Echogarden
Don’t want to install Echogarden? Drop the file here.
The first 20 minutes of any recording are transcribed free: a recording up to 20 minutes transcribes in full, a longer one is previewed, and a pack from $6 (500 minutes) transcribes the rest and opens every export, and credits never expire.
Easy-to-use speech toolkit: TTS, STT, alignment, language detection.
Best for node.js apps wanting STT + TTS + forced alignment from one CLI. Pricing: free.
What it is
A JavaScript-first speech toolkit packaging Whisper (via whisper.cpp), Silero, Vosk, and several TTS engines under one CLI. GPL-3.0.
Watch out for: Single-developer project; latency competitive but not state-of-the-art.
Install / use
npm install echogarden -gWhat people actually do with Echogarden-style transcription
The tool is the means. These are the jobs — each one priced at published rates, each one wired up on its own page.
Features
| Speaker diarization | No |
| Word-level timestamps | Yes |
| Streaming / real-time | No |
| Languages supported | 50 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
Echogarden vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Echogarden | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Open source | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | free | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | No | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming | No | No |
| Languages | 50 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Echogarden
Frequently asked about Echogarden
Is Echogarden free?
Yes. Echogarden is free and open source.
Does Echogarden work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Echogarden runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.
How many languages does Echogarden support?
Echogarden lists 50 languages.
Does Echogarden identify different speakers?
No. Echogarden does not label speakers; a conversation comes back as one continuous text. If you need speaker labels, that is a separate tool or a different service.
Does Echogarden give word-level timestamps?
Yes — Echogarden produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can Echogarden transcribe live audio?
No — Echogarden works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is Echogarden HIPAA compliant?
Echogarden does not claim HIPAA compliance. For PHI, run it on infrastructure you control or choose a service that will sign a BAA.
What are the limitations of Echogarden?
Single-developer project; latency competitive but not state-of-the-art.
Who is Echogarden best for?
Node.js apps wanting STT + TTS + forced alignment from one CLI.
Does Echogarden run offline?
Echogarden runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use Echogarden in the browser?
No — Echogarden is a Linux, macOS and Windows application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the Echogarden source code?
On GitHub at github.com/echogarden-project/echogarden. It is maintained by Echogarden Project.
What kind of tool is Echogarden?
In this directory Echogarden is filed under oss engine, toolkit, cli as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to Echogarden?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/echogarden-alternatives comparing Echogarden with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
Can I automate Echogarden-style transcription without running it myself?
Yes. If what you want is transcripts rather than the tool itself, Whipscribe does the same job as a hosted API: submit a file or URL, poll a job id, pull the result as txt, json, srt, vtt or docx. $0.012 a minute — about $0.72 an audio hour — bought as credits that never expire. The automation recipes on this site show it wired to Drive folders, Zoom recordings, S3 buckets and no-code platforms.
Whipscribe is a hosted transcription service. If you want transcripts without running infrastructure, paste a URL or drop a file in the form below — you'll have a transcript in seconds.
Transcribe your recordings
Running Echogarden yourself? Send the same file here and compare the transcript. Transcribe any language, any recording · Transcription services from $0.29 an hour · Transcribe from any meeting or recording platform · How to transcribe, step by step
Explore
All transcription tools · By language · By platform · By file format · How-to guides · Transcription services · Transcription API · Pricing
Long recording to get through?
One file up to 10 hours, as an upload or a link: see transcribing a long MP3 or M4A, transcribing a podcast episode and an SRT subtitle file from any recording.
Comparing tools before you pay?
If you would rather pay a service than run software yourself: see an honest roundup of the best transcription services, the cheapest way to transcribe an hour of audio and how our transcription services work.