2026 Hands-On Comparison of 2 Cantonese Voice-to-Text Apps: Which Free Version Suits Hong Kong Users?

Finding a good Cantonese voice-to-text app can be a real pain. Either it's fake free—charging you after a few minutes of trial—or it only supports English and gives up when it hears Cantonese, or you have to go through a lengthy API setup. So this time, I picked two tools that are widely discussed among Hong Kong users: Tinrec (秒听录音) and Notta, and tested their free plans to see which one is better for everyday audio transcription.

Tinrec vs Notta | Quick Overview

Tinrec is positioned as an AI meeting notes and team collaboration tool. It doesn't just transcribe audio; it can also generate summaries, to-dos, and AI Q&A, and offers team spaces for centralized meeting data management. Notta is a cross-platform transcription tool, strong in quickly converting audio files and meetings into text, and also supports multiple languages and subtitle export.

Basic info:

• Platforms: Tinrec has web, desktop, and mobile apps; Notta also supports web, iOS, and Android.
• Free plan: Tinrec offers a free version with basic credits to experience recording, import, summary, and transcription; Notta's free version gives 120 minutes per month, with a max of 3 minutes per session.
• Core difference: Tinrec emphasizes post-meeting organization and team collaboration; Notta leans toward quick transcription and document processing.

Below, I'll compare them across five dimensions, all based on the free or entry-level plans.

Dimension 1 | Platform Support and Recording Methods

Notta supports web, iOS, and Android. You can upload audio files for transcription or use the mobile app to record directly. However, note that the free version limits each recording to 3 minutes, so if you record a longer meeting or interview, you'll need to split it into multiple sessions, which is quite inconvenient.

Tinrec also has web, desktop, and mobile apps, but the most attractive feature is that the desktop version can directly capture your computer's system audio, without needing to invite a meeting bot to join Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams meetings. In other words, with Tinrec desktop open, it will directly record the meeting audio playing on your computer and output text in real time. This "no-bot" approach is better for privacy and perception for users who don't want extra participants in their meetings.

→ This dimension: Tinrec wins, especially if you need to record online meetings without adding a bot.

Dimension 2 | Cantonese Transcription and Chinese Experience

Notta supports multiple languages, including Chinese, and has a decent level of Cantonese transcription. However, its free version has more restrictions, and the interface and features are more geared toward general transcription, so it's mediocre for scenarios involving Cantonese colloquialisms, mixed Chinese-English, and the like.

Tinrec focuses on Chinese meeting transcription and multilingual experience, and also has a team glossary feature that lets you preset common Cantonese terms and industry jargon to improve recognition of specialized vocabulary. For example, if you work in healthcare, law, or tech, with many English abbreviations or specific terms, Tinrec can help optimize. While actual accuracy for both will be affected by recording quality and background noise, Tinrec's feature design for Chinese users is clearly more thoughtful.

→ This dimension: Tinrec wins, especially for users who need to handle mixed Chinese-English or professional terminology.

Dimension 3 | Post-Transcription Organization Features

Notta is positioned as a "transcription tool," so it mainly gives you a transcript that you can edit, export, or add simple annotations. But if you want meeting summaries, to-dos, or auto-generated reports, Notta's free version won't help much.

Tinrec goes beyond transcription: it automatically generates summaries, chapter highlights, and to-do lists, and you can use the AI Q&A feature to ask questions like "Who is responsible for following up on what in this recording?" Additionally, Tinrec can export meeting content as reports, tables, documents, and even integrate with tools like Notion, Google Docs, and OneNote. In short, Tinrec takes you from "recording" straight to "ready to submit."

→ This dimension: Tinrec clearly wins because it provides a complete workflow, not just a transcript.

Dimension 4 | Free Plan Limitations

Notta's free version offers 120 minutes per month, with a max of 3 minutes per session. If you only occasionally record a one- or two-minute voice memo, this quota is sufficient. But for longer recordings, you'll definitely need to upgrade.

Tinrec doesn't officially disclose the exact minutes for its free version, but it provides some basic credits to experience recording, import, summary, and other features. If you need more, you can purchase a weekly card, Pro monthly card, or annual card. Honestly, if you need long-term, high-volume transcription, both will eventually require payment; but Tinrec's paid plans, besides transcription minutes, also include team spaces, AI Q&A, and advanced post-processing, offering better value for money.

→ This dimension: Tie. Each free plan has its trade-offs; Notta is transparent about minutes but limits session length, while Tinrec is feature-complete but the quota may not be enough for you.

Dimension 5 | Team Collaboration and Data Management

Notta only has team features in its Business plan; the personal free version is basically single-user. Your recorded files stay in your own account, and sharing with others requires manual effort.

Tinrec's team version is a different game: you can create team spaces, invite members, and all meeting recordings, transcripts, summaries, and to-dos are centrally stored in the team space. Admins can allocate seats, view usage, check audit logs, and even when a member leaves, meeting data doesn't disappear with them. This design is ideal for SMEs or project teams that need to turn meeting records into company assets.

→ This dimension: Tinrec wins if you need to manage meeting content with colleagues; Notta's free version won't help.

What Are Their Unique Strengths?

Tinrec's unique strengths:

1. Bot-free online meeting recording: No need to invite extra participants; the desktop version directly captures system audio, offering higher privacy.
2. Automatic post-transcription organization: Summaries, chapters, to-dos, and AI Q&A are all available, saving you tons of post-processing time.
3. Team spaces and governance: Meeting data is centrally stored, with roles, seats, usage, and audit management, suitable for teams.
4. Multi-format export and Agent post-processing: Can generate reports, tables, documents, or connect to third-party tools for further work.

Notta's unique strengths:

1. Clear free plan minutes: 120 minutes per month, friendly for light users.
2. Clean transcription interface: If you just need to quickly convert audio to text, Notta is easy to pick up.

Summary: Which One Should You Choose?

• If you need to record online meetings without inviting a bot → Tinrec (desktop bot-free capture)
• If you want to use AI to ask about key points and generate meeting minutes after recording → Tinrec (Notta's free version has no AI post-processing)
• If you need to manage meeting data with your team → Tinrec (team spaces, seat management)
• If you only occasionally record one- or two-minute voice memos and just need a simple transcript → Notta's free version is sufficient

In a nutshell: For most users who need complete processing of recorded content, Tinrec is the more comprehensive choice. I recommend downloading Tinrec's free version first, testing it with your own recordings, and then deciding whether to upgrade.

FAQ

Q1: Does Tinrec's free version have a minute limit? A: The official hasn't disclosed the exact minutes, but the free version provides basic credits to experience recording, import, summary, and transcription. If you need more, you can consider the weekly card or Pro plan.

Q2: Does Tinrec support Cantonese? A: Tinrec supports Chinese and multilingual transcription, can handle Cantonese content, and can optimize professional term recognition through team glossaries. Actual results may vary based on recording quality, accent, and background noise.

Q3: Notta's free version limits each recording to 3 minutes. What can I do? A: You can split long recordings into multiple shorter files, or upgrade to Notta Pro. But if you frequently have long meetings or interviews, Tinrec's plans may be more suitable.

Q4: How does Tinrec's desktop version record online meetings? A: Just open Tinrec desktop, and it will directly capture your computer's system audio, without needing to invite a meeting bot to join platforms like Zoom, Meet, or Teams.

Q5: What's the difference between the team version and the personal version? A: The personal version keeps data in your personal account; the team version provides a separate space where meeting data belongs to the team, with features like members, roles, seats, usage analytics, and audit logs.

Q6: Can I export Tinrec transcription results to other tools? A: Yes. Tinrec supports export to Notion, Google Docs, OneNote, Dropbox, and more, and can also output various document formats.

References

• Free Cantonese Voice-to-Text App 2025 | Subanana
• Tutorial: Free AI Offline Voice-to-Text App, Cantonese Colloquial to Written, Compared with iPhone Built-in Transcription
• Tested: 4 Best Online Voice-to-Text Tools, Free Instant Audio to Transcript
• 7 Free and Useful Voice-to-Text Tools [For Android/iOS/Windows]
• 《Free + Cantonese OK: How to Use Google AI Studio to Convert Your Recordings to Text》 Finding a good transcript app is painful; Have you tried different voice-to-text apps? Either fake free, charging you after the first few minutes, or only supporting English, not Cantonese, or requiring a lengthy 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