TrueScribe, Buzz and Vibe: three local Whisper apps
All three transcribe on your own computer. Buzz and Vibe are free, open-source apps for Windows, macOS and Linux. TrueScribe is a native Windows and Linux app that uses AMD, Intel and NVIDIA graphics cards without a CUDA install, identifies speakers with NVIDIA Nemotron 3 and records meetings with you and the other side kept apart.
| TrueScribe | Buzz | Vibe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows and Linux | macOS (Apple silicon), Windows and Linux | macOS, Windows and Linux |
| GPU support and setup | AMD, Intel and NVIDIA graphics cards through Vulkan, with no CUDA toolkit or driver setup; integrated graphics and other machines use the CPU | Whisper.cpp uses Vulkan on most GPUs, including integrated ones; its other Whisper engines use NVIDIA GPUs with CUDA 12 | Vulkan on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs and Core ML on Macs; Windows needs the Vulkan runtime from a graphics driver or Vulkan's installer |
| Speaker identification | Yes, in Pro, with NVIDIA Nemotron 3 on Windows and Linux | Yes, after transcription, with the MSDD or Sortformer model | Yes, with NVIDIA's Sortformer model, for up to four speakers |
| Meeting recording | Yes, in Pro: records the call app and your microphone without a bot, labels you and the other side, saves the live transcript and writes a summary with the model you choose | Live transcription from one input; call audio needs a virtual audio device such as VB-CABLE or BlackHole | Records the microphone and system audio into one track and offers to record when Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet uses the microphone; transcribes after you stop |
| Local translation | Yes, in Pro: AI translation into 25 languages on your computer, with the original kept | Whisper's translation into English; other languages through an OpenAI-compatible API, which can be a local server such as Ollama | Whisper's translation into English |
| Export formats | TXT, SRT and WebVTT; Pro adds DOCX, PDF, Markdown, JSON and CSV | TXT, SRT and VTT; DOCX through a built-in plugin | SRT, VTT, TXT, HTML, PDF, JSON and DOCX |
| Price and licence | Free; Pro is a one-time purchase. Not open source | Free and open source (MIT) | Free and open source (MIT) |
| How the app is built | Native .NET desktop app; no Python, Docker or browser runtime to install | Python with Qt (PyQt6); also installable with pip | Tauri: a Rust app with a React interface in the system web view, plus a local transcription server |
Your graphics card, without a CUDA install
TrueScribe ships its Vulkan runtime, so AMD, Intel and NVIDIA graphics cards speed up transcription with the graphics driver you already have. There is no CUDA toolkit to install and no engine to choose. Integrated graphics and machines without a graphics card transcribe on the CPU, and the suggested model is matched to the machine it runs on.
Speakers with NVIDIA Nemotron 3
Pro identifies speakers locally with NVIDIA Nemotron 3 on Windows and Linux. Name each speaker once and correct who said what while you review the transcript.
Meetings with you and the other side kept apart
TrueScribe Pro records the call app and your microphone on separate channels, with no bot joining the call. The live transcript labels you and the other side and is saved as the meeting runs. When you stop, each side is transcribed on its own and TrueScribe writes a summary with the model you choose. Before the first summary it asks which model to use and tells you whether the transcript stays on your computer.
One app to install
TrueScribe is a native desktop app. There is no Python environment, Docker container or browser runtime to set up; the Microsoft Store package and the Linux AppImage include the transcription runtimes.
When Buzz or Vibe is the better fit
Both are free, open source and run on macOS. Buzz adds a command-line interface, plugins and a presentation window for live captions. Vibe exports HTML, PDF, JSON and DOCX for free, can record on your phone and transcribe on your computer, and offers an HTTP API. If that matters most, either is a good choice. TrueScribe is for the work around the transcript on Windows and Linux: a searchable library, review, speakers, translation and meetings.
Sources
Checked on 27 October 2026. Details about other products can change; their own pages are the authority.
- Buzz on GitHub
- Buzz FAQ: GPU acceleration, system audio and Whisper engines
- Buzz: Live recording
- Buzz: Speaker identification
- Buzz: Translations
- Buzz: Plugins
- Buzz issue #1111: GPU support beyond NVIDIA
- Buzz dependencies (pyproject.toml)
- Vibe on GitHub
- Vibe architecture
- Vibe troubleshooting: missing vulkan-1.dll
- Vibe issue #1030: Sortformer's four-speaker limit
- Vibe issue #1559: recording, then transcription
- Vibe 3.2.2 source: meeting detection for Zoom, Teams and Meet
- Vibe 3.2.2 source: microphone and system audio mixed into one file
More comparisons
- MacWhisper
A local Whisper app for the Mac. TrueScribe brings the same idea to Windows and Linux.
- noScribe
Two local Whisper apps: a free open-source research tool and a transcription studio.
- Otter.ai
A cloud meeting assistant with a subscription. TrueScribe records and transcribes locally.
- f4 (f4x)
Server-based interview transcription billed by the minute, compared with local transcription you buy once.