OpenWhispr

Overview

OpenWhispr combines cross-app voice dictation with audio transcription and meeting notes. It suits people who want those workflows in one tool, particularly multilingual users and those who value local processing. Its breadth is appealing, but free usage is capped and the meeting-hour allowance depends on the plan.

Dictation places text into apps that accept it, while the meeting note taker captures computer audio without joining a call as a bot. That makes OpenWhispr a practical fit for users who want both quick dictation and meeting records; it is less compelling for someone who needs high-volume meeting capture on a free plan.

Key features

Dictation and audio work

Support for 100+ languages and automatic language detection make the dictation useful across multilingual workflows. It works in text-entry apps including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Google Docs, Gmail, Slack and Teams. Audio uploads accept MP3, WAV, M4A, WebM, OGG, FLAC and AAC, along with formats supported by FFmpeg. A transcript editor, speaker labels, caption export and searchable library support work beyond live dictation, such as organizing and revisiting recordings.

Meeting notes

OpenWhispr can turn captured meeting audio into structured notes with decisions and action items. It works with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Discord, Webex and other apps that play computer audio, without plugins or integrations. Capturing system audio rather than joining as a bot avoids adding another participant, although it does not remove the plan's recording-hour limits.

Processing and controls

Local speech models process audio on the user's device, which is the better fit when audio should not be transmitted elsewhere. Cloud processing runs through OpenWhispr's managed API in real time; the company says it discards audio without retaining it. It also says user audio, transcripts and other content are not used to train AI models. Cloud data is encrypted in transit using TLS and at rest, and diagnostic reporting is off by default. The homepage states that OpenWhispr is HIPAA compliant and independently verified for AICPA SOC 2 and ISO 27001.

The software is open source under the MIT license. That licensing choice is a meaningful point for users who value open-source software, though OpenWhispr also offers managed cloud processing and paid service plans.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and is billed Always free. It includes 2,000 words/week transcription, 5 hours of meeting recordings/month, unlimited local AI models, unlimited cloud transcription with your own API keys and community support. It is a useful way to try the main workflows, but the word and meeting caps make it a constrained choice for regular use.

Pro costs $6.67 a month, billed $80/user billed annually. It includes unlimited cloud transcription, 20 hours of meeting recordings/month, Agent mode, sync across devices, personal API access, MCP integration, the iPhone & iPad app and email support. It fits an individual who needs more than the free meeting allowance or wants the mobile app and integrations; the 20-hour recording cap still matters for frequent meeting-heavy use.

Business costs $13.33 a month, billed $160/user billed annually. It keeps unlimited cloud transcription and adds unlimited meeting recordings, chat over your data and priority support. This is the more suitable plan for teams or users whose recording volume exceeds Pro's monthly allowance, at twice Pro's per-user monthly price.

Enterprise has custom pricing and includes team features and admin, SSO, SAML and SCIM, audit logs and retention controls, plus dedicated support. It is aimed at organizations that need those administrative and identity controls rather than an individual dictation upgrade. Free includes community support, Pro email support, Business priority support and Enterprise dedicated support.

Platforms

OpenWhispr runs on iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. Pro specifically includes the iPhone & iPad app, and sync across devices, making it the clearest fit for people moving between desktop and mobile. Android is not among its stated platforms.

Who it's for

OpenWhispr is strongest for people who dictate into multiple apps and also want searchable transcripts or meeting notes, especially when bot-free capture, local speech processing or multilingual support matters. The free tier suits occasional use; Pro is the natural step for individual users who need more cloud transcription and up to 20 meeting hours monthly. People with heavier recording needs should weigh Business, while organizations needing SSO or audit controls should consider Enterprise. It is not the best fit for someone who requires Android or wants unlimited meeting recording at the lowest plan level.

Pros and cons

Pro: One product covers in-app dictation, audio transcription and meeting notes, reducing the need to split those tasks across tools.

Pro: Local speech models keep processing on-device, while the cloud option has stated no-retention and no-content-training policies.

Pro: Meeting capture works across several major call apps without a bot, plugin or integration.

Pro: Free includes unlimited local AI models and supports cloud transcription with the user's own API keys, alongside a defined weekly and monthly allowance.

Con: Free limits transcription to 2,000 words/week and meeting recordings to 5 hours/month, restricting sustained use.

Con: Pro still caps meeting recordings at 20 hours/month; unlimited recordings require Business at $13.33 a month, billed $160/user billed annually.

Con: The stated platform set excludes Android, which rules it out for users who need an Android app.

Alternatives

For a dedicated transcription workflow, compare Podcast Transcription Software and Meeting Recording Software.

Simon Says is worth considering if its pay-as-you-go model, billed at $15/hour or $0.25 per minute based on file duration, better suits occasional file transcription than OpenWhispr's plan allowances. Happy Scribe may suit readers who prioritize a free plan with unlimited meeting recordings, though it limits each recording to 45 minutes and includes a 10-minute AI trial.

Trint is a paid alternative with a free trial. Whipscribe may suit someone who wants a free first transcript of any length and then can pay from $2 for the next file. Rev is an option for English-only free transcription, with 45 AI transcription and caption minutes/month, five files at once and one user on its free plan.

Speechmatics may fit developers or teams seeking API, self-hosted or desktop options, with free credits and limits on concurrent real-time sessions and pre-recorded files. AssemblyAI is another API-oriented option, offering free audio credits and paid usage. AudioPod AI is a freemium alternative for audio generation workflows, with monthly credits and per-file and upload caps on its Basic plan.

Verdict

Choose OpenWhispr if you want one cross-platform tool for app dictation, transcripts and bot-free meeting notes, with local processing as an option. Its free plan is a credible starting point, but frequent meeting users should look closely at the 20-hour Pro limit and the higher-priced Business plan for unlimited recordings.