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Apps That Caption Talk in the Room

Last checked November 10, 2026. Next full check February 2027.

Email to a family member

A live caption app listens through your phone and shows the words as text. It can help when someone speaks and you cannot catch every word.

Some apps are built into your phone. Others are separate apps with their own plans.

The apps

We list the apps in no order. 6 apps.

  • Google Live Transcribe

    Google LLC

    Turns speech around you into text on an Android phone.

    Good for: Android users who want captions in the room.

    No costAndroid

  • Live Transcribe (Mighty Fine Apps)

    Mighty Fine Apps LLC

    An iPhone app that writes speech as text, with several caption modes.

    Good for: iPhone users who want a dedicated captioning app with more than the built-in captions.

    No cost to download, paid optionsiPhone, iPad

  • NALscribe

    National Acoustic Laboratories

    A live captioning app from a hearing research laboratory.

    Good for: People who want a simple captioning app with privacy controls.

    No costiPhone, iPad

  • Ava

    Transcense, Inc.

    Captions group talk and shows who is speaking.

    Good for: People who join group talks or meetings and need to see who is speaking.

    No-cost tier and paid plansiPhone, iPad, Android

  • Live Captions (iPhone)

    Apple

    Captions audio on your iPhone and talk around you.

    Good for: iPhone users who want captions with nothing to install.

    Built iniPhone, iPad

  • Rylo (formerly Nagish)

    Nagish Inc. d/b/a Rylo

    Captions phone calls, and also captions talk in the room with a separate feature.

    Good for: People who want call captions and room captions in one app.

    No cost if you qualifyiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android

Limits to keep in mind

  • Accuracy changes with distance, noise and accents.
  • Some apps need an internet connection. Check each page.
  • Tell people when you caption their words. It is polite, and some apps ask you to.

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.

Compare two apps side by side

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Questions to bring to your visit

Write these on your phone or print this page. Bring them to your hearing evaluation.

  • Which captions suit my hearing aids?
  • Can I stream sound and read captions together?
  • What can we do at home to make talk easier?

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Talk to an audiologist

Captions help, and so can hearing aids. Call 650-342-9449 to find out how much you hear without help.

California Hearing Center has offices in San Mateo and San Carlos. One phone number reaches both: 650-342-9449.

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