Happy Scribe
AI transcription and subtitle generation in 120+ languages with human review
What is Happy Scribe?
Happy Scribe is a transcription and subtitle platform founded in 2017 that uses AI to convert audio and video files into accurate text transcripts and subtitle files. It supports over 120 languages and accents, making it one of the broadest multilingual transcription services available. The platform is used by media companies, broadcasters, universities, legal firms, and content creators worldwide.
The workflow covers both fully automated transcription and human-reviewed transcription. Automated transcription delivers results within minutes at a lower cost, while human review delivers near-perfect accuracy for demanding use cases such as legal depositions, medical recordings, and broadcast content. The interactive subtitle editor lets users correct timestamps, adjust line breaks, and export in all major subtitle formats including SRT, VTT, ASS, and EBU-STL.
Happy Scribe's subtitle translation feature allows users to translate transcripts into other languages directly in the platform, then export the translated subtitles for the same video. This is particularly valuable for media producers distributing content across multiple markets without the cost of full localization studios.
Key Features
- AI transcription in 120+ languages and accents
- Human-reviewed transcription option
- Interactive subtitle editor with waveform sync
- Subtitle translation into 120+ languages
- Export in SRT, VTT, ASS, EBU-STL, and more
- Speaker identification and diarization
- Automatic filler word and silence removal
- Batch file upload and processing
- API for automated transcription workflows
- GDPR-compliant EU data storage
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Broadest language coverage of any comparable tool
- Human review option for maximum accuracy
- Clean subtitle editor with good formatting controls
- Reliable API for integration into production pipelines
Cons
- No free plan, only a limited free trial
- Pricing is per-minute which can add up for high-volume users
- AI accuracy varies more on accented speech than competitors
- Interface can feel dated compared to newer tools
Pricing
Model: Pay-as-you-go
| Plan | Price | Key Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | $0 | 1 free transcription up to 10 minutes |
| AI Transcription | $0.20/min | Automated, 120+ languages, all export formats |
| Human Transcription | $1.70/min | Human-reviewed, 99%+ accuracy, 72h delivery |
| Business | Custom | Volume pricing, API, team management, SLA |
FAQ
- How accurate is Happy Scribe's AI transcription?
- Happy Scribe's automated AI transcription typically achieves 85-95% accuracy for clear audio in major languages. Accuracy is lower for heavy accents, technical jargon, or poor audio quality. The human review option achieves 99%+ accuracy.
- What subtitle formats does Happy Scribe export?
- Happy Scribe exports SRT, VTT, ASS, SBV, EBU-STL, TTML, and plain text. It covers all standard formats required by YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, and broadcast workflows.
- Does Happy Scribe have an affiliate program?
- Happy Scribe has a referral program for existing users. Visit your Happy Scribe account settings to find your referral link. New partner inquiries can be directed to their business team.
- Happy Scribe vs Otter.ai: which is better?
- Happy Scribe covers more languages and offers human review, making it stronger for professional media production and international content. Otter.ai is better for real-time meeting transcription and collaboration notes.
- Can Happy Scribe translate subtitles?
- Yes. After transcribing, you can translate the transcript into 120+ languages directly within Happy Scribe and export the translated subtitles as SRT or VTT files.