TurboScribe is the best free tool we found for turning recorded audio and video into text, with up to 90 free minutes a day, speaker labels and real export formats. When you outgrow the free limits, Unlimited at $10 a month billed yearly is the cheapest way to transcribe heavy volumes. It does not join live meetings, so pair it with a meeting tool if you need both.
What TurboScribe is
TurboScribe is a web app built for one job: you upload an audio or video file and get a transcript back TurboScribe ↗. It is powered by OpenAI's Whisper speech model and offers three modes: Cheetah for speed, Dolphin for balance and Whale for the best accuracy TurboScribe ↗.
It accepts MP3, MP4, M4A, MOV, WAV and many other formats, and it can import YouTube videos TurboScribe ↗. TurboScribe says it has transcribed more than 54 million hours of audio TurboScribe ↗.
Hands on testing is in progress, and we will update this review with our results.
What it does well
The free plan is generous. You can transcribe 3 files every day, each up to 30 minutes long, which adds up to 90 minutes a day at no cost TurboScribe pricing ↗. That covers a podcast episode, a client interview or a stack of voice memos.
It handles many languages. TurboScribe says it transcribes more than 98 languages, with 22 giving the best results, including English, Spanish, French and German TurboScribe ↗. The paid plan adds translation into more than 134 languages TurboScribe pricing ↗.
The output is ready to use. You can turn on speaker recognition for 2 to 8 speakers or let it detect them automatically TurboScribe ↗. Transcripts download as PDF, DOCX, TXT or CSV, and captions as SRT or VTT TurboScribe ↗. A Restore Audio option uses AI to cut background noise on poor recordings, though TurboScribe recommends it only as a last resort TurboScribe ↗.
The upgrade is cheap and simple. Unlimited gives one person unlimited transcription, files up to 10 hours or 5 GB, 50 uploads at once and the highest queue priority TurboScribe pricing ↗. For heavy users, that is far cheaper than per hour services such as Sonix at $10 an hour Sonix pricing ↗.
Where it falls short
Free files wait. Free uploads go one at a time into a lower priority queue, so transcripts take longer to come back TurboScribe pricing ↗. Files over 30 minutes need to be split or need the paid plan TurboScribe pricing ↗.
It does not do live meetings. TurboScribe works on recordings you upload. If you want a bot or app that transcribes Zoom or Teams calls as they happen, use Otter or Fathom alongside it Otter pricing ↗ Fathom pricing ↗.
The accuracy claim is the vendor's own. TurboScribe advertises 99.8% accuracy, but results depend on the language and the quality of the recording TurboScribe ↗. Check transcripts you plan to publish or rely on.
Unlimited is for one person, and the pricing page lists no team plans, trial or refund policy TurboScribe pricing ↗. The best price also needs a yearly commitment TurboScribe pricing ↗ TurboScribe ↗.
Pricing and plans
Free costs $0. You can transcribe 3 files a day, up to 30 minutes each, one upload at a time, in a lower priority queue TurboScribe pricing ↗.
Unlimited costs $10 a month billed yearly, which is $120 a year, or $20 a month billed monthly TurboScribe pricing ↗ TurboScribe ↗. It includes unlimited transcription for one person, files up to 10 hours or 5 GB, 50 files uploaded at once, the highest queue priority, translation into more than 134 languages, bulk exports, all transcription modes and unlimited storage TurboScribe pricing ↗.
There is no free trial of Unlimited, since the free plan serves that role TurboScribe pricing ↗. Payments are processed through Stripe, and TurboScribe says it does not store card numbers TurboScribe ↗.
Who should (and shouldn't) use it
- Good fit: anyone who needs recorded interviews, podcasts, voice memos or videos turned into text for free.
- Good fit: heavy users who want unlimited transcription for a flat $10 to $20 a month.
- Good fit: people working in languages other than English.
- Skip it if: you need live transcription of meetings.
- Skip it if: your recordings are sensitive and must never leave your computer. An offline app like Buzz is safer Buzz ↗.
Alternatives worth a look
- Otter: live meeting transcription with 300 free minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation Otter pricing ↗.
- Fathom: free unlimited recordings and transcripts of Zoom, Meet and Teams calls Fathom pricing ↗.
- Buzz: free, open source and fully offline, using Whisper on your own computer Buzz ↗.
- Sonix: pay as you go at $10 an hour, with a BAA on Enterprise Sonix pricing ↗.
Where it appears
Best free optionThe Best AI Transcription SoftwareOur pickThe Best Free AI Transcription ToolsWhat’s good
- Up to 90 free minutes a day
- Many export formats
- Cheap flat rate upgrade
What to know
- Free files wait in a slower queue
- 30 minute cap per free file
Key features
- Built on OpenAI Whisper with three speed and accuracy modes
- Speaker recognition for 2 to 8 speakers
- Exports to PDF, DOCX, TXT, CSV, SRT and VTT
- 98+ transcription languages, 134+ translation languages (paid)
- YouTube import
- Paid plan: files up to 10 hours or 5 GB, 50 uploads at once
Works with
Questions people ask
Is TurboScribe free?
Yes. The free plan lets you transcribe 3 files a day, each up to 30 minutes, though free files wait in a slower queue TurboScribe pricing ↗.
How much does TurboScribe Unlimited cost?
$10 a month billed yearly ($120 a year), or $20 a month billed monthly TurboScribe pricing ↗ TurboScribe ↗.
Is TurboScribe accurate?
It uses OpenAI's Whisper model and claims 99.8% accuracy, but results depend on language and audio quality TurboScribe ↗.
Is TurboScribe safe to use?
TurboScribe says files and transcripts are stored encrypted, only you can access them, and you can delete them at any time TurboScribe ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. Hands on testing is in progress.
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