# Transcribe Video to Text & Audio to Text — 99+ Languages (`sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber`) Actor

Transcribe video to text and audio to text in bulk on Apify. 99+ languages, word-level timestamps, speaker diarization, SRT/VTT export. Try free.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber.md
- **Developed by:** [SIÁN OÜ](https://apify.com/sian.agency) (community)
- **Categories:** Videos, Social media, Automation
- **Stats:** 485 total users, 18 monthly users, 99.1% runs succeeded, 6 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

from $0.15 / 1,000 processed audio seconds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## 🎙️ Transcribe audio and video to text

[![SIÁN Agency Store](https://img.shields.io/badge/Store-SI%C3%81N%20Agency-1AE392)](https://apify.com/sian.agency?fpr=sian)

### 📋 Overview

Turn recordings into searchable transcripts, timestamped segments and SRT/VTT subtitles. Use direct media URLs or uploaded files on either tier. YouTube, TikTok and Instagram links require a paid Apify account.

[Open the actor](https://apify.com/sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber?fpr=sian) · [SIÁN Agency Store](https://apify.com/sian.agency?fpr=sian)

### 🔎 What is the Audio & Video Transcriber — and when should you use it?

The **Audio & Video Transcriber** turns audio and video recordings into clean, structured rows you can filter, export and feed straight into a spreadsheet, database or AI agent. No account, no portal API key, no browser automation to maintain.

**Use it when you need:** searchable transcripts, timestamped quotes, speaker labels or subtitle files. Direct files can include word timings; caption-derived rows may have only line timings.

**Use something else when:** you need Facebook transcripts or a live microphone feed. Use [Facebook AI Transcript Extractor](https://apify.com/sian.agency/facebook-ai-transcript-extractor?fpr=sian) for Facebook video and Reel links. This actor processes accessible recordings, not live audio.

### 🤖 Use with AI agents

Already connected to the [Apify MCP server](https://mcp.apify.com)? Just ask for this Actor by name: sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber

**Your agent can pay for its own runs.** This Actor is eligible for [agentic payments](https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/publishing/monetize), so an agent can discover it, run it and settle the bill over [x402](https://www.x402.org/) (USDC on Base) or [Skyfire](https://www.skyfire.xyz/) — without an Apify account or API token of its own. Billing is the same either way: accepted audio seconds, rounded up per file, plus enabled speaker-label or translation seconds and the platform start fee. EU processing uses its own audio-second event. Error rows incur no result charge; the start fee is separate. Current rates appear in Pricing.

Otherwise copy this prompt into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP-enabled assistant:

```text
I want transcripts and subtitle files from recorded audio or video using the Apify Actor `sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber`.

Use it when I need: searchable transcripts, timestamped quotes, speaker labels or subtitle files. Direct files can include word timings; caption-derived rows may have only line timings.

Don't use it when: you need Facebook transcripts or a live microphone feed — use facebook-ai-transcript-extractor instead.

How to call it: pass audioUrls for direct media links, or audioFiles for uploads. Choose language or auto-detect. Set speakerDiarization or translateToEnglish only when needed.

Start with this input:
{
  "audioUrls": [
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rara-cyber/podcast-test-file/main/KchSfOdwCJE-56eb7ccd6dc030fa3cc280ab26925c4e234.opus"
  ],
  "language": "auto",
  "speakerDiarization": false,
  "translateToEnglish": false
}

Ask me which recordings to process, the language if known, and whether speaker labels or English translation are needed, then run the Actor and summarise the results as a table.
```

**Things you can ask your agent for:**

- *Transcribe a podcast recording and copy its SRT captions.*
- *Label the speakers in an interview and review each timestamped quote.*
- *Turn recorded lecture audio into searchable text.*

Machine-readable API, MCP config and OpenAPI definition for this Actor are published at [apify.com/sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber.md](https://apify.com/sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber.md).

### ✨ Features

- Language selection or automatic detection.
- Timestamped segments and, for engine transcripts, word timings.
- Optional speaker labels and English translation.
- SRT/WebVTT text for caption exports.

### 🚀 Getting started

1. Add a direct media URL to **Audio/Video URLs**, or upload a file in **Upload Audio File or Video to Text**. Clear the example URL when uploading your own file; both input lists are processed together.
2. Choose the spoken language or leave **Auto-detect** selected. Enable speaker labels or English translation only when you need them.
3. Run the actor, open **Audio transcripts**, and review the text against the recording. **Processing Report** includes a copyable transcript, subtitles, settings and accepted charges when the platform exposes counts and prices.

The default input contains a short sample recording. Replace it with your recording, or run it first to see the output format.

#### ⚡ Quick start

```json
{
  "audioUrls": ["https://example.com/interview.mp3"],
  "language": "auto",
  "speakerDiarization": false,
  "translateToEnglish": false,
  "useEuServers": false
}
```

### 📥 Input configuration and limits

| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| `audioUrls` | Direct media URLs, or paid-tier YouTube, TikTok and Instagram links |
| `audioFiles` | Uploaded audio/video files; combined with the URL list |
| `language` | Source language from the dropdown, or `auto` for detection |
| `speakerDiarization` | Add speaker labels where available; billed per audio second |
| `translateToEnglish` | Return English text for non-English speech; billed per audio second |
| `useEuServers` | Request EU-region transcription processing; uses the EU base event |

Supported direct formats include MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OPUS, OGG, M4A, MP4, MPEG, MOV and WebM. URLs must resolve to accessible media, not a web page containing a player.

The FREE tier processes one direct file per run. Files exceeding 5 MB or 60 seconds are rejected before transcription. The PAID tier supports multiple files, up to 1 GB each, with up to 10 concurrent files. Platform extraction can fail when content is private, removed, unavailable or lacks usable captions/media.

EU processing selects the transcription region. It does not change the location or retention settings of your Apify dataset and key-value store.

### 📤 Output fields

Successful rows contain the following fields. Fields unavailable for a source can be null or empty; error rows contain `success: false`, `error` and `processedAt`, with the source URL when known.

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `transcript` | Recognized text; translated English text when translation is enabled |
| `detected_language` | Language code, or null when unavailable |
| `duration` | Audio duration in seconds |
| `segments` | Text segments with numeric `start`/`end` seconds, language, speaker and words |
| `segments[].words[]` | Word text and `start`/`end` seconds; speaker can be null |
| `srt`, `vtt` | Subtitle file contents; save as `.srt` or `.vtt` |
| `speakers`, `languages` | Unique labels/codes present in the segments |
| `inputUrl`, `mediaUrl` | Submitted source and resolved media URL |
| `sourcePlatform` | `direct`, `youtube`, `tiktok` or `instagram` |
| `transcriptSource` | `engine` or `captions` |
| `fileSizeMB` | File size when known, otherwise null |
| `mediaTitle`, `mediaAuthor` | Source title/author when available, otherwise null |
| `success`, `processedAt`, `metadata` | Outcome, processing time and run/tier information |

Engine-derived rows can include word timings. Caption-derived rows may have only line timings, empty word arrays and no speaker labels. Speaker labels such as `SPEAKER_00` distinguish detected speakers; they do not identify people. English translation appears in `transcript`; a separate original-language transcript is not returned.

Text, timing and speaker labels can contain mistakes, especially with noise, overlapping speech or music. Review the recording before publishing quotes or captions. Processing time depends on recording length, accessibility, enabled options and service load.

### 💼 Use cases

- Search podcast and lecture recordings by text, then locate passages with timestamps.
- Review interviews and meetings with optional speaker labels.
- Export SRT or WebVTT captions for a video editor or player.
- Feed transcripts into a search index or a summarization workflow.

For Facebook video/Reel links, use [Facebook AI Transcript Extractor](https://apify.com/sian.agency/facebook-ai-transcript-extractor?fpr=sian). This actor accepts recordings, not a live microphone stream.

### 💰 Billing

[Current event rates](https://apify.com/sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber?fpr=sian) appear in the actor's Pricing section. The processing tier and your account's event rates determine the bill.

Audio is billed in whole seconds, rounded up per successful file. EU processing replaces the regular audio-second event with its EU event. Speaker diarization and English translation add their own per-second events when enabled. A platform-resolution fallback can have its own event. The platform start fee is separate and can apply even when a run returns an error. Error rows incur no transcription, speaker-label or translation result charge.

The report reads accepted event counts and runtime unit prices from the platform. If either is unavailable, it omits the money statement and directs you to the run's billing. Splitting a batch into multiple runs can incur multiple start fees.

### 🔗 Integration examples

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/sian.agency~INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber/runs' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"audioUrls":["https://example.com/recording.mp3"],"language":"auto"}'
```

Read the completed run's dataset as JSON, CSV or Excel. Subtitle fields are file contents, not download URLs; save their text with the appropriate extension.

### ❓ FAQ

**Does the EU option change Apify storage?**
It selects the transcription processing region. Manage dataset and key-value-store retention separately in Apify.

**Why is a speaker or source title null?**
The source may not provide it, or the requested processing may not produce speaker labels. An empty/null optional field does not mean the transcript failed; check success and error.

### 🛠️ Troubleshooting

For a rejected file, check its size, duration and account tier. For inaccessible media, use a direct download URL or upload the file. If a YouTube row contains captions without word timings or speaker labels, use the original media file for those features. For transcription-service errors, retry a small accessible recording first and contact support if the problem persists.

### ⚖️ Legal: content and storage

Process recordings you have permission to use. Audio is sent for transcription, and results remain in your Apify dataset/key-value store according to your storage settings. Review those settings before processing sensitive recordings. The EU option alone does not establish compliance with a privacy law.

### 🤝 Support

[Report an issue](https://apify.com/sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber/issues) · [Leave a review](https://apify.com/sian.agency/INCREDIBLY-FAST-audio-transcriber/reviews) · [Email support](mailto:apify@sian-agency.online)

Built by [SIÁN Agency](https://www.sian-agency.online). Browse [more automation tools](https://apify.com/sian.agency?fpr=sian).

# Changelog

This Actor's version history is a separate document: https://apify.com/sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber/changelog.md

# Actor input Schema

## `audioUrls` (type: `array`):

Add direct media URLs or paid-tier YouTube, TikTok or Instagram links, one per line. For local media, use Upload Audio/Video Files. Direct formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OPUS, OGG, M4A, MP4, MPEG, MOV and WebM. FREE: one direct file, up to 5 MB and 60 seconds; platform links require PAID. PAID: multiple files, up to 1 GB each. Clear the example URL when uploading your own file.

## `audioFiles` (type: `array`):

Upload audio or video files directly from your computer (or paste a URL). Each upload is stored in your key-value store and processed the same way as a direct URL.

**Supported Formats:** MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OPUS, OGG, M4A, MP4, MPEG, MOV, WebM
**FREE tier:** 1 file per run, ≤5 MB or ≤60 seconds per file.
**PAID tier:** unlimited files, ≤1 GB per file.

You can mix this with **Audio/Video URLs** above — both lists are processed together.

## `language` (type: `string`):

Language spoken in the audio. Leave as 'Auto-detect' for automatic language detection.

## `translateToEnglish` (type: `boolean`):

Translate non-English audio into English. Additional charges apply for translation service.

## `useEuServers` (type: `boolean`):

Request EU-region transcription processing. This selects a processing region; it does not change your Apify storage or retention settings. See the current EU event rate in Pricing.

## `speakerDiarization` (type: `boolean`):

Label speakers in the transcript, such as SPEAKER_00 and SPEAKER_01. Labels can be inaccurate on overlapping speech or noisy recordings. Additional per-second charges apply.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "audioUrls": [
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rara-cyber/podcast-test-file/main/KchSfOdwCJE-56eb7ccd6dc030fa3cc280ab26925c4e234.opus"
  ],
  "language": "auto",
  "translateToEnglish": false,
  "useEuServers": false,
  "speakerDiarization": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `audioTranscripts` (type: `string`):

Processed transcription data with timestamps, speaker diarization, detected languages, and file metadata

## `scrapingSummary` (type: `string`):

HTML summary showing successful and failed transcriptions with key metrics

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "audioUrls": [
        "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rara-cyber/podcast-test-file/main/KchSfOdwCJE-56eb7ccd6dc030fa3cc280ab26925c4e234.opus"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "audioUrls": ["https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rara-cyber/podcast-test-file/main/KchSfOdwCJE-56eb7ccd6dc030fa3cc280ab26925c4e234.opus"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "audioUrls": [
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rara-cyber/podcast-test-file/main/KchSfOdwCJE-56eb7ccd6dc030fa3cc280ab26925c4e234.opus"
  ]
}' |
apify call sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,sian.agency/incredibly-fast-audio-transcriber"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Pke4ULxH1VcN5w35P/builds/4bm8nanmiyQNvKkNQ/openapi.json