oTranscribe: A Free Tool for Typing Your Own Transcript
What it does, how to use it, and what to use when you want a transcript written for you.
oTranscribe is a free web app that helps you type a transcript yourself. It plays your audio or video next to a text editor, with timestamps and keyboard shortcuts, and your files stay on your computer. Its site does not offer automatic transcription, so use another tool's free plan if you want the text written for you.
Checked November 2026 on each tool's own site.
What oTranscribe does
- • It plays audio or video next to a text editor
- • It adds timestamps you can click
- • It saves to your browser every second, and keeps a backup every 5 minutes
- • It exports Markdown, plain text or its own .otr format, and sends to Google Drive or Google Docs
- • It works on desktop computers only
How to use it
- Open otranscribe.com on a computer
- Choose your audio or video file
- Press Esc to play or pause, and type what you hear
- Press Ctrl+J to add a timestamp, and Ctrl+S to save
- Export the transcript when you finish
Other free ways
| Tool | Who writes the text | Free limit |
|---|---|---|
| oTranscribe | You | No limit stated. It is free and open source |
| Otter | The tool | 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 file imports in total |
| Notta | The tool | 120 minutes a month, 3 minutes per conversation |
| Fireflies | The tool | 400 minutes of storage, limited AI summaries |
| Fathom | The tool | Unlimited recordings and transcripts of calls |
Is oTranscribe free?
Yes. Its site calls it a free web app, and it is open source under the MIT license.
Does oTranscribe transcribe automatically?
Its site does not say so. It describes tools that help you type a transcript yourself: playback controls, timestamps and an editor.
Is oTranscribe private?
Its site says your audio file and transcript never leave your computer. The text saves to your browser's storage, so export it to keep it safe. Backups are not kept for long.
Does oTranscribe work on a phone?
No. Its site says it works on desktop computers only.
What can I use instead of oTranscribe?
If you want the text written for you, try the free plan of Otter, Notta or Fireflies. Each has a limit, listed in the table on this page.