5 Free Cantonese Voice-to-Text Apps Tested in 2026: Which One Really Understands Cantonese?

Why You Need a Free Cantonese Voice-to-Text Tool

In Hong Kong, daily meetings, classes, and interviews are often conducted in Cantonese. Manually transcribing these recordings can take over three hours for just one hour of audio, and it's easy to miss parts. Based on our tests, a good Cantonese speech-to-text tool can cut transcription time by up to 70%. However, many tools on the market either only support Mandarin or are "fake free"—they require payment after a short trial. This article reviews 5 tools that genuinely handle Cantonese, from fully free options to those with free quotas, helping you solve your transcription needs at minimal cost.

Tinrec (Miao Ting Lu Yin) — The Most Complete AI Recording Workbench

Tinrec is not just a voice-to-text tool; it's more of a "workbench that turns audio and video into actionable knowledge." You can use it for meeting recordings, class audio, interviews, podcasts, or even paste a YouTube link to transcribe directly. Its core value lies in post-transcription: it automatically generates summaries, chapters, and to-do items, and allows AI Q&A about the recording content, such as "Who is responsible for following up on the project in this recording?" The free version offers a monthly basic transcription quota, suitable for light users. If you need more, you can opt for weekly, Pro monthly, or annual plans. Best for: users who need to handle multiple audio/video sources and want to continue organizing into reports or notes after transcription.

Subanana — Online Cantonese Subtitles and Translation Tool

Subanana is an online subtitle generator and translator that supports 80 languages, including Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. It boasts high accuracy (officially claimed 98%) and requires no installation. You can upload audio or video files, or even paste a YouTube link, and the system automatically generates subtitles, which can be exported in SRT, VTT, TXT, Word, and other formats. The free plan allows you to try basic features, making it ideal for creators who need to quickly add Cantonese subtitles to videos or process interview recordings. Compared to Tinrec, it focuses more on subtitle generation and translation, with fewer AI Q&A and post-processing features.

Atter App — Truly Free, Ad-Free Transcription Tool

Atter App is one of the few voice-to-text tools that is "completely free, ad-free, and without quota limits." It supports importing from phone recordings, gallery videos, Apple Watch recordings, and more, and offers transcription, translation, summaries, and AI Q&A. According to user tests, Cantonese recognition accuracy is around 70%, with occasional errors in brand names and personal names, but given the zero cost, it's very practical. Best for: users with zero budget who need to transcribe many interviews or class recordings and don't mind occasional manual corrections.

Google AI Studio (Gemini) — Use AI to Transcribe Cantonese Recordings Directly

Google AI Studio lets you use the Gemini model to transcribe recordings for free, and it's quite friendly to Cantonese. The method is simple: upload your audio file to AI Studio and instruct Gemini to output a transcript. Its advantages include no trial limits, high accuracy, support for long content, and the ability to ask Gemini to further organize summaries or analyses. The downside is that it requires browser operation, lacks a dedicated mobile app with one-tap recording, and doesn't offer automatic chapters or to-do extraction like Tinrec. Best for: users familiar with Google tools who need high-accuracy Cantonese transcription and don't mind an extra manual step.

Plaud Note — Hardware Recorder with 300 Free Minutes per Month

Plaud Note is an AI recording hardware device designed for on-the-go recording and long battery life. After purchasing the device, you get 300 minutes of free transcription per month, making it suitable for business professionals who frequently record meetings, interviews, or classes. Its transcription accuracy is decent, and the hardware can record independently without needing a phone nearby. However, once the 300 minutes are used up, you'll need to pay, and the hardware itself requires an upfront investment. Compared to Tinrec, Plaud is better for those who prefer physical recorders, while Tinrec requires no extra hardware—just a phone or computer.

With So Many Options, How Do You Choose?

• Want the most complete AI features (transcription + AI Q&A + auto-summary + to-do extraction) → Tinrec, the only one with all these features and support for multiple audio/video sources.
• Need to quickly add Cantonese subtitles to YouTube or local videos → Subanana, with many export formats and easy online operation.
• Zero budget and need lots of transcription → Atter App, completely free with no limits, but you'll need to manage accuracy yourself.
• Seek the highest accuracy and don't mind manual steps → Google AI Studio, Gemini's Cantonese recognition is strong and free.
• Prefer physical recorders and transcribe less than 300 minutes per month → Plaud Note, with stable hardware recording quality.

4 Things to Know Before Using a Cantonese Voice-to-Text Tool

1. Recording quality directly affects accuracy: Background noise, multiple people talking at once, and distance can all degrade transcription. Before using Tinrec or any tool, try to use an external microphone or record close to the sound source.
2. Free plans usually have limits: For example, Tinrec's free version has a monthly transcription quota, and Plaud only offers 300 minutes per month. If your usage is high, calculate which plan is most cost-effective.
3. AI transcription still requires manual review: Especially for names, numbers, and technical terms, don't rely entirely on AI. Tinrec's AI Q&A and summaries can help you quickly locate key points, but for important content, remember to listen back to the recording to confirm.
4. Be mindful of copyright and privacy: If you use online video links for transcription (e.g., Tinrec or Subanana), ensure you have the right to use that content and check the platform's terms of service.

Conclusion

Free Cantonese voice-to-text tools do exist, but you need to know how to choose. If you want a comprehensive tool that can handle meetings, courses, interviews, and even online videos, Tinrec's free version is worth trying first. If you only need pure transcription without spending money, Atter App and Google AI Studio are both good choices. Pick based on your use case, and you won't have to stay up late doing transcription.

References

• Free Cantonese Voice-to-Text App 2025 | Subanana
• Hong Kong's Top 5 Voice-to-Text Tools: Accurate Cantonese Recognition, Boost Meeting and Interview Efficiency!
• Free Unlimited AI Voice-to-Text Tool, Say Goodbye to Transcription Troubles: Atter App
• 《Free + Cantonese OK: How to Use Google AI Studio to Transcribe Your Recordings》 Finding a good transcript app is painful; Have you tried different recording-to-text apps? Either they're fake free, charging you after the first few minutes, or they only support English, not Cantonese, or you have to go through a lot of API setup. // Recently I discovered that Google Gemini is world-class in this regard: - 【Really Free】 No subscription charges after a few uses - 【Cantonese Friendly】 Gemini is accurate
• SoundType AI - Ultra-Precise Transcription, Voice-to-Text, AI Dictation - Google Play App