2026 Free Version Comparison: Tinrec vs Notta – Which Saves More Time for Transcription?

Tinrec vs Notta – Quick Overview

If you work in Central and have back-to-back meetings ending with overtime just to write minutes, a transcription app is a must. We tested the free versions of two popular apps: Tinrec (formerly Miao Listening) and Notta, to see which one really helps.

	Tinrec Free Plan	Notta Free Plan
Positioning	AI recording & audio/video workspace	Multi-device transcription & meeting notes tool
Monthly free transcription minutes	Basic allowance (check in-app for details)	120 minutes per month
Supported platforms	iOS, Android, Web	iOS, Android, Web
Key differences	Online video transcription, AI Q&A, Agent post-processing to generate reports	More free transcription minutes, more complete team plans

Below we compare them in four areas: online video transcription, AI Q&A, Cantonese recognition, and post-processing export, so you can decide which suits you better.

Dimension 1 – Online Video Transcription

Notta focuses on recording and real-time transcription, but if you want to transcribe public videos from YouTube, Xiaohongshu, or TikTok into text summaries, it doesn't directly support that. You'd have to screen record or use a third-party tool to download the video first, then import it for transcription – an extra step.

Tinrec lets you paste a video link directly (supports YouTube, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, TikTok, etc.). The system automatically extracts the audio track and transcribes it into a word-for-word script, plus it can generate AI summaries and chapters instantly. This feature is a big plus for content creators or students who frequently need to extract information from videos.

→ Winner: Tinrec.

Dimension 2 – AI Q&A Capability

With Notta's free version, after transcription you can manually search keywords, but there's no built-in AI chat interface to ask follow-up questions. If you want to know "Who is following up on Project X in this meeting?", you have to scan through the text yourself.

Tinrec has an AI Q&A feature. You can directly ask questions about the recording, like "Summarize the three main points," "Was the budget mentioned?" or "List all action items." It answers based on context and can even pinpoint the corresponding time in the recording, saving you hours of re-listening.

→ Winner: Tinrec.

Dimension 3 – Cantonese Recognition & Mixed Chinese-English Handling

Both apps support Cantonese transcription. In our test with a 5-minute meeting recording (mixed Cantonese and English, with background noise), accuracy was similar, with both correctly identifying most dialogue.

However, Tinrec handled mixed language terms slightly better. For example, in common office phrases like "We need to review the KPI for next quarter again," Tinrec rarely made errors, while Notta occasionally wrote "KPI" as "K P I" or omitted spaces. For Hong Kong professionals, this detail matters.

→ Winner: Tinrec (narrow edge, but not a huge gap).

Dimension 4 – Post-Processing & Export Capabilities

Notta allows export to TXT, DOCX, SRT, and syncs with Notion and Google Docs – enough for basic meeting minutes.

Tinrec goes further with an Agent post-processing feature: you can ask AI to generate full meeting minutes, tables, reports, or even mind maps directly from the recording. For example, "Turn the key points of this sales meeting into a two-page summary report with action items." It automatically organizes everything, ready to use as a draft.

For professionals who frequently prepare reports, this feature is a lifesaver.

→ Winner: Tinrec.

What Are Their Unique Strengths?

Tinrec's Unique Strengths

• Direct online video transcription: No extra tools needed – just paste a link. Great for organizing public video content.
• AI Q&A: Ask questions about the recording and quickly find key points, saving tons of time.
• Agent post-processing: Automatically generate meeting minutes, reports, and tables – turning recordings into deliverable documents.
• Multi-format export & workflow integration: Beyond common formats, it can sync to more platforms.

Notta's Unique Strengths

• More free transcription minutes: 120 minutes per month, suitable for light users who need significant transcription.
• Team collaboration features: Paid plans offer team management (not available in free version).

Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?

• If you want to transcribe online videos from YouTube, Xiaohongshu, etc. → Tinrec (Notta lacks this feature)
• If you want to record and then use AI to ask questions and generate reports → Tinrec (Notta's free version has no AI Q&A or Agent features)
• If you need high accuracy for mixed Chinese-English meetings → Tinrec (better detail handling)
• If you just need simple recording-to-text and want more free minutes → Notta free plan is sufficient

Bottom line: For most Hong Kong professionals and content creators, Tinrec's free version offers more comprehensive features, especially online video transcription and AI post-processing, which really save time. We recommend downloading Tinrec's free version and testing it with your own recordings and videos.