The HappyScribe Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about HappyScribe 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.
HappyScribe
The Insider’s Guide
AI transcription, subtitles and meeting notes in 150+ languages
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI meeting note takers, read from HappyScribe’s own pages.
Made by Happy Scribe Ltd. · checked Oct 5, 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 HappyScribe’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on HappyScribe’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 13 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers we grade
HappyScribe transcribes audio and video in more than 150 languages and also produces subtitles and translations, with optional human proofreading. Its AI Notetaker joins Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls from a connected calendar and returns a speaker-labeled transcript, a summary and action items, while phone apps record in-person conversations. Paid plans are metered in AI minutes per month.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about HappyScribe, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, and there's wiring first: connect a Google or Outlook calendar so the notetaker can join your calls.
- 1
Best for meeting notes plus subtitles and translation
HappyScribe is a transcription service with 150-plus languages, subtitles, translation and optional human proofreading, plus a notetaker for Zoom, Meet and Teams and phone apps for the room.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8.50 per month, billed annually.
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited meeting recordings of up to 45 minutes each, a 10-minute trial of AI transcription, subtitling and translation, AI Chat on 3 files a month and watermarked MP4 exports.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
AI Notetaker for online meetings
Connect Google or Outlook calendar and a notetaker joins Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls, then returns a transcript with speakers identified, a summary and action items.
- 6
In-person recording on a phone
The iPhone and Android apps record a conversation in the room with one tap and upload it for transcription. Recording works offline and syncs when the phone is back online.
- 7
Transcription, subtitles and translation
Uploaded audio and video are transcribed in more than 150 languages, and the same files can be subtitled and translated. Each paid plan includes a monthly allowance of AI minutes.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 13 of 48
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 HappyScribe 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.
HappyScribe at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8.50 per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Happy Scribe Ltd.
- Category
- AI Meeting Notes
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for meeting notes plus subtitles and translation
HappyScribe is a transcription service with 150-plus languages, subtitles, translation and optional human proofreading, plus a notetaker for Zoom, Meet and Teams and phone apps for the room. Basic is $8.50 a month on the yearly plan. Every paid plan is metered in AI minutes, Basic gives 120 a month and one seat, free AI transcription is a 10-minute trial, and there's no desktop app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Basic is $8.50 a month on the yearly plan, ordinary money here, but $17 if you pay monthly and metered at 120 AI minutes a month with extras at $0.20 each. Two hours of meetings and it's gone; 600 minutes means Pro at $19. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Recordings are unlimited but each one stops at 45 minutes, and the AI part is a 10-minute trial. AI Chat covers 3 files a month and MP4 exports come out watermarked. |
| Features | B | The notetaker joins Zoom, Meet and Teams and comes back with speaker names, a summary and action items, and the phone apps record a room even offline. On transcription it adds 150-plus languages, subtitles, translation and human proofreading from $2.00 a minute. No CRM sync. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and there's wiring first: connect a Google or Outlook calendar so the notetaker can join your calls. On a phone, at least, recording is one tap. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with Zoom, Meet and Teams, imports from YouTube, Google Drive and Dropbox, Zapier and an API. No desktop app yet: the homepage says a Mac one is coming soon. |
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 HappyScribe is for
- Fits if you need subtitles and translation as well as meeting notes
- Works for meetings not in English, with more than 150 languages listed
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want unlimited transcription for a flat price, as every paid plan counts AI minutes, with extras at $0.20 each
- Tight if you're on Basic, with 120 AI minutes a month, one seat and recordings capped at 90 minutes
- Pricey if you pay month by month, at $17 for Basic against $8.50 on the yearly plan
- Tight if you stay free: recordings stop at 45 minutes, AI transcription is a 10-minute trial and MP4 exports are watermarked
- Not for you if you want a desktop app or CRM sync, as the Mac app is only coming soon and no CRM is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that need subtitles and translation as well as meeting notes
- Multilingual meetings and recordings in less common languages
- People who occasionally want a human to proofread a transcript
Worth knowing
- The Free plan caps each meeting recording at 45 minutes, includes only a 10-minute trial of AI transcription and watermarks MP4 exports.
- Paid plans are metered: 120 AI minutes a month on Basic, 600 on Pro and 6,000 on Business. Extra minutes are listed at $0.20 each.
- Basic includes one seat and limits recordings to 90 minutes. Pro includes 3 seats and Business 5.
- No desktop app is available yet: the homepage describes a Mac app as coming soon. The mobile apps are for iPhone and Android.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.50
A month to start. There is a free plan too
HappyScribe has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8.50 per month, billed annually.
Free
$0
Unlimited meeting recordings of up to 45 minutes each, a 10-minute trial of AI transcription, limited recording history and AI Chat on 3 files a month.
Basic
$8.50
per month, billed annually; $17 billed monthly
120 minutes of AI transcription, subtitling and translation a month, recordings of up to 90 minutes, AI Chat on 10 files a month and 1 user seat.
Pro
$19
per month, billed annually; $29 billed monthly
600 minutes of AI transcription, subtitling and translation a month, unlimited recording length, unlimited AI Chat and 3 user seats.
Business
$59
per month, billed annually; $89 billed monthly
6,000 minutes of AI transcription, subtitling and translation a month, unlimited recording length, unlimited AI Chat and 5 user seats.
Enterprise
Custom
Everything in Business, sold through the sales team at a negotiated price.
The free plan
Unlimited meeting recordings of up to 45 minutes each, a 10-minute trial of AI transcription, subtitling and translation, AI Chat on 3 files a month and watermarked MP4 exports.
Read from happyscribe.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 34% to 50% with annual billing
On annual billing Basic is $8.50 a month instead of $17, labeled Save 50%. Pro is $19 instead of $29 and Business $59 instead of $89, each labeled Save 34%.
Stated on happyscribe.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
AI transcription, subtitles and meeting notes in 150+ languages. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, meeting notes, transcription, chat assistant.
Web, iPhone and Android, with Zoom, Meet and Teams, imports from YouTube, Google Drive and Dropbox, Zapier and an API.
- AI Notetaker for online meetings
- Connect Google or Outlook calendar and a notetaker joins Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls, then returns a transcript with speakers identified, a summary and action items.
- In-person recording on a phone
- The iPhone and Android apps record a conversation in the room with one tap and upload it for transcription. Recording works offline and syncs when the phone is back online.
- Transcription, subtitles and translation
- Uploaded audio and video are transcribed in more than 150 languages, and the same files can be subtitled and translated. Each paid plan includes a monthly allowance of AI minutes.
- Human proofreading
- Transcripts can be sent for human proofreading at a per-minute rate, listed from $2.00 a minute, on top of the AI subscription.
- AI Chat on your files
- Ask questions of a transcript and generate recaps or briefs from it. The Free plan covers 3 files a month and Basic 10, and it is unlimited from Pro.
- Exports, imports and API
- Exports include DOCX, TXT, SRT and MP4, and files can be imported from YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, Box and Dropbox. Zapier and an API connect it to other tools.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Zoom
- Google Meet
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Calendar
- YouTube
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Zapier
HappyScribe is made by Happy Scribe Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
13/48
Other AI meeting note takers it is graded above
HappyScribe's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 13 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on features (B, above 10 of 48) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8.50 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 18 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 11 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 49 AI meeting note takers we grade, cut by the letter each got. HappyScribe’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 48
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 48
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 48
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 48
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 48
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 48 AI meeting note takers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. HappyScribe 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 HappyScribe 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: 26 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers grade higher. It costs $102 a year.
What you could not
- A bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes.
- 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 and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. HappyScribe’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
Transkriptor, Notta, Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai and tl;dv
The 5 tools HappyScribe is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Transkriptor
Free trial · from $8.33/mo
AI transcription for files, recordings and meetings.
- HappyScribe has a free plan. Transkriptor does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Transkriptor lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Transkriptor lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Notta
Free plan · from $8.17/mo
AI notetaker and transcription for meetings, files and recordings.
- Only Notta lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Notta lists a browser extension.
- Notta also covers screen recording.
- 3.0GPA
Otter.ai
Free plan · from $8.33/mo
Live meeting transcription with summaries and AI chat.
- Only Otter.ai lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Otter.ai lists a browser extension.
- 3.2GPA
Fireflies.ai
Free plan · from $10/mo
Meeting notetaker that records, transcribes and summarizes calls.
- Only Fireflies.ai lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Fireflies.ai lists a browser extension.
- Fireflies.ai also covers dictation.
- 2.4GPA
tl;dv
Free plan · from $18/mo
Meeting recorder and AI notetaker for Zoom, Meet and Teams.
- Only tl;dv lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only tl;dv lists a browser extension.
- tl;dv also covers templates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 HappyScribe free?
HappyScribe has a free plan. Unlimited meeting recordings of up to 45 minutes each, a 10-minute trial of AI transcription, subtitling and translation, AI Chat on 3 files a month and watermarked MP4 exports.
How much does HappyScribe cost?
HappyScribe lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does HappyScribe work on?
HappyScribe is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does HappyScribe offer any discounts?
HappyScribe publicly lists the following: Save 34% to 50% with annual billing.
Does HappyScribe have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. HappyScribe is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does HappyScribe have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. HappyScribe is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is HappyScribe open source?
HappyScribe is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does HappyScribe have an API?
Yes. HappyScribe offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does HappyScribe integrate with?
HappyScribe's listing names Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar, YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox and Zapier.
Who makes HappyScribe?
HappyScribe is made by Happy Scribe Ltd.
What are the alternatives to HappyScribe?
The closest alternatives to HappyScribe in our directory are Transkriptor, Notta, Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai and tl;dv.
How does HappyScribe compare with other AI meeting note takers?
HappyScribe's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 13 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers we grade, and level with 9.
Is HappyScribe good value for money?
ToolGPA grades HappyScribe C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.50 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 18 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of HappyScribe?
To replace HappyScribe 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 HappyScribe’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from HappyScribe's own pages on 5 October 2026. Its pricing page would not load when we went back on 9 October 2026, so the prices are as the listing has them. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-22.
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 Happy Scribe Ltd. Prices change, so check happyscribe.com before you buy.
- happyscribe.com/pricing
- happyscribe.com/
- happyscribe.com/ai-meeting-notetaker
- happyscribe.com/apps
- apps.apple.com/us/app/happyscribe-ai-notetaker/id6747448962
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.happyscribe.mobile&gl=US&hl=en
- aiproductivity.ai/tools/happyscribe/
- sonix.ai/resources/happy-scribe-pricing/
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- HappyScribe, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/happyscribe
- 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, "HappyScribe: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/happyscribe
Know someone choosing between AI meeting note takers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/happyscribe/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI meeting note takers after HappyScribe, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Meeting Notes Insider's GuideEvery one of the 49 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 HappyScribe’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. HappyScribe is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Happy Scribe Ltd. Prices and plans change: check happyscribe.com before you buy.