Question 1

What's the best Chrome extension to transcribe audio?

Accepted Answer

If you want to record a browser tab or your mic and get an accurate transcript, Whipscribe's own Chrome extension records and transcribes with private Whisper (audio isn't sent to OpenAI or Google). Meeting-notes extensions like Otter, Fireflies, tl;dv, and Fathom are strong for live call notes but generally join the call as a bot and store transcripts in their cloud.

Question 2

Do I even need an extension?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. Whipscribe also runs as a web app — open whipscribe.com in Chrome, upload a recording or paste a link, and get a speaker-labeled transcript with SRT/VTT exports, no install. The extension is handy when you want to capture tab or mic audio in one click without leaving the page.

Question 3

Which extensions keep my audio private?

Accepted Answer

Whipscribe uses self-hosted Whisper, so your audio is never sent to OpenAI or Google and is never used to train models, and you can delete files anytime. Meeting-bot extensions vary — check each one's privacy policy for where recordings are stored and how they're used.

Question 4

Are meeting-bot extensions different from recording extensions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Meeting-notes bots (Otter, Fireflies, tl;dv, Fathom) auto-join your call as a participant and transcribe live in their cloud. Whipscribe's extension records the audio you choose (a tab or your mic) and transcribes it privately — nothing appears on the attendee list.

Best transcription Chrome extensions

Or skip the extension