llm.c
Don’t want to install llm.c? 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.
Andrej Karpathy's bare-metal C training code — reference for compact ASR.
Best for studying minimal training loops adaptable to small speech models. Pricing: free.
What it is
A from-scratch C training loop. MIT.
Watch out for: Not an ASR engine.
Install / use
git clone https://github.com/karpathy/llm.cWhat people actually do with llm.c-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.
Wire it into Make.comGoogle DriveEmergentNotionYouTubeAmazon S3
Features
| Speaker diarization | No |
| Word-level timestamps | Yes |
| Streaming / real-time | No |
| Languages supported | 1 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
llm.c vs Whipscribe
| Feature | llm.c | 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 | 1 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to llm.c
Frequently asked about llm.c
Is llm.c free?
Yes. llm.c is free and open source.
Does llm.c work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
llm.c 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 llm.c?
Clone and run it from source: `git clone https://github.com/karpathy/llm.c`. Expect to install its dependencies yourself — the README has the exact steps per OS.
How many languages does llm.c support?
llm.c lists 1 languages.
Does llm.c identify different speakers?
No. llm.c 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 llm.c give word-level timestamps?
Yes — llm.c produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can llm.c transcribe live audio?
No — llm.c works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is llm.c HIPAA compliant?
llm.c 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 llm.c?
Not an ASR engine.
Who is llm.c best for?
Studying minimal training loops adaptable to small speech models.
Does llm.c run offline?
llm.c runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use llm.c in the browser?
No — llm.c is a Linux and macOS application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the llm.c source code?
On GitHub at github.com/karpathy/llm.c. It is maintained by Andrej Karpathy.
What kind of tool is llm.c?
In this directory llm.c is filed under research, reference as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to llm.c?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/llm-c-alternatives comparing llm.c 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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