Sherpa
Don’t want to install Sherpa? 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.
Production server for k2/icefall + Whisper models (PyTorch).
Best for gPU streaming server using PyTorch icefall checkpoints. Pricing: free.
What it is
Reference deployment runtime for icefall models. Apache-2.0.
Watch out for: Replaced for most edge cases by sherpa-onnx / sherpa-ncnn.
Install / use
pip install k2-sherpaWhat people actually do with Sherpa-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 | Yes |
| Languages supported | 40 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
Sherpa vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Sherpa | 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 | Yes | No |
| Languages | 40 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Docker | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Sherpa
Frequently asked about Sherpa
Is Sherpa free?
Yes. Sherpa is free and open source.
Does Sherpa work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Sherpa runs on Linux, macOS and Docker.
How do I install Sherpa?
With pip: `pip install k2-sherpa`. You need Python and, for most audio tools, ffmpeg on your PATH first.
How many languages does Sherpa support?
Sherpa lists 40 languages.
Does Sherpa identify different speakers?
No. Sherpa 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 Sherpa give word-level timestamps?
Yes — Sherpa produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can Sherpa transcribe live audio?
Yes — Sherpa supports streaming / live input, not just finished files.
Is Sherpa HIPAA compliant?
Sherpa 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 Sherpa?
Replaced for most edge cases by sherpa-onnx / sherpa-ncnn.
Who is Sherpa best for?
GPU streaming server using PyTorch icefall checkpoints.
Does Sherpa run offline?
Sherpa runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use Sherpa in the browser?
No — Sherpa is a Linux, macOS and Docker application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the Sherpa source code?
On GitHub at github.com/k2-fsa/sherpa. It is maintained by k2-fsa.
What kind of tool is Sherpa?
In this directory Sherpa is filed under toolkit, server, streaming as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to Sherpa?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/sherpa-alternatives comparing Sherpa 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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