YouTube transcript on iPhone, with or without captions
To get a YouTube transcript on iPhone, tap Share in the YouTube app and choose AnyScribe, or paste the link. The app transcribes the audio itself, so it works on videos without captions and returns text you can copy, search and summarize. YouTube's own Show transcript button is free when captions exist; AnyScribe covers the rest, in 50+ languages, with 30 free minutes and no subscription.
Step by step
YouTube video to text
- 1
Share from YouTube
Under the video tap Share, then AnyScribe. Shorts work the same way. Or copy the link and paste it in the app.
- 2
Transcription runs in the background
Keep watching. The audio is fetched and transcribed with timestamps while you do something else.
- 3
Summary first, transcript below
An AI summary of the video, then the full text. Tap a timestamp to find the moment, copy a quote or share the page.
What you get
Built for youtube videos
- Works on videos without captions
- Caption scrapers return nothing when a creator never added subtitles. AnyScribe listens to the audio.
- Text you can actually use
- YouTube's transcript panel is hard to copy from. AnyScribe gives you plain text with timestamps, search and export.
- Summaries of long videos
- Lectures, interviews and podcasts on YouTube get a summary you can read in a minute.
- Shorts and playlists too
- Shorts links work like any other video. Transcribe a playlist one video at a time and search across all of them.
Compared honestly
How the options stack up
Summary of our Best Apps to Get a YouTube Transcript on iPhone comparison. Competitor tiers and pricing change; check their sites for current details.
| App | Pricing model | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnyScribeThis app | 30 free minutes, then non-expiring credits from $1.99/hour. | Any video, captions or not, straight from the YouTube share sheet; AI summary. | Paid after the free minutes; iOS only. |
| YouTube Show transcript | Free. | Reading along with captioned videos in the YouTube app. | Needs captions; no copy-all, export, or summary. |
| NoteGPT | Free tool; Pro from $9/month. | Web transcripts and summaries, including videos without captions. | Web only — no official iPhone app. |
| Glasp | Free 3 summaries/day; Pro $12.50/month. | Browser-extension summaries plus an iOS app. | Free tier is small; built around desktop browsing. |
| Eightify | Pro $9.99/month or $59.99/year. | Quick key-point summaries of long videos. | Summaries rather than full transcripts; app updates are infrequent. |
| Tactiq YouTube tool | Free, no sign-up. | Copying an existing caption track from a desktop browser. | Only works when the video already has captions. |
| Gemini | Free. | Asking questions about a video's content. | Summaries and answers, not a full transcript. |
What works
Public and unlisted YouTube videos
YouTube Shorts
YouTube Music tracks with speech, such as interviews
Recordings of live streams once the stream has ended
Good to know
Private and members-only videos cannot be fetched
Captioned videos can be read for free inside YouTube with Show transcript
A 90-minute lecture uses 90 minutes of credit after the free 30 minutes
iPhone and iPad app; this website hands a pasted link to the app
Simple, Honest Pricing
No subscription. No account. Buy credits when you need them — they never expire.
Free
$0
30 minutes included with the app. No strings attached.
1 Hour
$1.99
Perfect for occasional use. Credits never expire.
4 Hours
Best value$5.99
Best value for regular transcription needs.
12 Hours
$14.99
For power users and professionals. Credits never expire.
FAQ
Common questions
- Is this free?
- The first 30 minutes are free. After that, credits cost $1.99 for 1 hour, $5.99 for 4 hours or $14.99 for 12 hours, and they never expire.
- Can I translate the transcript?
- Yes. Transcribe in the original language, then translate the transcript inside the app.
- Does it work for YouTube Shorts?
- Yes. Share the Short or paste its link. Shorts are short, so they rarely use more than a minute of credit.
- Do I need to copy the captions first?
- No. AnyScribe transcribes the audio, so captions are not required and nothing has to be copied by hand.
Start Transcribing for Free
30 minutes of free transcription. No account needed. No subscription ever.
Download for iOS