The best transcription apps for iPhone in 2026, and when you don't need one

The best transcription app for iPhone depends on where the audio comes from. If you record it yourself in a supported language, the free Notes and Voice Memos apps already transcribe on iPhone 12 and later. For live meetings in English, Otter. For a human-checked transcript, Rev. For audio from other apps, long files, 13 languages, a summary or a translation, HiText.

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Lecture recorded on iPhone

Oct 28 · 48:10

SummaryTranscriptQuiz

Shared from Voice Memos, summarized:

Topic: Supply and demand curves
Key idea: Price moves until both curves meet.
For the exam: Draw a demand shift and explain it.

48:10

Shared from Voice Memos

Pick in three questions

1
Did you record it on the iPhone?
If you record in Notes or Voice Memos and your language is supported, try the built-in transcript first: it's free. You need an app when the audio arrives from WhatsApp, email, a Zoom download or a camera.
2
Is it live or already recorded?
To get text while people talk in an English meeting, Otter is built for that. For recordings you already have, the free limits per file matter more than live features.
3
How long, and in which language?
Free plans often cap each recording or the number of files you can import. Test with your longest real recording, in your language, not with a 30-second demo.

Seven iPhone options, side by side

Limits and prices as published on each company's pricing page, help page or US App Store listing, checked on October 31, 2026. They change often, so check the source before you pay.

Notes (built in, free): record a note and read the transcript, on iPhone 12 and later, with the iPhone set to English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean or Chinese. Summaries need Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro or later). Source: Apple Support
Voice Memos (built in, free): shows a transcript of your recordings in the same languages, on supported models, though not in every country or region. Source: Apple's Voice Memos guide
Otter: free app. Basic plan with 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and 3 file imports in total; Pro $16.99 a month, or $99.99 a year in the iPhone app (US App Store listing). Transcribes English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese, live and with speaker tags. Source: Otter pricing
Notta: free plan with 120 minutes a month and conversations of up to 3 minutes; Pro from $8.17 a month billed yearly ($97.99). Source: Notta pricing
Rev: free app. The free plan has 45 AI minutes a month in English only; human transcription costs $1.99 a minute. Source: Rev pricing
Just Press Record: $6.99 on the US App Store, with no in-app purchases listed; transcribes as you record and needs iOS 18.6 or later. Source: its US App Store listing
HiText: 30 free minutes, no card, then a Pro subscription with the price shown in the app before you pay. 13 languages with automatic detection, files up to 2 GB, share from Voice Memos, WhatsApp or Files, plus an AI summary, translation, quiz and flashcards. Also on Android and in the browser

Who should pick which

A short memo in a supported language: Notes or Voice Memos. It's free and already on your iPhone
Team calls in English, live: Otter, because it writes while people talk and tags speakers
Quotes you'll publish, legal or medical audio: Rev's human transcription, or HiText as a fast first draft you then check
One paid app, no subscription: Just Press Record, if its languages and on-device quality are enough for you
Voice notes from WhatsApp, lectures, interviews or anything long, in any of 13 languages: HiText. See how to turn a voice memo into text or WhatsApp voice messages into text

Where HiText is not the best choice

HiText doesn't transcribe live while people talk and doesn't join calls as a bot. The standard app gives you the full text and a summary but doesn't label speakers or export subtitles (SRT) or Word files. Its 30 free minutes are a one-time allowance, not a monthly one. If your memos are short and the iPhone already transcribes your language, you may not need any app.

Comparing on more than iPhone? See the best transcription apps on every device and the free transcription software worth trying.

Frequently asked questions

Can an iPhone transcribe audio for free?

Yes, what you record in Notes or Voice Memos, on iPhone 12 and later, if the iPhone is set to a supported language (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean or Chinese) and the feature is available in your region. Audio that comes from other apps needs an app like HiText.

How do I transcribe a WhatsApp voice message on iPhone?

WhatsApp can show transcripts of voice messages in some languages and on some devices. For long ones, or to keep, summarize or translate them, press and hold the voice message, tap Forward and then the share icon, and choose HiText. Step by step in WhatsApp audio to text.

Can I transcribe a phone call on iPhone?

With iOS 18.1 and later you can record a call in the Phone app and read the transcript in Notes, but only in select regions and languages. Always tell the other person you're recording. If you already have the recording as a file, you can share it with HiText.

Which iPhone transcription app is best for long recordings?

Look at the per-file limits: Otter's free plan stops at 30 minutes per conversation and Notta's at 3 minutes. In HiText the limit is the file size, up to 2 GB, so a two-hour lecture fits; past your 30 free minutes you need Pro to transcribe all of it.

Is this comparison neutral?

It's written by the HiText team, so we say where HiText is not the best option. Every figure comes from the official page linked next to it, checked on October 31, 2026; if something has changed, the official page is what counts.

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