What is a voice recorder app?

A voice recorder app captures sound and stores it as a digital file. These apps are usually built into smartphones, but if not, you can always download them from the app store. Audio recording apps are a lightweight alternative to desktop recording software that put the convenience of high-quality recording right into your pocket.

Voice recorder apps are good for all sorts of things:

• Capturing fleeting ideas
• Recording important conversations as they happen
• Collecting raw material for podcasts
• Recording scratch audio for music production 

Choosing the right app takes your sound from good to fabulous with professional-level sound quality, background noise reduction, and convenient audio file sharing options. Here are a few options worth considering:

8 best audio recorder apps

1. Alice
2. Voice Memos
3. Easy Voice Recorder
4. Voice Recorder
5. Rev Voice Recorder
6. Smart Recorder
7. AudioShare
8. Otter 

1. Alice

Best for: Journalists who want to preserve and preserve original audio recordings. 

Alice’s real strength lies in its built-in audio editor. If you record a long podcast and need to cut out certain parts, you can do it right in the app. This saves you time and keeps your audio quality high. Just be aware that you'll need to make in-app purchases to unlock some of these premium features. Overall, Alice is a solid choice for those looking for top-notch audio without complicated software. 

Some of Alice’s best features include:

• High-quality audio recording 
• Works with many audio file formats like WAV and PCM
• Real-time audio editor lets you trim unnecessary parts of your recording
• Tools designed to prevent audio from being intercepted or manipulated

Pros of Alice:

• High-quality audio export
• Export in multiple file formats
• Can identify different speakers 
• Integration with Gmail, Outlook, Google Drive, and Slack

Cons of Alice: 

• Some advanced features are locked behind in-app purchases
• Only available for iOS on the Apple App Store 

Pricing: Alice’s pricing plans are based on how many hours of transcription you need. Plans start at $2.99 per hour when you buy 100 transcription hours. 

2. Voice Memos

Best for: Quick voice notes, reminders, or capturing ideas on the go.

Voice Memos offers straightforward audio recording, making it the go-to app for quick and simple tasks on Apple devices. It’s Apple's built-in voice recorder app for iPhone and iPad, so there's no need to download anything extra. 

It’s useful for capturing spontaneous ideas, recording reminders, and making quick voice notes. Plus, the iCloud sync feature ensures you can access these audio files from any of your Apple devices.

But Voice Memos isn't designed for heavy lifting. Its audio editing options are limited, so if you're looking for detailed audio work, this isn't the tool for you. The other downside is that it’s exclusive to Apple products, so Android users are out of luck (read on for more Android options). But for quick, on-the-go recording for users already invested in the Apple ecosystem, Voice Memos is a no-brainer. 

Its best features include:

• Simple audio recording and playback 
• Rename and categorize recordings for easy referencing
• Use your system audio or external microphone

Pros of Voice Memos:

• No extra downloads needed for Apple users
• Syncs with iCloud to save your audio recordings in the cloud
• Compatible with all Apple devices, including Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and iPhone 

Cons of Voice Memos:

• Limited audio editing features
• Exclusive to Apple devices

Pricing: Free.

3. Easy Voice Recorder

Best for: Students who need to record lectures or professionals who need to capture meeting minutes.

The Easy Voice Recorder app nails the ease-of-use factor, which makes it an ideal choice for anyone who needs to record audio on the fly without a learning curve. 

However, the limited audio quality in the free version is a significant drawback, particularly for users requiring high-fidelity sound. If you can overlook this limitation and you're on the Android platform, it's a solid choice for basic recording needs.

Some of the best features on offer with this audio recorder app include: 

• Easy voice recording with a widget that allows you to quickly record your screen with audio
• Support for audio recording on Bluetooth headsets
• Upload new recordings to Google Drive, Dropbox, or Microsoft OneDrive

Pros of Easy Voice Recorder:

• User-friendly interface
• Bluetooth compatibility
• Free version available

Cons of Easy Voice Recorder: 

• Limited audio quality in the free version
• Only available on Android devices

Pricing: Free version available. For advanced features (like uploading to Google Drive), the Easy Voice Recorder Pro plan starts at $4.99.

4. Voice Recorder

Best for: Transcribing interviews or meetings.

The Android-only Voice Recorder app stands out for its real-time transcription services, making it a go-to for interviews and meetings where text documentation is crucial. While the high-quality audio and multiple format options make it versatile, the less intuitive interface may be a bit of a hurdle for first-time users. 

But if you're willing to navigate through that and invest in in-app purchases for advanced features, this app serves well for both recording and transcribing needs. 

Its best features include:

• Real-time transcription services in English
• Supports multiple audio formats like WAV and AAC
• Microphone gain calibration tool

Pros of Voice Recorder: 

• High-quality audio 
• Share recordings via email, SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Dropbox
• No time limits on audio recording 

Cons of Voice Recorder: 

• Some users find the interface less intuitive
• Requires in-app purchases for advanced features
• Only available for Android devices 

Pricing: Free version available. Plans that include premium features start at $4.89.

5. Rev Voice Recorder

Best for: Journalists or professionals who need quick and accurate transcribing.

Rev Voice Recorder excels in delivering high-quality audio along with the bonus of professional transcription services. It's a match made in heaven for journalists and professionals who need their recordings transcribed accurately and quickly. 

With compatibility for both iPhone and Android, Rev Voice Recorder caters to a broad user base.  Keep in mind that these premium features, including transcription, come at an extra cost.

Consider this audio recorder app if the following features are important to you:

• High-quality audio 
• Real-time transcription that uses AI
• Ability to rename and categorize voice recordings 

Pros of Rev Voice Recorder:

• Free app
• High transcription accuracy 
• Available on both iPhone and Android

Cons of Rev Voice Recorder: 

• Some transcription services come at an extra cost
• Rated below average for collaboration features

Pricing: Free.  

6. Smart Recorder

Best for: Long recordings where you want to skip dead air.

Smart Recorder brings a unique offering to the table: the ability to skip silence in recordings. This feature is a lifesaver for long recordings like lectures or extended meetings where dead air consumes valuable time during playback. The adjustable playback speed only adds to its utility. 

However, the app's interface could be more user-friendly, and you'll have to make in-app purchases to unlock some additional features. But if you value content over fluff, Smart Recorder gets the job done pretty effectively. 

Add this to your shortlist if you’re looking for the following features:

• Skip silence to keep listeners engaged 
• Adjustable playback speed
• Microphone gain calibration tool

Pros of Smart Recorder:

• Excellent for capturing lectures or lengthy meetings
• Doesn’t drain battery life 
• Adjustable sample rate

Cons of Smart Recorder:

• 2GB limit per file
• Some features locked behind in-app purchases
• Only available on the Google Play Store 

Pricing: Free. In-app purchases start at $1.99.

7. AudioShare

Best for: Musicians or sound designers who need a more robust audio editing suite on their iPhone or iPad.

AudioShare is designed for people who want more than just a basic voice recorder. It's a comprehensive audio editor and sound recorder for iOS that’s perfect for users who want to keep their audio files organized and easy to find. With high sample rates and support for multiple audio formats like WAV and AAC, it's an ideal choice for musicians and sound designers. 

The app gives you advanced audio editing capabilities right on your iPhone or iPad, from normalizing audio levels to converting and zipping the audio file. However, the app is exclusive to iOS, and much like other apps, you may need to invest in in-app purchases to unlock its full potential. 

Some of AudioShare’s best features are:

• Ability to record audio from your system microphone or Audiobus compatible app
• Files and folders to organize audio recordings
• Ability to store and access recordings through iTunes File Sharing

Pros of AudioShare:

• Audio editor and sound recording rolled into one
• Supports high sample rates and multiple audio formats like WAV and AAC
• Access your recordings library from other compatible apps

Cons of AudioShare:

• Exclusive to iOS
• Some features may require in-app purchases

Pricing: $4.99.

8. Otter

Best for: Recording and transcribing meetings, interviews, or lectures and people who work remotely. 

Otter stands out for its multitasking capabilities, offering both voice recording and real-time transcription. It’s helpful for recording and transcribing video meetings, interviews, or lectures simultaneously. It's versatile too, supporting both Android and iOS devices. 

The audio quality is top-notch, but there are some caveats. The free version comes with limitations—you’re only able to record and transcribe a limited number of minutes per month. While the transcription is fast, it may not always hit the 100% accuracy mark. Still, if multitasking is what you're after, Otter delivers.

Some of Otter’s best features include:

• Voice recording and real-time transcribing
• Automatically summarizes a conversation
• Collaborative document to share recordings and transcripts with a team

Pros of Otter:

• Android and iOS functionality 
• High-quality audio recording 
• Otter can automatically record audio from Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom integrations 

Cons of Otter: 

• Free version has limitations
• Transcription might not be 100% accurate

Pricing: Free plan available. Plans that give access to advanced features start at $10 per user, per month. 

4 best voice recorder apps for Android and iOS

We’ve gone through the best overall audio recorders. But if you’re looking for an app specific for voice recording, here's a quick rundown of the best recorder apps for capturing voice on Android and iOS.

Top 4 voice recorder apps for Android

• Voice Recorder Pro: For customization and superior audio quality, this app is a winner.
• RecForge II: Offers a robust set of features, making it ideal for professional use.
• Easy Voice Recorder: User-friendly interface makes it perfect for quick recordings.
• Smart Voice Recorder: Great for long recordings and offers the option to skip silence.

Top 4 voice recorder apps for iOS

• Voice Record Pro: Offers an extensive suite of editing tools and superior audio quality.
• AudioShare: Best for musicians looking for a flexible recording and storage solution.
• HT Professional Recorder: Excels in recording meetings and interviews, even in noisy environments.
• Recorder Plus: Features a simple interface but doesn’t skimp on functionality.

All in all, there are a ton of options out there for just about any audio recording needs regardless of budget. Use this guide to inform your choices and don’t be afraid to try a few options.

Recording audio with Descript

Looking to capture high-quality audio without a hassle? Descript's built-in recorder offers an intuitive and streamlined way to record your microphone or computer audio seamlessly.

1. Go to the top of the editor and click the Record icon to open the Record panel.
2. Choose "Audio only" as your recording option.
3. Click on the Settings gear icon to adjust recording settings to your liking.

Once you customize your settings, hit the red “Record into script” button. Descript will capture clear and crisp audio, free of lags or glitches. It will also transcribe your audio in real time, laying out the text right before your eyes as you speak. This is excellent for content creators and podcasters who want to save time producing accurate transcripts. 

Next, turn on Studio Sound to make your voice sound like it was recorded in a professional studio. When you’re done, the file saves automatically to your account. 

Join the thousands of creators using Descript to produce their audio and video content. Take a free product tour today. 

Voice recorder app FAQs

Is there a free audio recording app?

There are free audio recording apps available for both Android and iOS. For Android, Easy Voice Recorder offers a free version with basic recording features. The Voice Memos app provides free audio recording on iPhone.

Is there an app to secretly record conversations?

While apps do exist for discreet audio recording, secretly recording conversations without consent is illegal in many jurisdictions. Always make sure you're following local laws. Android's Google Play and Apple's App Store offer apps like Call Recorder that can record phone calls, but use them responsibly.

How can I record audio on my phone?

Recording audio on your phone is straightforward. On Android, head to the app store and download your chosen voice recorder app, like Voice Recorder Pro. For iPhone users, the Voice Memos app is pre-installed. Just open the app, tap “Start Recording,” and you'll capture high-quality audio.