5 Best video to text Software in 2026

So much valuable content lives inside videos, be it interviews, webinars, tutorials, or meetings.
But without transcripts, it just sits there.
Video to text software changes that by converting your recordings into clean, accurate text you can edit, share, or repurpose.
Whether you want written content from your conversations, subtitles for YouTube, or notes for research, these tools make it effortless.
Here are the best video to text tools in 2025 that help you get more from every minute of video you create.
TL;DR
- HappyScribe: Best for accurate, professional-grade transcriptions in 120+ languages with human proofreading
- Otter: Best for teams that need live meeting transcription and AI summaries
- VEED: Best for video to text transcription with built-in video editing
- Notta: Best for creating smart summaries and notes from video recordings
- Tactiq: Best for real-time transcription and speaker insights during live meetings
What should you look for in video to text software?
Accuracy and language support
Look for software that can handle different accents, audio quality, and languages with minimal errors. The best tools combine AI precision with human review options for top accuracy.
Speed and automation
Fast turnaround matters, especially if you handle large volumes of content. Tools with real-time or near-instant transcription can save hours of manual work.
Editing and export options
A built-in editor makes it easy to review, polish, and export transcripts in formats like TXT, DOCX, or SRT for captions and subtitles.
Integrations and compatibility
Choose software that connects with your existing tools, such as YouTube, Vimeo, Zoom, or Google Meet, so you can import videos or sync transcripts without extra steps.
Security and compliance
If you’re handling sensitive or corporate content, ensure the platform complies with data protection standards like GDPR or SOC 2.
What are the best video to text software?
Check out our top picks for best video to text software at a glance:
| Feature | HappyScribe | Otter | VEED | Notta | Tactiq |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Accurate, professional-grade transcriptions with human proofreading | Live meeting transcription and generous free plan | Video to text transcription with built-in editing | Summarizing notes from videos | Real-time transcription in live meetings |
| Languages supported | 120+ | 3 | 125+ | 50+ | 30+ |
| Price starts from | Free trial; Lite plan at $9/month | Free plan; Pro at $8.33/month | $12/month | Free plan; Pro at $8.17/month | Free plan; Pro at $8/month |
| Key strengths | Supports 60+ video formats and live meeting transcription; GDPR-compliant; accurate transcripts; shared workspace for collaboration | Live recording, AI chat summaries, speaker labels | Built-in editor, customizable captions, subtitle export | Smart notes, summaries, mobile app, multilingual transcription | Live meeting transcripts, highlights, speaker stats, Chrome extension |
1. HappyScribe
Best for: Accurate, professional-grade transcriptions with human proofreading

Every video holds valuable insights, and HappyScribe helps you unlock them in text form within minutes.
With support for multiple languages and accents, and direct uploads from platforms, or any video file, HappyScribe converts your recordings into accurate Vimeo and YouTube transcripts.
You can also sync your Google or Outlook calendar with HappyScribe. Its AI Notetaker automatically joins scheduled meetings on Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet and transcribes them seamlessly.
Whether you’re working solo or collaborating with a team, the platform is built to ensure you convert video into text you can edit, share, and build on.
HappyScribe’s key features
Turn video to text instantly
Get fast, accurate transcripts right in your browser. Upload your video and receive a full transcript within minutes, regardless of file length or format (HappyScribe supports 60+ formats!).
Integrate with video platforms
Connect your YouTube or Vimeo account directly to HappyScribe and import videos in seconds, no downloads or manual uploads needed.
Summarize YouTube videos
HappyScribe combines OpenAI’s GPT-4-Turbo with its own proprietary language models to deliver nuanced summaries from YouTube videos. It gives you concise bullet points, timestamped highlights, or Q&A-style insights, and lets you ask follow-up questions for deeper context.
Transcribe in 120+ languages
Turn videos into text in over 120 languages with industry-leading accuracy. Perfect for creators, educators, and global teams working across global markets.
Edit transcripts effortlessly
Watch, refine, and polish your text using HappyScribe’s built-in editor, then export in your preferred format, all from one place.
Get workspaces for collaboration

Working with a team? Create secure, shared workspaces where teams can review, edit, and manage transcripts together for a smoother workflow.
Request expert proofreading
Ensure top-tier accuracy with professional proofreading by native linguists and get transcripts that meet the highest quality standards.
HappyScribe’s pricing

- Starter: Pay-as-you-go; starts at $12/60 minutes
- Lite: $9/month
- Pro: $29/month
- Business: $89/month
Pros
- Achieve high transcription accuracy of up to 96%
- Combine AI speed with expert human proofreading for precise, reliable results
- Use HappyScribe’s AI notetaker to capture live meetings automatically
- Protect data with GDPR and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, SSL-secured uploads, and encrypted storage
- Navigate easily through an intuitive, user-friendly interface
- Try it for free and pay only for what you need with a flexible pay-as-you-go model
Cons
- Doesn’t have a mobile app yet
How to transcribe video to text with AI using HappyScribe: A 3-step guide
1. Upload your video
Start by uploading your file directly from your device or pasting a video link. You can do this from your dashboard or with the uploader. HappyScribe supports more than 60 video formats, so you’re ready to go no matter where your file comes from.
2. Choose your language and start transcribing
Select from over 120 supported languages, accents, and dialects, and then let HappyScribe’s AI convert your video to text in minutes.
3. Review and download your transcript
Once the transcription is ready, you can edit it in HappyScribe’s built-in editor and download your file in your preferred format, such as SRT, TXT, or DOCX.
What are real-life users saying about HappyScribe?
The quality is now very good with HappyScribe, so adoption happened organically — journalists recommended it to their colleagues, and now it’s a standard tool in the newsroom.
Happy Scribe was the only platform that could handle our volume and deliver consistent results.
2. Otter
Best for: Generous free plan

Upload your video file to Otter or let it record live, and watch it instantly generate searchable transcripts with speaker labels, timestamps, and summaries.
Whether you’re documenting meetings, capturing lectures, or turning long-form videos into shareable content, Otter makes transcription fast and accurate.
Otter’s key features
- Upload videos in MP4, MOV, or M4A formats or by playing video aloud
- Automatic speaker identification for clearer transcripts, with speaker labels and tagging
- Export subtitles in SRT format for video accessibility; download transcripts in TXT, DOCX, PDF, and SRT formats
Otter’s pricing
- Basic: Free
- Pro: $8.33/month per user
- Business: $19.99/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
- Jump to timestamps, search within text, and edit highlights or speaker tags before export
- Ask Otter AI Chat questions about your transcript and get smart summaries or highlights instantly
- Transcribe content in English, Spanish, French, and Japanese (including regional accents)
Cons
- Supports only a few languages
- Speaker-identification can be inconsistent; at times voices get misattributed or merged together in multi-speaker videos
Otter is reliable, but is it at par with HappyScribe? Find out more in our HappyScribe vs. Otter AI comparison.
3. VEED
Best for: Video to text transcription with built-in video editing

VEED’s video to text feature automatically converts spoken words into editable transcripts and can generate subtitles right inside its online video editor.
You can trim clips, clean up captions, and repurpose footage all in one place, without switching between multiple apps.
For creators, marketers, and teams producing video content regularly, VEED makes editing and transcription feel like part of the same process.
VEED’s key features
- Convert videos to text with high accuracy using advanced AI algorithms
- Transcribe video and audio in over 125 languages for global accessibility
- Auto-generates captions and subtitles from transcribed videos; subtitles can be customized for style and branding
- Upload or paste URLs for direct transcription of online videos
VEED’s pricing
- Lite: $12/month
- Pro: $29/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
- Export transcripts as VTT, SRT, or TXT files; embed subtitles directly or download as separate files for repurposing
- Get a full-featured video editor allows users to tweak transcripts, subtitles, and edit video content in one platform
- Generate audio files from video content, remove background noise, and create podcast or audiobook content from video
Cons
- The browser-based editor slows down when handling longer projects
- Transcription accuracy falls short with heavy accents or noisy backgrounds
Compare HappyScribe vs Veed and find out which one’s the best fit for you.
4. Notta
Best for: Summarizing notes from videos

Notta goes beyond basic transcription; it listens, understands, and summarizes.
Upload your video, and Notta instantly transcribes it into text across languages while generating AI-powered notes that highlight key points, action items, and takeaways.
You can edit, translate, or export transcripts to Notion or Google Docs for collaboration.
Notta’s key features
- Work with different audio/video formats, including WAV, MP3, M4A, CAF, AIFF, AVI, RMVB, FLV, MP4, MOV, WMV
- Download transcripts in 6 formats (TXT, DOCX, Excel, PDF, SRT, etc.).
- Get transcription in 58 languages; transcribe and translate two languages simultaneously for multilingual content
- Automatically generates smart notes, summaries, and key takeaways from recordings, including decisions and action items
Notta’s pricing
- Free
- Pro: $8.17/month per user
- Business: $16.67/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
- Speaker recognition for clear meeting or interview records
- Export transcripts to Notion, Google Docs, Salesforce, Zapier, and Slack
- Record audio/video and transcribe directly on mobile (Android/iOS) and web
Cons
- The summary and smart note features can leave out important information
- Limited vocabulary and language support in non-English languages
Confused between HappyScribe and Notta? Check our HappyScribe vs. Notta guide and make an informed decision.
5. Tactiq
Best for: Real-time transcription in live meetings

With Tactiq, you can upload your recordings or use the Tactiq Chrome extension to transcribe live meetings in Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams.
You can also view live transcriptions in Tactiq’s bot-free window and easily follow topics or revisit past remarks as the meeting unfolds.
Once done, it automatically creates summaries, highlights key moments, and shows speaker insights.
Tactiq’s key features
- Transcribe video to text in over 30+ languages including English, Spanish, French, and German
- Get live transcription during meetings in a non-intrusive interface
- Add tags, comments, or labels to highlight action items, decisions, or important parts of the conversation
- Embed visuals directly into transcripts by capturing and adding screenshots during meetings
Tactiq’s pricing
- Free
- Pro: $8/month per user
- Team: $16.67/month per user
- Business: $29.16/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
- Measures participant activity and get post-meeting speaker statistics
- Create, save, and apply personalized prompts to generate specific meeting outputs
- Auto-generate meeting summaries, highlight key discussion points, and organize records
Cons
- Accuracy issues with non-native English speakers or heavy accents
- Analytics tools are limited and lack depth
Unlock the full value of your video content with HappyScribe
Now the question is, which video to text software should you go for?
If you need real-time meeting transcripts, Otter and Tactiq are strong, time-saving choices.
VEED is great for creators who want to edit and subtitle videos in one workspace, while Notta stands out for its quick summaries and multilingual capabilities.
But if you’re after accuracy that holds up across languages, industries, and use cases, HappyScribe is the one to trust.
HappyScribe combines powerful AI transcription with human proofreading, integrates with platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, works for live meetings, and supports over 120 languages. It’s built for professionals who care about both quality and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is video to text software and how does it work?
Video to text software converts spoken audio in your video files into readable text using advanced speech recognition technology. It analyzes the sound in your video clips, identifies words, and turns them into editable text you can review or export.
Many video transcript generator tools also let you edit, translate, and format transcripts for different file formats like TXT, SRT, or DOCX. These tools are ideal for content creators, marketers, and professionals who want searchable, accessible video content.
What’s a free software that can convert YouTube video to text?
HappyScribe lets you convert YouTube videos to text easily, for free. Just paste your video link or upload the file, and the software will automatically generate an accurate transcript you can edit or download.
Are there free video to text software options?
Yes. Tools like Otter, Tactiq, and Notta provide free plans with limited transcription minutes. These options are perfect if you occasionally need to turn short video clips into text or test a speech-to-text workflow before upgrading to a paid plan. If you're looking for a tool that offers free trial, flexible pricing, and high-quality transcripts, HappyScribe is a must-try.
How do video to text software tools handle background noise and multiple speakers?
Most tools use AI-powered speech recognition technology to filter out background noise and distinguish between different speakers. Advanced platforms like HappyScribe and Otter offer speaker identification, timestamping, and custom dictionaries to improve clarity, ensuring your transcript stays accurate even in group discussions or noisy environments.
Rodoshi Das
Rodoshi helps SaaS brands grow with content that clicks, converts, and climbs across SERPs and LLMs. She spends her days testing tools, decoding tech, and turning insights into interesting narratives. Off the clock, she trades dashboards for detective novels and garden therapy.


