1 min readFree

Whispering

Whispering is a free, open-source dictation app that turns your voice into text anywhere on your computer using local or cloud AI models.

// at a glance

Is Whispering free?
Free. Yes. Whispering is free to use, with no paid plan.
Category
#Transcriber
Website
epicenter.so ↗
Whispering logo

What is Whispering?

Whispering is a speech-to-text app from Epicenter. You press a keyboard shortcut, speak, and the transcribed text is pasted wherever your cursor is, whether that is an email, a document or a chat window.

You choose where the transcription happens. It can run locally through Speaches, or you can bring your own API key for cloud services like Groq or OpenAI and pay them directly at their own rates. Recordings are stored on your device. An optional AI step can tidy the text, fix grammar or run your own custom transformations. Whispering is available for macOS on Apple Silicon, Windows, Linux and in the browser.

Main Features

  • Global keyboard shortcut to dictate anywhere
  • Local transcription or your own cloud API key
  • Supports Groq and OpenAI speech models
  • AI clean-up for grammar and formatting
  • Recordings stored locally on your device
  • macOS, Windows, Linux and web versions

How to Get Started with Whispering

  1. Visit epicenter.so/whispering and download the app.
  2. Choose local transcription or add your own API key.
  3. Set a keyboard shortcut for recording.
  4. Press the shortcut, speak, and the text appears where you type.

Whispering Pricing

Whispering is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. If you use a cloud provider such as Groq or OpenAI, you pay that provider directly for usage.

Who Should Use It?

  • Writers who prefer speaking to typing
  • People with repetitive strain or accessibility needs
  • Developers dictating notes and messages
  • Privacy-minded users wanting local AI
  • Anyone replacing a paid dictation app

Whispering Alternatives

  • Superwhisper: AI dictation and transcription app for Mac.
  • Aqua Voice: Fast AI voice dictation for writing.
  • Spokenly: AI voice dictation for Mac and iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Whispering free?

Yes. The app is free and open source. Local transcription costs nothing, and cloud transcription is billed by the provider you choose.

Can Whispering run offline?

Yes, if you use a local model through Speaches instead of a cloud provider.

Which systems does Whispering support?

It runs on macOS with Apple Silicon, Windows 10 and 11, Linux and in a web browser.

Try Whispering