How long a recording can you transcribe?
Transcribe for free →The real numbers, not "yes we support long files"
An eligible anonymous demo uses its separate 180-minute maximum. A signed-in Free account has 60 minutes across 20 recordings monthly; individual jobs also pass duration, file-size, entitlement and source admission.
One long file can use the whole monthly budget
One eligible recording may consume a large portion of the 60 Free minutes when admission rules permit. An available monthly balance is not a universal per-file duration guarantee.
Multi-hour files process in the background
Nothing has to stay open. A long recording enters a queue and keeps working after you close the tab, and you come back to finished, timestamped text.
Premium for people who do this often
A larger monthly minute allowance, plus a higher upload size ceiling for direct files rather than links. Built for someone who regularly has multi-hour recordings rather than an occasional long file.
Duration and file size are two different limits
Free direct upload: 90 MB. Eligible Premium chunked upload: 1 GB. Public links are governed by source accessibility, downloader restrictions and plan/per-job rules rather than the browser upload size. Larger files do not become automatically admissible.
Before submitting a multi-hour file
Confirm that an authorized recording is accessible, its file is below the plan-specific upload limit if uploading, and the account has sufficient monthly minutes and a remaining job slot. If eligible, multi-hour processing continues in the background.
Frequently asked questions
What is the actual length limit?
The anonymous demo supports eligible recordings up to 180 minutes under separate demo rules. Signed-in Free has 60 minutes across 20 recordings monthly, not a promise that any particular full-duration job will be accepted. Individual job, source, upload size, plan and account checks also apply.
Can I transcribe a 5-hour recording?
Yes, AI can transcribe an eligible five-hour podcast: it is 300 minutes of material. The 60-minute Free monthly allowance is smaller than the 300-minute recording, so Free cannot cover it without some separately eligible allowance. That is not a guarantee of one-job admission. Verify per-job duration and source rules, audio availability and file size. The Free quick upload ceiling is 90 MB; eligible Premium chunked uploads can reach 1 GB. A supported accessible public audio URL avoids browser file upload but still has source and downloader restrictions. Jobs run in the background when admitted; speaker labeling has separate eligibility and can consume additional minutes.
Does a longer recording cost more or take special handling?
No special mode. Multi-hour files queue in the background the same way short ones do, and pricing is the same flat minutes-per-month model regardless of how long any single file is.
Is there a maximum file size as well as duration?
Yes: Free quick uploads are capped at 90 MB, and eligible Premium chunked uploads at 1 GB. A supported public URL does not use the browser quick uploader, but it must still expose accessible media and satisfy remote download and per-source policies.
What happens if I run out of minutes partway through?
The job you already started finishes. The limit applies to starting new jobs once the month's budget is used, not to cutting off a recording mid-transcription.
Can AI transcribe a five-hour podcast?
Yes, AI can transcribe an eligible five-hour podcast: it is 300 minutes of material. The 60-minute Free monthly allowance is smaller than the 300-minute recording, so Free cannot cover it without some separately eligible allowance. That is not a guarantee of one-job admission. Verify per-job duration and source rules, audio availability and file size. The Free quick upload ceiling is 90 MB; eligible Premium chunked uploads can reach 1 GB. A supported accessible public audio URL avoids browser file upload but still has source and downloader restrictions. Jobs run in the background when admitted; speaker labeling has separate eligibility and can consume additional minutes.