UniScribe Review: Audio and Video to Text in 63 Languages, From $6

UniScribe turns audio and video files into text. Upload a recording or paste a YouTube link and wait about a minute per hour of audio. The transcript downloads in six formats. It also writes a summary, draws a mind map and lists the key questions from what was said.

There is a free plan of 120 minutes a month, and paid plans start at $6 a month billed yearly. This review covers the formats, the limits on each plan, and where the free tier stops being useful.

What does UniScribe do?

Drop in a file or paste a link. UniScribe accepts more than 20 audio and video formats, from MP3, WAV and M4A to MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM. Paid plans take files up to 5 hours and 5 GB, 50 at a time. YouTube and other online video links are transcribed without downloading anything.

Transcription runs in 63 languages, from Afrikaans to Vietnamese, with Cantonese and Mandarin listed separately. AI translation turns the transcript into another language. Speaker identification labels who said what in a meeting recording. A custom vocabulary teaches it names and terms it would otherwise get wrong.

The extras are what the user reviews praise. Every transcript can produce a summary in several styles and a visual mind map you can export. It also lists key questions and answers. Export runs to TXT, PDF, DOCX, SRT, VTT and CSV. Or share a link and let someone read the transcript online.

For builders there is a REST API in beta, with webhooks, and a read-only MCP server. Claude, ChatGPT and Codex connect with one sign-in and can search and cite your transcript library. Google Drive imports directly. Automation platforms such as n8n, Make and Zapier go through the API.

Which features stand out?

• 63 languages, 20+ formats — most recordings go in without conversion
• YouTube link to text — paste the URL, no download
• Speaker identification — who said what, on paid plans
• Summary, mind map, key questions — generated from every transcript
• Six export formats — TXT, PDF, DOCX, SRT, VTT and CSV, plus a share link
• Custom vocabulary — names and jargon spelled the way you spell them
• AI assistant connectors — Claude, ChatGPT and Codex can search your transcripts
• REST API and MCP server — pipelines through n8n, Make or your own code

How much does UniScribe cost?

Four plans, with monthly or yearly billing. Yearly saves 40 percent. Minute limits reset each month.

• Free: $0. 120 minutes a month. Files up to 30 minutes, one at a time, three a day. Basic transcription model. Media deleted after 30 days.
• Basic: $10 a month, or $6 a month billed yearly. 1,200 minutes. Premium model, YouTube links, speaker identification, custom vocabulary, API access, bulk upload, no retention limit.
• Standard: $20 a month, or $12 yearly. 3,000 minutes, same features.
• Pro: $30 a month, or $18 yearly. 6,000 minutes.

Extra minutes come as add-ons: $10 for 500, $15 for 1,000 or $20 for 3,000, valid 90 days. There are also one-time packages named Lite, Plus and Max, valid 90 or 180 days. Their prices sit behind a toggle on the pricing page. One-time buyers do not get API access.

Refunds are offered for a monthly period with no minutes used, and pro-rated on yearly plans. Payment runs through Stripe.

Who is UniScribe for?

Podcasters and video makers. Transcript, show notes and quotable lines from one upload, in the formats editors and subtitle tools expect.

Students and researchers. Lecture recordings become searchable notes, with a summary and key questions to revise from.

Teams with meeting recordings. Speaker labels and timestamps make a Zoom or Teams recording searchable.

Developers and automators. The API, webhooks and MCP server turn transcription into a step in a pipeline rather than a chore.

Where does UniScribe fall short?

The free plan is tight. Thirty-minute files, three a day and a basic model with lower accuracy. Most real recordings run longer than that.

No live transcription. UniScribe works on files and links. It does not listen to a meeting as it happens.

The API is in beta and closed to free and one-time users. Endpoints may change, by UniScribe's own notice.

Accuracy is not stated. "Premium model, highest accuracy" carries no figure and no benchmark.

One-time package prices are hidden until you toggle for them. The site's user counts read like live counters rather than audited numbers.

Data sits in the United States on Microsoft Azure. Fine for most, worth knowing for anyone with residency rules.

Is UniScribe worth trying?

Yes. The free plan is enough to test accuracy on your own audio. Basic at $6 a month on the yearly plan is cheap for 20 hours with speaker labels and summaries.

Buy monthly if your need is a single project. Take the yearly plan if transcription is a habit. And if you need live captions during a call, this is the wrong tool. It is built for the recording afterwards.