AI Speech to Text — Convert Audio to Written Transcripts
Upload audio or video, get accurate speech-to-text output in minutes. BrassTranscripts uses an AI transcription engine with automatic speaker identification to convert recordings into TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON formats. 99+ languages, $2.50-$6 flat rate, no subscription.
Speech to Text vs Transcription: Same Thing, Different Names
BrassTranscripts treats "speech to text" and "transcription" as the same service: both convert spoken audio into written text. The difference is just terminology — "speech to text" comes from the AI and dictation world (smartphone keyboards, voice assistants, accessibility software), while "transcription" is the older term used in journalism, research, legal, and medical contexts.
Whichever term you searched for, the workflow is the same: upload an audio or video file, the AI engine processes the speech, and you download the resulting text. The output, pricing, and processing time don't change based on the search query.
When people say "speech to text"
- • Dictating notes into a phone or tablet
- • Voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google)
- • Live captions on calls and videos
- • AI-powered conversion of recordings
- • Accessibility software for deaf/hard-of-hearing users
When people say "transcription"
- • Research interviews and qualitative studies
- • Journalism source recordings
- • Legal depositions and hearings
- • Medical dictation and clinical notes
- • Podcast and meeting documentation
Looking for the broader transcription overview? Visit our Transcription Service page for the same product framed in transcription terminology.
How AI Speech-to-Text Works
BrassTranscripts speech-to-text is a three-step workflow: upload an audio or video file, the AI engine processes the speech, then download text in four formats. No software install, no GPU setup, no subscription.
Upload Your Audio or Video File
Drag and drop the recording onto the upload box. BrassTranscripts accepts 11 formats: MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, Opus, WebM, MPGA, MP4, and MPEG. Files up to 250 MB and 2 hours are accepted. No format conversion needed — voice memos, podcast recordings, Zoom downloads, smartphone videos, and DSLR footage all work natively.
AI Engine Processes Speech with Speaker Identification
The AI transcription engine detects the spoken language (99+ supported), converts speech to written text, and automatically identifies different speakers in the recording. Processing takes 1-3 minutes per hour of audio — about 20-60x faster than realtime playback. Multi-speaker conversations get consistent labels (Speaker A, Speaker B, etc.) throughout the transcript.
Preview, Pay, and Download All Four Formats
Review the first 30 words to verify accuracy and speaker separation, then pay the flat rate ($2.50 for files up to 15 minutes, $6.00 for 16-120 minutes). Download TXT (for analysis and notes), SRT (for video captions), VTT (for web video players), and JSON (timestamps and speaker data for developers). All four formats are included with every transcript.
Common Speech-to-Text Use Cases
Speech-to-text covers any workflow where spoken audio needs to become searchable, editable text. Here are the most common scenarios BrassTranscripts customers use the service for.
📝 Meetings & Calls
Convert Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, and phone calls into searchable transcripts with speaker labels for every participant. Skip note-taking during the call and review the written record afterward.
Related: Meeting Transcription Software
🎤 Interviews & Research
Researchers, journalists, and HR teams convert interview recordings into accurate text with attributed quotes. Speaker labels make it simple to assign statements to the right person during analysis.
Related: Interview Transcription Service
🎓 Lectures & Educational Audio
Students and educators convert lectures, conference talks, and webinars into searchable study notes. Use Ctrl+F to find a concept inside a 90-minute lecture instead of scrubbing the timeline.
Tip: JSON output includes word-level timestamps for jumping back to source clips
🎙️ Podcasts & Voice Memos
Podcast hosts repurpose episodes into show notes, blog posts, and social clips. Solo creators convert voice memos and brainstorming recordings into written drafts they can edit.
Related: Podcast Transcription Service
🎬 Video Content & Captions
Content creators get the audio track of MP4 and MPEG video files converted to text — no audio extraction needed. The included SRT file uploads directly to YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok as professional captions.
Related: Video Transcription Service
⚖️ Legal & Professional Documentation
Law firms, consultants, and medical professionals convert client meetings, depositions, and dictations into written records. Speaker labels make multi-party recordings simple to review.
Related: Legal Transcription
Supported Audio & Video Formats
BrassTranscripts accepts 11 file formats — nine audio and two video — covering virtually every recording device and platform. No format conversion needed before upload.
Max 2 hours
Need a deeper format breakdown? See the File Formats Guide for output format use cases.
Speech-to-Text Pricing
BrassTranscripts uses flat-rate pricing based on file duration. No subscription, no per-minute meter, no surprise charges — pay only for the recordings you convert.
| File Duration | Price | Effective Per-Minute | Common Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-15 minutes | $2.50 flat | $0.17-0.25/min | Voice memos, short calls, quick interviews |
| 30 minutes | $6.00 | $0.20/min | Standup meetings, interviews, lectures |
| 60 minutes | $6.00 | $0.10/min | Hour-long meetings, podcast episodes |
| 120 minutes | $6.00 | $0.05/min | Long lectures, conferences, deep-dive interviews |
Included with Every Speech-to-Text Job
- ✓ Automatic speaker identification
- ✓ All four output formats: TXT, SRT, VTT, JSON
- ✓ 1-3 minute processing per hour of audio
- ✓ 99+ languages with automatic detection
- ✓ 30-word preview before payment
- ✓ 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee
Full pricing details across single-file and bulk batches: Transcription Pricing.
Free vs Paid Speech-to-Text: When to Use Each
Several speech-to-text tools cost nothing to start, and they're great for casual dictation. But each has limitations that matter for professional workflows. Here's an honest comparison.
| Tool | Cost | Pre-Recorded Audio? | Speaker Labels? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iOS Dictation / Android Voice Typing | No cost | No (live only) | No | Quick notes, text messages, short emails |
| Google Live Caption | No cost | Live only (Chrome / Pixel) | No | Live captions on calls and videos |
| Apple Live Transcribe | No cost | Live only (iPhone / iPad) | No | Accessibility, in-person conversations |
| Otter.ai Free Tier | 300 min/month | Yes (limited) | Limited | Casual users under 5 hours/month |
| BrassTranscripts | $2.50-$6 per file | Yes — primary use case | Yes — automatic | Professional recordings, multi-speaker, multiple formats needed |
Rule of thumb: Free speech-to-text tools work well for live dictation and short personal notes. BrassTranscripts is built for pre-recorded files where you need speaker labels, multiple output formats (especially SRT for video captions and JSON for developer workflows), and consistent results on longer recordings without monthly limits.
Why Use BrassTranscripts for Speech-to-Text
Built for Pre-Recorded Files
Upload any audio or video file up to 250 MB and 2 hours — no live recording or browser plugin required
Automatic Speaker Identification
Multi-speaker conversations get consistent speaker labels at no extra charge
Four Output Formats Included
TXT, SRT, VTT, JSON — covering text editing, video captions, web players, and developer workflows
No Subscription
Pay $2.50-$6 per file — ideal for occasional speech-to-text needs without monthly minute caps
Privacy-Focused Retention
Audio deleted within 24 hours, transcripts within 48 hours, never used for AI model training
99+ Languages
Automatic language detection — upload speech in any supported language without configuration
Explore Related Pages
Speech-to-text overlaps with several other workflows. These pages cover specific scenarios where the same engine produces tailored output.
Transcription Service
The same product framed in transcription terminology — comprehensive overview, full feature list, and pricing comparison.
Video Transcription Service
Speech to text for MP4 and MPEG video files — includes SRT captions ready to upload to YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok.
Speaker Identification Guide
How automatic speaker labeling works, when it's most accurate, and how to assign real names to Speaker A / Speaker B labels.
Transcription Pricing
Side-by-side pricing for single-file and bulk speech-to-text jobs, with effective per-minute rates and competitor comparison.
Ready to Convert Speech to Text?
Upload audio or video • Get TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON output in minutes • No subscription
Convert Speech to Text →Preview before paying • $2.50-$6 flat rate • No subscription • 100% satisfaction guarantee
Frequently Asked Questions About Speech to Text
Is speech to text the same as transcription?
Yes. Speech to text and transcription describe the same process: converting spoken audio into written text. "Speech to text" is the term most often used for AI and software-based conversion (smartphone dictation, voice assistants, AI transcription services), while "transcription" is the traditional term and still common in research, journalism, and legal contexts. BrassTranscripts uses both terms interchangeably — uploading an audio or video file produces the same TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON output regardless of which word you searched for.
How accurate is AI speech to text?
Modern AI speech-to-text engines, including the one BrassTranscripts uses, achieve professional-grade accuracy on clear audio with single or distinct speakers. Accuracy depends on three things: audio quality (low background noise, clean microphones), speaker clarity (steady pace, minimal cross-talk), and language match (the AI auto-detects 99+ languages). BrassTranscripts shows the first 30 words of every transcript before payment so you can verify accuracy on your specific audio before committing to download.
What languages does BrassTranscripts speech-to-text support?
BrassTranscripts supports 99+ languages with automatic language detection — no need to specify the language before upload. Common supported languages include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, and 80+ additional languages. The AI engine detects the spoken language automatically and produces the transcript in the same language. Mixed-language audio is transcribed in whichever language is dominant.
How do I convert speech from a video to text?
Upload the video file directly to BrassTranscripts — no audio extraction needed. The system accepts MP4 and MPEG video files alongside nine audio formats (MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, Opus, WebM, MPGA). The AI engine processes the audio track of the video and returns text output in TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON formats. Maximum file size is 250 MB and maximum duration is 2 hours; for larger video files, extract the audio first or split the file.
Can I use AI speech to text for free?
Several free speech-to-text options exist for casual use: smartphone dictation (built into iOS and Android keyboards), Google Live Caption (Chrome and Android), Apple Live Transcribe, and the free tier of Otter.ai (with a monthly minute cap and watermarked output). These work well for short personal notes but typically lack speaker identification, multiple file formats (SRT/VTT/JSON), and processing of pre-recorded audio files larger than a few minutes. BrassTranscripts is a paid service ($2.50-$6 flat rate per file) designed for professional workflows where speaker labels, multiple output formats, and longer files matter.
How long does AI speech-to-text processing take?
BrassTranscripts processes speech to text at 20-60x realtime speed: a 30-minute file takes about 1 minute, a 60-minute file takes 1-3 minutes, and a 2-hour file takes 3-6 minutes. Processing happens in the cloud — no local GPU or software setup needed. After upload you'll see the first 30 words within minutes and download all four formats once you confirm payment.
More questions about speech-to-text or transcription? Visit our complete FAQ page or contact .