Podcast
Podcast transcription: turn an episode file into text
Podcast transcription here starts from the episode’s audio file: upload the MP3 or WAV and every spoken phrase comes back with a timestamp, ready to export as TXT, SRT or VTT for show notes, captions and search, free for a first recording of up to 10 minutes and at one minute of balance per audio minute after that. It works on files only, not on links from Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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How to transcribe a podcast episode
A podcast episode becomes a transcript in four steps, starting from a file you already have on your computer.
- Export the episode as an audio file. Take the finished MP3 or WAV from your editor or your hosting dashboard. A file is needed; a link to the episode is not accepted.
- Drop it on the upload area. Drag it onto the area at the top of the page. A guest’s first upload is transcribed at no charge, whole up to 10 minutes and for the first 10 minutes beyond that.
- Check the text against the audio. The episode plays from your device beside the transcript, and a click on a timestamp moves the player to that line.
- Export and publish. Download TXT or Markdown for show notes and the episode page, SRT or VTT if the episode also goes out as a video.
Recognition runs on a server, so a long show does not freeze your browser, and a progress line counts the minutes done.
Which file to upload
The right file is the final audio of the episode, exported from your editor or downloaded from your hosting dashboard.
- MP3 from the editor: the usual export at 64–128 kbps; see MP3 bitrate and size for how bitrate relates to size.
- WAV from the studio: the uncompressed master works, though it is much larger; WAV to text shows the sizes.
- A remote-recording download: if the tool gives you a single mixed track, take that one.
Links from Spotify, Apple Podcasts or an RSS feed are not accepted, since a podcast app is not a file. Transcribe episodes that you produced yourself or have permission to use.
What a podcast transcript is for
A podcast transcript turns spoken episodes into text that search engines, readers and subtitle players can use.
- Show notes and an episode page: text under the player makes every word of the episode findable by search.
- Captions for a video version: SRT or VTT carries the timing; if you need captions from a file, the subtitle files drop straight into a video editor.
- Quotes for social posts: the timestamp leads you back to the exact second of a good line.
- Guests and sponsors: a guest can check a quote before it goes out, and a sponsor can confirm that a read ran as agreed.
- Chapters and an article: AI actions on the transcript write chapter lists, a post or an article draft, and a summary of the episode for the newsletter.
The AI actions run only when you pick one and come with the transcription at no extra charge.
Episode length and file size
A podcast episode of up to 4 hours and 500 MB can be transcribed in one go, and most episodes are far below both limits.
| Episode length | MP3 at 128 kbps | Without an account |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | about 27 MB | fits under 100 MB |
| 60 minutes | about 55 MB | fits under 100 MB |
| 90 minutes | about 82 MB | fits under 100 MB |
| 180 minutes | about 165 MB | needs sign-in (100 MB limit) |
Intro music and ad stingers may produce stray lines in the text; delete them by hand, and use the timestamps to find where the speech really starts.
Minutes in numbers
Each audio minute uses one minute of balance, rounded up, so a weekly show is easy to budget.
- A 10-minute trailer is a free first upload, no account needed.
- A 45-minute episode uses 45 minutes, more than the 10-minute sign-up gift, so a pack covers the rest.
- The 30-hour pack at $58.99 holds 40 such episodes, about $1.47 each.
The price is shown before the start and charged only after a successful transcription. The full guide to transcribing audio to text explains the formats.
What podcast transcription here does not do
The page transcribes an audio file you upload, and nothing beyond it: no links, no feeds, no speaker names.
- No links from Spotify, Apple Podcasts or RSS: upload the file.
- No speaker labels: host and guest lines are not told apart.
- Only the first audio track of a file is used.
- No live captions; the text appears after the whole episode is processed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transcribe a podcast for free?
Yes, the opening upload: a guest’s first recording costs nothing, whole up to 10 minutes. Full episodes draw on your balance afterwards, and signing up adds 10 gift minutes.
Can I paste a Spotify or Apple Podcasts link?
No. The page takes audio files only, so you upload the episode file you made or have the right to use.
Does the transcript say which host or guest is speaking?
No. There are no speaker labels; every line carries a timestamp. If host and guest were recorded on separate tracks, upload each file on its own.
Which podcast formats work?
MP3 and WAV from your editor, plus M4A, FLAC, OGG and the other common audio formats. Nothing needs converting first.
Is my episode file kept on your server?
No. The original is deleted as soon as the sound has been extracted from it, or after about an hour if the transcription never starts; only the text stays, in your browser or in your account. See the privacy policy for the full rules.
Can I publish the transcript on my website?
Yes, for an episode that is yours. Read it once against the audio first: names, brands and numbers deserve a manual check.