# OpenAI Whisper

Open-source speech-to-text, run locally free. OpenAI Whisper is free, with no paid plan attached, at github.com.

## Facts

- **Pricing tier:** Free
- **Works on:** CLI, Self-hosted, API
- **Works in browser:** No

## Capabilities

- Open-source speech-to-text, run locally free
- 99+ languages and translation
- Robust to accents and noise
- Powers countless apps

## FAQ

### What is OpenAI Whisper?

OpenAI Whisper is listed under Speech & Transcription Engines, in the AI Models & Local Execution category on Flocci AI Tools. Open-source speech-to-text, run locally free. It is free, with no paid plan attached, and it lives at github.com.

### Is OpenAI Whisper free?

OpenAI Whisper is listed as fully free — there is no paid tier attached to it in the catalog. That makes it one of the 396 entries on Flocci AI Tools with no upgrade path built in.

### Can I use OpenAI Whisper in a browser, or is there an app?

OpenAI Whisper needs to be installed or self-hosted — it doesn't run in a browser tab. It is available on the command line, self-hosting and an API.

### What can OpenAI Whisper do?

OpenAI Whisper does 4 things the catalog singles out: Open-source speech-to-text, run locally free; 99+ languages and translation; robust to accents and noise; powers countless apps.

### What is the best free alternative to OpenAI Whisper?

NVIDIA Canary-Qwen 2.5B is the closest free alternative: it sits in the same Speech & Transcription Engines sub-category and is free. NVIDIA Parakeet, sherpa-onnx and faster-whisper also start free. The full list is on the alternatives page.

## Related

- [OpenAI Whisper alternatives](https://aitools.flocci.in/alternatives/openai-whisper)
- [Speech & Transcription Engines](https://aitools.flocci.in/category/ai-models-local-execution/speech-transcription-engines)
- [Best free speech and transcription engines](https://aitools.flocci.in/best/best-speech-transcription-engines)
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Source: Flocci AI Tools — https://aitools.flocci.in/tool/openai-whisper

Facts last verified: October 2026