OpenWhispr vs TypeWhisper

OpenWhispr

• Open-source dictation on Mac, Windows or Linux
• Unlimited free local transcription with a paid cloud option
• Teams that need SSO, audit logs and compliance documents

TypeWhisper

• People who want free, open-source dictation that runs on the device
• Users who like to choose and switch between speech engines
• Teams that need auditable code and a non-GPL commercial license

OpenWhispr

• The Free plan caps OpenWhispr Cloud at 2,000 words a week and meeting recordings at 5 hours a month.
• The iPhone and iPad app, device sync, Agent mode and API and MCP access all start on Pro.
• Chat over your data needs Business, and SSO, SCIM and audit logs are limited to Enterprise.
• Local model speed depends on your hardware, and cloud processing needs an internet connection.

TypeWhisper

• Prices are listed in euros only. On iPhone and iPad, Premium is an in-app purchase: the US App Store lists $4.99 with no period shown and $89.99 for lifetime.
• Sync Dictionary & Snippets and Learn from Corrections need a Commercial license, sync also needs a Premium sign-in, and Meeting Automation is macOS only.
• Cloud speech and AI providers work only after you add your own API key or login for each one.
• No Android or Linux version is listed, and add-ons vary by platform: the WhisperKit, Parakeet and MCP Client add-ons are not offered for Windows.

OpenWhispr

Dictation in any app

Press a hotkey, speak, and the text appears at the cursor in any application on macOS, Windows or Linux, in 100+ languages with auto-detection.

Local models or cloud

Whisper and NVIDIA Parakeet models run on the device for free and work offline. Cloud processing uses OpenWhispr Cloud or your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or Groq keys.

Bot-free meeting notes

Captures the computer's audio during a Zoom, Google Meet or Teams call without a bot joining, then turns your rough notes and the transcript into decisions and action items.

Audio file transcription

Drop in MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC and other audio files to get a transcript, processed on the device by default, then summarize it or extract action items.

Voice instructions and Agent mode

Spoken instructions such as "clean this up" or "draft an email to Mike" rewrite or generate text. Agent mode is included from the Pro plan.

Custom dictionary

Add names, jargon and technical terms the models tend to miss. The dictionary also learns new words from the corrections you make.

TypeWhisper

System-wide dictation

A global hotkey records in push-to-talk or toggle mode and pastes the transcript into the active text field. Rules can set language, engine and behavior per app or website.

Choice of local speech engines

Apple Speech is built in on the Mac, and WhisperKit (99+ languages) and Parakeet TDT v3 (25 European languages) install as add-ons. Windows gets offline transcription through whisper.cpp.

AI workflows

Workflows process the transcript before it is pasted, with templates for translation, formatting, summarization and app-specific cleanup, using Apple Intelligence, Groq, OpenAI, Gemini or another provider.

Dictionary and snippets

Custom terms and corrections fix names and jargon, and trigger phrases expand into longer text with date, time and clipboard placeholders. Learning from your corrections is a Premium feature.

File transcription

Drop audio or video files to transcribe them in batch, or watch a folder, and export the results as SRT or WebVTT subtitles with timestamps.

Add-ons, HTTP API and CLI

The site lists 54 add-ons for speech engines, AI providers and tools such as Obsidian and MCP. An SDK, a local HTTP API and a command-line tool cover custom automation.

OpenWhispr

• Free$0

  Unlimited local models and your own API keys, 2,000 OpenWhispr Cloud words a week, 5 hours of meeting recordings a month and a custom dictionary.

• Pro$6.67

  per user / month, billed annually ($80), or $8 billed monthly

  Unlimited cloud transcription, Agent mode, 20 hours of meeting recordings a month, device sync, API and MCP access, and the iPhone and iPad app.

• Business$13.33

  per user / month, billed annually ($160), or $16 billed monthly

  Everything in Pro plus unlimited meeting recordings, chat over your data, basic team management and priority support.

• EnterpriseCustom

  SSO and SAML, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, org-wide retention controls, custom data processing agreements and dedicated support.

TypeWhisper

• Free (GPLv3 / OSS)€0

  Core dictation, local engines, workflows, add-ons, history, snippets and APIs, including internal use at work. Community support on Discord.

• IndividualFrom €5

  per month, or from €99 one-time (lifetime)

  Commercial license for up to 3 devices with Sync Dictionary & Snippets, Learn from Corrections and non-GPL terms. Pay what you want above the listed price.

• TeamFrom €19

  per month, or from €299 one-time (lifetime)

  Everything in Individual for up to 10 devices under one license, aimed at small teams.

• EnterpriseFrom €99

  per month, or from €999 one-time (lifetime)

  Everything in Team with unlimited devices and priority support, for company-wide rollouts.

OpenWhispr

• Annual discount

  2 months free with annual billing

  Pro is $80 a year against $8 a month, and Business is $160 per user a year against $16 a month.

• Education

  40% off for 12 months for students and teachers

  People using OpenWhispr for their studies or classroom get 40% off for 12 months by emailing support with proof of status. The same offer covers military service and assistive use.

• Nonprofit

  40% off for 12 months for non-profits

  Non-profit work qualifies for 40% off for 12 months. Email support with proof of status to receive a personal code.

TypeWhisper

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime commercial license from €99

  Each commercial tier can be bought once instead of monthly: from €99 for Individual, €299 for Team and €999 for Enterprise. Lifetime covers future updates in the same product line.

• Education

  Student discount on request

  The pricing FAQ invites students to email hello@typewhisper.com for a discount. The amount is not published.

• Nonprofit

  Nonprofit discount on request

  The same FAQ invites non-profits to get in touch by email and says there is usually room for a fair discount. No figure is given.