9 and below stores the files inside the "SpeechTexter" folder at the root directory of your device.

After updating the app from version 1.x.x to version 2.x.x my files have disappeared

As a result of recent updates, the Android operating system has implemented restrictions that prevent users from accessing folders within the Android root directory, including SpeechTexter's folder. However, your old files can still be imported manually by selecting the "import" button within the Speechtexter application.

Common problems on the mobile web app

Tap on the "padlock" icon next to the URL bar, find the "microphone" option and choose "allow".

• TERMS OF USE
• PRIVACY POLICY
• Play Store [↗]

copyright © 2014 - 2024 www.speechtexter.com . All Rights Reserved.

Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC

With voice typing, you can enter text on your PC by speaking. Voice typing uses online speech recognition, which is powered by Azure Speech services.

How to start voice typing

To use voice typing, you'll need to be connected to the internet, have a working microphone, and have your cursor in a text box.

Once you turn on voice typing, it will start listening automatically. Wait for the "Listening..." alert before you start speaking.

Note:  Press Windows logo key + Alt + H to navigate through the voice typing menu with your keyboard. 

Install a voice typing language

You can use a voice typing language that's different than the one you've chosen for Windows. Here's how:

Select Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region .

Find Preferred languages in the list and select Add a language .

Search for the language you'd like to install, then select Next .

Select Next or install any optional language features you'd like to use. These features, including speech recognition, aren't required for voice typing to work.

To see this feature's supported languages, see the list in this article.

Switch voice typing languages

To switch voice typing languages, you'll need to change the input language you use. Here's how:

Select the language switcher in the corner of your taskbar

Press Windows logo key + Spacebar on a hardware keyboard

Press the language switcher in the bottom right of the touch keyboard

Supported languages

These languages support voice typing in Windows 11:

• Chinese (Simplified, China)
• Chinese (Traditional, Hong Kong SAR)

Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan)

• Dutch (Netherlands)
• English (Australia)
• English (Canada)
• English (India)
• English (New Zealand)
• English (United Kingdom)
• English (United States)
• French (Canada)
• French (France)

Italian (Italy)

• Norwegian (Bokmål)

Portuguese (Brazil)

• Portuguese (Portugal)
• Romanian (Romania)
• Spanish (Mexico)
• Spanish (Spain)
• Swedish (Sweden)
• Tamil (India)

Dictation commands

Use dictation commands to tell you PC what to do, like “delete that” or “select the previous word.”

The following table tells you what you can say. If a word or phrase is in bold , it's an example. Replace it with similar words to get the result you want.

Dictating letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols

You can dictate most numbers and punctuation by saying the number or punctuation character. To dictate letters and symbols, say "start spelling." Then say the symbol or letter, or use the ICAO phonetic alphabet.

To dictate an uppercase letter, say “uppercase” before the letter. For example, “uppercase A” or “uppercase alpha.” When you’re done, say “stop spelling.”

Here are the punctuation characters and symbols you can dictate.

Dictation commands are available in US English only.

You can dictate basic text, symbols, letters, and numbers in these languages:

Simplified Chinese

English (Australia, Canada, India, United Kingdom)

French (France, Canada)

Spanish (Mexico, Spain)

To dictate in other languages, Use voice recognition in Windows .

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Find solutions to common problems or get help from a support agent.

Online support

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

SoundType AI - Voice To Text 4+

Transcribe voice to text, innosquares ltd, designed for ipad.

• 4.7 • 172 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Turn spoken words into written text effortlessly with SoundType AI! Our advanced app for transcribing voice to text and transcribing audio transforms your voice or video files into accurately transcribed text. Its also equipped with innovative audio features and AI-powered summaries. With our standout feature of individual speaker identification, its an ideal choice for transcribing from meetings, interviews, podcasts, and more. Supporting over 90 languages, SoundType AI simplifies transcription of conversations from around the globe. Features: ● AI-Powered Transcribe Voice to Text Accuracy Our AI boasts an unrivaled precision for transcribing voice to text, trained on an impressive 680K hours of multilingual and multitask data. Experience flawless transcriptions each time you use SoundType AI. ● Individual Speaker Recognition for Transcribing Ideal for group meetings and interviews, SoundType AI identifies and tags different speakers in your audio, providing well-structured, easy-to-follow transcriptions. ● Uncomplicated Long Audio Transcription Have lengthy recordings to transcribe? No problem! SoundType AI handles long audio files with ease, ensuring all-inclusive and accurate transcriptions. ● Engaging Transcribe Audio to Text Experience Engage with your transcriptions in unique ways. Ask questions about your audio or video, and our AI will generate responses from the content, enhancing your transcribe experience. ● Summarized Transcriptions Receive the key points and highlights of your audio in a concise, understandable format with SoundType AIs summary feature. ● Comprehensive Voice/Video to Text Transcription Whether its uploading an audio or video file, recording within the app, or importing from YouTube, SoundType AI transcribes it into text for straightforward analysis. ● Broad Language Support for Transcription With our sophisticated AI technology, transcribe in over 90 languages and dialects effortlessly, perfect for international meetings, research work, and global podcasts. Use SoundType AI for transcribing spoken content from: ○ Meeting Notes ○ Negotiations ○ Interviews ○ Language Studies ○ Podcasts ○ Lectures And more, all converted into simple-to-read text! Supported Formats: Our app accepts a broad range of file formats, including MP3, WAV, WMA, M4A, and more. If you have queries about specific file types, our support team is ready to help. Export Formats: Easily export your transcriptions in various formats, such as TXT, SRT, PDF and Docx. Requirements: Internet connection Upgrade your productivity with SoundType AI - the future of transcribe voice to text and transcribe audio to text at your fingertips. Privacy Policy: https://soundtype.ai/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://soundtype.ai/terms-of-use

Version 1.6.8

- Improve video conversion - Improve youtube support

Ratings and Reviews

172 Ratings

Efficient and Reliable

it cọmes to converting spoken words into text. The interface is simple to navigate, and I appreciate the robust features offered.

I was really considering upgrading bc I like this app. It does a good job transcribing - accuracy is higher than others I’ve tried. Speaker detection is just ok. I like the ability to edit the text, create folders, and so much more. There is a lot to like about the app. Having said that, I uploaded 2 audio files as my testers to see how I would like the app. One is approximately 54 SECONDS - a very short conversation between 2 people meant to see how well voices would be distinguished. The other is a lecture and is about 6 MINUTES long. BUT when I went to my account settings to look at upgrade options, I noticed it shows that my free account has used 172 of the 180 free minutes of transcription!!!! I haven’t deleted anything or used it for more than testing the 2 audio files totaling under 10 minutes! Very shady. I will not be upgrading.

Impressive Accuracy and Speed

I am thoroughly impressed with the ability to transcribe speech accurately and swiftly. This app is definitely worth the download!

App Privacy

The developer, Innosquares Ltd , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Pro Subscription $9.99
• Pro-Yearly $79.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

You Might Also Like

Led Light Smart Strip Control

PDF Converter & Mobile Scanner

Sign Documents - eSign PDF

99 reminders – task countdown

Convert PDF - Doc Converter

Ask AI Anything - Meta AI App

Table of contents

The 10 best free ai tools for writers in 2024.

Have questions on formation, banking and taxes?

Schedule a FREE consultation with a formation and compliance expert today 📞

Not too long ago, AI burst into our writing universe like a tech tornado, reshaping how we create, scale, and tailor content for different platforms.

Companies everywhere jumped on the AI bandwagon, and guess what? It paid off big time!

Today, 43.8% of businesses that use AI content generation tools reported experiencing a very successful content strategy.

Yes, and it’s not just any content – we’re talking about high-quality, engaging pieces that have supercharged the productivity and creativity of different teams.

In fact, a recent survey by McKinsey revealed that companies leveraging AI saw a 20% increase in content production and a 15% uptick in audience engagement. Impressive, right?

So, if you’re a writer, marketer, or just someone who loves to create , you’re in for a treat. Today, we’re unveiling the 10 best free AI writing tools that can transform your writing game.

If you’re a writer looking to set up a US LLC from anywhere in the world, then doola is your one-stop shop for all things business formation and tax compliance.

We’ve categorized these tools by their key features, standout functionalities, pricing, availability of free versions, user feedback, and limitations.

Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that offers real-time grammar and punctuation checking, style and tone suggestions, and plagiarism detection. It’s designed to help users improve their writing quality across various platforms, including emails, documents, and social media posts.

With both free and premium versions available, Grammarly is an essential tool for anyone looking to enhance their writing skills and ensure error-free communication.

Key Features:

Grammar and punctuation checking: Grammarly scans your text for grammar and punctuation errors, suggesting corrections to ensure your writing is grammatically sound.

Style and tone suggestions: It provides recommendations to improve the style and tone of your writing, making it more engaging and appropriate for your audience.

Plagiarism detection: Grammarly checks your text against billions of web pages to ensure it is original and free from plagiarism.

Contextual spelling corrections: It identifies context-specific spelling mistakes, such as commonly confused words.

Hero Feature:

Real-time writing feedback: Grammarly offers instant suggestions as you type, helping you correct mistakes and improve your writing on the fly.

Limitations:

Can be overly prescriptive, sometimes suggesting changes that alter the writer’s voice.

• Free version is available with basic features.
• Premium version: $11.66/month.

Free Version:

Yes, with limited features.

User Verdict:

Users love Grammarly for its user-friendly interface and accurate corrections.

It’s often praised for its detailed explanations and suggestions that help improve writing skills over time. However, some users feel the premium version is necessary for comprehensive feedback.

2. Jasper AI

Jasper AI is a versatile content generation tool that uses artificial intelligence to create high-quality written content for blogs, ads, emails, and more.

It offers customizable tone and style options and integrates with popular platforms for SEO optimization.

Although it lacks a free version, Jasper AI’s powerful capabilities make it a valuable resource for marketers, writers, and businesses looking to generate compelling, long-form content efficiently.

AI-generated content for blogs, ads, and emails: Jasper can create high-quality content based on your inputs, saving you time and effort.

Customizable tone and style: You can adjust the tone and style of the generated content to match your brand or personal voice.

Integration with various platforms: Jasper integrates with popular tools like SurferSEO to help optimize your content for search engines.

Long-form content generation: Jasper excels at generating detailed, long-form content with minimal input from the user.

The quality of generated content may require additional editing.

• Free trial available.
• Starter plan: $29/month.

Not yet, but offers a free trial.

Jasper AI is highly regarded for its efficiency in generating content quickly. Users appreciate its versatility and the quality of the content it produces. The main drawback is the cost, as it can be pricey for those needing continuous access.

3. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a comprehensive writing assistant that provides in-depth grammar and style checking, readability reports, and writing style suggestions.

It integrates seamlessly with popular writing platforms like Microsoft Word and Google Docs, offering detailed feedback to help users improve their writing.

With a free version available, ProWritingAid is an excellent choice for writers seeking to enhance their text’s clarity, engagement, and overall quality.

In-depth grammar and style checking: ProWritingAid analyzes your writing for grammatical errors and stylistic improvements.

Readability reports: It provides detailed reports on the readability of your text, helping you make it more accessible to your audience.

Writing style suggestions: It offers suggestions to enhance your writing style, making it more engaging and effective.

Integrations with popular writing platforms: ProWritingAid works with tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener.

Detailed writing reports: ProWritingAid generates comprehensive reports that help you understand and improve your writing style and readability.

• The free version offers limited reports.
• The interface can be complex for new users.
• Free version available.
• Premium version: $20/month.

ProWritingAid is favored for its comprehensive writing reports and suggestions. Users appreciate the depth of feedback, though some find the interface slightly overwhelming due to the abundance of features.

4. Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor is a user-friendly tool focused on improving readability by highlighting complex sentences, passive voice, and adverbs.

It offers real-time readability scoring and formatting options for web writing, making it ideal for bloggers and content creators.

The free online version provides essential features, while the desktop app is available for a one-time fee, helping writers produce clear, concise, and engaging content.

Readability analysis: Hemingway highlights complex sentences and suggests simpler alternatives to improve readability.

Suggestions for simplifying complex sentences: It helps you shorten and clarify your sentences, making your writing more concise.

Highlights passive voice and adverbs: Hemingway identifies passive voice and excessive adverb usage, recommending changes to make your writing stronger.

Formatting options for web writing: It provides basic formatting tools to prepare your text for publication on the web.

Real-time readability scoring: Hemingway scores your text’s readability, helping you ensure your writing is clear and easy to understand.

Desktop app requires a one-time purchase for offline use.

• Free online version.
• Desktop app: $19.99 (one-time fee).

Yes, the online version is free.

Hemingway Editor is praised for its simplicity and effectiveness in making writing more concise. It’s a favorite among bloggers and writers looking to enhance readability. However, some users find the lack of advanced grammar checks a limitation.

Tackle More Than Just Content! Conquer Tax Season with our Ultimate Tax Guide for Social Media Influencers & Content Creators

Copy.ai leverages artificial intelligence to generate high-quality marketing copy for various purposes, including social media posts, ads, and email campaigns.

It offers a wide range of templates and collaboration features, making it a versatile tool for different writing tasks.

With a free plan available, Copy.ai is especially useful for brainstorming and overcoming writer’s block, helping users create effective and targeted copy quickly.

AI-generated marketing copy: Copy.ai generates high-quality marketing copy for various purposes, including social media posts, ads, and email campaigns.

Blog and social media post generation: It creates engaging blog content and social media updates tailored to your needs.

Various writing templates: Copy.ai offers templates for different types of content, making it versatile for various writing tasks.

Collaboration features: Teams can collaborate on content creation within the platform.

Wide range of templates: Copy.ai provides numerous templates for different content types, making it easy to generate targeted, effective copy.

• The free version has usage limits.
• Sometimes, it requires significant editing for tone and accuracy.
• Free plan available.
• Pro plan: $35/month.

Copy.ai is appreciated for its ability to generate marketing copy quickly and efficiently. Users find it especially useful for brainstorming and overcoming writer’s block. However, the free version’s limitations can be a drawback for some.

Elevate Your Podcast Game: Discover the 17 Best Podcast Tools to Create Awesome Podcast Content

6. Writesonic

Writesonic is an AI-powered content generation tool designed to produce high-quality blogs, ads, and product descriptions.

It features SEO optimization and a unique AI article summarizer, along with multi-language support.

The free plan offers limited features, but Writesonic’s versatility and ease of use make it a valuable tool for writers and marketers looking to enhance their content creation process and improve search engine rankings.

AI-powered content generation for blogs, ads, and product descriptions: Writesonic generates various types of content tailored to your specifications.

SEO optimization: It helps you create SEO-friendly content that ranks well in search engines.

AI article summarizer: Writesonic can condense long articles into shorter summaries without losing key information.

Multi-language support: It supports multiple languages, making it useful for non-English content.

AI article summarizer: Writesonic’s summarizer condenses content while retaining key points, making it easier to digest.

Quality can vary depending on the topic complexity.

• Premium plans start at $15/month.

Writesonic is well-received for its multi-language support and SEO features. Users appreciate its ease of use and the quality of content produced. However, some feel the free version is too restrictive for regular use.

7. Quillbot

Quillbot is an advanced paraphrasing tool that helps users rephrase text to avoid plagiarism while maintaining the original meaning.

It also offers grammar checking, summarizing capabilities, and a citation generator.

The free version provides basic features, making Quillbot an excellent resource for students, writers, and professionals who need to reword content, enhance clarity, and ensure originality in their work.

Paraphrasing tool: Quillbot rephrases your text to make it unique while maintaining the original meaning.

Grammar checker: It checks for grammatical errors and suggests corrections.

Summarizer: Quillbot condenses long articles and documents into concise summaries.

Citation generator: It helps you create accurate citations for your references.

Advanced paraphrasing tool: Quillbot’s paraphrasing tool rephrases content while preserving its original meaning, making it a valuable tool for avoiding plagiarism.

Paraphrasing can sometimes result in awkward phrasing.

• Premium version: $9.95/month.

Quillbot is highly valued for its paraphrasing capabilities. Users find it especially useful for rewording text and avoiding plagiarism.

The main criticism is that the free version has limited functionality, especially for larger texts.

8. ShortlyAI

ShortlyAI is a powerful content generation tool that assists with long-form article creation and creative writing projects.

It features content expansion capabilities and a user-friendly interface, allowing users to turn short prompts into comprehensive articles.

While it lacks a free version, ShortlyAI’s ability to generate detailed and high-quality content quickly makes it an invaluable tool for writers seeking inspiration and efficiency.

AI-generated content for long-form articles: ShortlyAI helps you create detailed, long-form articles with minimal input.

Creative writing assistance: It assists with creative writing projects, providing inspiration and content generation.

Content expansion features: ShortlyAI can expand on your ideas, turning short prompts into comprehensive articles.

Easy-to-use interface: Its simple interface makes it easy to generate content quickly.

Content expansion tool: ShortlyAI’s expansion tool helps you lengthen articles by adding relevant content and details.

No free version, only a trial period.

• Monthly plan: $79/month.

No, only a free trial.

ShortlyAI is praised for its ability to expand and generate long-form content. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface and creativity in writing assistance.

The main downside is its high cost, making it less accessible for some.

Rytr is an AI writing assistant that generates content for emails, blogs, and ads. It includes a built-in plagiarism checker and SEO-friendly content generation, with support for multiple languages.

The free plan offers limited monthly character counts, but Rytr’s affordability and quality make it a popular choice for writers and marketers looking to produce original and optimized content efficiently.

AI writing assistant for emails, blogs, and ads: Rytr helps you create various types of content quickly and efficiently.

Built-in plagiarism checker: It checks your content for originality, ensuring it is free from plagiarism.

SEO-friendly content generation: Rytr generates content optimized for search engines.

Multiple language support: It supports various languages, making it versatile for different writing needs.

SEO-friendly content generation: Rytr’s ability to generate SEO-optimized content helps improve your content’s visibility on search engines.

Generated content may need significant editing for quality.

• Saver plan: $9/month.

Rytr is well-liked for its affordability and quality of content. Users find it useful for generating SEO-friendly content and appreciate the built-in plagiarism checker.

However, some feel the AI-generated content sometimes lacks depth and requires additional editing.

Scribe offers transcription services, note-taking assistance, and speech-to-text capabilities, integrating seamlessly with platforms like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

It converts audio and video files into written text accurately, making it ideal for creating transcripts and notes.

With a free version available, Scribe is a valuable tool for professionals and students who need efficient and precise transcription and note-taking solutions.

Transcription services: Scribe converts audio and video files into written text, making it easy to create transcripts.

Note-taking assistance: It helps you take notes efficiently during meetings or lectures.

Integration with various writing platforms: Scribe integrates with tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs for seamless writing.

Speech-to-text capabilities: It converts spoken words into text in real-time, perfect for dictation.

Accurate speech-to-text conversion: Scribe’s speech-to-text feature provides highly accurate transcription and note-taking capabilities.

The free version has limited transcription minutes.

• Premium version: $29.99/month.

Scribe is highly appreciated for its accuracy in transcribing and note-taking. Users find it particularly useful for turning spoken content into written text efficiently. However, the cost of the premium version and the limitations of the free version are common criticisms.

How Can doola Help You Start a Freelance Writing Agency?

If you’ve got a knack for storytelling and dream of breaking free from the corporate grind to start your own agency of freelance writers, doola is here to make that journey a breeze. 

Picture this: a team of talented writers, all working on exciting projects for clients around the globe. Sounds dreamy, right? 

Well, we can help turn that dream into your reality.

Sure, you can choose the right writing tools to draft proposals, manage projects, and handle client communications with ease. But you’ll also need a reliable team of experts to help you create a business bank account and tackle those complicated tax forms when tax season rolls around. 

And if you’re seriously considering setting up an LLC for your business, you’ll want to plan collaborative projects, reach new markets, and maybe even scale up your operations.

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back on all the boring paperwork, so you can focus on what you love — creating amazing content and leading your team. 

Need help picking a name for your agency? We’ve got you. Want to register your agency as an official business with the help of a registered agent ? We’ll handle it all.

No more headaches over operating agreements, tax forms, and legal mumbo-jumbo—just hassle-free sailing to get your writing agency up and running in no time.

Ready to take the plunge? Schedule a free consultation with us and get your agency LLC set up for success. 

Free e-book

How to form a US LLC in 5 minutes

A beginner-friendly guide on the basics of LLCs. Learn about formation, banking, and taxes.

Schedule a FREE consultation with a US CPA today 📞

Keep reading

Start your dream business and keep it 100% compliant

Turn your dream idea into your dream business.

A beginner-friendly guide on the basics of LLCs. Learn about formation, banking, and taxes. Get ready to turn your dream idea into your dream US business.

Cookie consent

By continuing to browse this website, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Learn more.