Every side project starts with a problem you can't ignore. Mine began with a 90-minute interview recording and a deadline.
The Problem That Started It All
I needed to transcribe an interview for an article. The audio was clear, the speaker was articulate, and the content was exactly what I needed. But transcribing it by hand? That meant 90 minutes of listening, pausing, typing, and inevitably missing something important.
I tried the usual solutions. Most were expensive. Some required uploading my file to a server I didn't trust. Others gave me timestamps that were off by seconds, or exports that didn't work in any tool I actually used. And nearly all of them wanted a monthly subscription — even if I only needed to transcribe something once a month.
That's when I realized: the market was solving transcription for enterprises, not for individuals who just need to turn an MP4 into text occasionally.
So I built MP4 to Transcript.
What MP4Transcript Actually Does
MP4Transcript converts uploaded video and audio files into editable, timestamped transcripts. It supports:
- Video: MP4, MOV
- Audio: MP3, M4A, WAV
Once transcribed, you can export in three formats:
| Format | Use Case |
|---|---|
| TXT | Clean text for notes, research, drafts, archives |
| SRT | Timed subtitles for video players |
| VTT | WebVTT format for web players and captions |
The workflow is simple: upload → review → export. No complex settings, no confusing options.
What Makes It Different
1. No Subscription Required
This was non-negotiable. I didn't want another monthly bill for something I might use twice a week. So MP4Transcript uses one-time minute packs. Buy credits when you need them, use them when you have files. No commitment.
2. Credits Are Protected
If a transcription fails, you get your credits back. If your file is shorter than the initial estimate (say, you estimated 30 minutes but it was only 25), the unused credits are returned automatically. You never lose money on a failed attempt.
3. Privacy by Design
Files are stored privately in Cloudflare R2 and automatically deleted after 72 hours. No public listings, no sharing your transcriptions with strangers. You can also manually delete a transcription anytime.
4. What You See Is What You Get
Before any credits are consumed, the upload tool validates your file — checking format, duration, and size. You know exactly what you're getting into before processing begins.
Technical Highlights
The stack is modern but practical:
- Next.js 16 with App Router and Turbopack
- AssemblyAI for transcription (Universal-2 model)
- Cloudflare R2 for private file storage
- Neon (PostgreSQL) for metadata and job tracking
- Vercel for deployment
- Better Auth for authentication
- Creem for payments
One interesting detail: transcription jobs are processed asynchronously via webhooks. When AssemblyAI completes a job, it sends a webhook back to update the status. This keeps the UI responsive even for long files.
The Little Things That Matter
During development, I kept a running list of friction points from other transcription tools I'd used:
- Timestamps that don't match the audio — Fixed by validating word-level timestamps from AssemblyAI
- Speaker labels missing in exports — Speaker changes are included when the AI detects them
- 72-hour retention — Enough time to review and export, short enough to feel privacy-preserving
- Mobile-friendly — The full workflow works on a phone browser
What I Learned
Building a transcription tool teaches you things about audio quality you never thought about. Clear speech in a quiet room produces dramatically better results than a conference call with echo. Background noise, multiple speakers talking over each other, heavy accents, and technical jargon all challenge the AI. This is why MP4Transcript shows you the transcript for review before you export — the AI is good, but it's not perfect, and being honest about that is part of building trust.
What's Next
The roadmap includes more export formats (DOCX support is planned) and integrations for creators who want to add captions to their videos automatically.
If you have feedback or feature requests, the contact page is live — I'd love to hear what's missing.
Try it free: New accounts get 15 free transcription minutes. No credit card required.
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