Transcribe anything. Pay only when you do.
Audio or video in 47 languages, with AI summaries and subtitles. Top up prepaid credits only when you have something to transcribe.Audio or video in 47 languages, with AI summaries and subtitles. Top up prepaid credits only when you have something to transcribe — no monthly plan, no minute caps that reset, and nothing to cancel.
30 free minutes · No credit card · Pay as you go · Transcripts auto-delete in 30 days
Pay-as-you-go AI transcription for audio and video
PlainScribe is an AI transcription and translation tool that turns any audio or video file into accurate text — then gets out of your way. Upload one file and get the finished bundle back in minutes: an up-to-99%-accurate transcript, translation across 47 languages with automatic language detection, an AI summary, and ready-to-use subtitles.
What makes PlainScribe different from Otter, Rev, Descript, Sonix, and the rest is that there is no subscription. You top up prepaid credits only when you have something to transcribe — no monthly plan, no per-seat fee, and no minute allowance that resets and disappears. Every transcript also auto-deletes after 30 days, and your most sensitive files can stay 100% offline via the included desktop app.
It costs $4 per audio hour ($0.067 per minute) with a $10 minimum, and new users start with 30 free minutes — no credit card required. No subscriptions, no commitments.
PlainScribe at a glance
- Languages
- 47, auto-detected
- Accuracy
- Up to 99%
- Pricing
- $4/audio hour
- Per minute
- $0.067
- Free trial
- 30 minutes, no card
- Privacy
- 30-day auto-delete
- Credits
- Prepaid
- Upload limit
- 200MB per file
- Exports
- TXT, CSV, SRT, VTT, JSON
No subscription, ever — pay as you go
PlainScribe is pure pay-as-you-go. It costs $4 per audio hour ($0.067 per minute), and you top up your credit balance with any amount from $10 — one credit transcribes one hour of audio. No monthly fee, no per-seat pricing, and nothing to cancel.
$4 per audio hour
About $0.067 per minute — pay only for what you transcribe.
Prepaid credits
Top up when you need more instead of committing to a monthly plan.
Nothing to cancel
No subscription and no per-seat fees — buy minutes and keep them.
30 free minutes, no card
Upload a real file and get a real transcript before you ever pay.
Your recordings don't stick around
Most transcription tools keep your files by default. PlainScribe does the opposite.
Transcripts auto-delete after 30 days
Every transcript automatically deletes after 30days, and your raw audio is removed automatically too. There's no retain-by-default setting to find and nothing to clean up. This is the default for everyone — including the free trial — not an enterprise add-on.
- Auto-deletes after 30 days, automatically, for everyone
- Raw audio is removed automatically — nothing to purge
- Applies on the free trial too, not just paid tiers
For anything sensitive, go fully offline
When a recording is too sensitive to upload anywhere, use the PlainScribe desktop app. It transcribes 100% on your own machine, so files never leave your device. The desktop app (a ~$49 value) is included free with any credit purchase.
- Transcribes 100% on your machine — files never leave your device
- Included free with any credit purchase (~$49 value)
- Built for confidential interviews, depositions, and client recordings
From audio to finished text in three steps
Upload, process, export, done — fast, accurate, and effortless
1. Upload your file
Drag and drop any audio or video file up to 200MB. We support MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, MOV, and other common formats.
2. AI processes it
The language is detected automatically and your file is transcribed with up to 99% accuracy. Add translation, an AI summary, or subtitles with one click.
3. Export and walk away
Download as TXT, CSV, SRT, VTT, or JSON. Your transcript auto-deletes after 30 days — nothing to clean up.
Finished work, without the lock-in
Upload your files and let our AI handle the rest. Search through transcripts, generate summaries, and export in any format you need — with privacy and no-subscription baked in.
No subscription, ever
Pure pay-as-you-go at $4 per audio hour. Top up prepaid credits when you need them, with no monthly fee and nothing to cancel.
47 languages, auto-detected
Transcribe and translate across 47 languages with automatic language detection — no need to set the language yourself.
AI-powered notes
Turn messy transcripts into polished, well-structured summaries that pull out the key points automatically.
Auto-deletes your files
Every transcript auto-deletes after 30 days and your raw audio is removed automatically — nothing sits on our servers.
Processing complete
Your transcript is ready
Smart Notes Enhancement
Transform rough transcript notes into polished, professional content. Our AI analyzes your notes alongside the transcript to create comprehensive, well-structured summaries.
- Automatic formatting and organization
- Key points extraction and highlighting
- Context-aware enhancements
- Markdown formatting support
CSV & Subtitle Exports
Download your transcripts in CSV format for data analysis, or export as SRT/VTT files for video subtitles. Every export format is free for everyone — your content, your format.
One upload, finished work
Transcript, translation, summary, and subtitles — from a single file
Audio Transcription
Convert podcasts, interviews, and recordings into searchable text.
Video Transcription
Extract dialogue from videos for subtitles, captions, or analysis.
Translation
Any-language translation across 47 languages with automatic detection.
Summarization
Get AI-generated summaries that surface the key points automatically.
Most tools keep your files and lock you into a subscription
PlainScribe auto-deletes in 30 days and is pure pay-as-you-go. A few honest head-to-heads:
PlainScribe vs Otter
Otter is a per-seat monthly plan with a monthly cap on how many files you can upload. PlainScribe has no seats and no plan — you buy credits and use them whenever. 47 languages with auto-detect vs Otter's ~6, and no bot joins your calls.
PlainScribe vs Rev
Rev bills per seat on top of a monthly plan. PlainScribe is prepaid credits with no seats and nothing to cancel, at $4/hour against Rev's ~$15/AI-hour — and no human ever reads your file.
PlainScribe vs Descript
Skip the video editor and the monthly bill. Use prepaid credits for file-based transcription without committing to a monthly workspace. 47 languages, including Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.
PlainScribe vs Sonix
Sonix offers pay-as-you-go too, at about 2.5x the rate ($0.067 vs $0.167/min) — and its cheaper rates need a monthly plan. We delete your files by default; Sonix charges you to keep them.
PlainScribe vs TurboScribe
TurboScribe is subscription-only — "unlimited" for a flat monthly fee you pay whether you transcribe or not. PlainScribe charges nothing in a quiet month. Above roughly 30 audio hours a year, though, their flat rate wins on cost.
See all comparisonsOtter, Rev, Descript, Sonix, TurboScribe & moreExplore Our Services
Discover how PlainScribe can help with your specific needs
Audio Transcription
Convert audio files to text with AI-powered accuracy
Video Transcription
Extract text from videos for subtitles and captions
AI Translation
Any-language translation across 47 languages with auto-detection
Subtitle Generator
Create SRT, VTT, and other subtitle formats
AI Summarization
Get key points and summaries automatically
47 Languages
Transcribe and translate across dozens of languages
Private Transcription
Offline desktop transcription for sensitive interviews
Popular use cases:
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about privacy, pricing, and how PlainScribe works
How much does PlainScribe cost?
PlainScribe is pay-as-you-go at $4 per audio hour, $0.067 per minute. You top up a credit balance with any whole-dollar amount from $10 upward - there are no fixed packs, and one credit transcribes one hour of audio. Top-ups of $50 or more earn bonus credits, up to 15% at $250. Paid credits expire one year after purchase. There is no subscription and no per-seat fee. New users get 30 free minutes with no credit card required.
What is the best transcription tool without a subscription?
PlainScribe is a subscription-free transcription tool built on pure pay-as-you-go pricing — $4 per audio hour, topped up in any amount from $10. Paid credits expire one year after purchase. There are no monthly fees and no per-seat charges, so it fits occasional transcription work without an ongoing plan.
Is PlainScribe private?
Every PlainScribe transcript automatically deletes after 30 days and your raw audio is removed automatically — for everyone, including the free trial. Be aware that cloud transcription passes your file to third-party providers, which are named in our Privacy Policy and operate under their own terms; they may retain or use data passed to them, including to train their own models. We make a reasonable effort to opt out of model training where a provider offers it, but we cannot guarantee it in every case. For genuinely sensitive recordings, the included desktop app transcribes 100% offline on your own machine, so files never leave your device.
Which transcription tool deletes my files automatically?
PlainScribe automatically deletes every transcript after 30 days and removes your raw audio automatically. Auto-delete is the default for all users, not an enterprise-only feature. Note that cloud transcription still passes your file to the third-party providers named in our Privacy Policy, so for confidential interviews, depositions, and similar recordings we recommend the included desktop app, which transcribes entirely on your own machine.
Can I transcribe sensitive audio without uploading it to the cloud?
Yes. PlainScribe includes a desktop app (a ~$49 value, free with any credit purchase) that transcribes 100% on your own machine. Your files never leave your device and never touch the cloud, which is ideal for confidential interviews, depositions, and client recordings.
How many languages does PlainScribe support?
PlainScribe transcribes and translates in 47 languages with automatic language detection, so you don't have to specify the language yourself. It handles any-language translation across all 47 supported languages, with accuracy up to 99% on clean audio.
What file formats and exports does PlainScribe support?
PlainScribe accepts common audio and video formats including MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, and MOV, with web uploads up to 200MB per file. You can export your transcript as TXT, CSV, SRT, VTT, or JSON — and every export format is free for every user.
Is there a free trial, and do I need a credit card?
Yes. PlainScribe gives new users 30 free minutes of transcription with no credit card required. You can upload a real file, get a real transcript with translation and a summary, and export it in any format before deciding whether to buy prepaid credits.
Start with 30 free minutes — nothing to cancel
Upload a real file, get a real transcript, and see it auto-delete in 30 days.No subscription. No credit card. Pay as you go, and the offline desktop app is included with any credit purchase.