Free Transcription Software: The Best Pick for Each Need
Choose by what you need most, then check where the free plan stops.
The best free transcription software for most meetings is Fathom, because its free plan includes unlimited transcripts and instant summaries. Choose Fireflies if you need many languages or uploaded files, and Otter for short calls. Each free plan limits something, so check it first.
Checked November 2026 on each tool's own site.
The best free transcription software by need
| If you need | Choose | Where the free plan stops |
|---|---|---|
| Summaries at no cost | Fathom | Advanced features need Premium, from $16 a month billed yearly |
| Many languages, or uploaded files | Fireflies | Limited AI summaries, 400 minutes of storage per team |
| Recordings to share | tl;dv | AI notes for 10 meetings |
| Short calls | Otter | 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation |
| Transcripts with no bot and no audio kept | Tactiq | 10 transcripts |
How good is Fireflies AI transcription?
Fireflies transcribes in 100+ languages and works with Zoom, Google Meet and Teams. Its free plan has unlimited transcription, but only 400 minutes of storage per team, so older transcripts can fill it quickly.
When should I pay for meeting transcription software?
Pay when the free limit stops you: storage runs out, long meetings get cut, or you need integrations with your other tools. Fireflies Pro costs $10 a seat a month billed yearly, and Otter Pro $8.33.
How accurate is AI transcription?
On clear audio with one person speaking at a time, AI transcripts need few corrections. Crosstalk, strong accents and poor microphones cause most of the errors. When a transcript must be exact, a human service such as Rev promises 99% accuracy or better.