Transcribe a Lecture, Get the Text with Speaker Labels
Upload a lecture recording, or paste a link, and ScreenApp turns the audio into a transcript with each speaker labeled and timestamped. Record the class with the browser recorder or the iOS and Android apps first if you have not already, then upload the file or the link here to get the transcript.
11,635 lectures were transcribed on ScreenApp in the last 90 days. A transcript you can search and quote from replaces re-listening to the recording to find the part you missed.
What you get:
- A transcript with speaker identification, in 100+ languages
- AI chat with any recording, so you can ask what the lecturer said about a topic instead of scanning the whole transcript
- chapters with timestamps, so a long lecture is split by topic
- AI notes: action items with an owner and deadline, and decisions listed separately
- Export as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT
- Free plan: 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each, with AI chat on both
How to Transcribe a Lecture
- Upload or paste a link: Drag in the audio or video file of the lecture (MP4, M4V, MOV, AVI, WEBM, MKV, FLV, TS, MTS, M2TS, 3GP, 3GPP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, VOB, OGV, RM, RMVB, MPG, MPEG, M2V, F4V, MXF), or paste a link. No account setup is needed to start.
- Let it transcribe: The audio is converted to text and each speaker, professor, student, or a Q&A participant, is separated into their own label, with a timestamp on every sentence.
- Review and export: Read the transcript in the browser, correct a name or a term, and export as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT for a study guide or course material.
Accuracy depends on the audio. A recording from near the lecturer works best; a large hall with side conversations or a lecturer far from the microphone will produce more gaps. See how we measure accuracy.
Lecture Transcription vs Other Services
| Feature | ScreenApp | Otter.ai | Sonix | Rev | Happy Scribe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 2 transcriptions, up to 45 min each | 300 min/month | 30-min trial | 45 min/month (AI) | 10-min trial, 45 min per recording |
| Transcription | Included | Included within the minute cap | Included with the plan, or $10/hour pay as you go | $25.49/mo (AI, billed annually), $1.99/min (human) | Included with the plan |
| Speaker identification | Included | Basic | Included | Not stated | Not stated |
| AI notes | Included | Pro, $8.33/month billed annually, or $16.99 monthly | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Export formats | PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT | mp3 and txt on the free plan, plus pdf, docx and srt from Pro, with bulk export from Business | DOCX, PDF, TXT, SRT, VTT | Not stated | TXT, SRT (free) |
| Languages | 100+ | 6 | 54+ | Not stated | 60+ |
| Paid plan | $19/month annual | $8.33/month annual | $25/month | $25.49/month annual | $8.50/month annual |
Sources, checked 2026-09-16: screenapp.io/accuracy#languages, ScreenApp pricing, otter.ai/pricing, sonix.ai/pricing, rev.com/pricing, happyscribe.com/pricing
- vs Otter.ai: Otter’s free plan caps you at 300 minutes a month, and speaker identification is on its Basic plan. Pro AI notes cost $8.33 a month billed annually, or $16.99 monthly. ScreenApp includes speaker labels and AI notes on every plan.
- vs Sonix: Sonix gives a one-time 30-minute trial, then charges $25 a month or $10 an hour pay as you go. ScreenApp’s free plan renews rather than being a one-time trial.
- vs Rev: Rev’s free tier gives 45 AI minutes a month, then charges $25.49/month (billed annually) per minute for an AI transcript or $1.99 per minute for a human one. A semester of lectures adds up fast at either rate.
- vs Happy Scribe: Happy Scribe’s free trial is 10 minutes, capped at 45 minutes per recording, and only exports TXT, SRT on that tier. ScreenApp’s free plan exports PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT.
Who Uses Lecture Transcription
Students turn a recorded class into a searchable transcript for exam prep, instead of relying on notes taken mid-lecture.
Medical and law students deal with drug names, case citations, and Latin terms. A transcript they can search beats handwritten notes for that vocabulary.
Professors and lecturers transcribe their own sessions to share course material and meet accessibility requirements for students who missed the class.
Researchers transcribe conference talks and seminars so they can quote a speaker accurately with a timestamp when they write up.
Universities use transcription across departments to build searchable archives and provide accessible course content.
Online educators transcribe recorded lessons to repurpose the material as written guides or captions.