# Best AI Transcription (2026) - Verdict

**Verdict:** 9 ai transcription, live and price-verified as of Sep 8, 2026. 6 offer a permanent free tier; paid plans start at $10/mo. Dead or degrading tools are never recommended.

Verified: Sep 8, 2026 · 15 tools tracked in this category.

## Ranking

1. **Rev** - Live · from $25.49/mo · permanent free tier · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2010
   AI and human transcription in one place
   Rev pairs AI transcription with a large network of human transcribers. AI minutes come with its subscription plans, and human transcription costs $1.99 per minute at 99%+ accuracy. It also sells captions, subtitles, and legal transcripts.
   Sources: rev.com (https://www.rev.com/pricing) · sonix.ai (https://sonix.ai/resources/rev-pricing/)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/rev (rel="sponsored nofollow")
2. **Sonix** - Live · from $10/mo · no permanent free tier (trial only) · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2017
   Fast transcription, translation, and subtitles
   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 (https://sonix.ai/pricing) · sonix.ai (https://sonix.ai/languages)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/sonix (rel="sponsored nofollow")
3. **Trint** - Live · from $80/mo · no permanent free tier (trial only) · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2014
   Transcription built for journalists and media teams
   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 (https://trint.com/pricing) · trint.com (https://trint.com/about-us)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/trint (rel="sponsored nofollow")
4. **Happy Scribe** - Live · from $17/mo · no permanent free tier (trial only) · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2017
   AI and human transcription in 150+ languages
   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 (https://www.happyscribe.com/pricing) · sonix.ai (https://sonix.ai/resources/happy-scribe-pricing/)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/happy-scribe (rel="sponsored nofollow")
5. **Deepgram** - Live · custom / quote-based pricing · permanent free tier · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2015
   Developer speech-to-text API with the Nova models
   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 (https://deepgram.com/pricing) · deepgram.com (https://deepgram.com/learn/introducing-nova-3-speech-to-text-api)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/deepgram (rel="sponsored nofollow")
6. **AssemblyAI** - Live · custom / quote-based pricing · permanent free tier · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2017
   Speech-to-text API with audio intelligence
   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 (https://www.assemblyai.com/pricing) · assemblyai.com (https://www.assemblyai.com/blog/speech-to-text-api-pricing)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/assemblyai (rel="sponsored nofollow")
7. **Speechmatics** - Live · custom / quote-based pricing · permanent free tier · best for SMB & enterprise · est. 2006
   Enterprise speech-to-text with flexible deployment
   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 (https://www.speechmatics.com/pricing) · speechmatics.com (https://www.speechmatics.com/company/articles-and-news/moving-to-credit-based-billing)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/speechmatics (rel="sponsored nofollow")
8. **Gladia** - Live · custom / quote-based pricing · permanent free tier · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2022
   Real-time speech-to-text API for 100+ languages
   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 (https://www.gladia.io/pricing) · gladia.io (https://www.gladia.io/blog/best-speech-to-text-apis)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/gladia (rel="sponsored nofollow")
9. **ElevenLabs Scribe** - Live · custom / quote-based pricing · permanent free tier · best for solo & SMB & enterprise · est. 2022
   High-accuracy speech-to-text in 99 languages
   Scribe is the speech-to-text model from ElevenLabs, covering 99 languages with speaker diarization and word-level timestamps. Batch transcription costs $0.22 per hour and the realtime version $0.39 per hour. A separate realtime model targets sub-150ms latency for live use.
   Sources: elevenlabs.io (https://elevenlabs.io/pricing/api) · elevenlabs.io (https://elevenlabs.io/speech-to-text)
   Link: https://verdict.tools/go/elevenlabs-scribe (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## At a glance

| Tool | From $/mo | Free tier | Founded | Status | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rev | $25.49 | Yes | 2010 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Sonix | $10 | No | 2017 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Trint | $80 | No | 2014 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Happy Scribe | $17 | No | 2017 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Deepgram | Custom | Yes | 2015 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| AssemblyAI | Custom | Yes | 2017 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Speechmatics | Custom | Yes | 2006 | Live | SMB & enterprise |
| Gladia | Custom | Yes | 2022 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| ElevenLabs Scribe | Custom | Yes | 2022 | Live | solo & SMB & enterprise |

All figures = lowest paid monthly plan · status & price verified Sep 8, 2026.

## FAQ

### Which ai transcription tools are best in 2026?
As of Sep 8, 2026, the strongest live options are Rev, Sonix, Trint. All are price-verified this cycle; dead or degrading tools are excluded.

### Which ai transcription tools have a permanent free tier?
Rev, Deepgram, AssemblyAI, Speechmatics, Gladia, ElevenLabs Scribe offer a permanent free plan (not just a trial).

### What is the cheapest ai transcription tool right now?
Sonix, from $10/mo (verified Sep 8, 2026). Prices shown are the lowest paid monthly plan.

### Are any of these tools shutting down?
No. There is no official sunset announcement for any listed tool as of Sep 8, 2026. Only reachable, live tools appear here - a status of "dead" is set exclusively by a human reviewer, never by an automated check.

## How we rank

Relevance and live status decide order. Commission is a tiebreaker; it never moves a tool up. Dead and degrading tools are tracked but never recommended. Every price and status carries a date and a source.

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Canonical: https://verdict.tools/best/ai-transcription