AI · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to WhisperAPI
$0.15/hr audio transcription API powered by OpenAI Whisper
Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Prices are shown for the 1 we have checked on their own sites, 1 of them free or with a free tier. WhisperAPI launched in 2022; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
- 101
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 →
- 2
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 →
- 3
Fast voice-to-text on 92 languages
2023 · lingvanex.com · its alternatives →
- 4
Audio transcription API powered by humans and AI
2016 · scale.com · its alternatives →
- 5
I was laid off recently and, instead of looking for another job right away, I decided to build something I always wanted: a transcription tool that respects user privacy. Existing transcription tools often require internet connectivity, send your private audio to cloud servers, or lock you into monthly subscriptions. I wanted something different—so I built WhisperBuddy, a privacy-first AI transcription app that runs entirely on your machine. WhisperBuddy uses OpenAI’s Whisper model (see: https://github.com/openai/whisper). While the model may not always deliver the…
2025 · whisperbuddy.com · its alternatives →
- 6
Use OpenAI Whisper for free audio transcription
2024 · whisperapi.com · its alternatives →
- 7
Hey HN! Braden here, creator of Whispering, an open-source speech-to-text app. I really like dictation. For years, I relied on transcription tools that were almost good, but they were all closed-source. Even a lot of them that claimed to be “local” or “on-device” were still black boxes that left me wondering where my audio really went. So I built Whispering. It’s open-source, local-first, and most importantly, transparent with your data. Your data is stored locally on your device, and your audio goes directly from your machine to a local provider (Whisper C++, Speaches, etc.) or your chosen…
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 8
Local transcripts with speaker labels, timestamps, + export
Dec 2025 · whispersnapper.com · its alternatives →
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WhisperUI▲120Most affordable text-to-speech and speech-to-text service
2024 · whisperui.com · its alternatives →
- 12
Create content from your audio
2023 · whispertranscribe.com · its alternatives →
- 13
I generated 70k audiobooks with OpenAI Text-to-Speechfree tier, from $15/mo▲140Hey HN. I’m Ivan, hacker from Ukraine. For about a year, I was working on Listenly — an app to listen to text content with OpenAI's natural-sounding text-to-speech model. At some moment, I realized that it would be cool to take all the public domain e-books and create audio versions for them. So I did it... kind-of. It would cost an immense amount of money to generate all the audio right away (OpenAI TTS costs approximately $0.84/hour of audio; 11labs, for comparison, is 10 times more expensive). So, I took a more gradual approach. I took all the metadata from the Project Gutenberg…
2024 · listenly.io · its alternatives →
- 14
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 →
- 15
AI Audio Kit▲92Easy audio transcription from your macOS desktop
2024 · aiaudiokit.pages.dev · its alternatives →
- 16
Lets you use your OpenAI key for affordable transcription
2025 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
- 17
MacWhisper▲123High quality text transcription with OpenAI's whisper on Mac
2023 · goodsnooze.gumroad.com · its alternatives →
- 18
Supercharge your transcription workflow using OpenAI Whisper
2023 · store.getwavery.com · its alternatives →
- 19
Pay-as-you-go Whisper AI transcription (no subscriptions)
Jul 2026 · auratranscribe.vercel.app · its alternatives →
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- 21
Whisper Notes▲115Offline AI Speech to Text Transcription for iOS & macOS
2025 · whispernotes.app · its alternatives →
- 22
Generate English subtitles for videos in any language
2022 · its alternatives →
- 23
WhisperWizard▲149Speech to text with smarter transcription
2024 · whisperwizard.com · its alternatives →
- 24
Transcribe & translate audios
2023 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
Also compare
- $0.15/hr audio transcription API based on OpenAI Whisper alternatives
- I made a free transcription service powered by Whisper AI alternatives
- Unlimited Voice Transcription with API alternatives
- Audio Transcription API by Scale alternatives
- Whisper Buddy alternatives
- Free Whisper Transcription Tool alternatives
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 →