Transcribing a video on iPhone: the apps available in 2026
For years, getting the text out of a video recorded on an iPhone meant one thing: uploading it to an online service and waiting for the transcript to come back. That changed in September 2022, when OpenAI released Whisper, a speech recognition model small enough to run on a phone. Within a few months the first apps using it offline appeared, among them Aiko by Sindre Sorhus and the iPhone version of MacWhisper, which is listed on the App Store as Whisper Transcription.
Apple got there in stages. With iOS 18, Voice Memos and Notes started transcribing the recordings made inside them. With iOS 26, the system's own speech engine, SpeechAnalyzer, opened up to apps from other developers. Scribbler, whose developer also runs this site, is built on that engine.
Cloud services haven't gone away in the meantime. Otter, Notta, Transkriptor and Transcribe still upload files to their servers, and in exchange they offer things that are still rare on the phone, starting with telling speakers apart.
Apps that transcribe on the phone
Aiko is a one-time purchase, doesn't ask for an account and, according to its App Store listing, collects no data. It imports audio and video, including from the photo library, and saves the transcript as text or as SRT subtitles. It doesn't tell speakers apart. Anyone who wants to try it before buying can use it for fourteen days through TestFlight, Apple's program for test builds.
Whisper Transcription works differently. The local models are free, and the subscription is only for those who want cloud transcription or the AI features. It reads the common formats, mp4 and mov included, and with cloud transcription it also recognizes speakers. The developer documents export to VTT, a subtitle format similar to SRT. There is no mention of SRT for the iPhone version.
Scribbler uses Apple's engine instead of Whisper. That is why it requires iOS 26, and why transcription quality depends on the models Apple provides for each language. The text comes in sentences, each with its own timestamp, and exports as plain text, PDF, Markdown or SRT subtitles. The free plan covers ten minutes of transcription a day, and beyond that there is a subscription or a one-time purchase. Scribbler doesn't recognize speakers yet either.
Apps that transcribe in the cloud
Otter was built for meetings. It recognizes who is speaking and learns to tell recurring voices apart over time. It requires an account. The free plan includes 300 minutes a month but allows only three imported files, and SRT subtitle export is limited to paid plans.
Notta's iPhone app can be used without signing up, in guest mode. The free plan, though, only transcribes the first three minutes of each imported file, and speaker recognition is part of the Premium plan. SRT is among its export formats.
Transkriptor uploads audio and video from the phone, recognizes speakers and exports to SRT, PDF, DOCX and TXT. It requires an account.
Transcribe, from the developer DENIVIP, transcribes imported files in the cloud, while live recording also works offline. The first 30 minutes are a free trial. After that it is paid with a subscription or with packs of hours, which don't expire. It separates speakers, and SRT export comes with the PRO version.
Apple's apps
Voice Memos and Notes transcribe the recordings made inside them, are free, come preinstalled and require an iPhone 12 or later. For a video that's already on the phone they are of little use, because Apple's guides don't describe importing video files, exporting to SRT or recognizing speakers.
In short
Anyone who doesn't want the file to leave the phone has three options today. Whisper Transcription is free with its local models, Aiko is paid once, and Scribbler can be used free every day within ten minutes but requires iOS 26. For meetings with several people, where it matters who said what, Otter, Notta, Transkriptor and Transcribe recognize speakers, provided the transcription happening on their servers is acceptable.
At a glance
| App | Where it transcribes | Imports video | Account needed | Free plan | Pricing | SRT subtitles | Tells speakers apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scribbler | On the device | Yes | No | Free with limits | Subscription or one-time | Yes | No |
| Aiko | On the device | Yes | No | Trial only | One-time purchase | Yes | No |
| Otter | In the cloud | Yes | Yes | Free with limits | Subscription | Yes | Yes |
| Transkriptor | In the cloud | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Subscription | Yes | Yes |
| Transcribe | In the cloud | Yes | Not stated | Trial only | Subscription or one-time | Yes | Yes |
| Notta | In the cloud | Yes | No | Free with limits | Subscription | Yes | Yes |
| Whisper Transcription | Both | Yes | Not stated | Free | Subscription | Not stated | Yes |
| Apple Voice Memos and Notes | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free | Free | Not stated | Not stated |
Sources
The details come from the US App Store listings and the developers' own sites, checked on September 30, 2026.
- Scribbler
- Aiko
- Otter
- Transkriptor
- Transcribe
- Notta
- Whisper Transcription
- Apple Voice Memos and Notes