whisper-rs
Don’t want to install whisper-rs? 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.
Idiomatic Rust bindings for whisper.cpp.
Upstream is archived. whisper-rs’s repository has been set read-only by its owner, so there are no further releases, fixes, or security patches. The last commit landed 2025-07-30. It can still be cloned and run, and forks may be maintained elsewhere. See the repository.
Best for rust apps embedding offline transcription without shipping a Python runtime. Pricing: free.
What it is
Safe Rust wrapper over whisper.cpp via FFI. Exposes the full model API with strongly-typed timestamps and segment iterators. Unlicense/MIT dual-licensed. The default choice for Rust ecosystems.
Watch out for: Mirrors whisper.cpp feature surface; no streaming server out of the box.
Install / use
cargo add whisper-rsWhat people actually do with whisper-rs-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 | No |
| Languages supported | 99 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
whisper-rs vs Whipscribe
| Feature | whisper-rs | 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 | 99 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to whisper-rs
Frequently asked about whisper-rs
Is whisper-rs free?
Yes. whisper-rs is free and open source.
Does whisper-rs work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
whisper-rs runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.
How many languages does whisper-rs support?
whisper-rs lists 99 languages. That is the Whisper-family multilingual set, so quality varies by language — English and the large European languages are strongest.
Does whisper-rs identify different speakers?
No. whisper-rs 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 whisper-rs give word-level timestamps?
Yes — whisper-rs produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can whisper-rs transcribe live audio?
No — whisper-rs works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is whisper-rs HIPAA compliant?
whisper-rs 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 whisper-rs?
Mirrors whisper.cpp feature surface; no streaming server out of the box.
Who is whisper-rs best for?
Rust apps embedding offline transcription without shipping a Python runtime.
Does whisper-rs run offline?
whisper-rs runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use whisper-rs in the browser?
No — whisper-rs is a Linux, macOS and Windows application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the whisper-rs source code?
On GitHub at github.com/tazz4843/whisper-rs. It is maintained by tazz4843.
What kind of tool is whisper-rs?
In this directory whisper-rs is filed under oss engine, bindings, rust as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to whisper-rs?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/whisper-rs-alternatives comparing whisper-rs with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
Can I automate whisper-rs-style transcription without running it myself?
Yes. If what you want is transcripts rather than the tool itself, Whipscribe does the same job as a hosted API: submit a file or URL, poll a job id, pull the result as txt, json, srt, vtt or docx. $0.012 a minute — about $0.72 an audio hour — bought as credits that never expire. The automation recipes on this site show it wired to Drive folders, Zoom recordings, S3 buckets and no-code platforms.
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.
Transcribe your recordings
Running whisper-rs yourself? Send the same file here and compare the transcript. Transcribe any language, any recording · Transcription services from $0.29 an hour · Transcribe from any meeting or recording platform · How to transcribe, step by step
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Long recording to get through?
One file up to 10 hours, as an upload or a link: see how to transcribe an MP3 of any length, a podcast episode as text from its link and the SRT generator.
Rather have it done for you?
Free tools cost setup time. When you want a finished transcript instead: see the best transcription services side by side, cheap transcription services and the real cost per hour and how our transcription services work.