Steno is an AI-powered podcast search engine and discovery tool that transforms how users find and consume podcast content. Designed for lifelong learners, professionals, and researchers, Steno makes thousands of top podcast episodes searchable by topic, speaker, or keyword.
Instead of manually scrubbing through hours of audio, users can use Steno’s intelligent search bar to instantly locate relevant conversations inside episodes. With full transcripts, smart highlights, and AI-generated summaries, Steno turns long-form audio into easily navigable and actionable insights.
Whether you’re conducting research, staying up-to-date on industry news, or learning a new subject, Steno helps you find the right moment in any episode—fast.
Features
Steno offers a suite of AI-enhanced features that make podcast content more accessible, searchable, and shareable:
AI-Powered Search:
Search inside podcast episodes by topic, phrase, name, or concept—not just by title or description.Full Episode Transcripts:
Access clean, accurate transcripts for thousands of top podcast episodes.Topic Highlights:
Quickly scan each episode’s most relevant moments with AI-generated key points.Smart Summaries:
Read AI-generated summaries of episodes to determine if they’re worth listening to in full.Interactive Player:
Listen to podcasts while following along with transcripts that auto-scroll and highlight in sync.Explore by Category:
Browse episodes curated by themes like AI, politics, business, science, and culture.Save & Share Clips:
Highlight key moments and generate shareable links or notes from episodes.Fast, Clean Interface:
A minimalist web experience with no clutter, ads, or interruptions.
How It Works
Steno simplifies podcast discovery by integrating AI-powered indexing, transcription, and semantic search:
Podcast Indexing:
Steno continuously ingests and transcribes new episodes from leading podcasts across multiple genres.Transcription & Analysis:
Each episode is transcribed using speech recognition and then processed to extract topics, segments, and summaries.Search & Discovery:
Users can search for keywords like “open source AI” or “climate policy” and get results pointing to exact moments in episodes—not just the show title.Episode Exploration:
Once inside an episode, users can read summaries, play audio, jump to highlighted points, or scroll the transcript.Save & Share:
Users can clip, save, or share the most relevant parts of a conversation for future reference or team collaboration.
Use Cases
Steno is particularly valuable for users who want to extract knowledge quickly and efficiently from podcasts:
Students & Researchers:
Use Steno to find expert insights or commentary on academic and technical topics.Professionals & Executives:
Stay informed on industry trends without listening to full episodes.Content Creators & Journalists:
Discover quotes, references, or interview segments for use in articles and scripts.Lifelong Learners:
Browse curated topics and get summaries of the most important discussions happening in real time.Podcast Fans:
Navigate long episodes more easily and share favorite parts with friends or social media followers.Marketers & Analysts:
Monitor discussions about brands, trends, or sectors across multiple shows.
Pricing
As of July 2025, Steno is free to use with no visible pricing tiers or subscriptions mentioned on the official website. The following is currently available:
Free Access Includes:
Full access to transcripts, summaries, and AI-powered search
No account required for basic usage
Unlimited episode exploration
No ads or paywalls
While a premium tier or account-based features may be added in the future, Steno currently provides open access to all users.
Strengths
Powerful Semantic Search:
Find exactly what you’re looking for inside a podcast—not just in titles or show notes.Fast Knowledge Discovery:
Summaries and topic highlights reduce listening time while preserving key takeaways.Free and Open:
No subscription, no sign-up, and no ads make for an excellent user experience.Modern, Clean Interface:
Designed for speed and simplicity across desktop and mobile browsers.Time-Saving for Researchers & Professionals:
Enables knowledge extraction from audio, which has traditionally been time-consuming.Continuous Indexing of New Content:
Automatically updates with fresh episodes from popular shows.
Drawbacks
Limited Podcast Library (for now):
Only includes select popular shows, meaning some niche or newer podcasts are not yet searchable.No Offline Listening or Downloads:
Currently browser-based with no mobile app or download functionality.No User Accounts or Playlists:
No save-for-later, history, or playlist creation features as of now.No Personalized Recommendations:
Discovery is mostly manual—no algorithm-driven suggestions yet.No Mobile App:
Although mobile web support is strong, there is no standalone app at this time.
Comparison with Other Tools
Steno vs Spotify/Apple Podcasts:
Traditional platforms are built for listening, not searching or summarizing. Steno offers searchable transcripts and summaries—perfect for learning and research.
Steno vs Listen Notes:
Listen Notes provides search and discovery, but without full transcripts or summaries per episode. Steno offers a deeper, AI-assisted insight layer.
Steno vs Snipd or Fathom:
Like Snipd and Fathom, Steno adds summarization and search tools—but with a cleaner interface and no app requirement. Fathom leans more toward topic-based curation; Steno focuses on raw discovery.
Steno vs Descript:
Descript is for creating podcast content. Steno is for consuming and exploring existing episodes through smarter interfaces.
Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Steno does not currently display user reviews on its homepage, but early feedback across tech communities and social platforms has been overwhelmingly positive:
“Finally a way to search podcasts like you search the web.” – Research Analyst
“I saved 45 minutes by jumping straight to the AI section of the podcast. This is the future of media consumption.” – Software Developer
“Steno is Google for podcasts. It’s now part of my daily research workflow.” – Tech Journalist
The most appreciated aspects are search precision, summaries, and clean usability.
Conclusion
Steno is transforming how people discover and learn from podcasts. With AI-generated transcripts, highlights, and smart search, it makes long-form audio content as accessible as reading a well-organized blog or research paper.
If you’re tired of scrubbing through podcast episodes to find the one minute you care about—or if you want to extract knowledge faster than ever—Steno is a game-changer.
