Best free AI transcription: what each free plan gives you (Oct 2026)
6 of the 7 AI transcription tools we track have a permanent free plan. Every $0 allowance below is quoted from the vendor.
Short answer
Top free plans: Otter.ai: 300 monthly transcription minutes per user (no rollover); Fireflies.ai: unlimited transcription (asterisked limits); Descript: 60 media minutes (1 hr)/month.
- 01Otter.aiFree plan$0
300 monthly transcription minutes per user (no rollover). Upgrade: Pro $8.33/mo billed yearly.
Try Otter.ai (opens in new tab)Official site · otter.ai - 02Fireflies.aiFree plan$0
unlimited transcription (asterisked limits). Upgrade: Pro $18/mo.
Try Fireflies.ai (opens in new tab)Official site · fireflies.ai - 03DescriptFree plan$0
60 media minutes (1 hr)/month. Upgrade: Hobbyist $24/mo.
Try Descript (opens in new tab)Official site · descript.com
Vendor-stated, checked . Full ranking, limits and sources below.
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We re-check every vendor's pricing page daily. The weekly digest lists each verified price, limit or free-tier change, with its source.
Free AI transcription
| Tool | Upgrade | Free | Status | What you get for $0 & source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plans | ||||
| Cheapest upgrade Pro · $8.33/mo billed yearly | $0 | Free tier Allowance stated |
Basic (Free): 300 monthly transcription minutes per user (no rollover). Source: otter.ai (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-16 | |
| Cheapest upgrade Pro · $18/mo | $0 | Free tier Allowance stated |
Free forever: unlimited transcription (asterisked limits); limited AI summaries; 20 AI credits. Source: fireflies.ai (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-16 | |
| Cheapest upgrade Hobbyist · $24/mo | $0 | Free tier Allowance stated |
Free $0: 60 media minutes (1 hr)/month; 100 AI credits (one-time); 720p export; AI tools limited. Source: descript.com (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-22 | |
| Cheapest upgrade Pro · $13.49/mo | $0 | Free tier Allowance stated |
Free: 120 transcription minutes per month, up to 3 minutes per conversation. Source: notta.ai (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-22 | |
| Cheapest upgrade Unlimited · $20/mo | $0 | Free tier Allowance stated |
Free: 3 transcripts daily, each file up to 30 minutes, 1 upload at a time; lower priority. Source: turboscribe.ai (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-24 | |
| Cheapest upgrade Essentials · $29.99/mo | $0 | Free tier Allowance stated |
Free: 45 minutes of AI transcription & captions per month, 1 user; English only; up to 5 files at a time. Source: rev.com (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-24 | |
| Trial only | ||||
| Cheapest upgrade Core · $25/mo | — | Trial only | No free plan; 30-minute free trial, no credit card required. Source: sonix.ai (opens in new tab) · checked 2026-10-24 | |
Compare the top 4 plans side by side Models, limits, resets and what happens at the cap, in one table.
Who should pick what
- You transcribe uploaded files every day: TurboScribe. TurboScribe's free plan: 3 transcripts daily, each file up to 30 minutes, 1 upload at a time; lower priority. Unlimited is $20/mo or $10/mo billed yearly.
- You want the biggest monthly minute allowance: Otter.ai / Notta. Otter: 300 monthly transcription minutes per user (no rollover). Notta: 120 transcription minutes per month, up to 3 minutes per conversation.
- You need transcripts of legal or investigative recordings: Rev. Rev's free plan: 45 minutes of AI transcription & captions per month, 1 user; English only. Essentials is $29.99/mo per seat.
- You want to edit the video or podcast from the transcript: Descript. Descript's free plan: 60 media minutes (1 hr)/month; 100 AI credits (one-time).
- You record meetings rather than upload files: Fireflies.ai. Fireflies: unlimited transcription (asterisked limits); limited AI summaries. See also our free meeting note takers ranking.
Next steps
How this list is ranked
Free plans that put a number on the allowance (credits, minutes, images, messages) rank first, because you can plan around a number; free plans with unpublished allowances follow. Within each group, order follows our main price table. Trials and paid-only tools are listed after the ranking so you know they were checked.
Checked but not listed (2026-10-24): Happy Scribe's free plan includes only a one-off 10-minute trial of AI transcription, and Riverside offers a 14-day trial of its recording plans rather than a free transcription plan.
We never rank on reviews, affiliate deals or sponsorship. Facts are vendor-stated; "not published" means the vendor doesn't say.
Recent changes in this list
No price, limit or free-tier change logged for these tools yet. We check daily.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest AI transcription tool?
Otter.ai: Otter.ai Pro costs $8.33/mo billed yearly. Next cheapest: Notta ($13.49/mo), Fireflies.ai ($18/mo), TurboScribe ($20/mo). Prices checked 2026-10-16.
Which AI transcription tools have a free plan?
TurboScribe, Otter.ai, Notta, Rev, Descript, Fireflies.ai. Not free: Sonix (trial only).
Which free AI transcription tool tells you exactly what you get?
TurboScribe: Free: 3 transcripts daily, each file up to 30 minutes, 1 upload at a time; lower priority.; Otter.ai: Basic (Free): 300 monthly transcription minutes per user (no rollover).; Notta: Free: 120 transcription minutes per month, up to 3 minutes per conversation.; Rev: Free: 45 minutes of AI transcription & captions per month, 1 user; English only; up to 5 files at a time.
How current is this ranking?
It is rebuilt from our data every time prices are checked; the last check was 2026-10-16. Every price links to the vendor page it came from.