Best Cockatoo alternatives (2026)

What sets it apart pay-per-hour with no subscription lock-in

Best for multilingual transcripts and subtitles without a subscription · Pricing model Standard pay-as-you-go at $10 per hour; Premium at $5 per hour plus $22 per user monthly; Enterprise custom.

Sonix is a browser-based transcription platform that works in 50+ languages. Transcription is $10 per hour pay-as-you-go, or $5 per hour on the $22 per month Premium plan. It includes an in-browser editor, AI analysis, and export to many formats.

Sources sonix.ai · sonix.ai

What sets it apart Story Builder editorial workflow for reporters

Best for newsrooms and reporters · Pricing model Per-seat plans from $80 per month ($52 per seat billed annually); 7-day trial, no free plan.

Trint is a transcription and content platform aimed at newsrooms, founded by former ABC News correspondent Jeff Kofman. It transcribes in 30+ languages and adds tools like Story Builder, AI summaries, and live collaboration. Plans are per seat with a 7-day trial and no free plan.

Sources trint.com · trint.com

What sets it apart 150+ languages across both AI and human options

Best for wide language coverage with an AI or human choice · Pricing model Machine plans from $17 per month (Basic, 120 minutes); extra AI minutes at $0.20 each; human transcription from about $2 per minute.

Happy Scribe offers AI transcription in 150+ languages plus human transcription at 99% accuracy. Machine plans start at $17 per month, and human transcription runs from about $2 per minute. It also handles subtitles and translation.

Sources happyscribe.com · sonix.ai

What sets it apart very low per-minute cost with fast Nova-3 models

Best for developers transcribing at scale · Pricing model Usage-based per minute; Nova-3 from $0.0043 (batch) and $0.0077 (streaming); $200 free credit.

Deepgram is a developer-focused speech-to-text API built around its Nova model family. Nova-3 covers 50+ languages with keyterm prompting, priced from $0.0043 per minute for batch and $0.0077 for streaming. New accounts get $200 in free credit.

Sources deepgram.com · deepgram.com

What sets it apart Universal models bundled with audio intelligence features

Best for developers adding transcription plus audio analysis · Pricing model Usage-based per hour; async from $0.15/hr, Universal-3.5 Pro at $0.21/hr; streaming at $0.45/hr; $50 free credit.

AssemblyAI is a speech-to-text API for developers, built on its Universal model family. Async transcription starts at $0.15 per hour, with Universal-3.5 Pro at $0.21 per hour and real-time streaming at $0.45 per hour. Add-ons cover speaker diarization, medical mode, and audio intelligence, with $50 in free credit.

Sources assemblyai.com · assemblyai.com

What sets it apart cloud, on-premise, and on-device deployment

Best for enterprises needing accent handling and on-prem options · Pricing model Credit-based usage where one credit is one US dollar; new accounts get $100 in free credit; free monthly tier plus volume and enterprise deals.

Speechmatics is a UK speech-to-text company founded in 2006, offering batch and real-time transcription in 55+ languages. It handles accents, dialects, and mid-sentence language switching, and runs in the cloud, on-premise, or on-device. Billing moved to a credit-based system in August 2026, where one credit equals one US dollar.

Sources speechmatics.com · speechmatics.com

What sets it apart 100+ languages with mid-sentence code-switching

Best for real-time multilingual transcription in apps · Pricing model Usage-based; async from $0.61/hr, real-time from $0.75/hr; free credits to start.

Gladia is a Paris-based speech-to-text API built on its Solaria model, covering 100+ languages with automatic detection and mid-sentence code-switching. Async transcription starts at $0.61 per hour and real-time streaming at $0.75 per hour. It also returns diarization, named entities, and summaries.

Sources gladia.io · gladia.io