ESPnet
Don’t want to install ESPnet? 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.
End-to-end speech toolkit: ASR, TTS, ST, speaker, separation.
Best for reproducing SOTA results on academic benchmarks; recipe-driven workflows. Pricing: free.
What it is
One of the longest-running end-to-end speech toolkits. Ships pre-trained Conformer, Branchformer, E-Branchformer, and Squeezeformer. Apache-2.0.
Watch out for: Steep learning curve; shell-script recipes alongside Python.
Install / use
pip install espnetWhat people actually do with ESPnet-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 | Yes |
| Word-level timestamps | Yes |
| Streaming / real-time | No |
| Languages supported | 50 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
ESPnet vs Whipscribe
| Feature | ESPnet | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Open source | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | free | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | Yes | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming | No | No |
| Languages | 50 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to ESPnet
Frequently asked about ESPnet
Is ESPnet free?
Yes. ESPnet is free and open source.
Does ESPnet work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
ESPnet runs on Linux and macOS. It is not listed for other platforms; check the vendor for anything beyond Linux and macOS.
How do I install ESPnet?
With pip: `pip install espnet`. You need Python and, for most audio tools, ffmpeg on your PATH first.
How many languages does ESPnet support?
ESPnet lists 50 languages.
Does ESPnet identify different speakers?
Yes — ESPnet has speaker diarization, so a two-person interview comes back with each speaker labelled.
Does ESPnet give word-level timestamps?
Yes — ESPnet produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can ESPnet transcribe live audio?
No — ESPnet works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is ESPnet HIPAA compliant?
ESPnet 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 ESPnet?
Steep learning curve; shell-script recipes alongside Python.
Who is ESPnet best for?
Reproducing SOTA results on academic benchmarks; recipe-driven workflows.
Does ESPnet run offline?
ESPnet runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use ESPnet in the browser?
No — ESPnet is a Linux and macOS application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the ESPnet source code?
On GitHub at github.com/espnet/espnet. It is maintained by ESPnet community.
What kind of tool is ESPnet?
In this directory ESPnet is filed under toolkit, framework, research as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to ESPnet?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/espnet-alternatives comparing ESPnet with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
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.
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