The best transcription app on Android depends on where your audio comes from. For recordings you make on your phone, the built-in apps are hard to beat: Google Recorder on Pixel and Samsung Voice Recorder on supported Galaxy devices transcribe for free. For audio files from other apps, you need an app that imports files: Otter, Notta and Transkriptor are transcription specialists, while Retexta turns the audio into finished text such as notes, a summary or an email. For live captions of a conversation, use Google Live Transcribe. Details below, checked on September 25, 2026.
Retexta is our app. Everything we say about the other apps comes from their own help pages, pricing pages or Google Play listings, linked in the sources, and we name where they are better.
| App | Best for | Imports audio files | Free use (per the maker) | Transcription languages (per the maker) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Recorder | Pixel owners recording on the phone | Not described in Google's help | Comes with the phone | Depends on the Pixel model |
| Samsung Voice Recorder | Galaxy owners (One UI 6.1 or higher) | Not described in Samsung's help | Basic Galaxy AI features free | 16 languages listed |
| Google Live Transcribe | Live captions of speech around you | No (live only) | Google app, no price stated | Several, some offline |
| Otter | Meetings in English and a few other languages | Yes, 3 imports in total on the free plan | 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation | 6 on the pricing page, 3 on the Play listing |
| Notta | Many languages, export formats | Yes | 120 minutes a month, up to 3 minutes per conversation | 58 |
| Transkriptor | Long files, meeting bot | Yes | 90 minutes | "100+" on its site, "over 40" on Play |
| Retexta | Finished text from audio: notes, summaries, emails | Yes, with Retexta Pro | A few free Pro results to view in the app; copying, sharing, exporting need Retexta Pro or credits | 50+ output languages |
How we compared
We looked at what matters when you choose: where the audio comes from (live, recorded in the app, or a file), languages, what the free version allows, what the text looks like at the end, and where the audio is processed. We did not run accuracy tests, so we make no accuracy claims for any app, including ours. Every app here can get names, numbers and technical terms wrong; check important details.
Google Recorder
The Recorder app works on Pixel 3 and later phones and Pixel Tablet, according to Google. It transcribes as you record, lets you search and edit transcripts, and on Pixel 6 and later adds speaker labels and more languages. On Pixel 8 and later it can summarize recordings in some languages; Google says this runs "in the cloud." Google says Recorder "sends audio to an on-device Google service or app to transcribe it." Transcripts can be shared as a text file or to Google Docs.
Where it is better than Retexta: free on the phone, live transcript, speaker labels, recordings of up to 18 hours. Limits: Pixel only; Google's help does not describe importing audio from other apps.
Samsung Voice Recorder with Transcript assist
Samsung says the Galaxy AI features in Voice Recorder need "select phones and tablets running Android 14 with One UI 6.1 or higher." Transcript assist transcribes, translates and summarizes recordings made in Voice Recorder in 16 listed languages, and you can share the transcript as a text file. On cost: "Galaxy AI basic features provided by Samsung are free."
Where it is better than Retexta: built in and free on supported Galaxy devices. Limits: only supported Galaxy devices; the help page covers recordings made in Voice Recorder.
Google Live Transcribe
Live Transcribe is for live speech, not files: Google says it lets you "capture speech and sound and see them as text on your screen." On select Android devices and all Pixel devices with Android 12 or later you can download several languages for offline use. Transcripts stay in the app's history "for up to three days" and are then deleted automatically.
Where it is better than Retexta: live captions of a conversation in front of you, offline languages on many phones. Limits: no recorded files, and the transcript history is short-lived.
Otter
Otter is a meeting assistant with real-time transcription, speaker identification, automated summaries and meeting integrations (Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet on its pricing page). The Play listing says it imports audio (aac, m4a, mp3, wav, wma) and video, and exports text as PDF, TXT or SRT; it needs an account and an internet connection. The free Basic plan gives "300 monthly transcription minutes", 30 minutes per conversation and "3 lifetime audio/video file imports"; Pro is $16.99 per user per month billed monthly. Languages: the pricing page lists "English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Chinese"; the Play listing says "English, Spanish, French only."
Where it is better than Retexta: live meeting transcripts, speaker names, collaboration, apps beyond Android. Limits: few languages, few file imports on the free plan.
Notta
Notta's Play listing names transcription in "58 languages", translation "into 42 languages", live and file transcription, and export as txt, docx, excel, pdf or srt. The pricing page shows a free plan with "120 transcription minutes/month" and "Up to 3 minutes per conversation", and Pro at $8.17 per month billed annually ($97.99 a year).
Where it is better than Retexta: transcription languages, export formats, translated transcripts, web meetings. Limits: 3 minutes per conversation on the free plan.
Transkriptor
Transkriptor imports audio and video files, identifies speakers, exports PDF, DOCX, TXT and SRT, and has a meeting bot for Zoom, Google Meet and more, according to its Play listing and pricing page. The Play listing offers "90 minutes of transcription" on the free plan; paid plans start with Lite at $9.99 a month (300 minutes), and Pro is $19.99 a month billed monthly or $8.33 a month billed annually ($99.99). Languages: its pricing page says "100+ Languages", its Play listing "over 40 languages".
Where it is better than Retexta: long files, export formats, speaker identification, meeting bots, web access. Limits: 90 free minutes, and the language claims differ between its own pages.
Retexta
Retexta is a cloud voice to text and AI writing app for Android. You choose what you want back before you record or import: Transcript only for the plain text, Summarize a meeting for decisions and action items, Take notes for structured notes or a task list, Write a message for an email, or Journal entry for a diary entry. The four main goals are on the start screen; Transcript only, Take notes and Journal entry are under More templates. Output comes in 50+ languages, and you can change text type, style, language or length on the result screen.
- Free to try: new users get a few free Pro results to view in the app. Copying, sharing, exporting and screenshots of results need Retexta Pro or credits, and so does everything after the free results, Transcript only included.
- Retexta Pro: Import audio and every goal except Transcript only. Google Play lists in-app items from $2.49 to $79.99.
- Files from other apps: Retexta does not appear in share menus. Save the audio as a file, then tap Import audio.
- Android only, not a keyboard, and it marks results with "AI-generated. Check important details."
Where Retexta is strong: when you do not want a transcript at all, but the thing the transcript was for: the email, the minutes, the notes. Where others are better: live transcripts, speaker labels, meeting bots, file exports on a free plan, and platforms beyond Android (see the sections above).
Which transcription app should you use?
| Your situation | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| Pixel phone, you record in person | Google Recorder |
| Recent Galaxy phone, you record in person | Samsung Voice Recorder |
| You need to follow a conversation live | Google Live Transcribe |
| Online meetings with a bot and speaker names | Otter, Notta or Transkriptor |
| Many languages or subtitle files | Notta or Transkriptor |
| You want notes, a summary or an email from the audio | Retexta |
Audio to text for journaling
If you want to keep a journal by talking, any transcript works as a record. If you want it written as a readable entry, Retexta's Journal entry (under More templates, part of Retexta Pro) turns a spoken recap of your day into a journal entry. For getting everything out of your head first, see our guide to the brain dump; for recording a family member's memories, how to write a memoir by voice.
Transcribing meetings: consent first
Recording other people needs their agreement. Google's Recorder help says to "get permission from others before recording them", and in some places the law requires everyone's consent. This is information, not legal advice. For recorded online meetings, see how to transcribe a Zoom recording.
Keep reading
Compare recorder apps: voice recorder apps for Android that write the text. Step by step for files: how to transcribe a voice memo on Android, MP3 to text and how to transcribe an interview. More about the app: Retexta, voice to text for Android.
Sources
Checked by FLAME Apps on September 25, 2026. Prices and plans change; the makers' pages are authoritative.
- Pixel Phone Help, Create, edit & delete a recording on your Pixel device, Create, edit & manage transcriptions and Save & share recordings & transcripts.
- Samsung US Support, Use Voice Recorder with Galaxy AI on Galaxy phones or tablets.
- Android Accessibility Help, Use Live Transcribe: purpose, offline languages, history.
- Otter, Pricing and Google Play, Otter.
- Notta, Pricing and Google Play, Notta.
- Transkriptor, Pricing and Google Play, Transkriptor.
- Google Play, Voice to Text: AI Dictation (Retexta): in-app purchase range. Retexta features and limits as shown in the app (release 2026.1.23).
