Captio AI vs NALscribe
Captio AI vs NALscribe, the free caption app from NAL, Australia's public hearing research lab: Android, offline mode, auto-erase, translation and price.
Facts checked on each company's own pages. How we compare
NALscribe
by National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), the research division of Hearing Australia
iPhone, iPad, Mac with M1; no Android
The short answer
Pick NALscribe if you run a clinic, reception or enquiry counter, or just want free captions with no limit on an iPhone or iPad with a recent iOS: it works offline, NAL collects no data, and it can wipe the screen 20 seconds after speech stops. Pick Captio AI if you use Android, need to know who is talking (by name on iPhone), want everything translated as it is spoken, or want recordings kept with their audio and turned into summaries.
Choose NALscribe if
you are setting up a shared iPad at a counter or for appointments, want captions that cost nothing and run offline, or want an app from a public research body that collects no data.
Choose Captio AI if
You're on Android or your iPhone is stuck below iOS 26.6, you follow group conversations, you want every word translated live, or you want to keep and summarise what was said.
Captio AI vs NALscribe, feature by feature
Tap any fact to see the details and the page it comes from.
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free planWhat you can do without paying. | Yes: 100 free credits a day + 3 summariesFree every day: 100 free credits a day for live captions or transcription, and 3 AI summaries in total. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt) | Yes: Everything free, unlimited minutesEvery feature is free to install and run, with unlimited minutes, offline languages and translation at no extra cost, and no in-app purchases on the Australian App Store (November 2026). The terms say NAL may charge or add advertising in the future. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), App Store data (Australia) (Apple), NALscribe terms (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Paid plansPrices as listed by the company, with the country and date. | Yes: US$14.99/month or US$79.99/yearCaptio AI Plus on the US App Store, October 2026. No free trial. Prices differ by country. Source: Apple App Store listing | No paid planThe Australian App Store lists NALscribe as free with no in-app purchases (November 2026). Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), App Store data (Australia) (Apple) |
| Free through a government programmeSome services are paid for by public programmes for eligible users. | NoNo government funding programme; see captioai.app/organizations for licences through an organisation. Source: Captio AI for organizations | Yes: Free to all; made with Australian Government fundingNAL is the research division of Hearing Australia and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health; NAL says the NALscribe research was funded through the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Nobody has to qualify: the app is free for everyone. Sources: Speech to text app project (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), About NAL (National Acoustic Laboratories), NALscribe project outcomes (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Works onThe phone you already have decides what you can use. | Yes: iPhone, iPad, AndroidOn the App Store (also listed for Apple silicon Macs and Apple Vision) and on Google Play since October 2026. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Google Play listing | Yes: iPhone, iPad, Mac with M1; no AndroidNAL's FAQ lists iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Macs with an M1 chip; the App Store also lists Apple Vision, and calls it an iPad app not verified for macOS. NAL says it can't offer NALscribe on Android or Windows because Google and Microsoft charge ongoing fees for their speech-to-text. Google Play has no NALscribe app. Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Google Play search |
| NeedsOlder phones are often left out of built-in features. | Yes: iOS 15.1 or laterThe App Store lists iOS 15.1 or later for iPhone. Source: Apple App Store listing | Yes: iOS 26.6 or laterThe App Store lists iOS 26.6 or later for iPhone and iPad, and macOS 26.6 on an M1 Mac or newer (version of 1 November 2026). NAL's older FAQ still names iOS 12.1 as the minimum, iOS 13 for offline mode and iOS 15 for translation. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), App Store data (Australia) (Apple), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Live captions without internetPlanes, basements, hospitals and trips abroad often have no signal. | Partly: Records offline, captions laterLive captions need internet. Without a connection it keeps recording and transcribes automatically when the phone is back online. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Yes, after a one-time language downloadOffline mode recognises speech on the device with nothing sent over the internet. The first time, each language's model has to download over the internet (about 10 minutes). NAL says online mode is slightly more accurate. Translation languages can also be downloaded for offline use. Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store) |
| Where speech is processedOn the phone or in the cloud, and whether audio is kept. | Yes: Cloud; audio not stored on its serversSpeech is processed by third-party speech recognition after you agree. Audio is not stored on Captio AI's servers; content is never sold or used to train AI models. Source: Captio AI privacy policy | Yes: Online: Apple's server; offline: on deviceIn online mode audio goes to Apple's speech recognition server and text comes back; in offline mode nothing is transmitted. Audio is never stored and is discarded when recording stops. NAL collects no data from the app (App Store: Data Not Collected). Auto-erase can clear the screen 20 or 60 seconds after speech stops. Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store) |
| Account neededSome people want to open the app and start, with no sign-up. | Partly: OptionalSign in with Apple or Google to sync, or skip and use it on one phone. Source: Captio AI privacy policy | None described; NAL collects no dataNo sign-up is described, and the App Store privacy section says the developer collects no data from the app. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Captions people in the roomSpeech picked up by the phone's microphone, for face-to-face conversations. | Yes, from the phone's microphoneSpeech in the room appears as text while the person is still talking. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Yes, continuous, no time limitSpeech from the microphone becomes text as the person speaks, with no timeout and unlimited minutes. You can pick which microphone to use, connect a Bluetooth or desk microphone, and turn the screen upside down so the iPhone's bottom microphone points at the talker. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Text size and coloursCaptions have to be readable at arm's length, flat on a table. | Yes: Text size, colours, contrastText size, background colour and contrast can be adjusted. Source: Live Captions (Captio AI) | Yes: Very large text, dark backgroundCaption size goes up to very large for a shared iPad, other text follows the device's text size, there is a dark background option, paragraphs are formatted automatically, and VoiceOver is supported. An English profanity filter keeps offensive words off the screen. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Saves transcriptsTo read a lecture, appointment or meeting again later. | Yes, with audio, syncedRecordings are saved with their audio in a searchable library and synced to your account. | Yes, on the device, when auto-erase is offWith auto-erase off, you choose Save or Clear when you stop. Saved transcripts stay on the device only, and you can open one later, edit it and keep adding to it. Nothing is saved automatically, and the 20- and 60-second privacy modes offer no Save. Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store) |
| Export and shareTo send notes to yourself, a carer or a colleague. | Yes: Text, link, PDF, emailShare a transcript or summary as text, a link, a PDF, an email, or a prompt for an AI chat. Source: AI Summary (Captio AI) | Yes: Edit, then share by email or messageTranscripts can be edited on screen and then shared by email or text message from the app. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe project outcomes (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Languages for live captionsThe number of spoken languages it can caption live. | Yes: 60+ languagesCaptions and translation in 60+ languages, including speech that switches languages mid-sentence. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Yes: 13 languages, including 4 kinds of EnglishEnglish (Australia, US, UK and Canada), French, Spanish, Arabic, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Danish, Dutch and Russian, online and offline. NAL's FAQ leaves out Dutch, which the App Store lists and which was added in an update. Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| Live translationFor a conversation in a language you don't read. | Yes, live, two-way modeLive translation next to the original captions, with a two-way mode where each person reads the other in their own language. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Translator (Captio AI) | Partly: Selected words and phrases, 12 languagesSelect words or phrases in the transcript and tap Translate for a written and spoken translation, between 12 languages, offline once downloaded. It does not translate everything said as it is spoken. Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store) |
| Shows who is talkingWithout it, a group conversation is one block of text. | Yes, live and saved; names by voice on iPhoneSeparates speakers (Speaker 1, Speaker 2). On iPhone it can learn saved voices and show their names instead. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Recognize voices (Captio AI) (Captio AI), Live Captions (Captio AI) | Not statedThe iPhone and iPad app does not describe telling speakers apart. NAL's Vision Pro prototype, NALscribe AR, separated speakers by using each person's phone as a microphone. |
| Remembers people's voicesCaptions that say "Mum" instead of "Speaker 2", every time she talks. | Yes, Recognize Voices (iPhone)Save someone's voice once (about 20 seconds of talking, or an audio file) and their name and emoji show on every line they say, live and in saved recordings, instead of "Speaker 2". Voiceprints are made on the iPhone and never uploaded. When someone new talks for a while, Captio AI asks who it is. Free plan: your own voice plus one other person; Plus: more people. Source: Recognize voices (Captio AI) (Captio AI) | Not statedRecognising people by their voice is not described. |
| Shows where a voice comes fromAt a busy table, knowing where to look helps you follow who is talking. | Yes, on iPhone 16 and laterWith the iPhone flat on the table, a wave grows at the edge of the captions on the side the voice comes from, in that speaker's colour, while new words appear. It uses the iPhone's spatial microphones (not AirPods or an external mic), works in Live Captions and Live Translator, is calculated on the phone, and is free. Source: Speaker direction (Captio AI) (Captio AI) | Not statedNot described for the iPhone and iPad app. In NAL's NALscribe AR prototype on Apple Vision Pro, captions were placed in 3D space next to each speaker; it is a finished research project, not a released app. |
| Alerts for soundsDoorbells, alarms and a baby crying, as a notification. | Yes, sounds in the captions; alerts vibrateRecognize Sounds (iPhone and iPad) writes sounds into the captions where they happen, like [doorbell rings], in Live Captions, Live Translator and uploaded files. A doorbell, knocking, a smoke alarm, a siren, a phone ringing or a baby crying makes the phone vibrate, with a notification when the screen is locked during a recording. It works while Captio AI is recording, not as an always-on alarm. Recognized on the phone; free; not on Android yet. Source: Recognize sounds (Captio AI) (Captio AI) | Not statedAlerts for sounds like a doorbell or an alarm are not described. |
| AI summariesKey points and to-dos from a long transcript. | Yes: Summary, key points, to-dosTurns transcripts into summaries, key points, notes, to-dos and follow-up messages. Free plan: 3 summaries in total. Sources: Apple App Store listing, AI Summary (Captio AI) | Not statedSummaries are not described. |
| Transcribes audio and video filesFor recordings and videos that have no captions. | Yes: Audio and video filesUpload audio or video and get a full transcript with speaker labels. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Audio Transcription (Captio AI) | Not statedNAL's pages describe live speech from the microphone, not transcribing audio or video files. |
What actually sets them apart
Is NALscribe on Android in Australia?
No. NAL says the ongoing fees Google and Microsoft charge for their speech-to-text keep NALscribe off Android and Windows, and a Google Play search in Australia finds nothing. Captio AI publishes on both the App Store and Google Play.
Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Google Play search, Apple App Store listing, Google Play listing
Why is NALscribe free, and who pays for it?
NAL, the research arm of Hearing Australia, builds it with Australian Government money, so every feature is free with unlimited minutes. Captio AI has no public funding behind it: once the 100 free credits a day run out, Captio AI Plus is US$14.99 monthly or US$79.99 yearly on the US App Store (October 2026), and there is no free trial.
Sources: Speech to text app project (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), About NAL (National Acoustic Laboratories), NALscribe project outcomes (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), App Store data (Australia) (Apple), NALscribe terms (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), Captio AI for organizations, Apple App Store listing, Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt)
Does NALscribe work offline in a rural clinic with no signal?
Yes, once that language has been downloaded, which needs internet and about 10 minutes the first time; NAL notes that online mode is a little more accurate. Captio AI's Live Captions need a network, so in a dead zone it records the appointment and produces the transcript when coverage returns.
Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI)
Can NALscribe translate a whole conversation?
Not as it is spoken. You highlight words or phrases in the transcript and get a written and spoken translation, in 12 languages. Captio AI's Live Translator turns every sentence into the other language as people talk, across 60+ languages, and has a two-way mode for both sides of the desk.
Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Apple App Store listing, Live Translator (Captio AI), Live Captions (Captio AI)
Can NALscribe tell speakers apart in a family or team conversation?
Not in the iPhone and iPad app. NAL's Apple Vision Pro prototype, NALscribe AR, placed each speaker's captions next to them, but NAL calls it a finished proof of concept and it isn't on the App Store. Captio AI marks each speaker from a single phone; Recognize Voices (iPhone) writes the names of people you've saved, and Speaker Direction, on an iPhone 16 or newer lying flat, grows a wave at the edge nearest the voice.
Sources: NALscribe AR project (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), NAL's apps on the App Store (Australia) (Apple), Apple App Store listing, Recognize voices (Captio AI) (Captio AI), Live Captions (Captio AI), Speaker direction (Captio AI) (Captio AI)
What happens to the words when the session ends?
With NALscribe you choose: auto-erase wipes the screen 20 or 60 seconds after speech stops and offers no Save, or you save the transcript on the device only. Online, audio goes to Apple's speech server, and NAL collects nothing. Captio AI files each session, audio included, in a library synced to your account, and promises never to train AI models on your content.
Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Apple App Store listing, Captio AI privacy policy
Where each one wins
Where NALscribe is the better choice
Unlimited minutes and every feature cost nothing, with nothing sold in the app; Captio AI caps its free tier at 100 free credits a day.
Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), App Store data (Australia) (Apple), NALscribe terms (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), Apple App Store listing, Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt)
Offline mode runs on the device once a language is downloaded, and then nothing is sent over the internet. Captio AI's Live Captions need a connection.
Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI)
Auto-erase clears the screen 20 or 60 seconds after speech stops, so the next customer at a counter never sees the last conversation. NAL trialled the app in hearing clinics across Australia.
Sources: NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe project outcomes (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories)
No account is described, and the App Store privacy section says NAL collects no data from the app.
Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories)
It is set up for counters: very large captions, a dark background, a choice of microphone including Bluetooth or desk mics, and upside-down captions so the bottom microphone points at the talker.
Sources: App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories)
Where Captio AI is the better choice
It runs on Android and on iPhones from iOS 15.1. NALscribe is Apple-only and now needs iOS 26.6.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Google Play listing, NALscribe FAQ (NAL) (National Acoustic Laboratories), App Store listing (Australia) (Apple App Store), Google Play search, App Store data (Australia) (Apple)
At a barbecue or a team meeting it labels each speaker; Recognize Voices (iPhone) names the people you saved, and Speaker Direction (iPhone 16 and later) shows the side a voice comes from.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Recognize voices (Captio AI) (Captio AI), Live Captions (Captio AI), Speaker direction (Captio AI) (Captio AI)
Live Translator translates everything as it is spoken, in 60+ languages, with a two-way mode.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Translator (Captio AI), Live Captions (Captio AI)
Recordings keep their audio and sync to your account, you can upload audio or video files, and AI Summary turns a long appointment into key points and to-dos.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Captio AI privacy policy, Audio Transcription (Captio AI), AI Summary (Captio AI)
In a waiting room, Recognize Sounds (iPhone and iPad) marks a phone ringing or a knock in the captions while Captio AI records, so the text shows more than speech. NALscribe's pages describe no sound alerts.
Source: Recognize sounds (Captio AI) (Captio AI)
Try Captio AI free
It depends on where you are
A reception or enquiry desk
Put NALscribe on a counter iPad with large text and the 20-second auto-erase, and each customer sees only their own conversation. It is free and needs no account.
An audiology or GP appointment
NALscribe on the clinic's iPad was trialled in hearing clinics across Australia. Captio AI on your own phone keeps the appointment with its audio and an AI Summary to read later.
Captions for this situationNo mobile coverage in the outback
NALscribe captions on the device once the language is downloaded. Captio AI records and transcribes when you are back in range.
A team meeting where several people talk
Captio AI labels each speaker and, on iPhone, names colleagues you saved. NALscribe's app doesn't describe speaker labels.
Captions for this situationA Samsung or other Android phone
NALscribe has no Android app. Captio AI is on Google Play.
Captions floating next to each speaker
NAL showed this on Apple Vision Pro with NALscribe AR, a finished research prototype that isn't on the App Store. Captio AI shows captions on a phone or iPad, and on iPhone 16 and later Speaker Direction marks the side a voice comes from.
Facts you can check, not opinions.
From their own pages
Every fact comes from the company's website, help pages, privacy policy or store listing. Tap any fact to see the page it comes from.
Checked 28 October 2026
Each source has the date we opened it. If a company doesn't say something publicly, the table says "Not stated" instead of guessing.
We make Captio AI
So it's described with the same rules as every other app, limits included, and each page says where the other app is the better choice.
Something out of date? hello@captioai.app
Frequently asked questions
Is NALscribe free, and could that change?
Today every feature is free, with unlimited minutes and nothing to buy on the Australian App Store (November 2026). NAL's terms keep the right to charge or add advertising later. Captio AI has a free tier of 100 free credits a day and a paid Plus plan whose price differs by country.
Who makes NALscribe?
National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), the research division of Hearing Australia, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. Captio AI is not part of a government programme; organisations can arrange licences through captioai.app/organizations.
Does NALscribe run on an older iPad at our clinic?
Only if that iPad can update: the current version needs iOS 26.6 or later, although NAL's FAQ still names iOS 12.1. Captio AI asks for iOS 15.1 or later on iPhone and also runs on Android.
Does NALscribe send conversations to the cloud?
Online, NALscribe streams audio to Apple's speech recognition server and gets text back; offline, nothing leaves the device, and NAL keeps no audio and collects no data. Captio AI uses cloud speech recognition once you say yes; it keeps no audio on its servers, and it neither sells your content nor trains AI models on it.
What is NALscribe's 20-second setting for at a reception counter?
It clears all text 20 seconds after speech stops and offers no Save, so the next person can't read the last conversation; NAL recommends it for public counters. Captio AI is built for the opposite need: it keeps each session as a recording in a searchable library you can read and share later.
Can NALscribe translate Mandarin into English at an appointment?
Partly. Mandarin and English are both among its 12 translation languages, but you translate selected words or phrases, with a written and spoken result. Captio AI's Live Translator keeps translating the whole appointment, Mandarin to English and back, in its two-way mode.
Can I download NALscribe AR for Apple Vision Pro?
NAL describes NALscribe AR as a finished proof of concept, and it isn't among NAL's apps on the App Store (November 2026). Captio AI shows captions as text on a screen rather than placing them next to each speaker.
Does NALscribe alert me to a doorbell or a smoke alarm?
Sound alerts aren't part of NALscribe's described features. While Captio AI is recording on iPhone or iPad, Recognize Sounds slips labels like [knocking] or [doorbell rings] into the transcript, and alarm-type sounds such as a smoke alarm or a baby crying set the phone vibrating.
Try Captio AI
Free to start, iPhone and Android
Download for free
More comparisons
Captio AI vs Relay
An iPhone and iPad app that captions face-to-face conversations, with a paid cloud mode in 60+ languages and a free on-device mode that works without internet.
Captio AI vs Apple Live Captions
A free accessibility feature built into iPhone, iPad and Mac that captions people nearby, calls and any app's audio on the device.
Captio AI vs Hearing Buddy
An iPhone and iPad captioning app made by someone with hearing loss: free, unlimited captions that run on the phone, captions shared with phones nearby, and Apple Watch name alerts with Buddy+.
Sources
Every page this comparison uses, with the date we checked it.
Captio AI
- Live Captions - Captio AI on the App StoreApple App Store, checked 28 October 2026
- Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt)Captio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Captio AI for organizationsCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Captio AI on Google PlayGoogle Play, checked 28 October 2026
- Live CaptionsCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Privacy PolicyCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- AI SummaryCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Live TranslatorCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Recognize Voices: Captions That Show Who Is Talking by NameCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Speaker Direction: See Where a Voice Is Coming FromCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Recognize Sounds: Doorbells and Alarms in Your CaptionsCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Audio TranscriptionCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
NALscribe
- NALscribe: live captions (App Store, Australia)Apple App Store, checked 2 November 2026
- NALscribe: live captions (App Store lookup data, Australia)Apple, checked 2 November 2026
- Terms and Conditions of use: NALscribe ApplicationNational Acoustic Laboratories, checked 2 November 2026
- Speech to text app (NAL project)National Acoustic Laboratories, checked 2 November 2026
- About us (NAL)National Acoustic Laboratories, checked 2 November 2026
- NALscribe: live captions (project outcomes)National Acoustic Laboratories, checked 2 November 2026
- NALscribe FAQNational Acoustic Laboratories, checked 2 November 2026
- Google Play search for "NALscribe" (Australia)Google Play, checked 2 November 2026
- NALscribe AR (NAL project)National Acoustic Laboratories, checked 2 November 2026
- Apps by National Acoustic Laboratories (App Store lookup data, Australia)Apple, checked 2 November 2026
Published 2 November 2026. App names and trademarks belong to their owners. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the companies it compares.


