The Cockatoo Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Cockatoo in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Cockatoo
The Insider’s Guide
Upload-based AI transcription with speaker labels and translation
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI meeting note takers, read from Cockatoo’s own pages.
Made by Cockatoo · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Cockatoo’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Cockatoo’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 20 of the 89 other AI meeting note takers we grade
Cockatoo turns audio and video files and live recordings into timestamped, speaker-labeled transcripts in more than 90 languages. Its Canvas workspace adds summaries and chat over a transcript, and transcripts can be translated and exported. It suits recorded meetings and interviews more than live in-call note taking.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Cockatoo, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, but you upload a file or record and get a transcript back with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for upload-based AI transcription
Cockatoo transcribes uploaded audio and video files and live recordings, with speaker labels, translation and an editor.
- 2
Paid plans start at $22.50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $22.50 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free: try audio and video transcription, read and edit transcripts, file translation previews and Canvas. No credit card required.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
Web and iOS.
- 5
Upload or record
Drag in MP3, MP4, M4A, MOV, WAV and other formats for a timestamped, speaker-labeled transcript, or record and dictate live on Pro.
- 6
Two transcription models
V4-Fast is unlimited on paid plans; V4-Pro supports 36 languages and has monthly limits that Max raises to 5x or 10x.
- 7
Canvas
Summaries, insights, chat and edits over a transcript. Canvas is available to try on the free plan and in full on Pro.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 20 of 89
That is against the other AI meeting note takers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Cockatoo you would be making a bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Cockatoo at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $22.50 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS
- Made by
- Cockatoo
- Category
- AI Meeting Notes
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 786 ratings
The report card
Best for upload-based AI transcription
Cockatoo transcribes uploaded audio and video files and live recordings, with speaker labels, translation and an editor. Pro is $30 a month if you pay monthly, the pages describe no bot that joins calls, and there is no integration list.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $22.50 a month on yearly billing and $30 monthly, past the dearer quarter ($18) of meeting-note tools but below its dearest tenth. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free plan to try transcription, read and edit transcripts and preview translation, no card needed. It is a taste, not a plan to live on. |
| Features | C | Upload or record, two transcription models, translation, exports and a Canvas. The pages describe no bot to join calls. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but you upload a file or record and get a transcript back with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web and iPhone only, with no integrations or desktop app listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Cockatoo is for
- Fits if you have recordings to upload and want speaker-labelled transcripts
- Works for iPhone users who want voice notes sent to the same account
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you pay monthly, as Pro is $30 against $22.50 on yearly billing, and Max is $100 a month
- Skip it if you want a bot to join your calls, as the pages read describe none
- Watch out: Team starts at three users, and Max is billed monthly only
- Skip it if you use Android or want a desktop app, as only web and iPhone are listed
Good to know
Good for
- Recorded interviews, podcasts and meeting files that need a clean transcript
- Teams that want speaker labels and exports without a meeting bot
Worth knowing
- It works from uploaded files and live recording; the pages read do not describe a bot that joins calls.
- Pro needs $30 a month on monthly billing; the $22.50 figure applies to annual billing.
- Team plans start at three users, and Max is billed monthly only.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$22.50
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Cockatoo has a free plan. Paid plans start at $22.50 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
A free plan to try transcription, read and edit transcripts and preview translation, no card needed.
Free
$0
A small allowance to try transcription, translation previews and Canvas.
Pro
$22.50
per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
Unlimited V4-Fast transcription, monthly V4-Pro limits, diarization, 90-language translation, bulk export, Canvas and 2 TB storage.
Max
$100
per month for 5x Pro usage, billed monthly
Everything in Pro with 5x the V4-Pro allowance; 10x costs $200 a month. Adds early access and priority at busy times.
Team
$12
per user / month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)
Starts at three users ($432 a year). Each member gets Pro features and 2 TB storage, with shared files and central billing.
The free plan
Free: try audio and video transcription, read and edit transcripts, file translation previews and Canvas. No credit card required.
Read from cockatoo.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Annual billing lowers Pro and Team
Pro is $270 a year ($22.50 a month) against $30 monthly, and Team for three people is $432 a year against $45 a month.
Stated on cockatoo.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and iOS
Upload-based AI transcription with speaker labels and translation. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, meeting notes, transcription, dictation, chat assistant.
Upload or record, two transcription models, translation, exports and a Canvas.
- Upload or record
- Drag in MP3, MP4, M4A, MOV, WAV and other formats for a timestamped, speaker-labeled transcript, or record and dictate live on Pro.
- Two transcription models
- V4-Fast is unlimited on paid plans; V4-Pro supports 36 languages and has monthly limits that Max raises to 5x or 10x.
- Canvas
- Summaries, insights, chat and edits over a transcript. Canvas is available to try on the free plan and in full on Pro.
- Translation and exports
- Translate transcripts into 90 languages, and documents such as PDF, Word and PowerPoint. Export as PDF, DOCX, TXT or subtitles.
- Voice Notes for iOS
- A companion iPhone app, Cockatoo AI Voice Notes, handles voice capture and dictation on the go.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Cockatoo is made by Cockatoo.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/89
Other AI meeting note takers it is graded above
Cockatoo's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 20 of the 89 other AI meeting note takers we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 56 of 89) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $22.50 a month, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 66 of the 76 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 45 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 90 AI meeting note takers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Cockatoo’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 21 of 89
- CFree plan and trialAbove 19 of 89
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 89
- BEase of useAbove 56 of 89
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 89
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 77 AI meeting note takers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Cockatoo is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Cockatoo you would be making a bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 42 of the 89 other AI meeting note takers grade higher. It costs $270 a year.
What you could not
- A bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes.
- Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- A real app for iOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Cockatoo’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Otter.ai, Notta, Transkriptor, Sonix and Trint
The 5 tools Cockatoo is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Otter.ai
Free plan · from $8.33/mo
Live meeting transcription with summaries and AI chat.
- Only Otter.ai lists macOS, Windows and Android apps.
- Only Otter.ai lists a browser extension.
- Cockatoo also covers dictation.
- 2.6GPA
Notta
Free plan · from $8.17/mo
AI notetaker and transcription for meetings, files and recordings.
- Only Notta lists macOS, Windows and Android apps.
- Only Notta lists a browser extension.
- Cockatoo also covers dictation.
- 3.0GPA
Transkriptor
Free trial · from $8.33/mo
AI transcription for files, recordings and meetings.
- Cockatoo has a free plan. Transkriptor does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Transkriptor lists macOS, Windows and Android apps.
- Only Transkriptor lists a browser extension.
- 2.2GPA
Sonix
Free trial · from $25/mo
Browser-based transcription, translation and meeting recorder.
- Cockatoo has a free plan. Sonix does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Cockatoo lists an iOS app.
- Cockatoo also covers dictation and chat assistant.
- 2.0GPA
Trint
Free trial · from $79/mo
Transcription and live capture platform built for newsrooms.
- Cockatoo has a free plan. Trint does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Trint lists macOS, Windows and Android apps.
- Cockatoo also covers meeting notes, dictation and chat assistant.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Cockatoo free?
Cockatoo has a free plan. Free: try audio and video transcription, read and edit transcripts, file translation previews and Canvas.
How much does Cockatoo cost?
Cockatoo lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Cockatoo work on?
Cockatoo is available on Web and iOS.
Does Cockatoo offer any discounts?
Cockatoo publicly lists the following: Annual billing lowers Pro and Team.
How is Cockatoo rated?
Cockatoo's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 786 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Cockatoo have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Cockatoo is listed for Web and iOS.
Does Cockatoo have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Cockatoo is listed for Web and iOS.
Is Cockatoo open source?
Cockatoo is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Cockatoo?
Cockatoo is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Cockatoo?
The closest alternatives to Cockatoo in our directory are Otter.ai, Notta, Transkriptor, Sonix and Trint.
How does Cockatoo compare with other AI meeting note takers?
Cockatoo's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 20 of the 89 other AI meeting note takers we grade, and level with 27.
Is Cockatoo good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Cockatoo C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $22.50 a month, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 66 of the 76 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Cockatoo?
To replace Cockatoo you would be making a bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Cockatoo’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cockatoo's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Cockatoo. Prices change, so check cockatoo.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Cockatoo, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/cockatoo
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Cockatoo: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/cockatoo
Know someone choosing between AI meeting note takers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/cockatoo/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI meeting note takers after Cockatoo, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Meeting Notes Insider's GuideEvery one of the 90 AI meeting note takers we grade, compared
- HyNote Insider's GuideAI note taker for meetings, audio, PDFs and videos3.4 GPA
- Wave AI Insider's GuideAI note taker and recorder for meetings, calls and lectures3.4 GPA
- Fireflies.ai Insider's GuideMeeting notetaker that records, transcribes and summarizes calls3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Cockatoo’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Cockatoo is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Cockatoo. Prices and plans change: check cockatoo.com before you buy.