In this article, I will show you four ways to transcribe interviews. I will also share the easiest method to transcribe interviews quickly and for free. By the end of this article, you will be aware of all the pros and cons of the solutions so you can choose the one that suits you best.
Let’s begin!
Four ways to transcribe interviews
You can transcribe interviews in four ways, depending on your preference, whether the interview is online, and how much time you have. I will also share the easiest method to transcribe interviews quickly and for free, including tools that use an automated transcription service.
| Transcription methods | Time | Price | Features |
| Manual transcription | Time-consuming | Free | |
| Transcription software | Fast | Between $100 and $200 per month | You can transcribe only recorded files. |
| In-built transcription | Fast | Free, but may requires a license | You can transcribe meetings real-time and files, but limited features and accuracy issues. |
| AI meeting assistant | Fastest | Between $10 and $50 per month | You can transcribe meetings in real-time and files. Also, it has many extra features. |
Manual transcription
The first and most time-consuming method is manual transcription. The most common type is verbatim transcription, which involves listening to the interview and typing out every word verbatim. After writing down every word, they prepare an edited transcription that does not include repetitive words.
While this method can be very accurate, it requires a person dedicated to writing interview transcripts. Essentially, manually preparing an interview transcript requires significant time and money.
One of the advantages of manual transcription is that the transcriber can ensure that even the most subtle nuances and expressions are captured in the transcription. However, it can be a slow process, especially for those who are not experienced in transcription work. It also becomes increasingly challenging when dealing with multiple speakers, accents, or background noise in the audio.
Transcription software
The second method is to use automatic transcription software to transcribe interviews. Transcription software utilizes speech recognition technology to automatically convert spoken words into text.
A transcription method can significantly speed up the transcription process and is especially useful for straightforward interviews with clear audio. However, the accuracy of transcription software can vary, and it may struggle with different accents, background noise, or overlapping speech.
These tools often offer features such as timestamps, speaker identification, and the ability to edit interview transcripts.
Generally, this is a more cost-efficient and effective transcription method than manual transcription. Nevertheless, you still need to review and edit the automated transcripts to ensure accuracy, especially when working with sensitive or complex content.
Meeting platforms’ in-built transcription
People tend to forget this way when it comes to an interview transcript. Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams have built-in transcription services that you can use for an interview transcript.
While you can use Microsoft Teams’ transcription service for free (Zoom requires a paid license), they have limitations, such as accuracy, features, versatility, and supported languages.
Here, you can find a step-by-step guide to using Zoom and Microsoft Teams’ built-in features for transcribing interviews. I also collected the differences between the in-built transcription and AI meeting assistants to ensure you pick the right solution:
AI meeting assistants for automatic transcription
AI meeting assistants can transcribe online meetings and audio or video files. They seamlessly join online meetings and record, transcribe, and summarize meetings. AI meeting assistants use natural language processing to understand text and spoken words as humans can. This ability is especially valuable when transcribing meetings.
Furthermore, speaker recognition technology gives a speaker ID for each meeting participant so you can track who said what in the meeting transcription.
These AI tools replace manual note-taking and completely automate online meetings and interview transcription. In addition to transcribing interviews, they will send you an AI summary with key points, action items, next steps, and more.
In addition, you can organize your meeting recordings, transcriptions, and summaries with folders in one tool. Thanks to the wide range of features, such as meeting analysis or easy searching functions, these tools can completely take over the interview transcription.
Differences between a transcription software and AI meeting assistant
The main difference between transcription software and an AI meeting assistant is that while an AI meeting assistant can transcribe online meetings and audio and video files, transcription software can only transcribe audio or video recordings.
Whenever you join a Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet call, an AI meeting assistant will join as well and transcribe the meeting in real time. Once the meeting ends, it will instantly send you the interview transcription for the recording and the summary. Also, you can upload a video or audio recording, and the AI meeting assistant will transcribe and summarize it for you.
In contrast, when you use a transcription software, you need to record the interview. When the meeting ends, you need to upload the recorded interview, and the transcription software can transcribe it only after this.
A transcription software cost is around $100 and $200 per month. Nevertheless, you can use the best AI meeting assistants with unlimited features for around $50 per month. Essentially, you can get way more when choosing an AI meeting assistant for a lower price.
The bottom line is that AI meeting assistants are more versatile, and you can use them in every circumstance. Furthermore, an AI meeting assistant has more features that you can use to automate interviews and online meetings.
Features of AI meeting assistants
Let’s dive into the features of AI meeting assistants!
Automatically record and transcribe interviews real-time
AI meeting assistants record and transcribe interviews in real-time. So, you do not need to upload the recorded interview; a bot will join and do everything for you.
They can accurately capture multiple speakers and recognize different language accents, making them suitable for interviews in any language. They work with many video conferencing platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.
Transcribing recorded interviews
With an AI meeting assistant, you can easily transcribe an interview if you have the recording. You upload the full recording with just a few clicks, and the AI meeting assistants will transcribe the audio or video interview. Also, you can smoothly edit the interview transcription if needed. The transcription format is pretty clean and includes timestamps and speaker labels.
In my experience, transcribing an interview or an online meeting takes around 10-15 minutes, but it depends on the length and the specific AI meeting assistant.
Meeting summary
Whether you upload an audio or video file or transcribe an interview in real-time, AI meeting assistants will prepare a summary that includes an overview, next steps, action items, and more.
The best thing about these summaries is that you can easily share them with your team members and take no time to review what happened during an interview.
Organizing your interviews in one place
When you have many meetings and interviews all day, it can quickly become a mess. Fortunately, AI meeting assistants allow you to organize all your recordings, online meetings, and interview transcripts in one place. You can give your team members access so they can review the transcriptions after the interview is done.
Interview and meeting analysis
AI meeting assistants offer analysis features. These tools analyze your meetings and interviews and provide insights about speakers, topics, talk rate, sentiment, and punctuality. Whenever you invite the AI meeting assistant to an interview or upload the recorded interview, it will analyze your meetings so you can improve your and others’ performance next time.
Integrations
You can easily integrate the AI meeting tools with numerous other third-party apps. So, you can easily share the interview transcript with others or export it to your favorite tools without switching between numerous apps.
Extensive language and platform support
While all AI meeting assistants support English, many can transcribe an interview in multiple languages. This wide range of language support makes them ideal tools for multicultural teams.
In addition, they can work with numerous video conferencing platforms. For instance, Fireflies AI supports Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Skype, Lifesize, and Dialpad Meetings.
Best AI meeting assistants for interview transcription
If you would like to learn more about the best AI meeting assistants for interview transcription, check out this article and video: 9 Best AI Meeting Managers in 2025: Ranked & Reviewed
Summary: How to transcribe interviews quickly?
Now, you need to decide which of the four options to use to transcribe an interview.
Verbatim transcription requires a dedicated person to write interview transcripts. While it can be highly accurate, it requires much time and money to do so manually.
You can consider utilizing transcription software to transcribe an interview. It is a more cost-efficient and effective transcription method compared to manual transcription.
Zoom and Microsoft Teams have an in-built transcription feature that offers a decent solution for transcribing an interview. These tools are free, but they have limitations in terms of transcription accuracy.
Finally, using an AI meeting manager is the best option to transcribe an interview. All the AI meeting managers have free plans, so if you have only a few meetings in a month, you can transcribe them for free. The paid plans’ pricing is similar to transcription tools, but AI meeting assistants offer a wider range of features for various use cases.
You no longer need to record and upload a video interview, but they can seamlessly join your meetings and handle the interview transcription. Furthermore, they offer many valuable features that can automate your online meetings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common method for transcribing an interview?
There are four transcription methods for an interview. The most effective way is to use automatic transcription software or an AI meeting manager. Automatic transcription speeds up the process and saves money, as you no longer need someone dedicated to transcribing meetings.
What program is used to transcribe interviews?
In terms of transcription software, you can use Trint, Sonix, and Descript to transcribe an interview. If you want to use an AI meeting manager, I recommend trying MeetGeek, Fireflies AI, or MeetGeek.
What is the fastest way to transcribe interviews?
The fastest way to transcribe an interview is using an AI meeting assistant. It will auto-join your meetings and transcribe, record, and summarize your interviews. When the meeting ends, they will instantly send you the interview transcript with the summary.
If you have a video or an audio file to transcribe, you can upload them, and the AI meeting assistants will share the interview transcript shortly.
How long does it take to transcribe a 1 hour interview?
It depends on which tool you use. Based on my experience, an AI meeting assistant takes around 10-15 minutes to transcribe a 30-60-minute interview.
