Rhasspy
Don’t want to install Rhasspy? 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.
Fully offline voice assistant for Home Assistant — runs on a Raspberry Pi with no cloud.
Upstream is archived. Rhasspy’s repository has been set read-only by its owner, so there are no further releases, fixes, or security patches. The last commit landed 2023-12-26. It can still be cloned and run, and forks may be maintained elsewhere. See the repository.
Best for home Assistant users who want voice control with zero cloud traffic and full control over wake-word and ASR. Pricing: free.
What it is
Rhasspy is the canonical offline voice assistant for Home Assistant. It chains wake word (Porcupine, openWakeWord, Snowboy) → ASR (Kaldi / Vosk / Whisper) → intent recognition → Home Assistant action. Now maintained by Nabu Casa.
Watch out for: Setup is YAML-heavy; non-trivial to tune for a non-developer; voice quality depends on chosen backend (Kaldi, Pocketsphinx, Vosk, Whisper).
Install / use
rhasspy.readthedocs.io — Docker image or HA Add-on
What people actually do with Rhasspy-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 | No |
| Streaming / real-time | Yes |
| Languages supported | 27 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
Rhasspy vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Rhasspy | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Open source | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | free | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | — | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | — | Yes |
| Streaming | Yes | No |
| Languages | 27 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Hardware | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Rhasspy
Frequently asked about Rhasspy
Is Rhasspy free?
Yes. Rhasspy is free and open source.
Does Rhasspy work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Rhasspy runs on Linux, Docker and Hardware.
How do I get started with Rhasspy?
There is nothing to install — Rhasspy is used in the browser. Create an account on the vendor's site and upload or connect your audio.
How many languages does Rhasspy support?
Rhasspy lists 27 languages.
Does Rhasspy identify different speakers?
No. Rhasspy 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 Rhasspy give word-level timestamps?
No — Rhasspy produces segment or sentence timing only, so subtitle cues can land mid-word.
Can Rhasspy transcribe live audio?
Yes — Rhasspy supports streaming / live input, not just finished files.
Is Rhasspy HIPAA compliant?
Rhasspy 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 Rhasspy?
Setup is YAML-heavy; non-trivial to tune for a non-developer; voice quality depends on chosen backend (Kaldi, Pocketsphinx, Vosk, Whisper).
Who is Rhasspy best for?
Home Assistant users who want voice control with zero cloud traffic and full control over wake-word and ASR.
Does Rhasspy run offline?
Rhasspy runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use Rhasspy in the browser?
No — Rhasspy is a Linux, Docker and Hardware application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the Rhasspy source code?
On GitHub at github.com/rhasspy/rhasspy3. It is maintained by Rhasspy Voice / Nabu Casa.
What kind of tool is Rhasspy?
In this directory Rhasspy is filed under voice assistant, self hosted, smart home as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to Rhasspy?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/rhasspy-alternatives comparing Rhasspy 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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