No app to install, no per-minute charges, no waiting. Upload, transcribe, export.
Upload an M4A interview file and Cockatoo returns a timestamped, speaker-labeled transcript while you're still closing the Voice Memos app. Edit, search, and quote directly from the text instead of scrubbing through audio.
A 60-minute recording finishes transcription before you can open your notes app.
Get the words out of the audio, then get them into another language. Cockatoo covers both transcription and document translation, so you can transcribe an M4A interview and translate the transcript without switching tools or paying for two subscriptions.
3 free transcripts. No credit card required.
| Paid-plan usage | How it works |
|---|---|
| Default modes | No monthly hour cap |
| Highest-accuracy modes | Weekly usage budget shown in Settings |
| When the budget is reached | Unlimited default modes remain available |
No monthly hour cap on default transcription modes.
Cockatoo runs its own transcription engine, so there's no third-party service deciding when to raise prices or cut access.
| Language | Word error rate |
|---|---|
| English | 3.9% |
| Spanish | 1.0% |
| French | 7.8% |
| German | 2.4% |
Lower is better. Selected per-language results from the public benchmark. Updated October 27, 2026.
Explore the full accuracy reportCockatoo shows you the test, the score, and the recording so you can check the claim yourself.
No chatbot, no outsourced queue, no waiting days for a reply.
“The app has simplified my dissertation work by trascribing the interviews I am working with currently.”
“This transcriber is incredibly accurate, and not bothered by all the different accents i present it with. Highly recommended.”
Download your M4A transcript as an SRT subtitle file with timestamps intact. Drop the SRT into your video editor, upload it to YouTube, or use it anywhere timed captions are needed.
training-session.srt
Illustrative subtitle previewEdit the transcript directly in Cockatoo's browser editor, then generate a summary, extract action items, or rewrite sections with Canvas, the built-in AI notes tool.
No need to copy and paste into another app. The transcript, the editor, and the AI tools live in one place.
Note for tomorrow's presentation: open with the problem we're trying to solve, then explain why it matters.
Add an example from the customer interviews. Keep it specific, and leave time for questions at the end.
Before sharing the draft, check the names, review the key points, and turn these notes into a short outline.
Drag an M4A file from your desktop, paste a YouTube link, or import from Dropbox or Google Drive. Cockatoo accepts all three and starts transcription immediately.
Upload, get a transcript in seconds, export where you need it. No sales call, no setup wizard, no waiting for account approval.
No email, no phone call, no friction.
Apple Voice Memos commonly shares recordings as M4A files. QuickTime can export audio-only MPEG-4 files, while its movie exports use MOV. GarageBand offers multiple export formats. Cockatoo accepts your M4A audio directly without a manual conversion step.
No need to open an audio editor, export to WAV or MP3, and re-upload. The M4A file you already have is the file Cockatoo transcribes.
Apple’s guides explain QuickTime audio and movie exports and GarageBand audio conversion. For the format basics, see our M4A to text guide.
Upload your M4A files, store the transcripts, and share them with collaborators without paying for a separate cloud storage subscription.
No monthly hour cap, no throttling, no overage charges.
