Best AI Transcription Software in 2027: Meetings vs Files, Compared
AI transcription software splits into tools that capture live meetings and tools that transcribe uploaded files, and they price differently: per user versus per hour. This guide compares seven tools whose pricing pages we read directly, shows the real cost per hour, and tells you which type fits your audio. Here is what to know about best AI transcription software before you decide.
Disclosure: PreferWise has an affiliate relationship with Krisp and may earn a commission through links marked as sponsored. Tools are listed alphabetically, not ranked. See our affiliate disclosure.
Best AI transcription software: short answer
Transcribing live meetings: start with Otter or Fireflies for a free plan, Granola or Krisp for bot-free capture.
Transcribing recorded files in bulk: look at Sonix or Happy Scribe, which price by hours or minutes.
Short, light use: Notta and Happy Scribe have free tiers, but they are tightly capped.
Meeting assistants vs file transcription
Two product types share the label “transcription software”. Meeting assistants such as Otter, Fireflies, Granola and Krisp capture a live call and add summaries and action items, usually priced per user. File transcription tools such as Sonix and Happy Scribe convert uploaded audio and video, usually priced by hours or minutes. Notta and Happy Scribe also record meetings, so they sit in both groups.
Price comparison table
| Tool | Free option | Entry paid | Priced by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fireflies | Free: unlimited transcription, limited AI summaries | Pro $18 monthly / $10 annual per seat | Per seat |
| Granola | Basic: unlimited meetings, 30 days of history | Business $14 per user monthly | Per user |
| Happy Scribe | Free: 10 minutes of file transcription, recordings up to 45 minutes | Basic $8.50 a month billed annually | Plan with minutes per year |
| Krisp | 7-day trial, no free plan | Core $16 monthly / $8 annual per user | Per user |
| Notta | Free: 120 minutes a month, 3 minutes per conversation | Pro $8.17 a month billed annually ($97.99 a year) | Per seat |
| Otter | Basic: 300 minutes a month | Pro $16.99 monthly / $8.33 annual per user | Per user |
| Sonix | 30-minute free trial | Pay as you go $10 an hour; Core $25 a month | Hours |
US dollars as displayed on each vendor’s pricing page on 6 November 2026. Granola’s figures come from its own pricing article.
What transcription really costs per hour
File transcription is priced by volume, so cost per hour is the fair comparison. Sonix publishes hours on every plan, which lets us calculate it:
| Sonix plan | Monthly price | Hours included | Cost per included hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay as you go | Usage | Per hour | $10 |
| Core | $25 | 5 | $5 |
| Advanced | $50 | 20 | $2.50 |
| Pro | $80 | 40 | $2 |
Extra hours on any subscription plan are billed at $10 an hour, and extra seats cost $25 a month. The per-hour figures assume you use every included hour, so a plan only beats pay as you go if your volume justifies it.
The tools in detail
Fireflies
Free includes unlimited transcription but limited AI summaries and 20 AI credits. Pro adds 8,000 minutes of storage per seat and video recording; Business adds unlimited storage and team analytics.
Good for
Recording many meetings on a free plan.
Watch out
Summaries are limited on Free.
Granola
Granola enhances notes you type with the transcript and captures audio without a bot. Basic keeps 30 days of history; Business at $14 adds unlimited history, advanced models and API access.
Good for
Bot-free notes for individuals.
Watch out
Short history on the free plan.
Happy Scribe
Happy Scribe supports 150+ languages and dialects, automatic speaker detection, a meeting notetaker and collaborative editing. Free includes 10 minutes for uploaded files. Pro is $19 a month billed annually with 7,200 minutes a year for uploaded files, and Business is $59 with 72,000 minutes a year. Free exports of video are watermarked.
Good for
Multi-language file transcription with an editor.
Watch out
Upload minutes are capped per year, and free plan minutes are small.
Krisp
Krisp adds a bot-free AI note taker to its noise cancellation, with multilingual transcripts on Core. See the Krisp review or pricing breakdown.
Good for
Calls from noisy places.
Watch out
No free forever plan.
Notta
Notta Free gives 120 transcription minutes a month, with each conversation capped at 3 minutes, 50 file uploads and 10 AI summaries. Pro is $8.17 a month billed annually with 1,800 minutes a month and recordings up to 5 hours.
Good for
Cheap annual Pro with a generous minute allowance.
Watch out
The 3-minute free cap makes Free a trial, not a plan.
Otter
Basic includes 300 minutes a month and 3 lifetime file imports. Pro lists at $16.99 monthly or $8.33 annually with 1,200 minutes and 90-minute meetings. See Krisp vs Otter.
Good for
A free plan for regular meetings.
Watch out
Meeting caps by plan.
Sonix
Sonix transcribes in 54+ languages with an editor and offers AI analysis on paid plans. It starts with a 30-minute free trial and no credit card. Pay as you go is $10 an hour; subscriptions start at $25 a month for 5 hours.
Good for
Batches of recorded interviews and files.
Watch out
Per-hour pricing adds up for heavy use without a plan.
How to choose
| Your situation | Look at |
|---|---|
| Weekly team meetings | Otter, Fireflies or Krisp |
| No bots in calls | Granola or Krisp |
| Recorded interviews and podcasts | Sonix or Happy Scribe |
| Many languages | Happy Scribe (150+) or Sonix (54+) |
| Very tight budget | Notta Pro or Otter Basic |
Accuracy, consent and human transcription
We did not lab-test accuracy, so run a five-minute sample of your own audio through two tools. Noise, accents and overlapping speakers hurt every system. For legal, medical or published material, proofread the output or use a human transcription service such as Rev, which we did not price here. Recording laws differ by country and US state and some require consent from everyone, so tell participants you are recording. This is not legal advice.
Best AI transcription software FAQ
What is the best AI transcription software?
It depends on the audio. For live meetings, Otter, Fireflies, Granola and Krisp capture the call and summarise it. For uploaded interviews, podcasts and video files, Happy Scribe and Sonix are built for file transcription. Test two tools on a sample of your own audio before paying.
Is there free AI transcription software?
Yes, with limits. On pages read on 6 November 2026, Otter Basic gives 300 minutes a month, Notta Free gives 120 minutes a month with 3 minutes per conversation, Fireflies Free offers unlimited transcription with limited AI summaries, and Happy Scribe Free includes 10 free minutes for uploaded files.
How much does transcription cost per hour?
Sonix lists pay as you go at $10 an hour. Its Core plan works out at $5 an hour if you use all 5 included hours, Advanced at $2.50 and Pro at $2. Unused hours do not lower the real price, so estimate your monthly hours first.
Are AI transcripts accurate enough to use without checking?
Not for anything important. We did not lab-test accuracy. Accents, crosstalk and poor audio all lower quality, so proofread legal, medical and published material or use a human transcription service.
Still comparing options?
Use the PreferWise comparison tool to put tools side by side, or ask for a free shortlist. Listings are alphabetical, with no paid placement affecting the order.
How this guide was made: PreferWise compares public product pages and pricing pages. We did not lab-test transcript accuracy, and plans change often, so confirm current pricing on the vendor site before buying. See our affiliate disclosure.