Riverside alternative
Riverside transcription alternative: Scriptorium vs Riverside
Riverside's free transcription page is a real competitor: no sign-up, no stated minute limit, TXT and SRT downloads. For a single-voice MP3, WAV, MP4 or MOV it is hard to beat. Where it stops is multiple speakers and file types, which is where Scriptorium may fit better.
Updated
Where Riverside is the better choice
- No sign-up and no stated limit on the free tool, with downloads that are not gated on its page.
- 100+ languages claimed.
- Riverside's recording studio produces separate tracks per speaker, which is the highest-quality input a transcript can have.
Where Scriptorium fits better
- Optional speaker labels (up to 8 speakers), where Riverside's free tool assigns uploaded audio to one speaker.
- VTT, Markdown, JSON and CSV on top of TXT and SRT.
- M4A, Opus, FLAC, MKV and more: Riverside's page lists only MP3, WAV, MP4 and MOV.
Riverside and Scriptorium side by side
| Riverside | Scriptorium | |
|---|---|---|
| Free route | Free transcription tool: unlimited, no sign-up (its page) | One file up to 15 minutes and 25 MB, 3 tries a day, no account |
| Account for the free route | No | No for the first file; a free account adds a saved library |
| Languages | 100+ (its claim) | 33 plus automatic detection |
| Exports | TXT and SRT | TXT, timestamped TXT, SRT, VTT, Markdown, JSON and CSV |
| Speaker identification | Free tool does not separate speakers on uploads; paid editor does | Optional speaker labels, up to 8 speakers |
| Accepted files | MP3, WAV, MP4, MOV | M4A, MP3, WAV, FLAC, Opus, MP4, MOV, MKV and more |
| Entry paid price | Pro listed at $29 monthly or $24 a month annually, but its pricing page carried a staging notice when checked; re-check the live page | Pro $9.99 a month (600 minutes), Pro+ $19.99 a month (2500 minutes) |
| Max file length | Check their site | 15 minutes and 25 MB on the preview; account limits on the pricing page |
Checked on 2026-10-24 from the vendor's own pages listed below. Prices and limits change; confirm on their site before you buy. A cell that says "Check their site" means the page did not state it, was unreadable to us, or contradicted itself, and we chose not to guess. Longer read: Free transcription with no sign-up, compared.
Which should you pick?
- Pick Riverside if Single-voice audio in one of its four formats and you want no limits stated.
- Pick Scriptorium if Several speakers, other file types, or you want VTT and JSON exports.
Scriptorium's transcripts are automatic and make mistakes; read them against the audio. The free preview is on the home page, and the pricing page lists plans.
Sources
Questions
Is Riverside's transcription tool really free?
What file types does Riverside accept?
Is it free?
Try it with your own file
Upload a recording and read the transcript.