Whispering: Epicenter's open-source recorder and transcriber
Don’t want to install Whispering? 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.
Record, transcribe, then rewrite the transcript with your own prompts. Version 7.11 runs local Parakeet, Moonshine or whisper.cpp; the rewrite on main keeps everything as files in a Git folder.
Get Whispering Official site & pricing
Whispering (Epicenter) records and transcribes on your desktop: Parakeet, Moonshine or whisper.cpp locally in v7.11, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint in the rewrite.
It is mid-rewrite, so check which build you are installing. For a finished transcript, summary and SRT of a recording today, a hosted service needs no setup.
What it is
Whispering is the transcription app in Epicenter's open-source, local-first suite (AGPL-3.0-or-later). The released version 7.11.0 (27 December 2025) ships for macOS on Apple Silicon, Windows and Linux, with three local engines: Parakeet on every platform (English-only, and the only local option on Windows), Moonshine on macOS and Linux, and whisper.cpp, multilingual, on macOS and Linux. On the main branch the app is being rebuilt as a standalone voice-notes recorder: it records, transcribes through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint you choose, transforms transcripts with prompts you write, and keeps every recording, transcript and result as an ordinary file in one Git-versioned folder. That build does not dictate into other apps.
Watch out for: In transition: the last release is v7.11.0 (27 December 2025), and the app on the main branch is a rewrite its README calls a development milestone, not a release. On Windows, v7.11 ships only the English Parakeet engine.
A finished transcript while Whispering is mid-rewrite
If you need the transcript now and not after a build:
- Drop the audio or video file into the box at the top of this page, or paste a link (YouTube, a podcast or RSS feed, Google Drive, Twitch or Kick). Nothing to install and no GPU needed.
- The language is detected automatically and the transcript stays in the language that was spoken (WhipScribe does not translate).
- Read the summary free. A pack from $6 (500 minutes) opens the full transcript and the downloads: TXT, DOCX, SRT, VTT and JSON. Packs are one-time purchases and credits never expire.
- Files can be up to 10 hours or 5 GB per file.
Related: Transcribe large files · SRT generator · SuperWhisper · MacWhisper alternatives · Pricing
Install / use
Go to Whispering github.comKey specs
What people actually do with Whispering-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 | Not stated |
| Word-level timestamps | Not stated |
| Streaming / real-time | Not stated |
| Languages supported | — |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
- github.com/EpicenterHQ/epicenter ↗AGPL-3.0-or-later monorepo · apps/whispering
- Epicenter releases ↗Whispering v7.11.0 on 2025-12-27: dmg, exe, msi, AppImage, deb, rpm
Whispering vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Whispering | 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 | No | Yes |
| Streaming | No | No |
| Languages | — | 99 |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Whispering
Frequently asked about Whispering
Is Whispering still available?
Yes. Version 7.11.0 (27 December 2025) is downloadable for macOS (Apple Silicon), Windows and Linux from the Epicenter GitHub releases. The main branch holds a rewrite that its README describes as a development milestone, not a release.
Which transcription engines does Whispering 7.11 support?
Three local engines: Parakeet on all platforms (English-only, and the only local engine on Windows), Moonshine on macOS and Linux, and whisper.cpp on macOS and Linux. The rewrite transcribes through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint you configure.
Where does Whispering keep my recordings?
In the rewrite, everything (audio, transcripts, prompts, results) is an ordinary file in one Git-versioned folder, by default ~/Epicenter/local/so.epicenter.whispering. Nothing is sent until you configure where requests go.
Is Whispering a dictation app?
Earlier releases were used for dictation. The rebuilt app on the main branch is a voice-notes recorder, and its README says dictating into other apps is not part of it.
What is Whispering?
Whispering (Epicenter) records and transcribes on your desktop: Parakeet, Moonshine or whisper.cpp locally in v7.11, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint in the rewrite.
Is Whispering free?
Yes. Whispering is free and open source.
Does Whispering work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Whispering runs on macOS, Windows and Linux.
How do I install Whispering?
Download the installer for your platform from https://github.com/EpicenterHQ/epicenter/releases. No terminal needed.
Is Whispering HIPAA compliant?
Whispering 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 Whispering?
In transition: the last release is v7.11.0 (27 December 2025), and the app on the main branch is a rewrite its README calls a development milestone, not a release. On Windows, v7.11 ships only the English Parakeet engine.
Who is Whispering best for?
Tinkerers who want an open-source voice-notes recorder whose recordings, transcripts and prompts stay as plain files they own.
What should I know before choosing Whispering?
It is mid-rewrite, so check which build you are installing. For a finished transcript, summary and SRT of a recording today, a hosted service needs no setup.
Does Whispering run offline?
Whispering runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use Whispering in the browser?
No — Whispering is a macOS, Windows and Linux application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the Whispering source code?
On GitHub at github.com/EpicenterHQ/epicenter. It is maintained by Epicenter.
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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Long recording to get through?
One file up to 10 hours, as an upload or a link: see MP3 to text for long recordings, transcribing a podcast episode and an SRT subtitle file from any recording.
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.