PaddleSpeech

by Baidu

Don’t want to install PaddleSpeech? 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.

Baidu's all-in-one speech toolkit on PaddlePaddle.

Linux, macOS, Windows  ·  free

TL;DR

Best for mandarin-first ASR + TTS + KWS in one toolkit. Pricing: free.

Category
Open source
License
Apache-2.0
Stars
★ 12.7k
Last push
2026-08-02
Pricing
free
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Windows

What it is

ASR (Conformer/U2++), TTS (FastSpeech2/HiFiGAN), speaker, KWS, and translation. Apache-2.0.

Best for: Mandarin-first ASR + TTS + KWS in one toolkit.
Watch out for: PaddlePaddle ecosystem narrower than PyTorch globally.

Install / use

pip install paddlespeech

What people actually do with PaddleSpeech-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 Amazon S3n8nMake.comGoogle DriveZapierSlack

Features

Speaker diarizationYes
Word-level timestampsYes
Streaming / real-timeYes
Languages supported20
HIPAA eligibleNo

Links

GitHub repo ↗

PaddleSpeech vs Whipscribe

FeaturePaddleSpeechWhipscribe
CategoryOpen sourceTranscription APIs
Pricingfree$6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free
Speaker identificationYesNamed in the summary, key quotes and chapters
Word timestampsYesYes
StreamingYesNo
Languages2099
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb, API, MCP

Alternatives to PaddleSpeech

Frequently asked about PaddleSpeech

Is PaddleSpeech free?

Yes. PaddleSpeech is free and open source.

Does PaddleSpeech work on Mac, Windows and Linux?

PaddleSpeech runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.

How do I install PaddleSpeech?

With pip: `pip install paddlespeech`. You need Python and, for most audio tools, ffmpeg on your PATH first.

How many languages does PaddleSpeech support?

PaddleSpeech lists 20 languages.

Does PaddleSpeech identify different speakers?

Yes — PaddleSpeech has speaker diarization, so a two-person interview comes back with each speaker labelled.

Does PaddleSpeech give word-level timestamps?

Yes — PaddleSpeech produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.

Can PaddleSpeech transcribe live audio?

Yes — PaddleSpeech supports streaming / live input, not just finished files.

Is PaddleSpeech HIPAA compliant?

PaddleSpeech 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 PaddleSpeech?

PaddlePaddle ecosystem narrower than PyTorch globally.

Who is PaddleSpeech best for?

Mandarin-first ASR + TTS + KWS in one toolkit.

Does PaddleSpeech run offline?

PaddleSpeech runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.

Can I use PaddleSpeech in the browser?

No — PaddleSpeech is a Linux, macOS and Windows application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.

Where is the PaddleSpeech source code?

On GitHub at github.com/PaddlePaddle/PaddleSpeech. It is maintained by Baidu.

What kind of tool is PaddleSpeech?

In this directory PaddleSpeech is filed under toolkit, framework as a open-source tool.

What are the alternatives to PaddleSpeech?

There is a side-by-side page at /tools/paddlespeech-alternatives comparing PaddleSpeech with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.

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