8 Best Medical Transcription Software [Free & Paid]

The demand for medical transcription software is booming, with the medical transcription software market projected to reach $4.89 billion by 2027. This surge reflects the growing need for efficient and accurate clinical documentation.

In this article, we’ll explore the top paid and free medical transcription software, explaining each platform's features, pricing, and more.

What is medical transcription software?

Medical transcription software is a specialized tool that converts voice-recorded medical reports into text. These reports can be anything from doctor's notes and patient histories to discharge summaries and operative reports. 

The best medical transcription software solutions provide features like:

• Playback controls
• Audio annotation
• Text editors to review and modify transcripts
• Automated formatting based on medical vocabulary
• Integration with EHR/EMR systems
• Data security and compliance

Free medical transcription software

• Express Scribe
• FTW Transcriber

Express Scribe

Express Scribe is a free, open-source audio player software to help transcribe medical recordings.

Developed by NCH Software, it provides an intuitive interface and other useful features, including:

• Foot pedal control support for playback, rewinding, and fast-forward
• Variable speed playback without altering pitch
• Customizable hotkeys for common audio commands
• Support for audio files in WAV, MP3, WMA, and other formats
• Transfer audio files directly from portable recorders
• Integration with external speech recognition software to automate transcription

As an open-source tool, Express Scribe is free to download. Medical transcriptionists can access it on both Windows and Mac operating systems.

You can buy a professional version of the Express Scribe for a one-time payment of $99 to access proprietary format support and other features. 

FTW Transcriber

The FTW Transcriber focuses on providing a free automated solution tailored for medical transcription. The software includes built-in tools to assist with accurately capturing common medical terminology.

Key features include:

• Automatic timestamps for each line
• Foot pedal support and customizable shortcuts
• Save different hotkey settings for different clients
• Import audio in WAV, MP3, and WMA formats
• Import video files in MPEG, WMV, FLV, etc. 
• Cloud-based file sharing

FTW Transcriber aims to simplify clinical documentation workflows specifically for healthcare teams. The app is available for Windows and Android devices.

If you want access to the premium version, you have four pricing options:

• 1 month - $14 ($14 per month) 
• 24 months - $29 ($1.21 per month) 
• 36 months - $40 ($1.11 per month) 
• 60 months - $48 ($0.80 per month)

Paid medical transcription software

Fireflies.ai

Fireflies is a leading AI notetaker trusted by over 100,000 organizations. It has a HIPAA-compliant version designed for healthcare, simplifying medical transcription and clinical notes.

Your patient's sensitive information is secure with Fireflies with security measures like Business Associate Agreement (BAA), end-to-end encryption, and compliance with SOC 2 Type II and GDPR standards.

Fireflies also has a zero-data retention policy, preventing third-party vendors from storing or using sensitive data to train their systems or for other purposes.

Other key features include:

• Over 90% accurate transcripts
• Option to add custom vocabulary for commonly used terms
• Integration with 8 video conferencing tools to transcribe virtual patient sessions
• Support for audio and video file formats: MP3, MP4, M4A, and WAV
• Automatic speaker identification and labeling for uploaded files (Speaker 1, Speaker 2)
• Seamless integration with various EHR systems through Zapier or the Fireflies API
• Tailor consultation summaries with easy customization
• Private storage option for all your transcripts
• Supports 60+ languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Arabic, German, Dutch, and Italian 
• Channels to organize your transcripts for easy access
• Unlimited offline transcription with the Fireflies Mobile App

Access Fireflies via the web app or download the mobile app on iOS or Android.

Pricing:

Request pricing and access to Fireflies’ HIPAA-compliant version.

DeepScribe

DeepScribe is a medical transcription software that helps clinical teams automate documentation. It records and converts doctor-patient conversations into medical notes with high accuracy.

Key features include:

• Record and transcribe conversations on the mobile app
• Real-time speech recognition and editing suite
• HIPAA-compliant data security
• Multi-level authentication for improved access security
• Direct integration EHR platforms like Epic and Athenahealth
• Customizable templates for common workflows

DeepScribe is available on iOS and iPad devices. You can only access and manage your recordings and transcripts on the web portal.

Pricing: Custom pricing. Contact DeepSribe’s sales team to get a quote.

Amazon Transcribe Medical

Amazon Transcribe Medical is another medical transcription software for clinical documentation. Leveraging Amazon's deep learning expertise, Transcribe Medical excels at accurately transcribing medical jargon and terminology.

Key features include:

• Automatic speech recognition for audio in common formats
• Custom and HIPAA-compliant vocabulary for accurate clinical terms
• Automatic speaker labels to distinguish different speakers
• Secure AWS infrastructure designed for PHI (Protected Health Information)
• Pay-as-you-go pricing with bulk discounts

You can access Amazon Transcribe Medical through the Amazon Web Services (AWS) portal.

Pricing:

• Free tier: 60 minutes/month for 12 months only
• For more transcription pricing, use the AWS Pricing Calculator

WebchartMD

WebchartMD is a cloud-based medical transcription software that offers a comprehensive solution for managing your medical transcription needs. 

Key features include:

• Easily record dictations using smartphones, web browsers, or dedicated dictation devices
• Built-in quality assurance tools
• Integration with various EHR platforms
• Secure cloud hosting with encrypted data transfer
• Create custom macros and medical dictionaries
• Get insights on the number of lines transcribed daily, weekly, or monthly

Pricing: 

WebchartMD follows a pay-as-you-go pricing model. Contact the sales team to get a pricing quote.

INVOX Medical

INVOX Medical provides real-time dictation and transcription of medical reports. Designed for healthcare facilities, INVOX Medical uses speech recognition to provide secure and accurate transcription services. 

Key features include:

• 15 custom dictionaries optimized for clinical specialties
• Ability to learn and adapt to accents and ambient noise
• Direct integration with leading EHR platforms
• Secure cloud hosting with full data encryption
• Get reports to gain insights into your transcription workflow
• Store other patient documents alongside medical transcripts

Pricing: Starting price: €300/user/year

Nuance Dragon Medical One

Dragon Medical One isn't just another medical transcription software; it's an AI-powered documentation companion. It allows physicians and care teams to capture patient stories easily and convert them into compliant notes.

Key features include:

• Automatic accent detection and audio calibration
• Language commands to format notes on the go
• Use your smartphone as a wireless microphone
• Customized shortcuts for commonly used text and sentences
• Integrate easily with major EHR and EMR platforms

Pricing: Dragon Medical One offers three subscription plans:

• 1 Year: $99/month + implementation fee
• 2 Year: $89/month + implementation fee
• 3 Year: $79/month + implementation fee
  

Choosing the right medical transcription software

Accurate clinical documentation is critical for quality patient care and managing healthcare operations. Medical transcription software can maximize efficiency and accuracy in the documentation process. 

The options covered provide top-rated free tools like Fireflies and leading paid platforms with robust feature sets. When selecting the best software, consider accuracy, voice recognition capability, formatting, data security, and EHR integrations to ensure every word in the patient's journey is captured precisely and securely.