OpenWhispr vs Vibe (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick OpenWhispr: it is third in our ranking of voice dictation apps, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 2.8.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
OpenWhispr grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Vibe grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
OpenWhispr
Open-source dictation with free local models and meeting notes
Vibe
Free open-source desktop app that transcribes audio offline
Which one is for you
Pick OpenWhispr if
- Fits if you want unlimited dictation that runs on your own computer, Linux included
- Works for meeting notes without a bot joining, up to 5 hours a month on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free and rely on OpenWhispr's cloud, which stops at 2,000 words a week
- Not for you if you want it on your iPhone without paying, as the mobile app starts on Pro
- Skip it if your computer is old and you want everything local, since speed depends on your hardware
- Watch out: device sync, Agent mode and API access are Pro, chat over your data is Business at $13.33, and SSO is Enterprise
- Skip it if you're on Android or want a web app, as neither is offered
Pick Vibe if
- Fits if you want to transcribe recordings or meetings on your own computer
- Works for people who'd rather their audio never left the machine
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to dictate straight into other apps, since this is a transcription app
- Not for you if you want a phone or web version, as it's desktop only
- Watch out: summaries through Claude need your own connection to that service; Ollama keeps them local
- Watch out: pull requests are limited to a few collaborators, per the README
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAOpenWhisprVery good | 2.8GPAVibeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $6.67 a month billed annually, so $80 a year, or $8 month to month. The cheapest quarter of dictation apps here starts at $7, so $6.67 sits just under that line rather than well below it. | AFree to download and run, with no paid tier. A program anyone can download counts as free. |
| Free plan and trial | ALocal dictation is unlimited, and so is cloud transcription with your own API keys. There's no cap on the thing you actually came for. The weekly 2,000 words only applies to OpenWhispr's own cloud. | ANothing is locked: it's free and open source, and it runs offline. |
| Features | BDictation at the cursor in 100+ languages, Whisper and Parakeet locally or the cloud, a dictionary that learns from your corrections, and spoken instructions like "clean this up". That's the whole dictation job, with meeting notes and file transcription on top. | COffline transcription from files, microphone and system audio, several models, summaries, speakers, export formats, a CLI and an HTTP API. It does not type into other apps, which is what dictation tools do. |
| Ease of use | BNo App Store rating on record, and nothing to set up: install it, press a hotkey, speak. How quick the local models feel depends on your hardware, mind. | CNo store rating on record. You install it and choose a model, and summaries need a connection to Ollama or Claude. |
| Platforms and integrations | BmacOS, Windows and Linux plus an iPhone and iPad app, with an API and MCP. Computer and phone, but no web app and no Android, so it stops short of the full spread. | CDesktop only: macOS, Windows and Linux. No web, iOS or Android app. |
| Best for | open-source dictation with a free local mode | free offline transcription of files and audio |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: OpenWhispr and Vibe. How we grade
Price against what you get
OpenWhispr starts at $6.67 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Vibe has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
OpenWhispr scores higher, and starts $6.67 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other voice dictation apps on the chart, 1 scores higher than OpenWhispr for less, and none scores higher than Vibe for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- OpenWhispr also covers meeting notes.
At a glance
| OpenWhispr | Vibe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $6.67 per user / month, billed annually at $80 ($8 billed monthly) | Free |
| Free plan | Unlimited local dictation and unlimited cloud transcription with your own API keys, plus 2,000 OpenWhispr Cloud words a week and 5 hours of meeting recordings a month. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Gizmo Labs Inc. | thewh1teagle |
| Price read from | openwhispr.com | github.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Vibe
- It is a transcription app, not a system-wide dictation tool that types into other apps.
- Desktop only: macOS, Windows and Linux are listed, with no web, iOS or Android app.
- Summaries through the Claude API need your own connection to that service; Ollama keeps them local.
- Pull requests are limited to a few collaborators, per the repository's README.
Key features
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.
Vibe
- Offline transcription
- The README says transcription is fully offline and that no data leaves your device.
- Several local models
- Supports Whisper, Nemotron 3.5 and Parakeet TDT v3 models, with custom models addable in settings.
- Files, microphone and system audio
- Transcribes audio and video files in batches, microphone input and system audio, with a realtime preview.
- Export formats
- Saves transcripts as SRT, VTT, TXT, HTML, PDF, JSON or DOCX, and can translate to English.
- Summaries and speakers
- Speaker diarization is built in; summaries use the Claude API or a local Ollama model.
- CLI and HTTP API
- A command-line interface and an HTTP API with Swagger docs let scripts drive transcription.
Plans
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.
Vibe
Free$0
Open-source app under the MIT license; no paid plan is listed.
Ways to pay less
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.
Vibe
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OpenWhispr or Vibe?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Vibe is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $6.67 a month for each person for OpenWhispr. OpenWhispr starts at $6.67 per user / month, billed annually at $80 ($8 billed monthly), and Vibe is free.
Which has a free plan, OpenWhispr or Vibe?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both OpenWhispr and Vibe have a free plan.
Which platforms do OpenWhispr and Vibe run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only OpenWhispr lists an iOS app. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.