Best Transcription Software for Long Recordings (2026)
Which tools take a 2–3-hour recording? Per-file length and size limits for Otter, TurboScribe, ChatGPT, Gemini, Word and more, checked in October 2026.
By Serhii MaysonPublished 7 min read
For a recording over an hour, check each tool's per-file limit first. As of October 2026, Otter's free plan stops at 30 minutes per conversation and Pro at 90; TurboScribe's free plan takes 30 minutes per file. On TranscribTxt the first 30 minutes are free and the whole file (up to 3 hours) is $2 once.
Have a long file? Start with the first 30 minutes free
Which tools take a 2–3-hour recording?
The length of a recording and the size of its file are two different limits. A tool can accept a 2 GB file and still stop transcribing after 30 minutes, so check both.
| Tool | Longest single file | Free allowance | One long file costs | Source, checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TranscribTxt | Files up to 2 GB on every plan; the whole file up to 3 h for $2 | First 30 min of a file; 3 files a week | $2 once | Pricing |
| Otter.ai | 30 min per conversation (Basic), 90 min (Pro), 4 h (Business) | 300 min a month, 3 lifetime imports | Business, $30 for a month | otter.ai/pricing, Oct 30, 2026 |
| TurboScribe | Free: 30 min; Unlimited: 10 h and 5 GB per file | 3 files a day, up to 30 min each | Unlimited, $20 a month ($10/mo billed yearly) | turboscribe.ai/pricing, Oct 26, 2026 |
| ChatGPT | Audio uploads on paid plans only; files up to 512 MB; very long recordings may time out | No audio upload on Free | A paid ChatGPT plan | OpenAI help, Oct 26, 2026 |
| Gemini | Uploaded audio up to 10 min in total (3 h on Google AI Pro/Ultra), audio files up to 100 MB | 10 min | A Google AI Pro plan | Gemini help, Oct 30, 2026 |
| Word (Transcribe) | No per-file cap stated; 300 uploaded minutes a month on Microsoft 365 | None without Microsoft 365 | A Microsoft 365 subscription | Microsoft support, Oct 30, 2026 |
| Riverside free tool | Length and size not stated | "Unlimited", no sign-up | Free | riverside.com/transcription, Oct 30, 2026 |
| Sonix | Not stated | 30 free minutes on your first upload | Up to $20 for 2 hours ($10 an hour, pay as you go) | sonix.ai/pricing, Oct 30, 2026 |
| Whisper (local) | Your computer's limits | Free, open source | Free; it costs your time | GitHub |
Checked on the dates shown; limits change, so confirm them before you buy. We are TranscribTxt (RESTART AI LLC) and not affiliated with the companies named. Found an error? Write to support@transcribtxt.com.
To transcribe your own long recording, start on our long audio transcription page. If it's a video, our video to text converter takes MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI and MKV files.
What's the cheapest way to transcribe one long file?
For one or two long files, a subscription usually costs more than paying per file. Here's what one 2-hour file costs with each tool (prices checked Oct 26, 2026):
- TranscribTxt: $2 once for the whole file, after the first 30 minutes free.
- Otter.ai: Pro stops at 90 minutes per conversation, so a 2-hour file needs Business at $30 for a month.
- TurboScribe: Unlimited at $20 for a month.
- Sonix: up to $20 pay as you go ($10 an hour; your first 30 minutes are free).
We aren't the cheapest for everyone. If you have many hours to transcribe, transcribe.free's $5 pack for 600 minutes costs less per hour. Our pay-per-use transcription prices post compares the per-minute and per-file options in detail.
Is there free transcription with no time limit?
Not without a catch. Here's what we found in October 2026:
- Whisper on your own computer is free and open source, with no limit beyond your machine. It's slow without a graphics card, and you install it yourself.
- Riverside's free tool says "unlimited" and needs no sign-up, but its page doesn't state a length or size cap.
- transcribe.free's free account takes files up to 1 hour.
- TranscribTxt transcribes the first 30 minutes of any file for free, so you can check the quality on your own recording before you pay $2 for the whole file (up to 3 hours).
How big can the file be?
TranscribTxt takes files up to 2 GB on every plan. A long screen recording or camera video can be bigger than that. If yours is, upload the audio instead: for a local recording Zoom saves an audio-only M4A file next to the MP4, and most video editors can export the audio track. The words are all in the audio, and the file is a fraction of the size.
How long does a 2-hour file take?
With AI, the wait is minutes, not hours. In October 2026, half of the uploaded files were transcribed in 14 seconds or less, and a 145-minute recording took 2 minutes 45 seconds. Times don't include uploading, which depends on your connection. For more on what affects the time, see how long transcription takes.
Several long files this week?
Paying per file adds up when you have a run of long recordings, such as a conference, a course or a week of interviews:
- Week Pass, $5: 7 days of Pro, up to 25 hours of audio, files up to 2 GB. It's a one-time payment and never renews.
- Pro, $10 a month: up to 100 hours of audio a month, files up to 2 GB, for regular work.
When is another tool the better pick?
TranscribTxt gives you the text of a long file quickly and cheaply. Pick something else when:
- You need speaker names in the transcript. We don't label speakers; Otter and TurboScribe do.
- You need a human-checked record, for example for court. Use a human transcription service.
- You can't upload the file anywhere. Run Whisper on your own computer.
Check what one recording costs to transcribe with TranscribTxt.
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Free for files up to 30 min: your first one needs no account, a free account gets 3 a week. 99 languages.
First 30 min free · the whole file (up to 3 h) US$2
Try it freeFrequently Asked Questions
Is there free transcription for files longer than an hour?
Yes, but each option has a catch. Whisper runs free on your own computer but is slow without a graphics card. As of October 2026, the free account at transcribe.free takes files up to 1 hour, and Riverside's free tool says it's unlimited but doesn't state a length or size cap. On TranscribTxt the first 30 minutes of any file are free, and the whole file (up to 3 hours) is $2 once.
What's the cheapest way to transcribe a 2.5-hour MP3?
For a single file, pay for that file rather than a month's subscription. On TranscribTxt the first 30 minutes are free and the whole file (up to 3 hours) is $2 once. When we checked on Oct 26, 2026, Sonix charged $10 an hour pay as you go, and transcribe.free sold 600 minutes for $5, which works out cheaper if you have many hours to transcribe.
How do I transcribe a 3-hour Webex, Zoom or Teams recording?
Download the recording as an MP4 (for a local Zoom recording, the audio-only M4A Zoom saves next to the MP4 works too) and upload it to a transcription tool that takes long files. TranscribTxt takes files up to 2 GB: the first 30 minutes are free, and the whole file (up to 3 hours) is $2 once. For several recordings, a $5 Week Pass gives you 7 days of Pro, up to 25 hours of audio.
How long does it take to transcribe a 2-hour recording?
With AI, it takes minutes, not hours. In October 2026, half of the uploaded files were transcribed in 14 seconds or less, and a 145-minute recording took 2 minutes 45 seconds. Times don't include uploading, which depends on your connection.
Can ChatGPT transcribe a long recording?
Only on a paid plan, and a long file may not go through. OpenAI's help pages (checked Oct 26, 2026) say audio uploads need a paid plan, files can be up to 512 MB, and very long recordings may time out. For a 2-hour file, a dedicated transcription tool is the safer choice.