TrueScribe and noScribe: two local Whisper apps
Both apps transcribe interviews on your own computer, with nothing uploaded. noScribe is free, open-source software built for qualitative research. TrueScribe adds a studio around the transcript: a searchable library, translation and AI Research.
| TrueScribe | noScribe | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Pro is a one-time purchase | Free and open source (GPL-3.0) |
| Platforms | Windows and Linux | Windows, macOS and Linux |
| Transcription runs on your computer | Yes | Yes |
| Speaker detection | Yes, in Pro | Yes |
| Transcription languages | The wide range of languages Whisper covers | Around 60 languages |
More than the transcript
TrueScribe keeps recordings and transcripts together in a library you can search. Play back against the waveform, correct the text with undo and redo, and ask AI Research about a transcript with a local model. Pro translates locally into 25 languages and keeps the original available.
No particular graphics card
TrueScribe picks a Whisper model that suits your hardware and supports both CPU and Vulkan runtimes, so faster hardware mainly means faster results.
Export for the next step
Export TXT, SRT and WebVTT for free. Pro adds documents and structured data for the next step in your workflow.
When noScribe is the better fit
noScribe is free, including speaker detection, runs on macOS, and its source code is open for anyone to inspect. If that matters most for your project, it is a good choice. TrueScribe is for the work that follows the transcript on Windows and Linux.
Sources
Checked in October 2026. Details about other products can change; their own pages are the authority.
More comparisons
- MacWhisper
A local Whisper app for the Mac. TrueScribe brings the same idea to Windows and Linux.
- Otter.ai
A cloud meeting assistant with a subscription. TrueScribe transcribes recordings locally.
- f4 (f4x)
Server-based interview transcription billed by the minute, compared with local transcription you buy once.