OpenAI Whisper
An open-source speech recognition model that can be run locally or accessed via an API.
Our editorial assessment, based on the public sources listed below. Last reviewed .
- Task rank
- #4
- Tier
- S
- Score
- 85.9
Strengths
- Can be run locally for free, ensuring data privacy
- Achieves high accuracy, up to 98.7% with the large model
- Available as a managed API for developers
Considerations
- Requires technical knowledge to set up and run the open-source version
- The self-hosted model lacks a user interface and advanced features
- API usage is not free
Price
Free (self-hosted) or $0.006/min (API)
Shown for reference — price is not part of the score.
Score breakdown
- Performance
- 88.0
- 55% of score
- Reputation
- 86.0
- 35% of score
- Recency
- 74.0
- 10% of score
The overall score combines these sub-scores using the weights shown. How we score →
Verification status
Each field carries its own re-verification date. Amber means older than 90 days — treat those figures as stale until re-checked.
- Pricing
- Benchmark
- Reputation
- Feature list
Checked against the sources listed below.
Sources
- OpenAI Whisper (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Guideflow Blog (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- BrassTranscripts Review (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Fish Audio — 10 best speech-to-text tools 2026 (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Product Hunt — best AI dictation & speech-to-text 2026 (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
Show 10 more sources
- 12 best transcription software: AI tools tested & compared in 2026 | Guideflow (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Elite Content Marketer: best AI transcription 2026 (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- 8 Best AI Transcription Tools 2026 — Hypescribe (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Top AI Speech Recognition Software in 2026: Vendor Guide (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Best AI Transcription Tools 2026 (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- 5 AI Transcription Tools Tested 2026 (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- The 3 Best Transcription Services of 2026 | Reviews by Wirecutter (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- AI Transcription Tools for UX Research (CleverX) (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- VexaScribe Blog (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
- Sonix 8 Best AI Transcription Software Tools 2026 (opens in a new tab)Accessed:
Alternatives in Transcription
- #2Otter.aiSScore 88.3Real-time meeting assistant that transcribes conversations and automates action item extraction.
- #3AssemblyAISScore 86.8A transcription API for developers offering advanced features like sentiment analysis, PII redaction, and summarization.
- #5ElevenLabs ScribeAScore 84.9A speech-to-text model covering 92 languages with speaker labels, word timestamps and audio event tags.