Tool profile
Speechnotes: cost, fit and limits
Speechnotes is an online dictation notepad and Chrome voice-typing extension that uses speech recognition engines from Google and Microsoft, with an ad-free Premium upgrade and a pay-per-minute transcription service for audio and video files. It is a Chrome-centered tool.
What to know first
Speechnotes keeps its pricing simple: Dictation Free with ads, Dictation Premium at $1.9 per month without ads, and file Transcription at $0.10 per minute with no subscription. The page lists a REST API, webhooks and a Zapier connection, but only for the transcription service. The vendor's name is not stated, and privacy information sits inside the homepage. Check the checkout page for current prices.
Speechnotes at a glance
| Maker | Not stated by the vendor, Not stated by the vendor |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 (Dictation Free, with ads) |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI Dictation Software in 2026, rank 11 of 12 |
| Website | speechnotes.co |
Who Speechnotes is best for
Occasional dictators on a tight budget
At $1.9 per month for Premium, or free with ads, it is the cheapest way here to talk into a notepad and copy the text elsewhere.
People who transcribe the odd interview
Pay-as-you-go at $0.10 per minute avoids a subscription, and output includes speaker labels, timestamps and caption files. Output includes speaker labels, timestamps and caption files, which saves manual formatting afterward.
Developers adding transcription to a pipeline
The transcription service offers a REST API with webhooks and a Zapier integration, which the notepad and the extension lack.
Speechnotes plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Dictation Free | $0 per month | Online dictation notepad and Chrome voice-typing extension, with ads. Free is supported by advertising and has no stated word cap on the page. |
| Dictation Premium | $1.9 per month | Premium notepad and extension, support from the development team and no ads. It is the ad-free upgrade, priced monthly at the lowest rate in this category. |
| Transcription | $0.10 per minute, pay as you go | Audio and video transcription, English speaker diarization, timestamps, .srt caption export, a REST API, webhooks and Zapier integration. |
Checked November 2026.
What Speechnotes does
- Dictation notepad
- A web notepad lets you speak and watch text appear, then copy or save it, with Google Drive import and sync for stored notes. Text can be copied or saved from there.
- Chrome extension
- The voice-typing extension types into forms and text boxes in Chrome, which extends dictation beyond the notepad to other web pages. It works only in Chrome.
- File transcription
- Audio and video files, including YouTube links, can be transcribed, with English speaker diarization and timestamps added to the output text. Pricing is per minute of audio, not per file.
- Caption export
- Transcripts can be exported as .srt captions, which is useful for video editors who need subtitles for finished clips. The caption export is part of the transcription service.
- Mobile apps
- Android and iOS apps are listed, so notes can be dictated away from a desktop browser and picked up later in Google Drive. Sync depends on a Google account.
How Speechnotes handles your data
Speechnotes keeps its privacy and security information as sections of the homepage rather than as separate pages. The page does not state whether audio or text is retained, whether customer data trains models or where data is hosted. It names HIPAA compliance, without naming a certificate or report. Speech recognition uses engines from Google and Microsoft, so audio is processed by those providers under their terms. Because the vendor's name and policy detail are limited on the page we read, treat the vendor's policy as not checked beyond the homepage, and ask for written terms before dictating confidential content.
Where Speechnotes falls short in practice
- Ads on the free version. Dictation Free carries advertising, and an ad-free notepad needs Premium at $1.9 per month. The free notepad and extension show advertising, and an ad-free experience needs Premium at $1.9 per month.
- API covers transcription only. The REST API and webhooks belong to the file transcription service. The notepad and the Chrome extension have no API, so developers cannot build on live dictation.
- Thin privacy detail. There is no separate privacy or security page, and the homepage sections give no retention periods, hosting region or training terms. Written terms would have to come from the vendor on request.
Works with
Alternatives to Speechnotes
Speechnotes: common questions
How much does Speechnotes cost?
Dictation Free is $0 with ads. Dictation Premium is $1.9 per month and removes ads. File transcription is separate at $0.10 per minute, pay as you go, with no subscription. The prices are as published on the homepage in November 2026, and taxes may apply.
Does Speechnotes have an API?
Yes, but only for transcription. The transcription service lists a REST API, webhooks and a Zapier integration. The dictation notepad and the Chrome extension do not offer an API on the page we read, so live voice typing cannot be built into your own product through it.
Which speech engines does Speechnotes use?
The page says speech recognition uses engines from Google and Microsoft, and it offers AI summaries. Neither engine is described in detail, and no model names are printed. Audio is therefore handled by those providers under their own policies, not only by Speechnotes.
Can Speechnotes transcribe YouTube videos?
Yes. The transcription service accepts audio and video files and YouTube links, with English speaker diarization, timestamps and .srt caption export at $0.10 per minute. Language coverage beyond English diarization is not described on the page we read. The quoted price is $0.10 per minute.
Is Speechnotes private enough for medical or legal dictation?
The page names HIPAA compliance but not a certificate or report, and it gives no retention, hosting or training terms. Speech is processed by Google and Microsoft engines. For sensitive dictation, ask the vendor for written terms or pick a tool that states them.