Two ways in
| Your podcast is… | Do this | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| On YouTube (with captions) | Paste the episode link on the home page | Free, unlimited, instant |
| An MP3 / M4A / WAV file | Upload it above | 120 free min a month, then Pro or packs |
| A raw recording from Riverside, Zoom or your phone | Upload the file (one track or the mixed track) | Same as above |
How to transcribe a podcast episode
- Upload the episode file above (MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, OGG, OPUS, FLAC or a video file).
- Pick the language and turn on speaker labels.
- When it finishes, rename Speaker 1, Speaker 2… to the host and guest names.
- Download TXT or DOCX for show notes, SRT or VTT for video clips — or press Summarize for chapters.
Episode length and price
| Free | Pro | Minute packs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 120 a month | 1,500 a month (~25 one-hour episodes) | 120 min $6 · 400 min $15 · 1000 min $29 |
| Longest episode | 120 min | 3 h | 3 h |
| Price | $0, no card | $12/month or $96/year | One-off, valid 12 months |
Failed files refund their minutes. A weekly one-hour show fits comfortably in Pro; an occasional episode is cheapest with a pack.
From transcript to show notes
Press Summarize on the finished transcript and you get a TL;DR, five to eight key points and chapters with timestamps — the three things most show notes need. Paste the chapters into YouTube or Spotify descriptions as they are.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| episode-48.mp3 — 58 min, host + guest | Transcript with Host / Guest names and a timestamp per paragraph |
| No chapters, no notes | TL;DR, key points and chapters (e.g. 0:00 Intro · 4:12 How it started · 21:40 What went wrong) |
| Audio only — not searchable | Text you can search, quote and publish as an episode page |
Why publish transcripts
- Search: an episode page with the full text can rank for what was said, not just the title.
- AI answers: assistants quote pages they can read — audio alone is invisible to them.
- Accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing listeners.
- Clips: SRT subtitles for vertical video cut from the episode.
What it can and can't do
Can
- Transcribe solo shows, interviews and panels with speaker labels.
- Handle 30+ languages, including episodes that are not in English.
- Export TXT, DOCX, SRT and VTT and summarize into chapters.
Can't
- Take episodes longer than 120 min on the free plan (Pro: up to 3 h).
- Fetch an episode from Apple Podcasts or Spotify by link — download the file from your host and upload it.
- Guarantee perfect spelling of guest names and jargon; check them before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free podcast transcript generator?
Yes — 120 upload minutes a month free with no card, and YouTube podcast episodes with captions are free and unlimited by link.
Can I paste a Spotify or Apple Podcasts link?
Not yet. Download the episode file (most hosts offer the MP3) and upload it, or paste the YouTube version if the show has one.
Does it separate host and guest?
Yes. Turn on speaker labels and rename the speakers; the names appear in every export.
How long does a one-hour episode take?
Usually under a minute.
Can I get show notes and chapters?
Yes. Press Summarize on the finished transcript for a TL;DR, key points and timestamped chapters (3 a day free).
Are my episodes kept or used for training?
No. Files are deleted after processing (7 days at most) and never used to train models.