The Best Voice Recorder Apps for All Phones (Android, iPhone, & Free)

In our fast-paced digital world, it’s easier than ever to capture your thoughts and ideas on your Android or iPhone. Whether you're a busy professional needing to record meeting notes, a student wanting to capture lecture details, or a journalist gathering insights from an interview, voice recorder apps have become indispensable.

A reliable voice recording app can help you record an out-of-the-box idea, send a voice memo, or even capture some audio notes while walking or driving.

But with lots of options available, choosing the right app can be overwhelming. I spent over a week researching voice recording tools so you don’t have to.

Based on my experience and research, here are the 15 best voice recording apps for iPhone, Android, and computer. Join us as we explore how they elevate your recording experience!

Best voice recorder apps: At a glance

What makes a good voice recorder app?

I started my research on the best audio recording apps by exploring the options available online. Since my goal was to cover everyone (like beginners, advanced users, podcasters, and musicians), I thought about the potential uses of the apps as I tested.

Here are the main things a good voice recording app should include:

• Sound Quality: The first thing you should look for is how clean and crisp the audio is after recording. I also looked for different editing options to enhance the quality or adjust the sound, like bit depth, changing sample rates, etc.

• Export Options: I looked at the number of export options (for example, WAV and MP3) and even integration with third-party apps (like Google Drive, Notion, and Salesforce) available for saving and exporting audio.

• Note-taking Capabilities: Many advanced audio recorder apps let users take notes on their recordings, which makes it easy to share content with others.

• Ease of Use: There are many sophisticated Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android sound recorders, though not all of them are easy to use. Most of the sound recorders you'll find on this list are easy to navigate and record with.

List of the best voice recorder apps

Considering features like high-quality sound, note-taking capabilities, and ease of use, let’s take a look at the best audio recorder apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android. All the apps in this list are either completely free, offer free plans, or come with affordable pricing.

#1 Notta: Best voice recorder with automatic transcription

Notta is a feature-rich voice recorder with transcription that captures clear, crisp audio on the Web, Android, and iOS. No matter where you record, your audio will be synced across all your devices for easy access anytime, anywhere.

Notta stands out as one of the few voice recording software programs that use AI to transcribe speech to text and generate summaries of transcripts within seconds. You can record directly in the app or upload existing files to get a searchable transcript.

Additionally, Notta supports over 50 languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. These impressive features position Notta as a leading AI recorder, transcriber, and summarizer available online.

Key Features

• Voice Notes: Just hit record and start talking - Notta will capture audio and generate a transcript in real-time.

• Playback Control: You can playback the audio at an adjustable rate from 0.5 to 3x and even skip the silence part.

• Timestamps: The Notta voice recording tool will attach timestamps so you can quickly locate specific sections of the recording.

• Summarize: Don’t have time to listen to the whole recording? No worries, Notta will extract key points and action items using AI.

Pros

• You can pause and resume the recording with one click.

• Capture hours of audio without interruptions.

• Easily share the recording with all stakeholders via a link or add a password to protect sensitive content.

Cons

• If you need the raw audio file, you’ll need to download it from Notta, though the process is simple.

• An internet connection is required for Notta to work.

Pricing

• Free

• Pro Plan: $8.33 per user/month

• Business Plan: $16.67 per user/month

• Enterprise Plan: Custom

System Compatibility

• Android

• iOS

• Web browser

• Google Chrome

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#2 Apple Voice Memos: Best free voice recording app for iPhone

Apple's very own free Voice Memos app is a great option for a casual recorder. What I really like about this free tool is that it comes pre-installed for iPhone users. There is no need to follow a long sign-up or log-in process to get started — just open the app, tap the 'Record' button, and start speaking.

They recently added a cool new feature: multitrack recording. So if you’re a musician or just like layering voices, you can now record multiple tracks right from your iPhone.

Key Features

• Custom Folders: Organizing the recorded notes is pretty straightforward — you can organize with custom folders to sort your notes, or tap the heart icon next to any recording to add it directly to the 'Favorites' folder.

• Basic Editing: With the Voice Memo app, you can slow down or even speed up the audio playback speed, trim or enhance recordings, and even skip silences.

• iCloud Support: This feature lets you keep your recordings safe and in sync across all devices.

Pros

• Apple Voice Memos allows you to reduce echo or background noise with a single tap.

• The search feature helps quickly find the recordings.

• It automatically gives a name to the recording based on the location.

Cons

• It sometimes compromises the quality of the recording.

• You cannot use the app on Android or Windows, as it is designed especially for Apple users.

• Some users faced glitches while recording.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• iOS

• iPadOS

#3 Dolby On: Best voice recorder for musicians

Dolby On is a voice capture app that's mostly built with live music recording in mind. If you've ever wondered how someone can record studio-quality music easily, chances are they use Dolby On.

Key Features

• Automatic Studio Effects: Dolby On is one of the few free software programs that lets you record live music with advanced effects like spatial audio, EQ, noise reduction, and more.

• Simple Interface: The app is relatively easy to use, which makes it ideal for beginners and professionals alike.

• Versatile: You can record podcasts, sounds, voice memos, lyrics, rehearsals, instruments, songs, beats, and more with high quality.

Pros

• Dolby On filters the noise so you can get high-quality audio recordings.

• It has no in-app purchases or ads.

• The app is free for both Android and iPhone users.

Cons

• The online recorder sometimes overprocesses the recording.

• Some users have experienced a distortion.

• The features of the app are more geared towards professional musicians, making it less versatile.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• iOS

• Android

#4 Smart Voice Recorder: Best free voice recorder app for Android

Smart Voice Recorder is a great mid-level sound recorder app for Android, complete with built-in editing features that get the job done. Additionally, it features an easy-to-use interface that makes it a great option for quick recordings for beginners.

Key Features

• Skip Silence: While recording and editing voice, you can skip silence and improve its overall quality.

• High Audio Quality: Dolby On provides outstanding features like noise reduction to create quality sound.

• Easy to Use Interface: What I liked about the app is its relatively user-friendly and intuitive interface.

Pros

• The app provides full control over the voice recording process.

• It also features skip silence to produce high-quality recordings.

• It’s completely free to use for Android users.

Cons

• Contains ads that can be annoying for some users.

• The app is only available on Android's Google Play Store.

• It has limited file-sharing capabilities compared to other apps.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• Android

#5 Alice: Best voice recorder for journalists

If you are a journalist looking for a free voice recorder rather than a dedicated transcription tool, Alice is your app. It's designed for iOS users, and you don’t have to tap any buttons to start recording. You can control Alice using gestures or voice commands, which makes it great for right-handed, left-handed, and visually impaired users.

Alice also transcribes your recordings into text, and a 2025 update introduced advanced transcript editing. This feature lets you correct errors and rearrange text to make sure your transcripts stay accurate to the original recording.

Key Features

• Integrations: Alice integrates well with third-party apps, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.

• Speed: The tool is remarkably fast and cost-effective compared to its rivals.

• Auto-Transcription: Alice is a uniquely designed sound recorder and auto-transcribing system for journalists.

Pros

• There are no ads, tracking, or tricks.

• It's a fast recording tool that links well to email.

• You can even upload your audio files and get transcripts.

Cons

• Alice caters exclusively to iOS devices.

• The app is more geared towards journalists.

• Sometimes, the generated transcripts have errors.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• iOS

• iPadOS

• macOS

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#6 Voice Record Pro: Best for advanced editing features

I think the Voice Record Pro lives up to its name: it's a pro. I appreciated its ability to raise the playback speed and also add sound effects and filters, including echoes, reverb, and equalizers to recordings.

While Voice Record Pro excels in audio enhancement features, those interested in experimenting with creative sound manipulation might explore specialized voice changing software to modify their recordings further, adding a unique twist to their audio projects.

Key Features

• Export Options: Voice Record Pro offers plenty of export options, including direct export to Dropbox, OneDrive, YouTube, and SoundCloud — along with the typical email and SMS options.

• Add Notes: The app allows you to leave notes by just sliding to the right side of the recording. What I found extra convenient is the ability to add other text like device type, address, date, time, and location.

• High-Quality Sound: I started recording with a medium-quality option and while the voice was clear, there was some background noise. Switching from medium-quality to high-quality made the sound much sharper and clearer.

Pros

• You can add notes, photos, and bookmarks to recordings.

• It supports simple trim and advanced trim functions for better sound quality.

• Most of the advanced features are available in the free plan.

Cons

• The audio quality isn't great for playback, but good enough for basic purposes.

• Sometimes, the application crashes in the middle of the voice recording.

• You'll have to spend $8.99 to remove ads.

Pricing

• Free

• In-app purchases: $8.99

System Compatibility

• iOS

• iPadOS

• macOS

#7 ShurePlus MOTIV: Best iPhone voice recorder for longer audio

ShurePlus MOTIV offers multiple sound quality levels, with 16-bit depth being the lowest and 24-bit depth being the highest. While testing, I found the sound was already clear and crisp with no background noise.

Key Features

• Place Markers: One unique aspect of ShurePlus MOTIV is the ability to mark recordings and pinpoint specific audio locations.

• Editing Features: You can also trim and split audio using the built-in editing options of the application.

• Sharing Options: This tool lets you share recordings via email, messaging apps, or cloud services.

Pros

• The editing features of ShurePlus MOTIV make it ideal for longer recordings.

• The voice recorded is relatively clear and sharp compared to its rivals.

• All the recorded media files can be shared via email, Dropbox, iTunes, text, and AirDrop.

Cons

• Most of the features are only accessible to MOTIV digital mics.

• Some Apple users have seen trouble while using the app on Mac computers.

• Some users have also noted infrequent crashes.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• iOS

• iPadOS

#8 Say&Go: Best for recording quick voice memos

Say&Go is one of the fastest iPhone audio note apps on this list, though you don't have much control over the audio recording process. The point where Say&Go gets the high marks is how quickly you can capture a note - just open the app, and you have seven seconds to record your message.

Key Features

• Easy Sharing: Say&Go allows you to upload recordings directly to Evernote or Dropbox in addition to Apple's typical sharing options.

• Set Alerts: One of the useful features is the ability to set alerts for your recordings so you can go back and listen to audio files.

• Voice Messages: All recordings in Say&Go can be easily sent to yourself or others via email or messaging apps.

Pros

• The recording starts as soon as you open the app and ends automatically after 4-75 seconds.

• The alert feature acts as a reminder to review your memos at the end of the day.

• There's a nice, interactive tutorial available.

Cons

• You do not have much control over the audio recording process.

• There are no advanced features available.

• It's not completely free to use, though the paid plan is affordable.

Pricing

• $2.99

System Compatibility

• iOS

#9 Sound Recorder App: Best built-in recorder for Windows 10

Sound Recorder lets you record presentations, notes, or memos faster, and can be activated via Cortana. When it is launched, the app starts recording your speech.

Key Features

• One-Click Operation: You can simply start recording the sound or voice by launching the application.

• Autosave Feature: The recordings are automatically saved on your computer.

• User-friendly Interface: It's an easy-to-use tool that can do basic recording.

Pros

• Simple, intuitive design makes it easy to record lectures.

• You can install the app on up to ten Windows devices.

• You can use the Sound Recorder app for up to three hours per recording file.

Cons

• There are no advanced editing features available.

• The app is limited to Windows 10.

• The audio recorded by Sound Recorder does not have the highest quality possible.

Pricing

• Free and offers in-app purchases

System Compatibility

• Windows 10

#10 Movavi Screen Recorder: Best for music recording on Mac

I'm constantly recording my screen (both audio and video) during a presentation or a meeting, and I believe most people have a need to record at some point. For Mac users looking to record music, Movavi Screen Recorder is a solid option.

Key Features

• Editing Tools: You can trim the recording or cut the unwanted sections for clear audio.

• High-Quality Recording: You can record screencasts and webcasts in HD and 4K quality.

• Valuable: The tool captures mouse clicks, cursor movement, and keystrokes to create guides and instructions.

Pros

• The audio is clean and noise-free.

• It runs smoothly on Mac devices.

• The advanced features make videos more engaging.

Cons

• It has limited features.

• You'll need to choose a full version to unlock all the features.

• There are no transcription features available.

Pricing

• Free

• Paid version: $19.95/mo (1-year subscription)

System Compatibility

• macOS

#11 ASR Video Recorder: Best voice recorder with high-end features

ASR Video Recorder is a good recording application that comes with high-end features like skip silences, noise reduction, playback control, and cloud support.

Key Features

• Playback Control: You can adjust the playback speed of the recording while reviewing.

• Cloud Support: All the recordings can be quickly uploaded to cloud platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.

• Add Notes: Just like some other tools, you can add notes to the audio.

Pros

• The app supports various export options, including WAV, OGG, M4A, and typical MP3.

• It’s free to use with the option to upgrade to the Pro version.

• You can skip the silence from the audio recording to make it clear.

Cons

• There are constant in-app ads that are annoying.

• Sometimes, saving files in formats other than AVI can be a bit of a problem.

• Excessive noise reduction and skipping silences can lead to decreased audio quality.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• Android

#12 Voice Recorder & Memos Pro: Best iPhone recorder for editing features

Voice Recorder & Memos Pro sets itself apart with a clean, modern design and an interface that feels easy and inviting to use. One of my favorite features is its fun side: it allows you to put voice filters over audio, like making yourself sound like a robot.

Key Features

• Editing Options: There are a variety of editing options, including cropping, merging, pitching, splitting, and inserting audio.

• Noise Reduction: You can also reduce noise to make the sound clean, though when I tried the feature, I did notice a slight quality reduction.

• Transcription: Voice Recorder & Memos Pro also has a speech-to-text transcription feature that works well, but not great.

Pros

• It comes with a set of powerful recording modes, including normal, preset time, mix, voice-activated, and Bluetooth headset recording modes.

• The recorded videos can be directly shared via email or message.

• You can also share recordings on social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more.

Cons

• The voice-to-text transcription feature of the tool needs to be improved.

• It has a range of advanced features that make it less ideal for beginners.

• The in-app purchases are costly.

Pricing

• Free

• In-app purchases

• Yearly subscription: $99.99

• Monthly subscription: $12.99

System Compatibility

• iOS

• iPadOS

#13 Audacity: Best audio recorder & editor for podcasters

Audacity is one of the most capable free audio recording tools available. It runs on all the major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Audacity also supports various import and export formats, including M4A, FLAC, WAV, MP3, Ogg, and more. One drawback of Audacity is that you cannot record multiple audio sources at once.

Key Features

• Free Audio Hosting: With Audacity, you can create audio (for example, podcasts) and then host it on audio.com for free.

• Deep Audio Analysis: You can also visualize frequencies in Audacity's Spectrogram view.

• Advanced Editing: Audacity's editor offers a library of effects, including a compressor, an automatic repair tool, and noise reduction.

Pros

• There are many third-party plugins available for Audacity, including Nyquist, VST3, and more.

• The tool works well for anyone who wants to record, edit, or export audio.

• You can host and share audio directly on audio.com.

Cons

• Audacity lacks the features and refinement of premium products.

• The interface is basic and slightly clunky.

• You cannot perform non-destructive edits using Audacity.

Pricing

• Free

System Compatibility

• Windows

• macOS

• Linux

#14 SOUND FORGE Audio Studio 17: Best for video editors & podcasters

The Audio Studio 17 is a moderately priced Windows voice recorder and editor designed for professional podcasters. The app does common tasks like cleaning audio, merging recordings into one file, and applying effects.

Key Features

• Built-in Mixing Tools: You can record podcasts in excellent sound quality with the help of mixing and editing tools.

• iZotope Ozone Elements: This feature allows you to create broadcast-ready mixes for radio and streaming.

• Professional Presets: It provides a range of genres to make recording sound ultra-clear, richer, and punchier with minimal effort.

Pros

• SOUND FORGE Audio Studio 17 lets you prepare audiobooks compatible with iTunes, Audible, and more.

• You can adjust the volume level and remove distracting noise from recordings.

• With the recorder and editor, you can import and export audio files in popular formats like AAC, WAV, MP3, AIFF, FLAC, WMA, and OGG.

Cons

• The paid plans are quite expensive, starting from $39.99 (currently).

• There is no multi-track editing feature available.

• The application is complex for beginners.

Pricing

• Free Trial

• Upgrade: $34.99 (Regularly $59.99)

• New Purchase: $39.99 (Regularly $59.99)

System Compatibility

• Windows

#15 Audiate: Best for recording & text-based audio editing

Audiate is a different kind of recorder and editor, and one of the most popular of its kind that I tested. You can record voices directly into the application and then transcribe them into text. The app is relatively pricey, so it's worthwhile only if you need these specialized editing features.

Key Features

• Studio-Quality Effects: With Audiate, you can add effects like volume leveling, clipping, unwanted reverb, and noise reduction.

• Transcription Features: The built-in speech-to-text feature works well, though it gets words wrong sometimes.

• Neat Editing Shortcuts: You can use shortcuts like 'Insert silence after' or 'Insert silence before' to break the text.

Pros

• Audiate lets you record, edit, and even transcribe spoken words into text.

• You can mark hesitations and remove them with a single click to sound confident.

• The audio recorder enhances voice and even solves common audio issues.

Cons

• Audiate's paid plans start from $329.87, billed yearly, which is quite expensive.

• It's not ideal for editing music or sound effects.

• There is no free plan available.

Pricing

• Free Trial

• Bundle: $329.87

System Compatibility

• Windows

• macOS

Key takeaways

Built-in audio recorders like Apple's Voice Memo app and free tools like Audacity are good starting points for most people since they get the job done. But if you find these options a bit limiting, it's time to consider advanced sound recorders and transcribers like Notta.

Notta offers both mobile apps and web-based solutions for recording, transcribing, and summarizing voice conversations. It stands out as one of the best voice recorder apps, thanks to its generous free plan, accurate transcription in 58 languages, and optimal sound quality.

Try Notta for Free

FAQs

What is the best app to record in-person conversations?

Notta is the best app to record in-person conversations. It’s easy to use - you just download the app and place your smartphone between you and your conversation partner. Tap the 'Record Now' button when the conversation begins, and Notta will start capturing everything that’s being said.

Can I record someone talking without permission?

In some cases, you can record someone talking in public without their permission. However, recording private conversations without consent can lead to legal consequences.

It's always a good idea to ask or inform the person before you record them. For more information on whether it is illegal to record anyone without their permission, you can read our detailed guide.