Google Live Transcribe vs Ava: Side-by-Side Comparison
This page puts Google Live Transcribe and Ava side by side. It shows what each maker or store says. It does not pick a winner.
At a glance
| Feature | Google Live Transcribe | Ava |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Google LLC | Transcense, Inc. |
| Group | Live captions | Live captions |
| Works on | Android | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Built into the phone | No | No |
| Cost | No cost. The Google Play listing shows no price. | No-cost tier and paid plans. The App Store says the free plan gives basic captions in sessions up to 40 minutes. The Community plan is listed at $14.99 a month or $119.99 a year. |
| Good for | Android users who want captions in the room. | People who join group talks or meetings and need to see who is speaking. |
Main differences
- Google Live Transcribe works on Android. Ava works on iPhone, iPad, Android.
- Google Live Transcribe: no cost. Ava: no-cost tier and paid plans.
What each one does
Google Live Transcribe
- Writes real-time text of conversations in over 80 languages and dialects.
- Lets you add custom words.
- Vibrates when someone says your name.
- Lets you type a reply.
- Works with wired, Bluetooth and USB microphones.
- Can save transcripts for 3 days. This is off until you turn it on.
- Includes Sound Notifications for sounds such as smoke alarms.
Ava
- Writes live captions from your phone's microphone.
- Colors the text by speaker in group talk.
- Lets you add custom words and fix words.
- Reads your typed text aloud.
- Saves transcripts.
- Translates into 16 languages on the Community plan.
What each one needs
Google Live Transcribe
- An Android phone with Android 12 or later.
Ava
- An iPhone or iPad with iOS 18.6 or later, or an Android phone.
Good to know
Google Live Transcribe
- The Google Play listing says the app now has a sign-to-text feature that uses the camera to turn American Sign Language into English.
- Google's listing names the app Live Transcribe & Notifications.
- Pixel phones and some other phones have the app already installed.
- A different app with a similar name, Live Transcribe by Mighty Fine Apps, is for iPhone.
Ava
- Workplace and school plans, named Ava Pro and Ava Enterprise, are sold apart from the personal plans.
- Prices come from the App Store listing on the checked date. They can change.
How to choose
- Check your phone first. Some apps work on one kind of phone only.
- Read the limits for each app above. Then read each full page.
- Check the cost on the store listing before you install.
- Try one app at a time. Tell your audiologist which one helps.
This guide is general information. It does not diagnose hearing loss and it does not replace a hearing evaluation. An app cannot tell you why you hear less. An audiologist can.
More comparisons
Read more on our site
- Hearing better on phones and captions
- Noisy rooms and distance
- How to talk with someone who has hearing loss
- What is Auracast?
Sources
We read these pages on November 10, 2026. Prices and phone requirements change, so check the listing before you install.
- Google Live Transcribe: Live Transcribe & Notifications on Google Play
- Google Live Transcribe: Google: turn on Sound Notifications
- Ava: Ava on the App Store
- Ava: Ava on Google Play
Need help choosing?
Using captions all day? Your hearing may need a closer look. Call 650-342-9449.
California Hearing Center has offices in San Mateo and San Carlos. One phone number reaches both: 650-342-9449.
Call 650-342-9449Request an appointmentAbout hearing testing