What is WhisperAPI?
WhisperAPI is a transcription service that converts audio and video files into text. It runs the open-source Whisper speech recognition model on the provider's own infrastructure. You can use it either through a REST API (a single POST request with your file and options such as language, output format and model size) or through a browser dashboard where you drag and drop a file and download the result.
The service supports choosing between Whisper model sizes, so you can trade speed for accuracy, and shows the exact credit cost before you confirm a job. Results can be exported as JSON, TEXT, VTT, DOCX or PDF, and the site states support for 98+ languages with automatic language detection and file uploads up to 10GB.
Key features
- Transcription of audio and video files with the Whisper model
- Choice of Whisper model sizes with credit cost shown before confirming
- Export to JSON, TEXT, VTT, DOCX and PDF
- REST API with file upload or remote URL input
- Browser dashboard with drag-and-drop upload and real-time progress
- Automatic deletion of uploaded files after 24 hours
Who is it for
- developers building transcription pipelines
- content creators and journalists transcribing interviews
- businesses processing meeting or call recordings
- users who need subtitles or text from video
Pros and cons
- Pay-as-you-go credits that never expire
- Works without coding through the browser dashboard
- States that customer audio is not used to train AI models
- Accuracy depends on audio quality, noise and accents, per the FAQ
- Higher file-size limits are stated to require a Pro subscription
WhisperAPI pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| 40 credits | 10 USD / one-time | 0.25 USD per credit, no expiration, unlimited minutes |
| 100 credits | 20 USD / one-time | 0.20 USD per credit, save 20%, no expiration |
| 200 credits | 30 USD / one-time | 0.15 USD per credit, save 40%, no expiration |
| Custom (min 1,000 credits) | 100 USD / one-time | 0.10 USD per credit, save 60%, enterprise pricing available on request |
Prices copied from WhisperAPI pricing, checked October 12, 2026. Currency as shown by the vendor; taxes may apply.
Is WhisperAPI free?
There is a free trial. 5 free transcription credits to test the API, no credit card required.
WhisperAPI alternatives
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 MacWhisper | not listed | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 TurboScribe | 20 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 YobiYoba | 0.08 EUR per minute (excl. tax), decreasing to 0.01 EUR per minute with larger purchases | no | Transcription & meetings |
 HappyScribe | 8.50 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 Speechmatics | 0.011 USD | trial | Transcription & meetings |
 Fireflies.ai | 10 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
All alternatives to WhisperAPI →
FAQ
What is WhisperAPI used for?
Pay-as-you-go audio and video transcription API and web dashboard built on the open-source Whisper model, for developers and non-developers alike.
Is WhisperAPI free?
There is a free trial. 5 free transcription credits to test the API, no credit card required.
How much does WhisperAPI cost?
The cheapest paid plan is 10 USD (vendor pricing, October 12, 2026).
What are the best WhisperAPI alternatives?
Closest alternatives: MacWhisper, TurboScribe, YobiYoba, HappyScribe, Speechmatics.
Data checked October 12, 2026 on the vendor website (whisper-api.com).