Best Free Speech-to-Text Tools in 2026
Speech-to-text technology has never been more accurate or more affordable. In 2026, top providers offer hundreds of free hours to get started. Here is how to choose.
- The State of Speech-to-Text in 2026
- What Makes a Great Speech-to-Text Tool?
- Top Free Speech-to-Text Providers Compared
- Deepgram: The Speed Champion
- AssemblyAI: The Feature Powerhouse
- Gladia: The Language Specialist
- Shunya: The Emerging Contender
- How FluentCap Gives You Access to All of Them
- Thank You to Our Providers
- Frequently Asked Questions
The State of Speech-to-Text in 2026
Speech-to-text technology has undergone a revolution. Just five years ago, real-time transcription was expensive, inaccurate, and limited to a handful of languages. Today, AI-powered speech recognition achieves over 95% accuracy for major languages and supports dozens of languages in real-time.
According to Deepgram's 2026 benchmarks, their Nova-3 model achieves a Word Error Rate (WER) of just 5.26% for general English — meaning it correctly transcribes nearly 95 out of every 100 words. And it is getting better every quarter.
But here is what most people do not realize: you do not have to pay for any of this upfront. The top speech-to-text providers offer generous free credits that can amount to hundreds — even thousands — of hours of transcription.
This guide compares the best free options available in 2026, with honest assessments of accuracy, speed, language support, and free tier generosity.
What Makes a Great Speech-to-Text Tool?
Before diving into specific providers, it helps to understand the key metrics that separate good speech-to-text from great:
Accuracy (Word Error Rate)
The single most important metric. Measured as Word Error Rate (WER) — the percentage of words incorrectly transcribed. Lower is better:
| WER Range | Quality Level |
|---|---|
| < 6% | Excellent — near-human accuracy |
| 6-10% | Good — usable for most applications |
| 10-15% | Fair — needs manual correction |
| > 15% | Poor — significant errors |
Latency
For real-time use cases (live captions, meetings, streaming), latency matters enormously:
- < 300ms: Feels instantaneous. Words appear almost as they are spoken.
- 300-800ms: Slight delay but still natural for reading while listening.
- > 1 second: Noticeable lag. Distracting for real-time use.
Language Support
The number of languages supported and, critically, how well each language is supported. A provider that supports 100 languages poorly is worse than one that supports 30 languages excellently.
Free Tier Generosity
How much transcription you can do for free, and whether the free tier includes real-time (streaming) access or only batch processing.
Top Free Speech-to-Text Providers Compared
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the most generous free speech-to-text providers in 2026:
| Provider | Free Credits | ~Free Hours | Real-Time Streaming | Languages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deepgram | $200 | ~750 hours | ✅ | 36+ | Speed & accuracy |
| AssemblyAI | $50 | ~140 hours | ✅ | Multiple | Rich features |
| Gladia | 10 hrs/month | Ongoing | ✅ | 99+ | Language variety |
| Shunya | $100 | ~300 hours | ✅ | Multiple | Value & simplicity |
Combined potential: Over 1,200 hours of free transcription across all providers. That is more than 50 days of continuous audio — more than enough to evaluate which provider works best for your needs.
Deepgram: The Speed Champion
What Sets Deepgram Apart
Deepgram has consistently led the speech-to-text industry in both speed and accuracy. Their Nova-3 model, released in late 2025, represents the current state of the art:
- Word Error Rate: 5.26% for general English — outperforming competitors in independent benchmarks
- Latency: Sub-300ms for real-time streaming — words appear almost as they are spoken
- Speaker diarization: Automatically identifies different speakers in a conversation
- Smart formatting: Adds punctuation, capitalization, and paragraph breaks automatically
Free Tier Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credits | $200 free upon signup |
| Equivalent hours | ~750 hours (varies by model) |
| Expiration | Credits do not expire |
| Streaming included | Yes — real-time transcription included |
| Models available | All models including Nova-3 |
Best Use Cases
- Live captions for meetings, lectures, or streaming
- High-accuracy transcription of English content
- Real-time applications where latency matters
- Speaker identification in multi-person conversations
After Free Credits
Pay-as-you-go pricing starts at approximately $0.0043/minute for Nova-3 — roughly $0.26/hour. Extremely affordable for continued use.
AssemblyAI: The Feature Powerhouse
What Sets AssemblyAI Apart
AssemblyAI differentiates itself through its rich feature set beyond basic transcription. It offers built-in AI capabilities that go far beyond converting audio to text:
- Summarization: Automatically generates summaries of long audio
- Sentiment analysis: Detects emotional tone throughout the conversation
- Topic detection: Identifies key topics discussed in the audio
- Entity detection: Recognizes names, locations, organizations, and more
- PII redaction: Automatically removes sensitive personal information
Free Tier Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credits | $50 free upon signup |
| Equivalent hours | ~140 hours |
| Expiration | Credits do not expire |
| Streaming included | Yes — real-time transcription available |
| LeMUR (AI features) | Included in free tier |
Best Use Cases
- Content analysis — understanding what was discussed, not just what was said
- Meeting intelligence — summaries, action items, key decisions
- Research transcription — when you need more than just text
- Content moderation — detecting inappropriate content in audio
After Free Credits
Pay-as-you-go at approximately $0.0065/minute for real-time transcription — roughly $0.39/hour.
Gladia: The Language Specialist
What Sets Gladia Apart
While other providers focus primarily on English, Gladia has built its reputation on broad multilingual support with consistent quality:
- 99+ languages supported with real-time transcription
- Code-switching detection: Handles speakers who mix languages mid-sentence
- Word-level timestamps: Precise timing for each word (valuable for subtitling)
- Custom vocabulary: Add domain-specific terms for improved accuracy
Free Tier Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credits | 10 hours free every month |
| Equivalent hours | 10 hours/month (renewable!) |
| Expiration | Renews monthly |
| Streaming included | Yes |
| Languages | 99+ languages |
Best Use Cases
- Multilingual content — watching films, streams, or calls in less common languages
- Code-switching scenarios — speakers mixing languages (common in gaming, international teams)
- Ongoing free usage — the monthly renewal means you always have free hours available
- Language learning — testing transcription quality across different target languages
After Free Credits
Pay-as-you-go pricing varies by feature, starting at approximately $0.0061/minute — roughly $0.37/hour.
Shunya: The Emerging Contender
What Sets Shunya Apart
Shunya is a newer entrant to the speech-to-text market, offering competitive accuracy with a generous free tier and straightforward pricing:
- $100 in free credits — approximately 300 hours of transcription
- Clean, simple API — easy integration for developers
- Growing language support — expanding rapidly
- Competitive accuracy — keeps pace with established providers
Free Tier Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credits | $100 free upon signup |
| Equivalent hours | ~300 hours |
| Expiration | Check current terms |
| Streaming included | Yes |
Best Use Cases
- Budget-conscious users who want substantial free credits
- Simple transcription needs without requiring advanced AI features
- Experimentation — plenty of credits to test before committing
How FluentCap Gives You Access to All of Them
Here is the unique advantage of FluentCap: you are not locked into one provider.
FluentCap uses a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) model. You create a free account with any provider — or all of them — and connect your API key to FluentCap. This gives you:
Provider Freedom
- Try Deepgram for English meetings with maximum accuracy
- Switch to Gladia when watching Korean dramas or Japanese anime
- Use AssemblyAI when you want content summaries and analysis
- Fall back to Shunya when other credits run low
Cost Transparency
Because you connect directly to providers, you see exactly what you are paying:
- $0 upfront — FluentCap is free. You only pay providers when free credits run out.
- No markup — FluentCap does not add any cost on top of provider pricing.
- No subscription — No monthly fees, no annual contracts, no hidden costs.
Real-Time Everything
FluentCap uses these providers for real-time transcription of any audio on your computer:
- Live captions for movies
- Real-time translation for family calls
- Subtitles for international meetings
- Accessibility captions for deaf and hard of hearing
- Language learning through native content
Thank You to Our Providers
FluentCap exists because of these incredible speech-to-text providers who democratize access to transcription technology:
- Deepgram: $200 in free credits — that is approximately 750 hours of transcription
- AssemblyAI: $50 in free credits — approximately 140 hours
- Gladia: 10 free hours every single month — ongoing access
- Shunya: $100 in free credits — approximately 300 hours
These providers are building the infrastructure that makes real-time transcription possible for everyone. When your free credits run out, please consider supporting them. Their pricing — just $0.15-0.40 per hour — is 60-80% cheaper than traditional subscription-based transcription apps.
They deserve your support for making this technology accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which speech-to-text provider is the most accurate?
For English, Deepgram Nova-3 currently leads with a Word Error Rate of approximately 5.26%. However, accuracy varies significantly by language, audio quality, and domain. For multilingual content, Gladia often produces excellent results across its 99+ supported languages. We recommend testing with your specific content to find the best fit.
Do I need a credit card to access free credits?
This varies by provider. Some providers require a credit card for identity verification but will not charge you until free credits are exhausted. Others offer free credits without payment information. Check each provider's current signup process for the latest requirements.
Can I use multiple providers simultaneously?
With FluentCap, yes. You can add API keys from all four providers and switch between them instantly. This lets you use Deepgram for English, Gladia for Korean, and AssemblyAI for content analysis — all within the same application.
What happens when my free credits run out?
You simply transition to pay-as-you-go pricing with the provider. Rates are extremely affordable — typically $0.15-0.40 per hour. For context, a 2-hour movie costs less than $1 to transcribe. There are no surprise charges or automatic upgrades.
Is real-time transcription included in the free tier?
Yes, all four providers include real-time streaming transcription in their free tiers. This means you can use FluentCap for live captions, movie subtitles, meeting transcription, and more — all within your free credit allocation.
How do I get started with FluentCap and free credits?
Download FluentCap from fluentcap.live. Create a free account with your preferred provider (we recommend starting with Deepgram for the largest free credit). Generate an API key, paste it into FluentCap settings, and start transcribing. The entire setup takes less than 5 minutes.
Start Transcribing for Free
The speech-to-text landscape in 2026 offers unprecedented value. Over 1,200 combined free hours across four providers means you can explore real-time transcription for months without spending a dollar.
Whether you need live captions for accessibility, subtitles for foreign films, or transcription for language learning, the tools are ready and the free credits are waiting.
Your voice deserves to be understood. Start for free today.
Related Articles
Learn more about what you can do with free transcription:
- Foreign Films with Real-Time Subtitles — Use your free hours to watch world cinema
- Language Learning Through Movies — Turn transcription into language practice
- Real-Time Captions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing — Accessibility powered by these providers
- FluentCap Audio Recording & Playback — Record and review transcribed sessions
— FluentCap Team
Built to bring good things to the world.