7 Best Podcast Transcription Services in 2023 (Audio to Text)
Once you have learned how to record a podcast and how to start a podcast, the next step I to bump it up to get more traffic. What I will show you today is where to find transcription services.
Why? What is the benefit of podcast transcription? Podcast statistics show that channels that have texts on them are more friendly to search engines. It is also easier to share a podcast with texts visible on the screen.
But how do you do this? Certainly not the manual way I will share with you a combination of digital transcription software programs and human transcription services
What are the Best Podcast Transcription Services
Here is a quick list of the best podcast transcription services you can get:
- Veed
- Go Transcript
- Rev
- Happy Scribe
- Subtitle Bee
- Kapwing
- Descript
1. Veed
Best for people who need the best podcast transcription service
Unique Feature: You can have unlimited projects in the system for as long as you meet the storage capacity.
Veed is the best podcast transcription service. The system not only works for audio, as people who need a professional transcription service for video files also use it.
What you will love about Veed is that it is so easy to use. My only gripe is that the transcription can take some time. However, I am happy to say that the transcription results are amazingly accurate.
Veed Features
- File Storage – you can leave your work in the cloud and only download it when you need the SRT files
- Text Animations – apart from customization, you can make your subtitles move
- Export Quality – if you ever turn your podcast into a video, you can choose from 1080p or 4K resolution
- Stock Files – there are images and videos here that you can use without copyright violation
Pros of Veed
- Easy to use
- There is no limit to the number of files and audio content you can download
- The system has a compressor that can help you reduce the file size of your final podcast.
Veed Pricing
- Free – free to use for life; the limit is 10 minutes per video
- Basic – costs $12 per month; the limit is 25 minutes per audio or video
- Pro – costs $24 per month; your limit is 100 GB in storage. There is no limit to the projects you can do.
Get Veed here for free and try it!
2. GoTranscript
Best for people who want a human-made transcription of audio recording.
Unique Feature: Available in different languages.
GoTranscript is a service you want to get if you want a human-made transcription for your podcast. I highly recommend this tool if you also need speaker identification in your transcription.
GoTranscript Features
- Affordable – transcription costs only $0.77 per minute.
- Accuracy – the transcription is near 100% since it is made by a human being.
- Languages – there are dozens of languages available; if your podcast is in Mandarin, you can have it transcribed in Mandarin.
- Rush Order – you can get a faster turnaround if your work is in a rush; however, you will pay more.
Pros of GoTranscript
- Great for speaker identification
- Affordable rate of transcription
GoTranscript Pricing
The price of transcription varies according to what you want to achieve. The most affordable is $0.77 per minute with a turnaround time of five days.
3. Rev
Best for podacasters looking for a text-to-speech platform too.
Unique Feature: It offers human transcription plus AI for text-to-speech.
Rev is also a human-made transcription, and it is a little more expensive than the previous one. What makes it a premium choice is that they deliver high-quality transcription services.
Rev Features
- Audio and video – you can send them either an audio or video file, and they will take care of the transcription process.
- English – you can order an English closed-caption subtitle, which is great if you want subtitles for a podcast episode that has music and different speakers.
- Jobs – if you are interested, you can transcribe for the team
- Speech-to-text – they launched a new program recently, which is an AI that their customers can now use to convert written text into speech.
Pros of Rev
- Affordable service
- Accurate results
- They have a speech-to-text AI
Rev Pricing
Like GoTrancript, Rev offers several pricing points. The most affordable is $1.50 per minute. You can check out their pricing here.
4. Happy Scribe
Best for: Podcasters who need a transcription process that is easy to understand.
Unique Feature: It has a transcription program.
Happy Scribe is one of the best tools you can use for transcribing podcasts. The podcast transcription software does not only create accurate transcriptions, but it also allows you to get a file that you can upload as SRT to your audio and video files before publication.
Happy Scribe Key Features
- Accuracy – the program offers an accuracy rating of 85%. While this may be low, it is acceptable, especially so if you make the software perform speaker identification. If you get the human-made podcast transcriptions, you can expect an accuracy rating of 99%.
- Turnaround – if you use the software for transcribing podcasts, you can get it as fast as half the time of your audio file length.
- Multiple Services – unlike other audio transcription services, this one actually has a human worker. So, if you want a human to work on your audio file and podcast transcriptions, just let them know.
Pros of Happy Scribe
- The program offers two types of podcast transcript services
- The paid plan is affordable compared to others
Happy Scribe Pricing
- Automatic – you can use the automated transcription process for as little as €0.20 per minute after your free trial expires. to add subtitles automatically.
- Human-Made – if you want human transcription services, the podcast transcription cost is €2.00 per minute.
Happy Scribe has a free trial that you can check now!
5. Subtitle Bee
Best for people who launch podcast episodes regularly.
Unique Feature: You can upload audio files and video files as big as 1GB per file.
Subtitle Bee is another tool audio transcription tool I recommend if you have a lot of content. How it works is simple: you just have to upload your audio content, and the software program will do the rest.
You can get the free plan if you want, but the tool has some limitations. You can only export one video on the free account.
Subtitle Bee Features
- Customization – you can customize not just the subtitles but also the podcast video; for example, you can add a logo.
- Social Media Ready – after downloading the podcast transcripts, you can share them directly on your social media channels.
- Priority Support – get priority support if you are on a paid plan.
Pros of Subtitle Bee
- The subtitle is available in several languages
- You can customize your logos
- You can format the subtitle text, font, and box
Subtitle Bee Pricing
- Free – you can only export one download per month
- Starter – you are limited to 12 videos or podcast transcripts per month
- Premium – you can upload video and audio files at 5GB each
- Business – maximum of 60 exports per month, and each video is up to 60 minutes.
You can get Subtitle Bee for free now!
6. Kapwing
Best for people who need accurate transcriptions and a powerful video editor.
Unique Feature: It does not only transcribe audio; it is also a video editor.
Kapwing launched as a video editor. As they grew, they added other services, and one of these is an automated subtitle generator.
Kapwing Features
- Online – you do not have to install the program on your PC. The software is 100% online. All you need to do is upload your video files or audio files, and the program will do the rest.
- Customization – if you want, you can edit the default subtitles; what I mean is you can edit the look.
- Storage – you do not have to download the final file; you can save storage space if you leave it in the cloud and let other people access it from there.
- File Download – you can download the accurate transcripts to your PC as SRT files. From here, you can add this to your podcast hosting platform, so your podcast episodes have a subtitle.
Pros of Kapwing
- The program has video editing tools
- It is easy to use
- The program is free to use
Kapwing Pricing
- Free – you can use the program with unlimited exports, but the limit is 250 MB only.
- Pro – costs $16 per month; the exports can last up to one hour long.
Get Kapwing here for free if you are interested!
7. Descript
Best for people who need full audio and video editing.
Unique Feature: Multiple tools for people who publish podcasts on social media platforms.
Descript is a tool that has several features to offer. It has a dedicated program to transcribe podcasts and provides an accurate transcription process.
Descript Features
- Overdub – in this feature, you can create a voice from the company’s roster of artificial intelligence. The AI will speak in your audio transcription. It is like a voice typing tool.
- Filler Word Removal – you no longer need a human being to remove fillers in your speech; the AI will do this for you automatically.
- Remote Recording – you can use the audio transcription to record your guest even if he is not with you.
Pros of Descript
- You can get an account for free
- There is no limit to the screen recordings you can take
- There is an editing tool for your audio
Descript Pricing
- Free – free to use with a limit of 3 hours for audio transcription
- Creator – costs $12 per month; your limit is 10 hours of transcribed podcast per month
- Pro – costs $24 per month; your limit is 30 hours of audio transcriptions per month
You can get a free account with Descript now!
Types of Podcast Transcription Services and Software
There are two main types of podcast transcription services. The first is through the use of transcription software programs, and the second is through the use of human transcription services.
The former is cheaper, but the latter is more accurate. As you can see, a transcription software program is not perfect—the machine may not be able to capture some of your words. With human podcast transcription services, it is a person who is listening to you and then typing your words into text.
However, podcast transcription with human involvement is expensive. You will pay a transcriptionist by the hour, and this cost can pile up really fast.
So, what podcast transcription service should you get? My advice is to get human transcription services if you want accuracy. You must also get this type of service if there are multiple speakers in your podcast.
However, you must use a digital media transcription software program if you are speaking alone or if you are satisfied with 95% accuracy. A transcription software program is much cheaper, especially if you are releasing new shows every week.
Podcast & Audio Files Transcription Q&A
1. Why is podcast transcription important?
Podcast transcription is important because it makes your podcast easier to search in search engines.
Expert podcasters are transcribing podcasts because they also want other people to access their channel, like people who have a hearing impairment. A podcast transcript also makes your podcast more professional.
2. What is the best digital media transcription software?
The best digital media transcription software that I can recommend is VEED. With it, you only have to upload your audio and video files, and then the machine will provide you with the podcast transcriptions. You can get the transcribed audio and put it in your YouTube videos.
3. Can I get my podcast transcription for free?
Yes, there are podcast transcription services that you can get for free. However, you must know that these free podcast transcription services have severe limitations. You are better off subscribing to a plan and getting the best out of the podcast transcription service.
4. Can you convert my podcast audio to a video file?
Yes, you can. Some machines will convert your transcribed audio into a video podcast. Take note that these video podcasts are merely soundwaves playing on a screen. It is not a video of you. To make YouTube videos for your podcast, you have to record it yourself and edit the videos.
Wrap Up
Once again, below is the list of the best podcast transcription services you can get:
- Veed – Best for people who need the best podcast transcription service
- Go Transcript – Best for people who want a human-made transcription of audio recording.
- Rev – Best for podacasters looking for a text-to-speech platform too.
- Happy Scribe – Best for Podcasters who need an easy to understand transcription process.
- Subtitle Bee – Best for people who launch podcast episodes regularly.
- Kapwing – Best for people who need accurate transcriptions and a powerful video editor.
- Descript – Best for people who need full audio and video editing.
The best podcast software I recommend for transcription is VEED. It has an automated subtitle generator, plus it also has a free account. You will only pay for what you need, and you do not have to pay for the services of a human being.
Once you use the system, do not forget to promote your podcast so you can get more traffic. Make sure that your podcast topics are interesting and that you publish high-quality content.