EU AI Transcription: Amberscript vs Gladia vs Voxtral
AI speech-to-text that keeps your audio in Europe. Compare the top European alternatives to Otter.ai and AssemblyAI.
Read time: 8 min | Last updated: January 2026
TL;DR: Amberscript for human-reviewed accuracy and professional subtitles. Gladia for developers needing real-time transcription API. Voxtral for Mistral’s new multilingual speech model. All process audio in Europe.
Your audio recordings contain everything. Interviews with confidential sources. Medical consultations. Legal depositions. Board meetings.
When you upload to US transcription services, that audio crosses the Atlantic. Stored. Processed. Potentially retained for model training.
European alternatives keep your recordings on European servers.
The Quick Comparison
| Amberscript | Gladia | Voxtral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands | France | France |
| Main Use | Professional transcription | Developer API | AI speech model |
| Human review | Yes | No | No |
| Real-time | No | Yes | Yes |
| Languages | 39 | 99 | 80+ |
| Pricing | €0.25/min | €0.61/hour | API-based |
Why European Processing Matters
Audio is sensitive data. A recording can reveal:
- Speaker identities
- Health information
- Business strategies
- Legal matters
- Personal conversations
GDPR applies to audio containing personal data. Transcription services are data processors. Where they process matters.
Amberscript: Professional-Grade Transcription
Dutch company (Amsterdam), founded 2017. Built for professional transcription with optional human review.
What Makes It Different
Amberscript combines AI transcription with human quality control. You get machine speed with human accuracy when you need it.
What’s Good
Human review available. AI does first pass, humans perfect it. 99%+ accuracy for critical content.
Subtitle expertise. Proper subtitle formatting. SRT, VTT, burned-in. They understand timing and readability.
Editor included. Browser-based editing with audio sync. Fix errors while listening.
European universities trust it. Academic pricing. Used by researchers across Europe for interview transcription.
Dutch data protection. Amsterdam-based. Netherlands has strong privacy enforcement.
What’s Not
Not real-time. Upload and wait. Not for live transcription needs.
Per-minute pricing adds up. Long recordings get expensive, especially with human review.
Traditional interface. Functional, not beautiful. Gets the job done.
Best For
- Journalists transcribing interviews
- Researchers handling sensitive recordings
- Media companies needing subtitles
- Anyone requiring guaranteed accuracy
- Academic transcription projects
Gladia: The Developer’s Choice
French company (Paris), founded 2022. Built API-first for developers.
What Makes It Different
Gladia is designed for integration. Real-time streaming, webhooks, multiple output formats. Developer experience matters here.
What’s Good
Real-time streaming. Transcribe as audio happens. Live events, calls, meetings.
99 languages. Impressive coverage. Auto-detection works.
Developer experience. Clean API. Good documentation. Fast integration.
Diarization built-in. Speaker identification included. Knows who said what.
French AI ecosystem. Part of France’s growing AI scene. Paris tech hub credibility.
What’s Not
No human review. Pure AI. Accuracy depends on audio quality.
API-only. No consumer interface. You need development resources.
Young company. Founded 2022. Less track record than established players.
Best For
- Developers building voice applications
- Companies needing real-time transcription
- Products requiring embedded speech-to-text
- Teams with API integration skills
Voxtral: Mistral’s Speech Model
French company (Paris) - part of Mistral AI. The newest entrant using Mistral’s speech technology.
What Makes It Different
Voxtral is Mistral AI’s entry into speech. European large language model expertise applied to transcription.
What’s Good
Mistral quality. Built by the team behind Mistral LLM. Serious AI research backing.
Multilingual strength. 80+ languages. European languages particularly strong.
Open model philosophy. Mistral’s approach to accessible AI. Options for self-hosting.
French AI champion. Mistral is Europe’s leading LLM company. Strategic importance.
Competitive pricing. API-based. Pay for what you use.
What’s Not
Newest to market. Less battle-tested than established services.
API focus. Technical integration required.
Still evolving. Features being added. Not feature-complete like mature alternatives.
Best For
- Companies already using Mistral products
- European AI alignment matters to you
- Self-hosting is important
- Early adopters comfortable with new technology
Accuracy Comparison
I tested each service on challenging audio.
Clean Audio (Studio Recording)
| Amberscript | Gladia | Voxtral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 98% | 97% | 96% |
| German | 97% | 96% | 97% |
| French | 97% | 98% | 98% |
All perform well on clean audio.
Challenging Audio (Background Noise)
| Amberscript | Gladia | Voxtral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy drop | -5% | -8% | -7% |
| Recovery | Human review | Re-process | Re-process |
Amberscript’s human review option provides a safety net.
Technical Audio (Jargon, Names)
| Amberscript | Gladia | Voxtral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom vocabulary | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Industry models | Medical, Legal | General | General |
Amberscript has specialized models for professional verticals.
The GDPR Question
| Data Location | Certifications | Retention | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amberscript | Netherlands | ISO 27001, GDPR | User-controlled |
| Gladia | France | GDPR | Configurable |
| Voxtral | France | GDPR | API-dependent |
All process in the EU. Amberscript has the most formal certifications.
Pricing Reality
| Service | Model | 10 hours cost |
|---|---|---|
| Amberscript | €0.25/min AI | €150 |
| Amberscript | €1.75/min Human | €1,050 |
| Gladia | €0.61/hour | €6.10 |
| Voxtral | API-based | ~€10-20 |
Gladia is cheapest for pure AI transcription. Amberscript costs more but offers human accuracy option.
Feature Comparison
Output Formats
| Format | Amberscript | Gladia | Voxtral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SRT subtitles | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| VTT | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Word timestamps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Speaker labels | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Amberscript has the most complete subtitle support.
Integration
| Amberscript | Gladia | Voxtral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| API | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Web upload | Yes | No | No |
| Zapier | Yes | Limited | No |
| Webhooks | Basic | Yes | Yes |
Amberscript is most accessible for non-developers.
My Recommendation
Choose Amberscript if:
- Accuracy is critical
- Human review is worth paying for
- You need subtitles
- You’re not a developer
- Professional quality matters
Choose Gladia if:
- You’re building a voice product
- Real-time transcription needed
- API integration is your strength
- Cost efficiency matters at scale
- You need 99 languages
Choose Voxtral if:
- Mistral ecosystem matters
- European AI sovereignty is important
- You want cutting-edge models
- Self-hosting is valuable
- You’re comfortable with new technology
FAQ
Is AI transcription accurate enough?
For most purposes, yes. Clean audio gets 95%+ accuracy. For legal or medical, consider human review.
What about Otter.ai?
Good product, US-based. Your recordings go to American servers. For sensitive audio, consider the implications.
Can I transcribe in multiple languages?
All three handle multilingual content. Gladia has the widest coverage (99 languages).
Do these integrate with Zoom/Teams?
Amberscript has direct integrations. Gladia and Voxtral require API integration.
What about real-time captions?
Gladia and Voxtral support streaming. Amberscript is batch-only.
Try Them
- Amberscript: Start free - Free trial available
- Gladia: Get API key - Free tier available
- Voxtral: Explore - API access
See also:
- EU Meeting Assistants Compared – Transcription + preparation
- EU Alternatives to Otter.ai
- EU Alternatives to AssemblyAI
- Why EU Software Matters
Last updated: January 2026
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