Updated July 2026

The Obsidian transcription plugin everyone recommends no longer works

Most guides still point to obsidian-transcription. Its Swiftink backend is hitting a storage-quota error, sign-in is broken as a result, and it hasn't shipped a release since April 2024. Here's what actually works today — including the honest case for each option.

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iOS · Free plan included · Markdown & Obsidian export

Every Obsidian transcription option, compared

Download counts and release dates as of July 2026. We included ourselves last, and we've noted where the alternatives are genuinely better.

Tool State Setup The catch
Whisper (nikdanilov) 49,627 installs · actively maintained Bring your own OpenAI API key The best choice if you dictate at your desk and don't mind an API key. It already does LLM cleanup and action items. Like every Obsidian plugin, it can only record while Obsidian itself is open.
Obsidian Transcription (djmango) 31,618 installs · last release Apr 2024 Sign-in currently fails Its Swiftink backend is up, but a storage-quota error breaks sign-in for new users. Still ranks first in search, which is why so many people land on it.
Voicenotes Sync 12,547 installs · 3.7/5 on obsidianstats.com (3 reviews) Needs a Voicenotes account and an access token There's no way to re-sync a single note, and no setting to force one.
AudioPen sync (jonashaefele) 573 installs · last release 2024 Plugin + separate web app + Google login + webhook Four moving parts before a single note arrives. Effectively unmaintained.
SpeakPen Actively developed Install the app, connect the vault You record in our app rather than inside Obsidian — that's the trade. In exchange, capture works when Obsidian is closed, and there's no API key to manage.

Why we built capture outside the vault

Obsidian plugins can only run when Obsidian is running. That's fine at a desk and useless on a walk.

No API key

No OpenAI account, no billing card, no rate limits to reason about. Transcription is included.

Capture with Obsidian closed

Record on your phone mid-walk. The note is waiting in your vault when you next open it.

Mobile that works

A native iOS app, not a plugin fighting the mobile runtime.

Clean Markdown

YAML frontmatter with title, date and category — drops straight into a vault.

99 languages

Automatic detection. Speak in your language; the note stays in it.

Incremental sync

Only new and changed notes move, with a stable cursor. No duplicates, no full-folder rewrites.

FAQ

Obsidian transcription FAQ

Why doesn't the obsidian-transcription plugin work anymore?
It relies on the Swiftink cloud service, which is hitting a storage-quota error. The plugin's last release was 3.4.0 in April 2024, and new users now hit a restricted-service error when they try to sign in with Google or GitHub. It still ranks well in search, so a lot of people install it before discovering this.
What is the best Obsidian transcription plugin right now?
If you dictate at your desk and are comfortable supplying an OpenAI API key, the Whisper plugin by nikdanilov is actively maintained and does a good job, including LLM cleanup. If you want to capture on the move, or you'd rather not manage an API key, a companion app like SpeakPen syncs finished Markdown into your vault instead.
Do I need an OpenAI API key to transcribe into Obsidian?
With most plugins, yes — they call the OpenAI API with your own key, so you manage the account, the billing and the rate limits. SpeakPen includes transcription, so there's no key to set up and nothing metered on your side.
Can I transcribe into Obsidian from my phone?
Plugins struggle here — not because of bugs, but because a plugin can only run while Obsidian itself is open. SpeakPen records in a native app and syncs afterwards, so capture doesn't depend on Obsidian running.
Will my notes stay as plain Markdown?
Yes. Every note arrives as Markdown with YAML frontmatter — title, date, category, source. No proprietary format and no lock-in; export or move them whenever you like.

Capture the idea, not the setup

Free plan includes 3 recordings a month. No API key, no webhook, no configuration.

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