I think it’s safe to assume that most of us have had to type something at some point in the past. Whether it be an email, school paper, book report, or article. When writing by hand becomes tiresome or you just don’t have the time, speech recognition software can provide a faster solution for typing text.
Now you might be thinking this technology is new and wouldn’t possibly work. But it does! And today I’ll cover the best speech recognition software for dictation so you no longer have to type out long documents yourself.
Dragon Anywhere
Best dictation solution on the move
TODAY’S BEST DEALSAnywhere 12 monthsUS$149.99/yearAnywhere 1 monthUS$14.99/mthVISIT SITEat Nuance
REASONS TO BUY
+Best-in-class mobile dictation software+Add custom vocabulary
REASONS TO AVOID
-Desktop software must be bought separately https://50ad3cc790dc4312eacb0b87f19e1c8e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
So powerful is Dragon’s mobile dictation software that it deserves its own spot on our list. Unlike its desktop counterpart, Dragon Anywhere is purchased through an ongoing subscription, rather than a one-off purchase.
As you might expect, the mobile version of Dragon is a pocket-sized version of the desktop software. There is little if any compromise on performance or accuracy. Dragon Anywhere uses cloud-based datasets and deep learning algorithms to provide a desktop experience on mobile.
Another feature we like is the ability to teach the software new words, expand its vocabulary, and ensure that it works for you, not the other way around. This makes using Dragon Anywhere a stress-free experience.
One of our only complaints about the platform is that you can only dictate text from within the app. If you want to move the transcribed text to another application, you’ll have to copy and paste it. This puts the platform at a disadvantage compared to in-built dictation software used in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or on iOS devices.
- Read our full Dragon Anywhere review.
Window’s Speech Recognition (WSR):
Window’s Speech Recognition (WSR) is a good software for speech recognition, especially because it is specifically designed to work with Windows, and works best in its newest update with Windows 10. Most people reviewed it as good, not great, but also claimed that it is at par with Google Docs Voice Typing (GDVT) and is a Windows version of the same level.
The advantages specific to WSR are that it has computer automation and related features, because it is especially integrated into and designed for the Windows operating system, it has complete control over the computer and its features, like sleep or shutdown options, etc. In addition, it gives the user text editing options, whereby any mistakes can be there and then corrected.
Though, some downsides include the fact that it is not the most accurate voice recognition software available in the market, as its accuracy is on the weaker side, and it cannot be freely used with other operating systems is need be for a change.
Its unique selling point would be the fact that it can control the whole computer through the software options, and can edit as you go. It is also free of cost, without additional charges, and works fine with Windows 10.
Google Docs Voice Typing
Best for transcribing text for free on Google Docs online.
Google Docs had added a dictation feature a few years back in the free Google Docs online application. The dictation feature is currently available only if you use the online app in the Chrome browser. It allows you to transcribe text on Google docs and save the document on Google Cloud.
Recommended reading =>> Best Free Typing Tutor Software
Features:
- Voice dictation
- Google Cloud integration
- Supports PC and Mac devices
Verdict: Google Docs is a simple voice typing feature that is great for people who want to use voice commands to type text. The feature is also available in Google Slide allowing you to enter text in slides using your voice.
Price: Free.
Website: Google Docs Voice Typing
Temi
Temi is a tool used for speech to text transcription, and is a highly advanced version of speech recognition software. It works when you upload any kind of file, be it audio or video, and it transcribes it in under five minutes. Eventually, the files can be stored in MS Word or PDF formats that especially belong to Windows, and can even be emailed.
This transcription tool gives ease of use to its users, who are effortlessly able to adjust the sound, speed of playback, skip any part if need be, and add timestamps too.
However, the quality of the transcription depends on the sound quality of the uploaded file, and the better the sound quality, the more accurate the results. Additionally, if files are too large, it may take a lot of time to transcribe, and crosses the five minute set benchmark. It also has a little difficulty understanding multiple different accents.
A unique point of Temi is that it has been built by speech recognition experts who are also masters of machine learning. There is a little cost attached if there is need of the whole software, though, multiple shorter trial versions are available for free. Journalists, bloggers and podcasters or authors can best use this tool for their field of work.
Apple Dictation
Best for transcribing text for free on Apple devices.
Apple’s dictation feature allows you to dictate messages and documents on your Mac devices. You can use this feature with applications where you can type including word processor, social media sites, presentation applications, and others.
Features:
- Keyboard dictation
- Share audio recordings
- Multi-language support
Verdict: The Apple dictation feature is similar to Windows speech recognition. Mac users can use the feature for using voice commands to transcribe text on any application and website.
Price: Free
Website: Apple Dictation
Microsoft Bing Speech API
This Microsoft API is used for transcription purposes of the speech into text of any kind of audio streams that are fed to it. What this application does it, that it either displays whatever the transcribed text is, or it can follow and act upon the command given in the speech. It is best used in scenarios requiring conversion, dictation or an interactive participation, and gives great recognition results.
There are two important features to it: the REST APIs, where developers can use calls, HTTP format and use the service. Or else, there are Client Libraries also available for downloading, that belong to various platforms such as Windows, iOS, Android, etc. for any kind of integration.
It has great accuracy, is highly easy to use, and not very expensive, with a free trial version also available to check it before making a minimal purchase. One of its major advantages is that it supports multiple languages, for example, about 5 languages in conversation mode and 15 languages when it comes into dictation mode, so multilingual transcription is also possible.
Though, it gives the most accurate results when used in a continuous and real-time form, and may be slower in transcribing than other software.
Dragon Speech Recognition Solutions
Best for students, legal, health care, and other professionals to transcribe text and share documents with high encryption.
Dragon Speech Recognition Solutions is a dictation application owned by Nuance. The software also supports cloud document management. It has AI-based speech recognition that learns the voice with greater accuracy over time.
Features:
- AI-powered speech recognition
- Cloud document management
- Control computer
- Accuracy of 99 percent
- 256-bit document encryption
Verdict: Dragon Speech Recognition software is great for legal professionals and students. The price may be a bit high, but it is worth it for professionals due to high accuracy and cloud document management feature.
Price: Price varies for professionals and students. Dragon Home is for students that have a onetime fee of $155. Professional firms are charged a yearly subscription which starts at $116 per user, per year. A free trial is available for 7 days that allows you to test the functionality of the software.
Website: Dragon Speech Recognition Solutions
Kaldi
Kaldi is a free speech-to-text software for Windows and Linux operating systems and available under the Apache License. The software was developed at John Hopkins University and was meant to offer super high-quality speech recognition solutions for multiple languages and domains.
It’s one of the few speech recognition software that is fully supported by leading technologies including deep neural networks and others. Kaldi comes with full support for general linear algebra, as well as, offers an extensible design for features-space discriminative training.
The code of the software was released back in 2014 and since then the platform is known for its intuitive interface and highest-quality standard for speech to text conversion.
Winscribe
Best for legal, health care, law enforcement, education, and other professionals to dictate text on Android and iPhone devices.
Winscribe is a dictation software company based in New Zealand. This dictation software is owned by Nuance, which allows you to transcribe and review documents on your smartphone. It also provides documentation workflow management to organize dictated text. It is available in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the US.
Features:
- Dictation
- Supports Android, iPhone, PC, and Blackberry devices
- Document management
- Data encryption
- Reporting
Verdict: Winscribe is a speech recognition and document management application for professionals. Using the software allows the staff to be more productive. The price is affordable for medium and large corporations.
Price: Winscribe transcription service costs start at about $284 per user per year (or $24 per user, per month) for one to nine users. Discounts are available for larger workforce. A free trial is also available to test the features of the software.
Website: Winscribe
Conclusion
When you can convert spoken words into written text, you are able to effortlessly tackle tedious typing tasks. Using voice dictation is particularly useful for large pieces of text where you need your hands free, or even if you are trying to minimize typing. You can fire up any Windows-based program or Google Docs and start speaking right away, without having to go through any training period.