sherpa-ncnn
Don’t want to install sherpa-ncnn? 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.
ASR on NCNN — Android-friendly, CPU-only, no FP support needed.
Best for embedded ARM / Android devices without a usable ONNX runtime. Pricing: free.
What it is
Lightweight ASR via Tencent NCNN. Apache-2.0.
Watch out for: Fewer models than sherpa-onnx; INT8 quantization mandatory for tiny devices.
Install / use
pip install sherpa-ncnnWhat people actually do with sherpa-ncnn-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 | 20 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
sherpa-ncnn vs Whipscribe
| Feature | sherpa-ncnn | 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 | 20 | 99 |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Linux, macOS | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to sherpa-ncnn
Frequently asked about sherpa-ncnn
Is sherpa-ncnn free?
Yes. sherpa-ncnn is free and open source.
Does sherpa-ncnn work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
sherpa-ncnn runs on Android, iOS, Linux and macOS.
How do I install sherpa-ncnn?
With pip: `pip install sherpa-ncnn`. You need Python and, for most audio tools, ffmpeg on your PATH first.
How many languages does sherpa-ncnn support?
sherpa-ncnn lists 20 languages.
Does sherpa-ncnn identify different speakers?
No. sherpa-ncnn 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-ncnn give word-level timestamps?
Yes — sherpa-ncnn produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can sherpa-ncnn transcribe live audio?
Yes — sherpa-ncnn supports streaming / live input, not just finished files.
Is sherpa-ncnn HIPAA compliant?
sherpa-ncnn 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-ncnn?
Fewer models than sherpa-onnx; INT8 quantization mandatory for tiny devices.
Who is sherpa-ncnn best for?
Embedded ARM / Android devices without a usable ONNX runtime.
Does sherpa-ncnn run offline?
sherpa-ncnn runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use sherpa-ncnn in the browser?
No — sherpa-ncnn is a Android, iOS, Linux and macOS application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the sherpa-ncnn source code?
On GitHub at github.com/k2-fsa/sherpa-ncnn. It is maintained by k2-fsa.
What kind of tool is sherpa-ncnn?
In this directory sherpa-ncnn is filed under toolkit, edge, mobile as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to sherpa-ncnn?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/sherpa-ncnn-alternatives comparing sherpa-ncnn 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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