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AI · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Purku

Fast, friendly, cost-effective, automated transcription

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Purku launched in 2020; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

  1. 1
    Harku▲3

    Hi HN! I'm the founder of Harku (https://harku.io ), a video/audio transcription tool I've been working on for the past few months. The backstory: I was frustrated with existing transcription services - they either required expensive subscriptions upfront, had poor accuracy for non-English content, or forced you to create accounts just to try them. As someone who frequently works with meeting recordings and content in multiple languages, I needed something better. Technical approach: - Built on OpenAI's Whisper V3 (latest model) for 98.5% accuracy - GPU-optimized processing…

    Feb 2026 · harku.io · its alternatives →

  2. 2

    Super-fast transcription for 10 cents a minute

    2019 · cheaptranscription.io · its alternatives →

  3. 3

    $0.15/hr audio transcription API powered by OpenAI Whisper

    2022 · whisperapi.com · its alternatives →

  4. 4

    Generate Text & Convert it into Human-like Speech instantly

    2023 · writesonic.com · its alternatives →

  5. 5

    Transcribe any audio/video to text in minutes

    2018 · its alternatives →

  6. 6

    Schibsted created a transcription service for our journalists to transcribe audio interviews and podcasts really quick.

    2023 · github.com · its alternatives →

  7. 7

    Get your podcast transcription for free, in browser

    2021 · its alternatives →

  8. 8

    Free AI transcription: convert video and audio to text, translate into 120 languages, download SRT, VTT, ASS or TXT, or export the video with subtitles on it.

    2022 · freesubtitles.ai · its alternatives →

  9. 9PA
  10. 10

    Get your podcast transcript with ease

    2022 · poddin.io · its alternatives →

  11. 11

    Easing the pain of audio transcription

    2023 · transkrip.xyz · its alternatives →

  12. 12

    Create AI-generated transcripts in minutes.

    2021 · transcribeninja.com · its alternatives →

  13. 13

    Local transcripts with speaker labels, timestamps, + export

    Dec 2025 · whispersnapper.com · its alternatives →

  14. 14
    Voxiyo▲112

    Record, organise and transform with AI

    2025 · voxiyo.com · its alternatives →

  15. 15

    Hi everyone, I’m a solo developer and I’ve been working on a small tool called Echosnap AI. I built it because I often get ideas while I’m walking or doing something else, and speaking always felt like the fastest way to capture them. Echosnap lets you record a note and instantly get a clean transcript. It can also translate your recordings and help you stay organized with tags and folders. I tried to keep the app as simple and minimal as possible. This is my first time sharing something on HN, so any feedback or suggestions would mean a lot. Thanks for taking a moment to check it out.

    Nov 2025 · useechosnap.com · its alternatives →

  16. 16

    Bring your words to life with unmatched simplicity

    2024 · its alternatives →

  17. 17

    Convert audio and video to accurate text in seconds with AI

    2024 · turboscribe.ai · its alternatives →

  18. 18

    Cheap and minimalistic speech to text transcriber.

    2020 · transcripto.io · its alternatives →

  19. 19

    Local AI dictation for Windows

    Aug 2026 · whisperstream.io · its alternatives →

  20. 20CT
  21. 21

    Boost your podcast by automating transcripts and annotations

    2021 · podse.io · its alternatives →

  22. 2201

    Hey HN! I've been working on a side project to create an audio transcription API based on the OpenAI whisper model. Sign up link: https://whisperapi.com I tried to make the API really easy to use and get setup with. Also, because the Whisper model is so good, turns out I can offer the service for about 75% cheaper than what seems like the industry average. I'm always looking to make improvements, so would appreciate any feedback anyone has!

    2022 · whisperapi.com · its alternatives →

  23. 23

    I built Whispering because I believe transcription is too fundamental a tool to be locked behind paywalls. It's a cross-platform desktop and web transcription app that turns speech into text with a keyboard shortcut, among other things. The app lets you bring your own API key (OpenAI, Groq, etc.) and make direct calls. If you want complete privacy, it also supports local transcription. Either way, your audio never goes through any middleman servers. It's super lightweight (~22MB), built with Svelte 5 and Tauri, and works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. I've been using it daily for the past few…

    2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

  24. 24

    Free and Flawless Voice Transcription

    2025 · whispernote.ai · its alternatives →

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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →