LightNote vs Simply Transcribe
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LightNote
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Turn every voice clip and text snippet into organized, actionable knowledge assets, handles transcription, summarization, translation, memorization, and organization in one tap. Transform messy information into reusable, structured content to double your learning and work efficiency! Core Features, One-Click Access Unleash a full suite of knowledge management tools with simple operations: Dual Voice & Text Transcription: Convert meeting recordings, lecture speeches, or quick drafts into accurate text instantly. Every key detail is fully captured and preserved. AI-Powered Structured Summaries: Ditch long, rambling content—AI automatically extracts core points, organizes logical frameworks, and turns dense text into clear, bullet-pointed summaries. 100+ Language Instant Translation: Support for cross-language translation (Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German, etc.). Translate international meetings or foreign materials into your native language seamlessly. Flashcards & Quizzes for Retention: Turn summarized key points into memory flashcards with one click, plus auto-generated quizzes—learn and practice simultaneously to lock in knowledge. Folder Organization: Create custom folders by scenario or topic. Categorize meeting notes, course materials, and project docs with a tap—find what you need instantly, no more information chaos. Why Choose us? Zero Learning Curve: Intuitive interface—start using it right away, with complex features hidden behind one-tap actions. Reclaim Your Time: AI handles 80% of repetitive work (note-taking, organizing, translating) so you can focus on critical thinking. Knowledge That Works For You: From "recording" to "organizing" to "retaining," one workflow turns information directly into actionable skills. Whether you’re a professional organizing meetings, a student reviewing courses, or anyone capturing daily ideas,this app is your knowledge efficiency booster—open it now to banish clutter and streamline learning and work! Privacy Policy: https://apps.me/lightnote-privacy-policy/ Terms of Service:https://apps.me/terms-of-service/
Simply Transcribe
Record audio and convert it to text with this on-device transcription app. It supports numerous languages and offers features like speaker labeling and filler word removal. All processing happens locally for enhanced privacy.
- On-device audio recording
- Automatic transcription
- 25 language support
- Speaker labeling
- Filler word removal
- Import audio files
- Searchable transcripts
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A voice recorder that transcribes your audio to text on your iPhone. Record a meeting, an interview or a quick note, or import your Voice Memos, and read the words a few minutes later in any of 25 languages. The recording comes first. If a call interrupts, what you recorded before it is saved, the recording keeps going while the phone is locked, and Stop from the Lock Screen works even after the app was swiped away. The audio stays whether or not a transcript exists, and a transcription that gets cut off picks up where it stopped. Nothing leaves the phone. There is no account and no upload, the App Store privacy label is Data Not Collected, and it works in airplane mode. Long recordings are a single purchase, never a subscription. Pick the language of a recording so the app does not have to guess. If your recordings mix languages, turn on Auto and the app works the language out as it transcribes. You can also transcribe a single recording in another language without changing your default. On iPhone 12 Pro, 13 Pro, 14 and newer you get all 25 languages, speaker labels and Auto. On iPhone 11, 12, 13 and SE the app transcribes English, and speaker labels and Auto are not offered. Everything else works the same. NEW IN 1.1 Speaker labels show who said what on iPhone 12 Pro, 13 Pro, 14 and newer. Tap Speakers on a finished transcript and each turn gets its own label, with up to 8 voices told apart on your iPhone. You can rename a speaker or move a passage to the right one. Remove filler words gives you clean text without the ums and uhs. The switch is off until you turn it on, and switching it off brings the words back. Transcription now runs on its own. Tap Stop and you are back in your recordings while the words stream in, and it keeps going when you lock the phone or switch apps. Long recordings and imports transcribe faster, and two-hour files finish. WHAT ELSE IT DOES You can record in the app, from Control Center or from a Home Screen widget, and pause, resume or stop from the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island. Audio files import from Voice Memos, Files and other apps. Every recording gets a name from its opening words, from the imported file or from you, and search covers all recordings and transcripts. A waveform drawn from the recording's own audio sits under the transcript. Tap a line to hear that moment, and keep holding on the waveform for 10-minute precision in hours of audio. Transcripts copy, share and save as plain text, and the audio can be shared too. A Shortcuts action, Live Activities and widgets come with it. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Recording, transcription and speaker detection all happen on your iPhone, and the app has no analytics. The only thing that uses the internet is an App Store purchase. 25 LANGUAGES English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian. Bulgarian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Maltese have no App Store page of their own, so in their own words they are български, eesti, latviešu, lietuvių and Malti. MADE FOR Interviews, meetings, lectures, voice memos, dictation and voice notes in a second language. GOOD TO KNOW The first transcription after you install the app takes about a minute longer while the speech model is prepared. After that, transcriptions start at once. PRICE Recordings up to 5 minutes are free. One purchase unlocks longer recordings for good, with no subscription and no minute quota. Your audio is saved either way.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: LightNote at every 6 days against Simply Transcribe's every 5 weeks. LightNote also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. LightNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and Simply Transcribe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
LightNote ships an update every 6 days, Simply Transcribe every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LightNote | Simply Transcribe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 832 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ABV Mobile | Fusion Codeworks, LLC |
In-app purchases
LightNote
- Pro Monthly Plan3 Days trial$17.991 Month
- Pro Yearly Plan3 Days trial$79.991 Year
Simply Transcribe
- Long Transcription Unlock$9.99








