Why Churches Choose ScreenApp Over ChatGPT
ChatGPT can summarize text you paste in, but it cannot process audio or video files directly. If you have a 45-minute recording from Sunday’s service, ChatGPT won’t help unless you first transcribe it yourself. ScreenApp handles the entire workflow: upload your recording, get an accurate transcript with speaker labels, and export it in the format you need. There’s no copy-pasting, no manual cleanup, and no guessing who said what. For churches that record weekly services, this difference saves hours every week.
Benefits of Sermon Transcription
Converting your recordings to text lets congregation members who miss a service read the full message at home. Written records make it easy to share teachings through email newsletters, church websites, or social media posts. Members who want to revisit a specific point can search the text instead of scrubbing through an hour of audio.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing members get equal access to every message. Providing written transcripts alongside recordings meets accessibility standards and shows your congregation that inclusion matters.
Over time, sermon transcription builds a searchable library of every message you’ve delivered. Pastors can look up past scripture references, revisit series themes, or pull quotes for upcoming teachings. Bible study leaders can distribute discussion guides drawn directly from the original text.
How It Works
-
Upload your recording — Drag in audio or video from any source: a church soundboard, smartphone, livestream capture, or even a YouTube link. ScreenApp accepts MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, and dozens of other formats.
-
AI processes your file — The engine identifies individual speakers, handles religious terminology and scripture references, and converts speech to text. A typical hour-long recording finishes in about 3 to 5 minutes.
-
Review and export — Read through the transcript, make any edits, and download as TXT, DOCX, PDF, or SRT for video captions. You can also copy sections directly into your church management system or website CMS.
Sermon Transcription Services Compared
| Feature | ScreenApp | Rev | GoTranscript | Happy Scribe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI transcription accuracy | 99% | 95%+ (AI) / 99% (human) | 99%+ (human) | 85% (AI) / 99% (human) |
| Speaker identification | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Languages supported | 50+ | 38+ | 20+ | 120+ |
| Turnaround for 1-hour file | 3-5 minutes | Minutes (AI) / hours (human) | Hours to days (human) | Minutes (AI) / hours (human) |
| Free tier | Yes | No | No | 10 minutes free |
| Pricing model | Flat subscription | Per minute ($0.25+ AI) | Per minute ($0.90+ human) | $17+/month subscription |
| Church-specific terminology | Yes | General | Human reviewers | General |
Rev is a strong choice when you need human-reviewed accuracy for difficult audio, such as recordings with heavy background noise or multiple overlapping voices. Their human sermon transcription service runs about $1.50 per minute, which adds up quickly for weekly services.
GoTranscript pairs AI with a three-stage human review process. That thoroughness comes at a cost: standard turnaround takes 12 to 24 hours, and pricing starts around $0.90 per minute for human work. For churches on a tight timeline who need Sunday’s message posted by Monday morning, the wait can be a problem.
Happy Scribe supports over 120 languages, making it a good fit for multilingual congregations. However, its AI-only accuracy sits at around 85%, which means more manual editing. The human service is accurate but costs $2 per minute.
ScreenApp balances speed, accuracy, and cost for sermon transcription. The AI handles religious vocabulary well, speaker labels come standard, and flat-rate pricing means you won’t face surprise bills after a longer-than-usual service.
Who Uses Sermon Transcription
- Pastors and preachers who want a written archive of every message for personal study and future sermon preparation
- Church administrators who publish weekly content to the congregation website or app
- Ministry teams who repurpose teachings into devotionals, newsletters, and study guides
- Bible study leaders who create discussion questions and reference materials from recorded talks
- Religious broadcasters and podcasters who need show notes, blog posts, or closed captions for their episodes
- Multilingual churches that need transcripts translated into other languages for diverse members
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free sermon transcription tool?
Yes. Upload your audio or video file to ScreenApp and the AI will generate a full transcript. The free tier lets you process recordings without creating an account, so you can try it before committing.
How accurate is AI sermon transcription?
ScreenApp’s engine is trained to handle scripture references, biblical names, and theological terms. For clear recordings from a decent microphone, accuracy reaches 99%. Noisy environments or low-quality phone recordings may reduce that, but results are still strong enough to work from with light editing.
What audio and video formats are supported?
The platform accepts MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, MOV, AVI, FLAC, OGG, and WebM, among others. If your church records in a less common format, you can usually convert it with a free tool like Handbrake before uploading.
Does it identify who is speaking?
Yes. The AI detects different voices and labels them throughout the transcript. This is useful for services where a worship leader, scripture reader, and pastor all speak during the same recording.
Does sermon transcription work in languages other than English?
ScreenApp supports over 50 languages. Whether your services are in Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, or Swahili, the AI can process the audio and produce a written transcript in that language.
How long does it take to process an hour-long recording?
Most files finish in 3 to 5 minutes. Longer recordings or lower-quality audio may take slightly more time, but you will not be waiting hours for a result.
What is the best way to get a clear recording for sermon transcription?
Use a direct feed from your church soundboard if possible. A lavalier or lapel microphone on the speaker also works well. Avoid relying on a phone placed in the pews — distance and ambient noise will lower quality. Even a basic USB microphone at the pulpit dramatically improves results.
