Deaf Culture

June 4, 2023

9 Min

7 Best Speech-to-text Apps for Smartphones

Are you looking for the best Speech-To-Text apps for your smartphone? We picked the top ones to assist users in converting speech to text easily!

Author:

Matt Sherman

7 Best Speech-to-text Apps for Smartphones

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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!

Girl wearing a hearing aid and playing a smartphone.

01. Nagish Live Transcribe

First, we have Nagish Live Transcribe -- our very own speech-to-text feature 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 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. As an added free bonus, we have implemented a live transcribe feature for any deaf or hard of hearing user.

A screenshot of the Nagish Live Transcribe. Text: “I have prescribed you penicillin. Please take it 3 times a day for the next 10 days.” — *A screenshot of the Nagish Live Transcribe.* Text: “I have prescribed you penicillin. Please take it 3 times a day for the next 10 days.”

When you use Nagish Live Transcribe, you see customizable text on your screen in real time. As you can see in above image, the text font size and weight can be changed. In addition you can change your screen to light or dark mode for ease of viewing.

No more feeling left out. Nagish lets your voice be heard.

Sign me up now!

If you wish to have the microphone closer to the speaker, you can turn your phone around and hit the “flip” button, which will rotate the text for your viewing, as seen in the screenshot below.

The text in Nagish Live Transcribe, after using the “flip” feature.

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. It is fast, private, and free. To reply to the other party, select “type” and write your response while still seeing the ongoing transcription. In addition, we offer Bluetooth connectivity such as hearing aids or external microphones.

iOS: 4.8 stars

Android: 4.3 stars

Pros	Cons
It’s Free!	Currently only available in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
100% private - no interpreter needed!	Requires registration
Lets you access, save, and share your call transcripts.
Lets you keep your existing number.
Lets you log your call history and transcribe voicemails.
Supports English, Spanish, Japanese, French, Italian, and Hebrew
Offers full support when calling automated lines.
Allows you to modify the size of your captions and select from personalized voices.
Helps you save time with a quick response feature.
Includes a built-in spam filter and profanity filter.
Supports Bluetooth devices such as hearing aids.
Real-time, fast and reliable.
Helps organize your contacts and add favorites in one place.
The person on the other end of the line doesn’t need the app installed.
Developed and run by a purpose-driven team of diverse and talented individuals with the mission of making the world more accessible for the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
Has a personal dictionary.
Easy-to-use interface
Available for iOS and Android devices

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

Pros	Cons
90% Accurate	For group conversations, the person on the other end must also install the app.
Saves your transcriptions	The free version has limited features.
Supports 16 languages	The community and professional plans are charged hourly and costly depending on usage. Starting at $14.99 per month, paid monthly for 3 hours. Every additional hour is $4.99
Transcribes voice-to-text in real-time from up to a meter away.
Ability to add custom vocabulary
ADA Complaint
Available for iOS and Android devices

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

Pros	Cons
Sound Amplifier improves sound regardless of poor acoustic or background noise.	Sound Amplifier feature only works with wired headphones
Supports over 70 languages and dialects and allows bilingual communication.	Requires a paid subscription to access all features
Ignores non-speech sounds such as laughter and non-human sounds like the doorbell, phone ringing, and music.	Doesn’t include the feature to save call transcripts
You can set it to vibrate anytime someone says your name	Not available for iOS
Text size is adjustable

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

Pros	Cons
Supports over 50 languages	It’s a subscription-supported app that costs $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year.
Text size is adjustable	Not available for Android
Can be used offline
Ability to share and save transcripts
Quick reply with text

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

Pros	Cons
Offers 30 minutes of free calls.	It’s a subscription-supported app that costs $5.99 a month for one hour or $29.99 a month for unlimited usage.
Supports over 80 languages and makes international calls	The person on the other end must install the app.
Easy to use interface and text size is adjustable
Includes text-to-speech option
Available for Android and iOS users

06. Transcribe AI: Voice to Text

TextHear is a speech-to-text app for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. It is available for iPhones and iPads and is ideal for lectures or meetings. It supports over 55+ different languages.

iOS: 4.5 stars

Pros	Cons
Available on iOS platforms, and can sync between devices.	Not available on android.
Automatic summaries and key points are available. Great for lecture notes.	Premium features cost $59.99 a year or $29.99 a month. Occasionally has sales and discounts.
Multilingual
Can export text into PDFs or MP3 files.

06. 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

Pros	Cons
Provide live captioning to deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, ESL learners, and anyone with accessibility needs.	Only supports English.
Transcribe in real-time (when online) with high accuracy and adjustable speed playback.	The microphone needs to be activated for transcription to begin.
Ability to save and share transcripts	Mostly used in the workplace.
Available for Android and iOS users	Not free. Includes three different tier plans.

08. 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

Pros	Cons
Android version is free	iOS version is free to download and test for one minute after that, transcription minutes must be purchased.
Automatic punctuation aids readability and comprehension.	The microphone needs to be activated for transcription to begin.
Multilingual
Available for Android and iOS users

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.

Whether you're 18 or 100, staying connected matters—and Nagish is here to help.

Sign me up now!