Top tools for live transcription

In 2026, real-time transcription tools are essential in converting live audio into text with minimal delay, playing a crucial role in applications such as Voice AI, live meeting transcriptions, broadcast captioning, and more. These tools process audio streams in small segments, returning text almost instantaneously, typically achieving latencies between 200-500 milliseconds. Key criteria for choosing the right transcription service include accuracy, latency, language support, scalability, and advanced features like speaker diarization and custom vocabulary. Leading platforms such as AssemblyAI, OpenAI, Deepgram, and Google Cloud Speech-to-Text offer various capabilities tailored to different needs, from production Voice AI applications to high-volume transcription. While real-time transcription often has slightly lower accuracy compared to batch processing due to limited context, modern AI technologies have significantly improved this gap. Implementing these tools involves WebSocket streaming for optimal performance and managing audio configurations to enhance transcription quality.