10 Speech to Text Apps for People who are Deaf or Have Hearing Loss

People who can't hear well have different ways of talking to others. Recently, a new technology called automatic speech recognition (ASR) has given them even more ways to communicate.

In the UK, about 11 million people have trouble hearing, as stated by the charity Action on Hearing Loss. As people get older, more of them might have hearing problems. 

In this article, we will introduce the 10 best speech-to-text apps for hearing impaired.

Our top picks for speech-to-text apps

What to consider when choosing a speech-to-text app

Choosing a speech-to-text app is an important decision because it can greatly affect how well it turns spoken words into written text. Here are some things to consider to choosing a speech-to-text App:

• Accuracy and Precision: The most important thing is how well the app can turn speech into text. Look for apps that do this very accurately, especially if you're using them for professional or legal work.

• Voice Recognition Capability: Make sure the App can understand different ways of speaking, like different accents or speech patterns.

• Language Support: Check if the app can work with the languages you need. Some Apps are great with English but not so good with other languages.

• Real-Time Transcription: If you need the App to change speech into text as it's spoken, check if it can do this quickly. This is important for things like live captions or transcribing live events.

• Customization and Personalization: Some Apps let you change settings like how they add punctuation, format text, or understand different languages. This can help make the transcriptions better.

• Integration and Compatibility: Think about whether the App can work with other software you already use. This can make your work smoother.

• Privacy and Security: Make sure the app keeps your data private and safe. Check if it protects your voice recordings and personal information.

• Cost and Pricing: Look at how much the App costs, including any subscription fees. Some Apps charge based on how much you use them, while others have monthly or yearly plans.

• Training and Adaptation: Some Apps can learn to understand your voice better over time. Check if the App can do this, as it can make the transcriptions more accurate.

• Trial Period: If you can, try the App for free for a while to see if it's a good fit for your needs.

• Updates and Maintenance: Check if the App's developer regularly improves and fixes it. This shows they're committed to making it better.

• Scalability: If you plan to use the App for a growing team or business, make sure it can handle your needs as you get bigger.

Product introduction: 10 best voice-to-text apps

1. Notta

Best for Highly precise speech recognition and AI summarization to transcribe.

Notta is a useful voice-to-text app for the deaf. It has a free version and some paid options. It's good because your private information is kept safe when it's sent, and you can ask them to delete it if you want.

This speech-to-text app for the deaf can turn spoken words into text in real-time or from recordings. Notta works with Notion to save your text there. It helps you stay organized by letting you put your text and voice notes in folders. You can also edit the text and add pictures and notes.

Notta supports many different languages. You can save your text in different file formats like DOCX, SRT, TXT, PDF, and XLSX. Plus, it works on different devices like your phone, tablet, and computer, so you don't have to move files around.

Key Features:

• Notta can work with 58 different languages for transcribing.

• Automatically edit and correct words while you speak.

• Able to sync across different devices.

• Supports live screen recording and speaker identification for transcript.

• Uses AI to give 98.86% accurate transcription.

Pros:

• A variety of languages are supported.

• You can make corrections by using editing tools.

• Allows you to easily access your transcripts from any device.

Cons:

• The number of transcriptions per month is limited in the free version of Notta.

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Notta accurately records every word and detail spoken during conversations in real-time with 98.86% accuracy.

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2. Google Live Transcribe

Best for Providing accurate transcriptions for individuals with hearing issues or in noisy environments.

Google's Live Transcribe is a free mobile app that turns spoken words into written text. It helps people who can't hear well talk to others who also have trouble hearing. The app works on Android phones and uses Google's special technology to change speech into text almost instantly. Google’s Live Transcribe app was made in partnership with Gallaudet University, a school that focuses on helping students who are deaf or have trouble hearing.

This app can quickly turn spoken words into written text, it can work with many different languages, and it has features that make it easy to use. However, there might be issues with people worrying about their privacy when the app stores and uses the text it transcribes. Also, it might not work well in loud places or with certain accents or ways of speaking.

Key Features:

• Sound Amplifiers make sounds better even when it's noisy or the room doesn't have good acoustics.

• It can help people speak in more than 80 different languages and lets them have conversations in two languages.

• It doesn't pay attention to sounds that aren't speech, like laughing or noises made by things, such as a doorbell, phone ringing, or music.

• You can make it shake when someone says your name.

Pros:

• A useful tool for people who have difficulty hearing.

• The App can change spoken words into written text as they are spoken.

Cons:

• It might not be as precise as expert transcription services in tough situations.

3. Microsoft Translator

Best for supporting diverse classroom learning with real-time subtitles and conversations in different languages.

A free and user-friendly mobile and web application, Microsoft Translator is developed by Microsoft. This is a useful speech-to-text app for the deaf or those who have hearing issues. This App is made to help people translate and talk in different languages more easily and conveniently.

By using this tool, you can easily communicate and understand different languages. It provides different tools to help people and companies overcome language problems. This app is great for communication, but it might not give you accurate results all the time.

Key Features:

• Translate text in any resource into more than 70 languages, whether you're online or offline.

• Helps you to translate speech with your voice and talk to someone in two languages on one screen.

• Supports sending the translations to other Apps.

• Get languages for offline use so you can use them when you're traveling without the internet.

Pros:

• A wide range of languages are supported to transcribe.

• You can talk or type something in one language, and the App will change it into the language you want.

Cons:

• People need to be careful when using it for important messages.

4. Dragon Anywhere

Best for deaf people as it offers precise and efficient voice recognition.

The Dragon Anywhere app is a helpful tool that can understand what people say and write it down accurately. One of the key advantages of this app is that it offers accurate and efficient voice recognition and this app is great for deaf people who talk to communicate. It's also good for anyone who wants to change spoken words into written words very precisely, which saves time.

However, there are some not-so-good things about it. You might have to pay to use it, which can be a problem if you don't want to spend money. Also, sometimes it might make mistakes when listening to your voice, especially if there's a lot of noise in the background or if you have an accent.

Key Features:

• Provides you with fast performance and high accuracy.

• It can transcribe what people say in real time, which is handy for taking notes in classes, meetings, or interviews.

• Share documents with other Apps like Gmail, Evernote, and Dropbox after syncing to the cloud.

Pros:

• Works with many different languages for transcription.

• Provides high accuracy in voice recognition.

Cons:

• You have to purchase a paid subscription to use this app, and not everyone can afford it.

5. TapSOS

Best for communicating with the Emergency Services without using words.

This great app won an award last year. It helps people who can't hear well talk to the emergency services without talking or listening. It's easy to use - you just tap the screen to choose what you need.

TapSOS was made for deaf people, but it can also help people with trouble breathing or people in trouble who need to call the police. The app keeps your medical info and shares it with the emergency service, and it shows where you are using GPS. Still, this app might not be a great choice for you as it depends on GPS.

Key Features:

• Gives you an easy and fast way to ask for assistance when you need it.

• It uses GPS to tell emergency services exactly where you are.

• Stores your health information and gives it to the people who help in emergencies.

Pros:

• Allows you to connect to the police, coast guard, or ambulance services.

• You can describe your emergency from a list of different emergencies.

Cons:

• TapSOS depends on your device and a good internet connection.

6. Live Caption

Best for instantly turning spoken words into text.

Live Caption is a voice-to-text app that brings real-time transcription to your fingertips. By using this app, you can create subtitles in the right language without doing it yourself. This app listens to short TikTok videos and turns the sounds into written subtitles.

You can use the Live Caption tool to change spoken words into written text for TV shows, online videos, films, live events, or other things. However, this app doesn’t provide you with an accurate transcription which can cause you misunderstanding.

Key Features:

• It listens to what people say and turns it into words right away using fancy technology that understands speech.

• Supports turning TikTok video sounds into text.

• Transcripts can be used for TV shows, films, online videos, etc.

Pros:

• Helps you to create subtitles in the right language without doing it yourself.

• Have the ability to detect voice in real-time while playing media on a mobile phone.

Cons:

• Sometimes, it might not write down speech correctly, especially if someone has a strong accent, there's a lot of background noise, or if the language is not standard.

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You can depend on Notta’s accuracy and translation features to ensure professional live captioning, every time.

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7. RogerVoice

Best for transcribing all of your calls in many languages.

Apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime have changed how deaf and hard-of-hearing people talk to each other. But regular phone calls are still very important.

RogerVoice is a speech-to-text app for the deaf that can turn spoken words into written text right away. When someone talks to you, you can see their words on your screen. You can respond by speaking or typing.

If you type during a call, a voice machine will read your message to the other person. If someone who is deaf or hard of hearing has the app, RogerVoice can change any phone call into written words and add subtitles to videos. But to use this app, the other person must need to have the app installed on their device.

Key Features:

• 30 minutes of calls are offered for free.

• International calls can be made and over 80 languages are supported.

• The text-to-speech option is included in this App.

Pros:

• You can use the RogerVoice App on both Android and iOS devices.

• Deaf people can easily get in touch with others using the mobile phone.

Cons:

• The other person needs to put the App on their device to communicate.

8. Otter

Best for its collaborative and organizational functions for transcriptions.

Otter is a helpful tool for people who can't hear well. It can turn spoken words into written text, making it great for work situations. It can take notes during meetings, interviews, classes, and everyday conversations in real-time when you talk into a microphone. One of the drawbacks of Otter is it supports only English and regional accents.

Key Features:

• Offer real-time written words for people who can't hear well, those learning English, or anyone who requires special help to understand.

• Type what you hear as it happens (when you're connected to the internet) with very few mistakes, and you can control how fast it's played back.

• Being able to keep and show written records.

Pros:

• Precise writing down of words using smart computer programs.

• An easy-to-use design with options you can change.

Cons:

• This App needs the internet to change spoken words into text.

9. Speechnotes

Best for writing down what someone says as they say it and automatically saving it.

One of the best speech-to-text apps in the market, Speechnotes enables users to record for a long time. This app can turn your spoken words into written text easily. You can get this app for Android and iOS from the app stores on those devices.

The app will continue to record even when you take an extended break to think. You can add punctuations where needed with the built-in keyboard. By using voice commands, you can also dictate punctuation marks on this App.

Key Features:

• It can understand when one talks to it and also knows when to use things like commas and periods.

• Save what you write to the internet.

• Provides a keyboard that turns your spoken words into text on Android phones.

Pros:

• Cloud storage keeps your data secure and lets you use it on many different devices.

• Users will find the interface easy-to-use and simple of this App.

Cons:

• The Android App won't let you transcribe without paying for a premium subscription when you're not connected to the internet.

10. AVA

Best for providing 24/7 real-time audio transcription based on AI.

Now, let's talk about AVA, an app that helps people who are deaf or have trouble hearing. It turns spoken words into text, like subtitles in a movie, as they're being said. It's great for group discussions like meetings, visits to the doctor, events, and classes, but it also works for one-on-one chats.

You can use Ava on your iPhone or Android to have what you say instantly turned into text when you connect it to a microphone. Though this app is available for free, it has some limitations in this version. Additionally, you cannot use this App for group conversations if the person on the other end doesn’t install the App.

Key Features:

• Keep a record of what you've written down.

• Converts spoken words into written text instantly, even from a distance of about a yard.

• You can use AVA on both iPhone and Android phones.

Pros:

• Works with 16 different languages.

• Both Android and iOS mobile users can use the AVA app for transcription.

Cons:

• The free version of AVA doesn't have many features.

Wrapping up

Technology has made life better for people who can't hear well. There are voice-to-text translators for the deaf that change what you say into writing, and this helps with communication.

In this guide, we have introduced the 10 best speech-to-text apps for hearing impaired. Among these apps, Notta is a great choice. It's good at changing speech into text and has many features. It can be used on different devices and supports many languages. Give Notta a try today!

FAQs

Is there a voice-to-text app for the deaf?

Yes, there are many apps and computer programs that can change what people say into written words. These apps help people who can't hear well. Some popular apps for deaf voice-to-text are Notta, Google Live Transcribe, Otter, Ava, Dragon Anywhere, etc. 

However, Notta will be our highly recommended app for deaf voice-to-text. It can easily recognize the voice ignoring the noises and give you a precise transcript with 98.86% accuracy.

How can I dictate audio to text?

Here are the steps to dictate audio to text using Notta -

Step 1: Go to the Notta website, make an account, and log in. Once you're in, click "Import Files" on the right, pick the language you want for transcribing audio, and then either drag your files or choose them to begin transcribing.

If you want to capture and write down spoken words as they're spoken, just click on "Record an Audio" on the Notta dashboard.

Step 2: Notta will turn spoken words into written text as soon as you're done uploading. Usually, it takes Notta less than 5 minutes to change a 2-hour-long audio into text. You can easily check and change the written text using Notta.

Step 3: Just click "Export" and choose the type you want, like TXT, DOCX, SRT, PDF, or EXCEL. You can also send what you've recorded and written to your coworkers or clients by making a special web link. Click "Share" to get a special web link to give to others.

Can ChatGPT transcribe audio to text?

No, ChatGPT cannot transcribe audio to text. ChatGPT is a text-based AI model and It cannot directly transcribe audio to text. But you don’t need to get tensed because you can Notta to transcribe audio to text. This voice-to-text app can provide you with a real-time transcript using AI technology.

Is Google Transcribe free?

Yes, Google Transcribe is free but it requires you to get a paid subscription to access the advanced features. In this case, try using Notta to get a better experience. Notta will give you an accurate transcript without you doing anything. Additionally, this App will keep all your data safe so that your privacy doesn’t face any harm.

What is the best free speech-to-text app for iPhone?

For iPhone, several speech-to-text apps are available. However, the best free speech-to-text app for iPhone is Notta. It provides you with 98.86% accurate transcriptions by using AI technology. Notta’s ability to recognize and transcribe multiple speakers in a conversation is one of the most advanced features.