Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Whisper API.
Want the closest match?
SonixMost similar to Whisper API in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Sonix in a new tab)Need a free plan?
Google Cloud Speech-to-TextHas a free plan, rated 4.3 out of 5.
Visit (opens Google Cloud Speech-to-Text in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
TranskripFrom $1.3/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens Transkrip in a new tab)Want the best rated?
Rask AIRated 4.3 out of 5 in our review, against 3.3 for Whisper API.
Visit (opens Rask AI in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Whisper API, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Whisper APIBaseline | 3.3 | Free | Yes | Speech-to-text on Whisper Large V3 with speaker detection across 100+ languages - OpenAI-compatible API, 30 free hours, then $0.17/hour. | |
| Sonix | 4.4+1.1 | $10/mo | No | Transcript-editing built specifically for video subtitling | vs Whisper API |
 Amberscript | 4.2+0.9 | $19/mo | No | Transcription and subtitling service from the Netherlands with machine-made speech-to-text in 90+ languages, human-reviewed transcripts and subtitles, a speech-to-text API and the Amber Notes AI meeting notetaker. | vs Whisper API |
| Transkrip | 3.2−0.1 | $1.3/mo | No | Over 90% accuracy on Indonesian audio, an hour of content transcribed in under a minute - pay per file (about $1.30), used by Google, Gojek, ByteDance, and Kyoto University. | vs Whisper API |
 Transkriptor | 4.0+0.7 | $9.99/mo | No | AI transcription that converts audio and video into text across more than 100 languages | vs Whisper API |
 Voiceitt | 4.1+0.8 | Not listed | No | Speech recognition trained on atypical speech, so people whose voices standard systems cannot parse can use voice technology. | vs Whisper API |
 Speechlogger | 3.5+0.2 | Free | Yes | Real-time speech-to-text web service from WellSource that adds live captions and translation to meetings and events, with speaker identification, free during its alpha. | vs Whisper API |
| Google Cloud Speech-to-Text | 4.3+1.0 | Free | Yes | Google Cloud's speech recognition API converting audio to text across 125+ languages with real-time streaming. | vs Whisper API |
| Rask AI | 4.3+1.0 | $60/mo | No | High-volume video dubbing across 130-plus languages | vs Whisper API |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Whisper API.
Sonix
4.4$10/mo
vs Whisper API+1.1
Transcript-editing built specifically for video subtitling.
- Text-based transcript editing
- Broad multi-language transcription and translation
- Broadcast-standard subtitle export formats
Strong multi-language transcription and translation support
No free tier to test before paying
Amberscript
4.2$19/mo
vs Whisper API+0.9
Transcription and subtitling service from the Netherlands with machine-made speech-to-text in 90+ languages, human-reviewed transcripts and subtitles, a speech-to-text API and the Amber Notes AI meeting notetaker.
- Machine-made transcription and subtitles in 90+ languages
- Human-reviewed transcripts and subtitles at a stated 99 percent accuracy
- Amber Notes AI meeting notetaker with summaries
Machine and human service levels in one account
Prices are listed in euros
Transkrip
3.2$1.3/mo
vs Whisper API−0.1
Over 90% accuracy on Indonesian audio, an hour of content transcribed in under a minute - pay per file (about $1.30), used by Google, Gojek, ByteDance, and Kyoto University.
- 90%+ accuracy for Indonesian, plus 25+ other languages
- Under 1 minute to transcribe an hour of audio/video
- Files up to 2 GB and 6 hours in length
Real, verifiable enterprise and academic client list rather than vague claims
No specific underlying AI model is named
Transkriptor
4.0$9.99/mo
vs Whisper API+0.7
AI transcription that converts audio and video into text across more than 100 languages.
- AI transcription across 100+ languages with speaker identification
- Direct integration with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet for meeting capture
- AI-generated meeting summaries and extracted action items
Wide platform coverage means recordings can be captured from almost any device or meeting tool
No perpetual free plan, only a limited trial before the paid tier is required
Voiceitt
4.1Not listed
vs Whisper API+0.8
Speech recognition trained on atypical speech, so people whose voices standard systems cannot parse can use voice technology.
- Recognition trained on atypical speech patterns
- Per-user training for individual speakers
- Chrome speech-to-text integration
Serves a population mainstream speech recognition excludes entirely
Personalised training takes setup effort - it is the mechanism, not an add-on
Speechlogger
3.5Free
vs Whisper API+0.2
Real-time speech-to-text web service from WellSource that adds live captions and translation to meetings and events, with speaker identification, free during its alpha.
- Real-time speech-to-text transcription
- Live caption broadcast to meeting participants
- Real-time machine translation
Free during the alpha release
Alpha release, so features and availability may change
Google Cloud Speech-to-Text
4.3Free
vs Whisper API+1.0
Google Cloud's speech recognition API converting audio to text across 125+ languages with real-time streaming.
- Speech recognition across 125+ languages and regional variants
- Real-time streaming transcription alongside batch processing
- Automatic punctuation and speaker diarization
Language and variant coverage exceeds most competing transcription APIs
Per-second billing makes total cost hard to predict without usage forecasting
Rask AI
4.3$60/mo
vs Whisper API+1.0
High-volume video dubbing across 130-plus languages.
- Video dubbing and lip-sync across 130+ languages
- VoiceClone narration in the creator's own voice
- Multi-speaker detection for accurate multi-person dubbing
Very wide language coverage for dubbing
Full pricing isn't transparent without contacting sales
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Whisper API free?
Whisper API has a free plan.
What is the best free alternative to Whisper API?
Google Cloud Speech-to-Text is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.3 out of 5). Other free options: Speechlogger.
What is the cheapest alternative to Whisper API?
Among paid plans, Transkrip has the lowest starting price (from $1.3/mo). If you need it free, start with Google Cloud Speech-to-Text.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.