7 Best Speech-to-Text Apps For Smartphones [iPhone and Android]

Imagine you're on a phone call with a person you matched with online, and witty banter is flying back and forth. But your responses start arriving late, way too late. 

Minutes pass, and when your messages finally appear, the punchlines lose their punch, and the jokes fall flat. 

Or perhaps you’re in the middle of a phone interview, and the person on the other end feels you’re not quick to reply to job-related questions.

Sound familiar? We've all been there. It's frustrating when delayed communication throws off the entire flow of a conversation. 

Luckily, speech-to-text apps for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals that transcribe spoken words into text in real-time can mark the difference. 

As you crack jokes and deliver the perfect one-liners, the voice-to-text app keeps up, capturing every word and displaying it on your screen as it happens, ensuring you never miss a beat.

How do speech-to-text apps for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals work?

Speech-to-text apps for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals use either AI technology or human stenographers to turn spoken language into written text in real-time.

But it's not just about being up to speed with the banter or conducting a perfect phone interview. It's about the impact that real-time communication tools can have on daily life. 

Speech-to-text apps for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals help us stay connected and engaged as we join in the laughter, fire back quick-witted replies, and participate in meaningful conversations where ideas are born.

These incredible voice-to-text apps for the deaf or hard of hearing are not limited to group chats. They are also useful for phone calls, doctor’s appointments, events, classes, and even important business meetings, making communication more inclusive and efficient and allowing us to easily navigate personal and professional realms.

So here, we're thrilled to present our hand-picked selection of the best speech-to-text apps for Android and iPhone. 

Whether you want to stay connected with loved ones or enhance your professional life, these speech-to-text apps for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals have your back. 

Get ready to experience the power of real-time communication in a whole new way. 

Let's dive in!

01. Nagish

First up, we have Nagish - our very own app that we may be slightly partial to (just a smidge!). But hey, after you carefully examine the pros and cons, explore the raving reviews on the app store, and check out the awesome features, we'll gracefully step aside and let you be the ultimate judge. 

Nagish is a free app that captions phone calls using AI, converting text-to-speech and speech-to-text in real-time while remaining 100% private. 

Caption your calls for free

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When you use Nagish for a phone call, the other side of the call hears a natural-sounding voice, and whatever they say is shown as text on your screen. One of the greatest benefits is that the person on the other end of the phone doesn’t need the app installed!

This bridges the gap between the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and hearing people. Empowering both to seamlessly enjoy private conversations with anybody at any time. The app continues releasing new features like saving call transcripts while keeping them 100% private.

Plus, the people behind this life-enhancing communication tool are a driven and like-minded team of hearing and deaf professionals working towards a shared mission of accessibility and inclusivity. Learn more about the Nagish team and check out all our features. 

iOS: 4.8 stars

Android: 4.3 stars

02. Ava

Next, there’s Ava, a speech-to-text app for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals that uses captions to live transcribe voice-to-text in real-time. It is ideal for group conversations, such as business meetings, doctor's appointments, events, and classrooms, although it is also useful for one-on-one conversations. 

This speech-to-text app for iPhone and Android allows users to connect their phone microphone to a microphone and have their voice transcribed into text in real time.

iOS: 4.4 stars

Android: 3.4 stars

03. Google’s Live Transcribe

Google’s Live Transcribe is a free speech-to-text app for deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing communities that use Google’s speech recognition technology to automatically transcribe speech in near-real time for Android platforms. 

The app was built in collaboration with Gallaudet University, the only higher education institution in which all programs and services are designed to accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing students. 

Android: 3.8 stars

04. iOS Live Transcribe

Live Transcribe is a voice-to-text app for the deaf and hard of hearing built for simplicity, that automatically transcribes speech in near-real time while offline. 

The app allows you to type text during real-time conversations and adjust the font size displayed for greater readability. 

iOS: 4.6 stars

05. RogerVoice

While tools like WhatsApp and FaceTime have greatly influenced the way deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals communicate, voice calls are still an essential part of daily communication. 

RogerVoice allows you to read speech in real-time: when the person you are talking to speaks, their speech is instantly displayed as text on your screen. You can reply directly by speaking or by text. When you write during a call, a voice synthesiser will read your message to the listener.

As long as the deaf or hard of hearing person has the app installed, RogerVoice will transcribe any phone call and subtitle videos. 

iOS: 4.7 stars

Android: 3.8 stars

06. TextHear

TextHear is a speech-to-text app for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals available for iPhone and Android smartphones ideal for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, supporting over 100 languages and accents.

iOS: 3.7 stars 

Android: 4.0 stars

07. Otter

Otter is a voice-to-text translator for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals ideal in a work environment since it can accurately transcribe voice meetings, interviews, lectures, and everyday voice conversations in real time using speech-to-text technology via a microphone.

iOS: 4.7 stars 

Android: 4.3 stars

What is the best live transcription app for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals?

We hope this comparative guide of speech-to-text apps for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals has helped you make the best selection for your needs regarding features, cost, and efficiency. 

Having tested multiple versions of apps that help deaf and hard of hearing communities communicate, pros and cons aside, we believe the biggest opportunity lies in the ease of use and seamless experience to promote integration amongst our diverse communities. 

If you are looking for the best speech-to-text app for deaf or hard of hearing individuals for iPhone and Android to have a dynamic back-and-forth phone conversation with anyone at any time, we highly recommend you give Nagish a try, it’s free, and no commitment is required!

The importance of effective tools that help us communicate and do so in real-time cannot be overstated. They enable us to keep pace with the natural rhythm of conversation, ensuring that our responses are timely, relevant, and in sync with the ongoing dialogue. 

Real-time communication tools, such as high-quality speech-to-text apps, instantaneously bridge the gap between spoken words and written text, allowing for seamless communication between individuals. While simultaneously bringing deaf and hard-of-hearing communities closer to hearing individuals.

And with speech-to-text apps for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals designed with our needs in mind, we can ride the wave of conversation effortlessly, sharing joy and laughter alongside our hearing friends.

In a world where communication is key, having tools that facilitate real-time communication is a game-changer. With speech-to-text apps for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, we can overcome communication barriers and ensure that our interactions remain vibrant, connected, and deeply meaningful.