Whispering

Whispering

Whispering is an open-source transcription tool that offers transparent, privacy-first audio transcription with no black boxes. It supports local and cloud transcription models, allowing users to own their data and save on costs.

Whispering is dictation apps software teams evaluate for transcription. Use this page to review pricing, integration signals, and the best alternatives before you commit.

Free
#34 in Transcription (34 tools)
Added 0 year ago
18260 directory views this week

Quick Overview

Best for: Transcription

What it does

Dictation Apps software for decision-makers comparing workflow fit and alternatives.

Best fit

Transcription

Pricing snapshot

Free from $0.00 per hour

Next step

Compare Whispering with similar tools before you shortlist it.

Compare this tool before you shortlist it

Review alternatives, pricing posture, and workflow fit side by side.

Whispering

Whispering is an open-source transcription software designed to provide transparent and privacy-focused audio transcription. Unlike many closed-source transcription apps, Whispering allows users to see the code, trace where their audio data goes, and use their own API keys to pay providers directly, eliminating middleman markups. It supports both local transcription models and cloud providers such as Groq and OpenAI, enabling users to choose the best option for their needs. The software is suitable for anyone looking for a cost-effective, transparent, and customizable transcription solution.

Whispering is an open-source, local-first transcription app that keeps your audio local on-device while allowing use of local and cloud models with customizable transformations for privacy and flexibility.

Own this listing?

Claim this page to add pricing, features, screenshots, and verified owner details.

Claim this listing

Key Features

Open Source

Complete transparency with access to the source code, allowing users to verify and customize the software.

Local and Cloud Models

Supports local transcription models (Speaches) and cloud providers (Groq, OpenAI) for flexible usage.

Direct Provider Payments

Users pay transcription providers directly using their own API keys, avoiding middleman fees.

Cross-Platform Native Desktop Application

Available for multiple platforms with native desktop support.

Shortcut Activation

Press a shortcut to start speaking and get transcriptions anywhere on the system.

Text Formatting and Grammar Fixing

Includes tools to format text and correct grammar within the transcription workflow.

Custom Workflows

Users can create custom workflows tailored to their transcription needs.

Local Storage

Transcriptions can be stored locally to enhance privacy.

Transparent Pricing

Clear pricing with no hidden fees, allowing users to start free locally and scale to cloud as needed.

Pricing

Free Tier Available

Local transcription using Speaches is free with no subscription required.

Local (Speaches)

$0.00 per hour
  • Free local transcription
  • No subscription required

Groq (Distil)

$0.02 per hour
  • Light use: $0.20/month
  • Heavy use: $1.80/month
  • Subscription: $10-30/month

Groq (Large)

$0.04 per hour
  • Light use: $0.40/month
  • Heavy use: $3.60/month
  • Subscription: $10-30/month

Use Cases

Cost-Effective Transcription

Save up to 90% on transcription costs by using local models or paying providers directly without markup.

Privacy-Focused Transcription

Ideal for users who want to keep their audio data private and under their control.

Customizable Transcription Workflows

Users can tailor transcription processes to fit specific needs, including formatting and grammar correction.

Cross-Platform Usage

Use transcription seamlessly across different operating systems with the native desktop app.

Integrations

Groq

Cloud transcription provider integration with transparent pricing.

OpenAI

Cloud transcription provider option using OpenAI models.

Speaches

Local transcription model integration for offline use.

Benefits

Full transparency with open-source code and data traceability.
Significant cost savings compared to traditional transcription services.
Flexibility to choose between local and cloud transcription models.
No middleman servers, enhancing privacy and control over data.
Easy setup with a 5-minute guide and shortcut-based transcription.
Cross-platform support for broad accessibility.

Limitations

Cloud transcription costs depend on provider pricing and usage.
Local transcription quality may vary depending on the model used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Whispering free to use?
Yes, local transcription using the Speaches model is free. Cloud usage incurs costs based on provider pricing.
Do I need to create an account to use Whispering?
No signup is required to use Whispering.
Can I see where my audio data goes?
Yes, Whispering is fully transparent and open-source, allowing you to trace your data.
What platforms does Whispering support?
Whispering offers a native desktop application with cross-platform support and a web version.

Getting Started

  1. 1 Download the native desktop application for your platform or try the web version.
  2. 2 Set up your preferred transcription provider by entering your own API keys.
  3. 3 Use the shortcut to start speaking and receive transcriptions anywhere on your system.

Support

Documentation

Setup guide and documentation available on GitHub and YouTube.

Community

GitHub repository for issues, feature requests, and community support.

API

Available: No
Documentation:

No specific API documentation mentioned.

Rate Limits:

Not available.

Compare Whispering with similar tools

See how it stacks up against alternatives

Related Tools

View all 34 →
Free
AI Voice Note Taker

AI Voice Note Taker

AI Voice Note Taker is a Chrome extension that provides real-time, AI-powered voice to text transcription directly in your browser, enabling hands-free document drafting and note-taking with high accuracy and multilingual support.

Transcription AI Voice Agents
Freemium
Notable

Notable

Notable is an AI-powered voice notes and transcription tool that transforms spoken ideas into clear, organized summaries, helping professionals save time and boost productivity by eliminating manual note-taking.

Transcription AI Voice Agents
Contact for pricing
Voicepen

Voicepen

Voicepen converts spoken audio into blog-ready text, helping creators and teams turn podcasts, interviews, and recordings into publishable blog posts quickly.

Transcription
Freemium
Transpocket

Transpocket

TransPocket is an AI-enhanced audio and video transcription service powered by Whisper and optimized turbo models, offering fast, high-accuracy speech-to-text conversion for uploads, URLs (YouTube/TikTok), live recordings and multi-language transcription with enterprise-grade security.

Transcription
Freemium
dicte-ai

dicte-ai

Dicte AI is a sovereign AI meeting assistant designed for on-site, fieldwork, and hybrid meetings, offering advanced AI-powered transcription, speaker identification, and automated meeting minutes generation with strong data privacy features.

Transcription
Freemium
Rythmex

Rythmex

Rythmex is an online AI-powered audio-to-text converter that transcribes audio and video into editable text. It supports 140+ languages and a wide range of formats, offers a web editor with timeline and speaker controls, and provides API integration for automation.

Transcription
High-growth
Contact for pricing
Get

Get

Castmagic is an AI-powered content operating system that transforms audio and video recordings into transcripts, summaries, and a wide range of repurposed content assets to help teams, podcasters, and creators scale content production.

Transcription
Enterprise-ready
Free
Tiktoktranscript

Tiktoktranscript

TikTok Transcript Extractor is a free web tool that extracts official or auto-generated TikTok captions and lets you download them as .srt or .txt without signing up.

Transcription

Premium Alternatives

Paid
Whitecube

Whitecube

AI Yacht Chat by WhiteCube.ai is a purpose-built AI chatbot for the yachting industry that provides 24/7, human-like chat, real-time listings search, CRM integrations and a customizable knowledge base to boost leads and improve customer support.

Chat
Paid
Pixelmost

Pixelmost

Pixelmost is an AI-powered app prototyping tool for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that generates mobile app mockups, interactive prototype flows, and app icons from a simple prompt in seconds. It's aimed at founders, designers, and product teams who need rapid visual concepts, pitch screens, and review-ready prototypes.

Design Generators
High-growth
Paid
genads

genads

GenAds is a dynamic catalog ads platform that enables businesses to quickly create and optimize high-converting ads and creatives for their entire product catalog, integrating seamlessly with Meta and Shopify.

Marketing
Paid
copyflow-pro

copyflow-pro

CopyFlow Pro is an AI-powered tool designed to generate high-converting PPC ad copy quickly, helping marketers create targeted headlines, primary copy, and calls-to-action tailored to their ideal customers.

Copywriting
Paid
Praneetbrar

Praneetbrar

Praneet Brar is a web developer and research engineer who designs and builds custom web applications, AI-powered apps, launch/discovery platforms, and productized templates for startups, makers, and businesses.

Developer Tools
Paid
receiptor-ai

receiptor-ai

Receiptor AI is an automated tool that extracts and organizes receipts and invoices from your email, saving time and simplifying financial tracking for individuals and businesses.

Finance
Paid
Vidine

Vidine

Fast Video Cataloger (FVC) is a Windows-native, local video content management system for professional video creators that enables instant search, preview, tagging and scene discovery without cloud uploads.

Video
Enterprise-ready
Paid
arcads

arcads

Arcads is an AI-powered platform that transforms text into high-quality, emotionally engaging video ads using AI actors, enabling marketers to create video ads quickly, affordably, and at scale.

Text-to-Video

Explore Related Categories

Explore by Outcome