Compare / Free plans
Best free AI transcription tools
Best for unlimited meeting transcription: tl;dv, whose free plan lists unlimited recordings and unlimited transcription in 30+ languages.
| Tool | What you get | Limits | Card required | The catch | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tl;dv | Unlimited recordings, viewers, storage and transcription in 30+ languages; 10 meetings with AI notes and 10 Ask AI queries. | 10 meetings with AI notes, 10 Ask AI queries; data retention up to 3 months; 40 web recordings a week; 3h recording limit | No (stated by vendor) | AI notes and Ask AI are capped at 10 each; recordings are kept up to 3 months; 40 web recordings a week. | tldv.io/app/pricing checked 2026-10-14 |
| Otter.ai | 300 transcription minutes a month, live transcription, 3 lifetime file imports. | 300 min/month, 30 min/conversation | Not stated by vendor | Only 3 file imports ever on Free. | otter.ai/pricing checked 2026-10-14 |
| AssemblyAI | $50 in free credits on signup for speech-to-text and other APIs. | Free tier streaming capped at 5 new streams per minute | No (stated by vendor) | Credits are a one-time amount; free-tier streaming concurrency is 5 new streams per minute versus 100 on pay-as-you-go. | assemblyai.com/pricing checked 2026-10-14 |
| Descript | 60 media minutes a month with transcription in 25 languages and text-based editing. | Limited hours, watermark | Not stated by vendor | Only 1 hour of media a month; watermark-free export is advertised only on paid plans. | descript.com/pricing checked 2026-10-14 |
| ElevenLabs | 10,000 credits a month for text to speech, speech to text, sound effects and more; 3 Studio projects. | 10,000 credits/month; attribution | Not stated by vendor | No commercial license on Free. | elevenlabs.io/pricing checked 2026-10-14 |
Every row is taken from the vendor's official pricing page, checked 2026-10-14. "Not stated by vendor" means the page does not say. Plans change, so confirm on the vendor's site.
Pick this if
tl;dvYou record meetings and want unlimited transcription; AI notes are capped at 10 meetings.
Otter.aiYou want live transcription with a stated 300 minutes a month.
AssemblyAIYou are a developer and want $50 in speech-to-text API credits with no card.
DescriptYou edit audio or video by editing the transcript; 60 media minutes a month.
ElevenLabsYou also need text to speech; speech to text shares the 10,000 monthly credits.
FAQ
Is there a free AI transcription tool with no minute limit?
tl;dv lists unlimited transcription in 30+ languages on its free plan, with AI notes limited to 10 meetings.
How many free minutes does Otter.ai give?
300 transcription minutes a month, up to 30 minutes per conversation, and 3 lifetime file imports.
Is there a free speech-to-text API?
AssemblyAI gives $50 in free credits on signup with no credit card required.
Does Descript transcribe for free?
Yes. The free plan includes 60 media minutes a month with transcription in 25 languages.