Transcription Services Compared: AI Apps, Freelancers, Companies (Web, Apps, PC, Phone)

I'd like to try a transcription service, but there are so many options, from apps to specialist companies, that I don't know which one to choose ...

Does this sound familiar?

The term "transcription service" covers many different types: cloud services that use AI, AI transcription apps for smartphones and PCs, transcription companies where professional writers type everything out on a keyboard, and, more recently, freelancers who take on transcription work individually through crowdsourcing sites.

On top of that, each category contains many more services, so plenty of you probably can't tell the differences between them and are struggling to narrow the choice down to one.

I once hired the first company that caught my eye without really understanding the options, and later found a cheaper, better service. I regretted it ...

So in this article, we round up recommended transcription services for AI apps, individual freelancers, and specialist companies, and explain how to choose the best service for your purpose.

If you choose a service that doesn't match your actual goal, you won't get a satisfying result and you'll waste both time and money. Read this article and find the transcription service that fits you perfectly.

AI transcription services are the recommended choice for transcription

Let's start with the conclusion.

We recommend AI transcription services for transcription.

Types of transcription services

Transcription services come in the following types:

• AI transcription web services
• AI transcription apps for smartphones
• Transcription apps installed on a PC
• Transcription by writers at specialist companies
• Transcription through crowdsourcing

Those are the types available.

*We compare and introduce the features of each in detail later in this article, so please take a look!

Comparing these, the one we recommend is the "AI transcription service."

If you are choosing a transcription service now, choose an AI transcription service

If you are about to start using a transcription service, we strongly recommend an "AI transcription service."

An AI transcription service is a service that uses AI to write out the content of audio and video files as text.

It is used in a wide range of fields, such as meeting minutes, interviews, records from work sites, and job interviews.

AI has developed rapidly in recent years, and in the field of converting speech to text, the performance of AI speech recognition has improved dramatically.

In fact, speech recognition is a field that suits AI well. It has advanced to the point where it can transcribe difficult content smoothly, such as material containing technical terms and proper nouns, or foreign languages that Japanese transcription services found hard to handle.

The conversion time is also very short: with a fast AI, even a long recording is transcribed in about one minute.

And because a computer does the transcribing, the price is naturally far lower than hiring a professional writer.

High accuracy, short turnaround, low price.

If you are going to use a transcription service from now on, we recommend one that uses AI.

Recommended transcription services compared: AI transcription web services

Now let's compare which transcription services are worth recommending.

First, we introduce the AI transcription services.

1. Mr. Transcription

For anyone starting out with a transcription service, we recommend "Mr. Transcription."

"Mr. Transcription" is an AI transcription service that a wide range of users, from individuals to companies, can use easily. Its hallmark is a speech recognition AI at the highest level in the industry, accurate and fast.

It is simple to operate: you just upload a file from the top page. Even first-time users of a transcription service can start right away.

It is also convenient that you can try transcription on the spot without registering as a member.

It also covers the security measures needed for business use in companies, such as support for filling in security check sheets.

It is easy to use as well, since it supports a very wide range of file formats: audio, images, video, and PDF.

Supported files and file sizes for Mr. Transcription, and how to convert unsupported files into supported ones

This page explains which files Mr. Transcription supports and what to do when your file is not supported.

Another plus is that several pricing plans are available depending on data volume.

It is a subscription with no initial fee, so you can pick the best plan each month.

With a free membership, you can use it free for up to 10 minutes a day, which makes it an ideal first tool.

The paid plans are also inexpensive: from about 0.4 yen per minute, or about 28 yen per hour.

If you can't decide on a transcription service, start by trying "Mr. Transcription."

2. Otolio (formerly Smart Shoki)

Otolio (formerly Smart Shoki) is an AI transcription service that makes creating meeting minutes more efficient with voice × AI.

If you want to edit your transcription data in detail, this online transcription service is also a good choice.

It supports both real-time speech transcription and file import, and a major feature is that the editor (text editing tool) is easy to use.

It also supports collaborative editing by multiple people, so you can work seamlessly, from transcribing meeting minutes in real time to editing them into the final content you save.

It has obtained ISMS certification (information security management system conformity assessment), so safety is more than adequate.

It is easy to see why large companies have adopted it.

Pricing starts at 10,000 yen.

There is a 14-day trial period during which you can try it for free.

Otolio (formerly Smart Shoki)

3. Otter

Otter is an AI transcription service specialized in converting speech in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and other languages to text in real time.

It also has a speaker identification feature, so it can greatly shorten the time needed to put together reports and meeting minutes.

AI speech recognition for English in particular is advancing quickly, but overseas AI transcription services often have a high barrier to use.

Otter, in contrast, has an interface that supports Japanese display, so you are less likely to be confused than with other overseas services.

It is multi-device compatible, so you can check transcription results on a PC and a smartphone at the same time.

Registration and login are required, and there is a free plan.

However, the free plan lets you import audio files only up to 3 in total.

This AI transcription service is recommended when you want to turn meetings or interviews into text in real time on the spot, rather than working from already recorded files.

Otter

4. Rimo (formerly Rimo Voice)

Rimo is an AI transcription service specialized in the Japanese language.

It handles transcription of speech in many situations, such as writing up interviews, taking notes on business negotiations and sales calls, and lectures at events.

Besides AI transcription, it also has an AI summarization feature.

You can smoothly shape business content such as meeting minutes into their final form.

It supports the usual range of audio and video file formats for transcription.

There are plans for individuals and for businesses.

The individual plan also comes with a free trial.

What is Rimo? A thorough guide to a recommended service for transcribing Japanese with AI

We introduce Rimo (formerly Rimo Voice), an AI transcription service that is strong at Japanese. We also explain how this service suits meeting minutes and summaries.

5. AutoMemo

AutoMemo is an AI transcription service that bundles an IC recorder with a cloud transcription service.

All you need to do for transcription is press the record button.

The saved file is converted by AI in the cloud, and you can check the audio and text in a dedicated app (sending by email is also possible).

If you connect the device to a computer with an audio cable, you can also record web meetings and convert them to text.

The transcription AI is OpenAI's Whisper.

It is operated by Sourcenext, with plans for individuals and for businesses.

There are two AI voice recorders, the "AutoMemo S" at 19,800 yen and the "AutoMemo R" at 13,860 yen, and for individuals there is a trial plan that lets you transcribe up to 1 hour per month for free.

AutoMemo

6. YOMEL

YOMEL is an AI transcription service for creating meeting minutes.

Its main function is to automatically convert what meeting participants say into text with AI transcription, and it can finish minutes in far less time than typing them by hand.

It also supports a variety of web meeting tools.

It supports major tools such as ZOOM, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, so you don't need to worry when adopting it.

Of course, it can also be used to transcribe in-person meetings.

It is billed monthly, and the pricing is designed for business use by companies.

There is also a two-week trial period during which you can transcribe up to 10 hours for free.

YOMEL

7. Sloos

Sloos is an AI transcription service that is strong at transcribing by speaker.

Its speaker separation feature is extensive, and even audio picked up by a single microphone can be transcribed speaker by speaker.

It also supports integration with web conferencing systems such as ZOOM and Microsoft Teams.

Sloos

8. One Minutes

One Minutes is an AI transcription service with real-time transcription.

A feature that other AI transcription services lack is real-time translation into multiple languages.

Because it can transcribe and translate more than 10 languages in real time, it is useful for multilingual meetings with overseas partners.

The transcribed content can also be corrected and edited on the spot.

Pricing is not published, and you need to make an inquiry to use it.

There is a 7-day free trial, and no credit card registration is required.

Because it is stronger with foreign languages than other services, it is recommended for people whose work involves various languages.

One Minutes

9. Notta

Notta is an AI transcription service where you can upload audio and video files and have them transcribed.

A Chrome extension is also available, so you can transcribe the audio of web pages as well.

It also offers real-time transcription.

Dictionary registration (a paid plan is required), multilingual translation, and other features are all included.

There are plans for individuals and for businesses.

The business plan is intended for small companies that want to transcribe together in one shared workspace.

The transcription tool Notta: how to use it, features, and pricing explained (free option available)

We explain Notta's features, how to use it, and its pricing plans with the latest 2026 information, including the limits of the free plan and how to create meeting minutes, and compare it with free transcription sites that need no registration.

10. UserLocal Voice Minutes System

The UserLocal Voice Minutes System is a simple AI transcription service that can transcribe speech during a meeting.

By issuing and sharing a dedicated URL, multiple people can use the transcription feature together.

It is recommended when you want a tool just for meeting minutes.

UserLocal Voice Minutes System

11. Texter

Texter is an AI transcription service for transcribing web meetings.

It is simple to operate: after you log in and click the "Start minutes" button, transcription begins. You can transcribe web meetings smoothly without any confusion.

Besides real-time transcription, it is also possible to import audio files, images, PDFs, and videos and convert them to text.

The price is 30,000 yen per month.

*A free plan used to be mentioned, but it is no longer listed.

Texter

Recommended transcription services compared: AI transcription apps for smartphones

Next, we briefly introduce AI transcription apps that you can use on iPhone and Android smartphones.

12. Speechy Lite

Speechy Lite is a voice input app for iPhone.

With its built-in "Import audio file" feature, you can transcribe audio files saved on your iPhone.

To use it, just open a recording made with the standard Voice Memos app in Speechy Lite via "Share."

It also has a feature that automatically corrects wrong kanji.

Speechy Lite

13. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is a transcription app for Android.

The app version offers only real-time transcription, but the browser version also supports converting audio files to text (paid).

It has a feature for inserting punctuation marks by voice command or with its own keyboard, and if the speech recognition makes a mistake, you can correct it on the spot using the keyboard.

Speechnotes

Recommended transcription services compared: transcription apps installed on a PC

There are fewer of them than before, but transcription apps that you install on your PC are still available.

Some products come with a one-time license, so they are also recommended for anyone who dislikes monthly fees.

14. Voice Code

Voice Code is an AI transcription app installed on a PC, offered by Sourcenext.

This app for Windows PCs has a voice input feature that transcribes speech from a microphone.

To transcribe recorded audio, you need to play it back externally and have the app recognize it through a microphone or similar, but by using a tool such as a "virtual audio device" that lets the app recognize sound playing inside the PC, you can also achieve more accurate transcription.

Voice Code

15. Voice Rep Pro series

The Voice Rep Pro series consists of AI transcription apps installed on a PC that use Google's AI speech recognition engine.

It is for Windows only and requires Google Chrome.

Its feature is that it is an all-in-one product combining an AI transcription app with a dedicated editor for editing the transcribed speech.

It is sold as a one-time purchase, and each license can be installed on one PC.

Voice Rep Pro 4

Recommended transcription services compared: transcription by writers at specialist companies

So far we have introduced AI transcription services, but you can also use services where professional writers transcribe by keyboard, which were the norm before AI transcription spread.

Here are some of the services available.

16. Koelab

Koelab is a specialist transcription company with a good balance of price, turnaround, and quality.

• More than 800 experienced writers on staff
• Same-day and next-day delivery possible
• Large projects of over 200,000 minutes are also handled
• Holds the Privacy Mark certification

With these features, it meets a wide range of needs and has set up a trustworthy system for security as well.

Compared with competing services, its price is relatively reasonable for a transcription service using writers, which is another plus.

Koelab

17. Editage

Editage is also a transcription service by professional writers.

It has been transcribing with specialist writers since 2005 and has handled a wide range of content, from medicine, academic institutions, mass media, and law firms to general companies.

Its feature is that it mainly transcribes foreign languages, starting with English.

In addition to English, of course, it supports Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Italian, and Russian.

Compared with other services, its greatest advantage is that specialists who know the foreign language well do the transcription, so there are no errors in content.

The same company also offers a foreign-language proofreading service, so it is a service to rely on when precision of content is required.

Editage

This article also explains what to look for when choosing a specialist transcription company. Please read it as well.

How do you choose a transcription company? A complete guide to audio transcription providers

We introduce companies that provide transcription (tape transcription) services. We also show ways to transcribe efficiently, such as AI transcription.

Recommended transcription services compared: crowdsourcing

Finally, we introduce crowdsourcing sites where you can find writers to commission for transcription.

18. CrowdWorks

Among crowdsourcing sites, CrowdWorks is one of the best known.

CrowdWorks has a dedicated category for transcription (tape transcription), with about 1,500 registered projects (*as of August 2026).

Besides posting a project and recruiting applicants openly, you can also commission a specific worker directly.

More than 200,000 workers take on transcription jobs, so you can choose the best person by looking at their track records.

If you are recruiting a transcription writer on a crowdsourcing site, this is the site to register with first.

CrowdWorks

19. Lancers

Lancers is a major crowdsourcing site on a par with CrowdWorks.

It has a "Tape transcription, transcription, and written transcripts" category with more than 15,000 registered jobs (*as of August 2026).

More than 28,000 crowd workers list transcription in their profiles (*as of August 2026).

As a major site, it too has a very large number of crowd workers registered, from experienced writers to newcomers who can be hired at low prices.

To recruit crowd workers, registering with both CrowdWorks and Lancers is enough.

Lancers

Prices, advantages, and disadvantages of transcription services

So far we have explained a variety of transcription services.

From here, we compare prices, advantages, and disadvantages for each method of transcription.

As mentioned at the beginning, transcription methods include:

• AI transcription web services
• AI transcription apps for smartphones
• AI transcription apps installed on a PC
• Transcription by writers at specialist companies
• Transcription through crowdsourcing

These are the methods available.

Each transcription method suits some purposes better than others, and prices also differ greatly.

We have briefly summarized the features, advantages, and disadvantages of each.

AI transcription (web services, smartphone, PC)

The number of services and apps that can transcribe automatically with AI has been growing recently.

Among the services introduced this time, the following fall into this category:

Web services:

• Mr. Transcription
• Otolio
• Otter
• Rimo
• AutoMemo
• YOMEL
• Sloos
• One Minutes
• Notta
• UserLocal Voice Minutes System
• Texter

Smartphone apps:

• Speechy Lite
• Speechnotes

Apps installed on a PC:

• Voice Code
• Voice Rep Pro series

Those are the services that fall into this category.

Automatic transcription by AI lets you transcribe easily without involving a person, so it is recommended for people for whom the following apply:

• The deadline is approaching
• You want to transcribe right away
• You want to outsource work cheaply by dividing up tasks
• You are tired of dealing with outside contractors

AI transcription suits these people.

The typical market price is about 0.4 to 30 yen per minute.

Advantages of AI transcription

Above all, the biggest advantage is the low price.

Because transcription is done without a person, the unit price is very low. At the lowest, you can transcribe for 0.4 yen per minute.

Even a 2-hour transcription costs just 56 yen.

The accuracy is also better than you might expect, so first-time users are sure to be surprised!

The price makes you wonder why you were transcribing by yourself all this time ...

Many sites can be used free for a few minutes, so we recommend trying one out to see how much it can transcribe.

Disadvantages of AI transcription

The disadvantage is that, because the AI transcribes automatically, what it hears is turned into text just as it is.

Specifically, meaningless words such as "uh," "ah," and "hmm" are also transcribed as they are, which can make the text hard to read.

In addition, the latest AI reliably distinguishes human voices even with noise, but if there is too much background noise, the accuracy of transcription can still drop and kanji mistakes may occur.

For AI transcription, we recommend web services

If you use AI transcription, we recommend a web service that you use from a browser rather than an app that you install on a PC or smartphone.

A web service can be used from a PC or a smartphone, anywhere there is an internet connection.

Another major reason is that transcription services offered as web services often adopt new features of the latest AI more frequently.

For AI transcription, we recommend "Mr. Transcription"

If you can't decide among AI transcription services, we recommend trying "Mr. Transcription" first.

The latest AI in "Mr. Transcription" transcribes with high accuracy and in a short time.

In addition, with a free membership you can try actual transcription free for up to 10 minutes a day, so you can check the quality of the transcription before you start using it.

The paid plans are also inexpensive: from about 0.4 yen per minute, or about 28 yen per hour.

Why not experience the latest AI transcription with "Mr. Transcription"?

Transcription by writers at specialist companies

What you often find when you search online is transcription by writers at specialist companies.

Among the ones introduced this time, the following fall into this category:

• Koelab
• Editage

Those are the companies that fall into this category.

Because experienced professionals do the transcription, the content is stable, but the cost tends to be higher.

Some companies set a minimum order amount, so be careful.

The price range is about 108 to 800 yen per minute. The price varies greatly depending on the delivery format and turnaround time.

Thorough comparison: transcription and tape transcription prices. With AI, hundreds of times cheaper than outsourcing!

A thorough explanation of transcription price ranges! It covers cost comparisons of AI, outsourcing, and crowdsourcing, prices by turnaround time, and pricing for specialist fields. Check now how to transcribe smartly and cheaply!

Advantages of transcription by writers at specialist companies

Above all, they offer peace of mind.

Communication is smooth, and the work is delivered exactly on schedule as ordered.

Compared with crowdsourcing, introduced next, you can leave everything to the specialist company, so they are ideal when you can't spare much time for communication or when the deadline is strict.

Another major feature is the variety of options they provide to meet a wide range of needs.

Some even handle highly specialized content and full-scale editing for publication.

Disadvantages of transcription by writers at specialist companies

The disadvantage is that the cost inevitably becomes high.

For example, for a 2-hour transcription, the quoted prices are:

• [Company A] 6 clear days between order and delivery (about 8 business days): 26,400 yen
• [Company B] 5 clear days between order and delivery (about 7 business days): 12,936 yen
• [Company C] 4 business days: 39,800 yen

Those are the prices quoted.

In addition, a quote is sometimes needed in advance, which can add extra days.

Commissioning individuals (crowdsourcing)

With a crowdsourcing site, anyone can easily find people to take on a job.

Among the ones introduced this time, the following fall into this category:

• CrowdWorks
• Lancers

Those are the sites that fall into this category.

When you commission through crowdsourcing, the price varies greatly depending on:

• the content you post
• the people who apply

In other words, prices differ a great deal.

The market price also ranges widely, from 6 to 200 yen per minute.

Advantages of commissioning individuals (crowdsourcing)

The main advantages of crowdsourcing are:

• Even keyboard transcription can be commissioned cheaply
• If you find a good person, you can keep commissioning them

These are the two points.

Transcription by writers at specialist companies tends to be expensive, but by commissioning individuals through crowdsourcing, you can commission it more cheaply by comparison.

Depending on the project, a transcription of about 2 hours at around 5,000 yen draws several applicants.

Beginners who are just starting out seem to offer trial prices, so you can commission them at surprisingly low cost.

Another plus is that if you find a good person, you can commission work from them on an ongoing basis.

Disadvantages of commissioning individuals (crowdsourcing)

With crowdsourcing, the quality of the people doing the work varies, so you tend to face a choice between two options:

• Do you accept poor quality for a low price?
• Or do you choose someone of good quality even if the unit price is higher?

Those are the two choices.

Even though a crowdsourcing site acts as an intermediary, the other party is still an individual, so the lower the price, the more likely the following risks become:

• The deadline is not met
• The person may become unreachable
• Confidentiality obligations are neglected
• The work is abandoned partway through

These risks exist.

In some cases, AI transcription or a company would have been cheaper and faster ...

[By purpose] How to choose a transcription service

Finally, we show how to choose the recommended service for the scenes where transcription is most often used.

If you want to create meeting minutes

If you just want to keep a record for now, or the minutes are for internal checking only, we recommend "Mr. Transcription," which is inexpensive and easy to use.

If you want to edit the minutes in detail later or share them with your team, we recommend transcribing with the AI of "Mr. Transcription" and then editing the result.

If you will submit the minutes as an official document, or revise them to be easy to read and publish them externally, then besides AI transcription it is a good idea to outsource through "CrowdWorks" or use a transcription service with professional writers such as "Koelab."

If you want transcription data of an interview

If you already have a recording file, you can choose in the same way as for the meeting minutes above.

If you want to record audio and transcribe it in real time while conducting the interview on the spot, smartphone apps such as "Texter" or "Speechnotes" are easy to use.

If you want to buy a new IC recorder, "AutoMemo," which comes as a set, is also recommended.

Of course, it is also a good option to record with a smartphone or IC recorder and transcribe later with an AI transcription service such as "Mr. Transcription".

If you want to transcribe audio data with highly specialized content

If you want to transcribe an audio file in which specific technical terms appear frequently and you can spend time and money, "Koelab," which has writers for various specialist fields, is the most reliable choice.

Another option is to look for a worker well versed in that field on "CrowdWorks."

We also recommend "Mr. Transcription," which, unusually for an affordable online tool, has a dictionary feature.

Transcription services compared: summary

In this article, we explained recommended transcription services and how to choose apps and sites.

Besides the services introduced in this article, there are many other tools and companies, each with its own features, strengths, and weaknesses.

If you think, "I read the article to the end, but I still can't narrow down the service ...," we recommend this approach:

1. AI app
2. Crowd worker (individual)
3. Specialist company

Try them in this order, and move on to the next if you are not satisfied.

Prices also tend to rise as you go down the list, so this method avoids the risk of sending a job that an AI app could handle to a specialist company and running up needless costs ...

If you want to keep costs as low as possible, there is also the technique of combining multiple apps and services. *We explain this in detail in a separate article, so please read it as well.

What does outsourcing audio transcription cost? Tips for commissioning it cheaply

For anyone who wants to outsource transcription cheaply, we have summarized the market prices of audio transcription by AI, individuals, and specialist companies. We also cover tips for avoiding failure when outsourcing and techniques for ordering the highest-quality transcription possible at a low price.

Seeing is believing.

Rather than agonizing over it, trying things out in practice makes the differences clearer, and it also becomes obvious which service suits you.

It's fine to start with a free app or a trial version.

Why not try an AI transcription service?