Data retention

Data retention policies and zero data behavior

To provide transcription services, Gladia processes several types of data:

• Audio input: Audio files or audio streams provided for transcription
• Transcription output: Text, timestamps, words, utterances
• API Metadata: Request IDs, timestamps, processing status
• Logs: Operational logs for system reliability

The duration for which your data is stored depends on your plan type. You have two main options for data retention:

• Standard data retention: Data is stored according to the default windows below (by plan and data type). Audio files and transcripts remain retrievable through the API and the Gladia playground for that window. Enterprise customers can request a custom retention period. The minimum custom value is 0, which means data is deleted within 24 hours.
• Zero data retention: Data storage is minimized at all stages, avoiding temporary storage whenever possible. All data is deleted immediately after processing.

Only Enterprise users are eligible for custom data retention and the zero data retention option.

Default retention by plan

Free

By default, Free accounts retain all data types for 1 year:

Data type	Default retention
Audio input	1 year
Transcription output	1 year
API Metadata	1 year
Logs	1 year

Paid (Starter, Growth, Enterprise)

By default, paid accounts keep audio and transcripts for a shorter window, while essential API metadata is retained longer for usage tracking:

Data type	Default retention	What is retained
Audio input	3 weeks	Audio files or audio streams provided for transcription
Transcription output	3 weeks	Text, timestamps, words, utterances
API Metadata	1 year	Request IDs, timestamps, and processing status only
Logs	Limited period	Operational logs for service quality and reliability

Zero Data Retention behavior

When Zero Data Retention is enabled, Gladia processes data ephemerally; no data is stored at rest.

• No audio files are stored: Files cannot be retrieved through the API or in the Gladia’s playground. File upload is also disabled; the asynchronous API must use an external audio file url, such as S3 presigned url.
• No transcripts are stored: Transcription results cannot be retrieved through the API and are not visible in the Gladia’s playground.
• No metadata retrieval: Transcription API calls, audio duration, and other metadata cannot be retrieved through the API or in the Gladia’s playground.
• Transcription results delivered only via callbacks: The only way to receive transcription results is through callbacks; they cannot be retrieved by any other means.

Once the result is delivered, the audio, transcript, and metadata cannot be accessed.