What is Vibe?
Vibe is a local-first transcription app for Windows, macOS and Linux. You give it an audio or video file, a URL or a live recording from your microphone or system audio, and it produces a transcript on your own computer using AI speech models such as Whisper and Parakeet.
It handles speaker diarization, shows a real-time preview while it works and can process many files in one batch. Transcripts can be exported as SRT or VTT subtitles, plain text, HTML, PDF, JSON or Word documents. Optional extras include translation to English, AI summaries through the Claude API or a local Ollama model, a command-line tool and an HTTP API. The code is released under the MIT licence.
Main Features
- Offline transcription on your own computer
- Speaker diarization and real-time preview
- Batch processing of many files
- Exports SRT, VTT, TXT, HTML, PDF, JSON and DOCX
- Records from microphone or system audio
- Optional AI summaries, CLI and HTTP API
How to Get Started with Vibe
- Open the Vibe website and download the build for your system.
- Install it and let it download a speech model.
- Drop in an audio or video file, or start a recording.
- Export the transcript in the format you need.
Vibe Pricing
Vibe is free and open source under the MIT licence, with no paid tier. Optional AI summaries through the Claude API use your own API key and are billed by that provider.
Who Should Use It?
- Video creators who need subtitles
- Students recording lectures
- Journalists and researchers
- Privacy-minded professionals
- Developers who want a transcription CLI or API
Vibe Alternatives
- TurboScribe: Online AI transcription with a generous free allowance.
- Happy Scribe: Transcription and subtitle platform with AI and human options.
- Zeemo AI: AI captions and subtitles for videos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vibe free?
Yes. Vibe is free and open source with no paid plan.
Does Vibe work offline?
Yes. Transcription runs locally on your computer. Only optional features like Claude summaries need an internet connection.
Which subtitle formats does Vibe export?
It exports SRT and VTT subtitles, as well as TXT, HTML, PDF, JSON and DOCX.