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Live Captioning Apps: See Speech as Text

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

Email to a family member

Live captioning apps listen with your phone's microphone. They turn speech into text as people talk. Many work for one-on-one talks, meetings and appointments.

Some are built into your phone. Others are separate apps with paid plans. Accuracy changes with room noise, distance and accents.

The apps

  • Google Live Transcribe

    Google LLC

    Turns speech around you into text on an Android phone.

    No costAndroid

  • Live Transcribe (Mighty Fine Apps)

    Mighty Fine Apps LLC

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

    No cost to download, paid optionsiPhone, iPad

  • NALscribe

    National Acoustic Laboratories

    A live captioning app from a hearing research laboratory.

    No costiPhone, iPad

  • Ava

    Transcense, Inc.

    Captions group talk and shows who is speaking.

    No-cost tier and paid plansiPhone, iPad, Android

  • Live Captions (iPhone)

    Apple

    Captions audio on your iPhone and talk around you.

    Built iniPhone, iPad

  • Live Caption (Android)

    Google

    Captions audio that plays on your Android phone.

    Built inAndroid

How to choose

  • Try the built-in captions first. They cost nothing extra.
  • Check offline use if you often have no signal.
  • Check languages. Each app lists the languages it supports.
  • Read the privacy notes. Some apps send audio to a server. Others work on your phone.

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.

Find apps by situation

Compare two apps side by side

Read more on our site

Questions to bring to your visit

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

  • Which captions can I read at a glance in a group?
  • Can my hearing aids stream sound while I read captions?
  • Which places near me have a loop system or Auracast?

Common questions

What is a live captioning app?
It listens to talk in the room and shows the words as text. Some are built into your phone. Others are separate apps.
How accurate are live captions?
Accuracy changes with noise, distance and accents. Each maker states limits. Use captions to help you follow a talk, not as an exact record.
Do live caption apps work without internet?
It depends on the app. Each app page states what the app needs. Check it before you rely on it in a place with weak signal.

Other groups of apps

Talk to an audiologist

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.

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