--- title: Audio Translator: Translate MP3 & Voice Files description: Translate audio files into 280+ languages. Upload an MP3, M4A, or voice recording, edit the transcript once, then export text, subtitles, or AI speech. canonical: https://www.smartcat.com/audio-translator/ language: en updated: 2026-08-23 --- # Audio Translator: Translate MP3 & Voice Files ## AI Audio Translator: Turn Any Recording Into Text or Subtitles in 280+ Languages Smartcat transcribes the speech in your file, lets you correct the transcript once, translates it into any of 280+ languages, and exports the result as text, subtitles, or — in 35 voice-over locales — an AI voice track. - [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?n-upl) - [Sign up free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?n-upl) ## How Do You Translate an Audio File? Smartcat's AI audio translator works in **four steps**. - **Transcribe** — the speech in your file (**MP3, MP2/M2A, M4A, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WMA**) becomes a timed, speaker-labeled transcript. - **Correct** — you review that transcript and fix any misheard names or terms **once**, before anything is translated. - **Translate** — the corrected transcript goes into any of **280+ languages**, reusing the glossary and translation memory attached to your project so terminology stays consistent across every recording in it. - **Export** — a translated document, a subtitle file (**SRT or VTT**) if the audio belongs to a video or podcast, or an AI voice track in one of **35 voice-over locales**. Pricing is metered in Smartwords at **one Smartword per source word** of transcript, not by recording length — a long recording with little speech costs less than a short, densely scripted one. **AI dubbing** is billed at **ten Smartwords per word**. Any language can be routed to a **professional human reviewer** before export. left ### Upload the recording Drop in the file, or several at once — there is **no limit** on how many files go into one project, and batch uploads of **hundreds of files** are supported. The constraint is **per-file size**, not file count or recording length, and it is the same on **every plan**. ### Check the transcript Smartcat transcribes with timestamps and speaker labels. Correct a misheard term here, once — before it is translated into every language. ### Pick languages and output Translated text or subtitles in any of 280+ languages, or an AI voice track in one of 35 voice-over locales. ### Export — or send to review first Download the result, or hand a language to a vetted reviewer inside the same workflow. Translating a whole batch? Select the projects and download once: Smartcat returns a single ZIP with every file in its original format, sorted into folders. ## Which Languages, and What It Costs ### 280+ ### Languages for text and subtitles Translated documents and SRT/VTT subtitle files are available in any of Smartcat's 280+ languages, in either direction. ### 35 ### AI voice-over locales Synthetic speech output is a narrower set than text: 35 locales, powered by ElevenLabs. Where a locale has no voice, export text or subtitles instead. ### 1 ### Smartword per source word Audio is metered by transcript word count, not recording length — a 60-minute walkthrough with sparse narration can cost less than a 10-minute scripted ad. AI dubbing is metered at ten Smartwords per word. Details on the [pricing page](https://www.smartcat.com/pricing/). When Smartcat released a new product feature to automatically extract subtitles from video voice-overs, offering the possibility to quickly edit the source text for a perfect AI translation and review process, our file preparation time was instantly slashed by 70%! Barbara Fedorowicz Translation department manager, Smith+Nephew - [Explore Case Study →](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/smith-nephew/) Upload the MP3 Exactly As It Is No conversion first, no transcript to prepare — an MP3 uploads exactly as it is. Drop in one episode or a whole folder of them: one project, one glossary and one translation memory keep recurring names identical across every file. - [Translate an audio file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?audio-translator_tabs-carousel) ### Transcript ### A translated transcript you can actually use Output is a **clean, timestamped document per language** — ready to file or share as meeting minutes, interview quotes or compliance records. Glossaries and translation memories attach to the **project** and apply to every file, with **one writable memory per language pair**. ![A timestamped, speaker-labeled translated transcript](https://gqucouwbfxremfdhdosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/sc-store/1718697935613tab-placeholder.png) - [Start Translating Audio](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?audio-translator_tabs-carousel) ### Subtitles ### Subtitles, if your audio lives inside a video or podcast Export **SRT or VTT** timed to the original speech. For cue editing and dubbing, use the [AI video translator](https://www.smartcat.com/video-translation/); for subtitle files, [SRT translation](https://www.smartcat.com/srt-translation/). **Speech and subtitles only:** text burned into the picture can’t be extracted — change it in the source video. ![Exporting SRT and VTT subtitle files timed to the speech](https://gqucouwbfxremfdhdosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/sc-store/1718697935613tab-placeholder.png) - [Translate an audio file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?audio-translator_tabs-carousel) ### AI voice ### An AI voice in the target language Turn the transcript into synthetic speech. AI voice-over runs on ElevenLabs in **35 locales** — narrower than the **280+ languages** for text and subtitles. **Japanese and German** use the steadier **v2** engine; v3 is unstable there. For video: [AI dubbing](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-dubbing/), [voice-over translation](https://www.smartcat.com/video-translation/voice-over-translation/). ![Choosing an AI voice for the translated transcript](https://gqucouwbfxremfdhdosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/sc-store/1718697935613tab-placeholder.png) - [Generate an AI voice track](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?audio-translator_tabs-carousel) ### Human review ### Hand any language to a professional reviewer Assign any language to a **vetted reviewer** from Smartcat’s Marketplace — their corrections train your translation memory. Voice memos and recorder files run the same flow, with **no conversion step**. **Spanish↔English** is the most-requested pair: Latin American and Castilian both transcribe, and your glossary sets the variant. ![Assigning a language to a vetted Marketplace reviewer](https://gqucouwbfxremfdhdosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/sc-store/1718697935613tab-placeholder.png) - [Find an Expert Reviewer](https://www.smartcat.com/marketplace/) ## Why Is Audio the File Type Most Translation Tools Can't Take? Three things go wrong when people try to translate a recording, and none of them is the translation itself. **You have sound, tools want text.** Most translators accept documents, so the recording gets transcribed by hand first — an hour of typing per hour of audio before translation even starts. **One mishearing becomes twelve errors.** Speech-to-text gets your product name or an acronym wrong once, and that error is then translated faithfully into every target language. You find it when a regional colleague asks what the product is called. **Everyone's words get merged.** A two-person call or a panel comes back as one continuous block, so nobody can tell who agreed to what. left ### 1,000+ enterprise brands on Smartcat ### 7 audio formats accepted directly ### 6 GB maximum size per file ### No cap on files per project, or recording length See How Smartcat Fits In Your Workflow Book a personalized demo to explore how Smartcat's library of AI agents, including the [Media Translation Agent](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/media-agent/) for audio translations, can help your team scale, localize, and deliver global content faster. - [Book a Personalized Demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?from_audio-translator) ## Teams Translating Recorded Content at Scale ### 2–3 days ### Turnaround, Down From 10 Smith+Nephew cut eLearning translation turnaround from an average of 10 days with their previous providers to two to three days for the same course length. Recorded and video course material was part of that content set. - [Read Case Study](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/smith-nephew/) ### Up to 70% ### Lower Translation Costs Stanley Black & Decker cut translation costs by up to 70% — from $200–$300 to $1.20 per 1,000 words. - [Read Case Study](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/stanley-black-and-decker/) ### 31 hours ### Saved Monthly Babbel’s marketing and learning and development teams save 31 hours per month. - [Read Case Study](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/babbel/) Before You Upload: Three Things That Decide Quality Listen to your source first — clear, single-speaker audio transcribes best. Split anything over 1 GB so it processes faster. Load your glossary before you start, so recurring names and terms come out identical across every file. Then fix the transcript once, and the fix carries into every language. - [Translate an audio file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?audio-translator_bottom-cta) ## Where Your Recording Goes Next The same transcript feeds every media workflow: subtitles, dubbing, narration, or plain translated text. Pick the tool that matches what you actually have. ### AI Video Translator Subtitles, dubbing, and voice-over for video files — speech only; text burned into the picture has to be changed in the source. ### AI Voice-Over Translation Translated narration laid over the original audio, in any of the 35 AI voice-over locales. ### Video Subtitle Translator Generate and translate subtitle files timed to the original speech, then edit the cues before export. ### Voice Recording Translator Voice memos and recorder files, translated from the file your recorder made — no conversion step. Every Recording, Understood in Every Language Upload the file, fix the transcript once, and export text, subtitles, or speech in as many languages as you need. Free for 15 days with 15,000 Smartwords — full access to translation capabilities, no credit card. - [Translate an audio file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?audio-translator_tabs-carousel) ## Audio translation — the fine print ### Is there a free audio translator? Smartcat is free for 15 days with no credit card — 15,000 Smartwords and full access to translation capabilities. There is no free-forever plan. After that, you pay by translated word, not by minute or by file. ### What audio formats can I upload? MP3, MP2/M2A, M4A, AAC, OGG, FLAC, and WMA. Files can be up to 6 GB, and it is worth splitting anything over 1 GB into parts so it processes faster. If your audio is inside a video container, use the [AI video translator](https://www.smartcat.com/video-translation/) instead — that flow accepts MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and the other documented video formats. ### How long can the recording be? There is no published duration limit — Smartcat documents no maximum length in minutes or hours for audio. The limit that does exist is file size: up to 6 GB per file, and it is worth splitting anything over 1 GB. So a two-hour interview is a size question, not a length question. ### How many files can I put in one project? There is no cap on the number of files. Projects run from a single recording to batch uploads of hundreds of files, and this does not change by plan — plan tiers differ on integrations and Marketplace billing, not on upload limits. The only ceiling is per-file size. Files in one project also share its glossary and translation memory, so a recurring speaker name or product term comes out identically in every file instead of drifting between them. ### Can I translate audio from a YouTube video? Not by pasting a link. Every documented route starts from a file: you upload the audio from your computer or pick it from Smart Drive. So for a YouTube video you would download the file first — and if you have the video rather than just its audio, the [AI video translator](https://www.smartcat.com/video-translation/) is the better flow, because it handles subtitles and timing as well as speech. ### Can I translate a song? Yes, literally: you will get an accurate translation of the lyrics as text. Poetry behaves the same way — it is translated literally, so you learn what the piece says rather than receiving a metrical version. What you will not get is a rhyming, singable version — that is creative adaptation, which you can commission from a human linguist via [book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/). ### Do I get the translation as audio or as text? Your choice at export: a translated document, an SRT/VTT subtitle file, or an AI-generated voice track in the target language. All three come from the same transcript, so you can export more than one format without re-translating. One limit on the voice track: a synthetic voice reads a script well but does not act, so for emotional or performed delivery use human voice talent. ### Can a human check the translation before I use it? Yes — inside the same workflow you can assign any language to a vetted professional reviewer from Smartcat's [Marketplace](https://www.smartcat.com/marketplace/), and their corrections train your translation memory for next time. ### How accurate is the transcription — honestly? It depends on the recording more than the model. **Clear single-speaker audio** transcribes very well; **background music, crosstalk, and strong accents** lower accuracy — and a wrong transcript gets translated confidently wrong. That is why the flow puts an **editable transcript** between transcription and translation: you fix reality once, before it multiplies. Budget for it accordingly — very noisy or heavily accented recordings need more time in the editor than clean ones do. ### Is my recording confidential? Smartcat is SOC 2 Type II compliant. Files are encrypted in transit and at rest, workspaces are isolated, and access is role-based. Details on the [security page](https://www.smartcat.com/security/). Question not answered here? [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/) — a 1:1 consultation, no commitment. ## Sources - Smartcat. [*How Smartcat AI enabled Smith+Nephew to cut eLearning translation turnaround*](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/smith-nephew/). Smith+Nephew case study. - Smartcat. [*How Stanley Black & Decker cut translation costs by up to 70%*](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/stanley-black-and-decker/). Stanley Black & Decker case study. - Smartcat. [*How Babbel’s teams save 31 hours a month*](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/babbel/). Babbel case study.