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Free and cheap ways to transcribe audio on iPhone (and their real limits)

Every genuinely free way to turn audio into text on iPhone in 2026, the cheapest paid plan for each kind of use, and the catch in each.

Updated 4 min read

On this page
  1. Apple Voice Memos transcript: genuinely free
  2. WhatsApp voice message transcripts: free, inside chats
  3. TurboScribe free plan: 3 files a day, 30 minutes each
  4. Otter free plan: 300 minutes, but read the import limit
  5. Notta free plan: a demo, really
  6. AI Transcribe free trial: try it on your own audio
  7. Decision table: free
  8. Paid options by how you use them
  9. The math people skip
  10. Frequently asked questions
  11. Check these for yourself

"Free transcription" almost always comes with a catch: a minute cap, a file limit, or a language list. And "cheapest" depends entirely on how much you transcribe. Here is what is genuinely free on iPhone as of October 2026, where each free option stops being enough, and the cheapest paid plan for each kind of use. AI Transcribe is our app; it has a free trial, not a free plan, and this page says where something else is the better deal.

TL;DR

For an occasional short memo, Apple's built-in Voice Memos transcript costs nothing and is good. For reading WhatsApp voice notes, WhatsApp's own transcripts are free. For a few short files, TurboScribe's free plan works. For files, summaries, speaker labels or less common languages, free plans run out fast, and the right paid option depends on your usage, from TurboScribe for bulk files at a desk to a phone app like AI Transcribe for recording and notes.

1. Apple Voice Memos transcript: genuinely free

Since iOS 18, Voice Memos transcribes recordings, including older ones when you open them. Truly free, no account, and it runs on the device. Macs with Apple silicon on macOS 15 or later do the same.

The catches: requires an iPhone 12 or later; covers 10 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese, not Turkish, Arabic, Hindi and many others); not available in all regions; no speaker labels and no file import. Summaries only through Writing Tools on Apple Intelligence iPhones (iPhone 15 Pro and later).

2. WhatsApp voice message transcripts: free, inside chats

WhatsApp can transcribe voice messages on the device (Settings, then Chats, then Voice message transcripts). Free and convenient for reading a voice note.

The catches: a limited set of languages chosen in settings, the text stays inside the chat, and there is no export or summary. For getting the text out, see transcribing WhatsApp voice messages.

3. TurboScribe free plan: 3 files a day, 30 minutes each

A genuinely usable free plan for short files, if a browser workflow suits you: TurboScribe has no iPhone app of its own and runs in Safari. Longer files need the Unlimited plan.

4. Otter free plan: 300 minutes, but read the import limit

Otter's free plan sounds generous: 300 transcription minutes a month. The fine print: 30 minutes per conversation, and only 3 audio or video file imports for the life of the account, not per month. Fine for trying live meeting notes; not enough for transcribing recordings you already have.

5. Notta free plan: a demo, really

Notta's free plan gives 120 minutes a month but only 3 minutes per recording. Enough to see how it works, not enough for a meeting.

6. AI Transcribe free trial: try it on your own audio

AI Transcribe is free to download. Pro, weekly or annual, starts with a 3-day free trial that you can begin on iPhone or Mac, and one subscription covers both apps (the trial is once per Apple ID). Before you start it, you can try two imports or AI tool runs and one chat answer, and on iPhone you can keep recording and transcribing without subscribing.

Decision table: free

You want to… Free option that works Where it breaks
Transcribe a quick memo you just recorded Voice Memos (iOS 18+, iPhone 12+) 10 languages, no speaker labels, no imports
Read a WhatsApp voice note WhatsApp transcripts Text stuck in the chat, limited languages
Transcribe a few short files TurboScribe free 30 min per file, 3 a day, browser only
Try live meeting notes Otter free 3 file imports, ever
Files, summaries and 32 languages No free option Paid territory; see below
Your usage Option US list price (as of October 2026)
Hours of files every week, at a desk TurboScribe Unlimited $10/month billed annually, $20 monthly
Memos dictated on the go, with an Apple Watch Whisper Memos $69.99/year (about $5.83/month), $9.99 monthly
Team video calls with shared notes Otter Pro $8.33/month billed annually, $16.99 monthly
Meetings in a room, calls on a Mac, summaries, 32 languages AI Transcribe Pro Weekly or annual subscription
Human-checked transcripts Rev human transcription From $1.99 per audio minute; legal-formatted transcripts priced separately

The math people skip

Typing out an hour of audio by hand takes hours, so for regular use most people compare tools rather than tools against typing. The price gaps between them are small next to how well each one fits the way you record. Pick by workflow first, then price.

Two more things change the math:

  • Weekly plans suit a burst, such as a conference week or a thesis interview round, then stopping. For ongoing use, annual plans cost far less per month.
  • Free plans with lifetime caps (Otter's 3 imports) cost you time later, when you have to move your recordings somewhere else.

Frequently asked questions

What is the absolute cheapest way to transcribe one file? If it is under 30 minutes, TurboScribe's free plan. If you want speaker labels and a summary as well, AI Transcribe's free trial handles a one-off without paying.

Is there a completely free transcription app with no limits? No app gives unlimited free transcription of files with summaries. Apple Voice Memos is free with no usage cap, but only for its 10 languages, without speaker labels or imports.

Why is human transcription so much more expensive? You are paying for people and a guarantee. For personal notes, AI transcription is plenty; for legal filings or published captions, a human-checked transcript is worth the price.

For the paid apps in more depth, see the best transcription apps for iPhone.

Check these for yourself

Limits and pricing in this category change often. These are the primary sources for every app named above, so you can check the numbers rather than take our word for them: