Voice to text notes app for note takers
Speak the thought. Get an editable note.
Record an idea while it is still there. Keep the transcript with the note, then write or generate the editable version you can file, search, or export when you are ready to use it.
Downloaded by 150k+ users
When a thought arrives away from the keyboard
You can catch the idea now. Or try to remember it later.
A useful notes app removes the pause between having the thought and keeping it in a form you can work with.
Stopping to type breaks the moment.
When you are walking, cooking, reading, or deep in another task, opening a keyboard can be enough to lose the thread. Record the thought before the interruption wins.
A voice memo makes you listen for your own idea.
Audio is hard to scan when you want one detail from last week. Keep the transcript with a written note or generate an enhanced version when you want something easier to revisit.
A rough sentence should not become a cleanup project.
Capture the unfinished version first, then edit the note when you have time. The thought is saved before you decide what it means.
Scattered notes make a good idea disappear twice.
A thought still needs a home after it is transcribed. Keep it as a note, move it to a folder, or export it to the next place it belongs.
From passing thought to useful note
Capture first. Shape it when you are back at the desk.
OpenWhispr gives you a recording control, a separate editable note, optional enhanced text, folders, and export so an idea does not end as a forgotten audio file.
Record the thought where you keep it
Start a note and record the idea in the moment. The recording is saved as a transcript with the note instead of leaving you with only a timestamp to play back.
Write or enhance the note without starting over
Write in the note's editable content, or choose an action to generate editable enhanced text from the note and transcript. The transcript itself stays separate.
File it or take it with you
Move a note into a folder, or export it as Markdown or plain text when the work belongs somewhere else.
Transcription audio kept by OpenWhispr Cloud
None
Cloud audio is sent only to transcribe, then immediately discarded
Cost to start recording notes
$0
unlimited local models are included on every plan
Setup takes
5 min
from download to your first recorded note
How it works
A place for the thought before it slips away.
Start with a free local model, choose Cloud when you want fast transcription without a local download, then return to a note you can actually use.
Download for free.
OpenWhispr runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Choose a local model for device-only offline work, or Cloud for fast transcription without a local model download.
Record the thought.
Start a note and say the idea as it comes. A rough plan, a reading insight, a reminder, or the first line of a draft all have somewhere to land.
Write, enhance, or file the note.
Add to the editable note, choose an action when you want enhanced text, move it into a folder, or export the written version as Markdown or plain text.
For thoughts captured in everyday moments
10 reasons note takers choose OpenWhispr
The useful test is simple: can you capture the thought now, then develop it later?
A thought gets a record button
The notes editor has its own recording control, so an idea can be recorded with its note without setting up a separate recorder first.
Create and edit the written version
The transcript is a separate read-only record. Write in editable note content, or select an action to create enhanced content you can change and add to.
Keep the whole thought, not a polished version
Speak in fragments when that is how the idea arrives. Keep them in the transcript, then shape the written version later when you have room to develop it.
Give the note a home
Move a note into a folder when it belongs with a project, a topic, or a pile you need to clear on Friday.
Find the written version when it matters
Search indexes a note's title and written content. Put the useful thought into the note, then use the words you remember to pull it back up.
Export the finished version
When the note becomes an article, a plan, or a message, export it as Markdown or plain text and continue the work there.
Start with local transcription at $0
Every plan includes unlimited local AI models, so you can build a voice-to-text notes habit without a per-minute bill.
Choose Cloud when you want the easy setup
Cloud gives fast transcription with no local model to download, and the transcription audio is immediately discarded after processing.
Keep a private or offline path
Choose local transcription when the note is sensitive or the moment happens without a reliable connection. Processing stays on your device.
Move between devices when your notes do
Pro adds sync across devices for people who capture on one device and return to the note on another.
Before you start recording
The questions people ask before trusting a thought to an app.
Straight answers on voice memos, editing, organization, privacy, offline work, and what you get free.
Is this a voice memo app or a voice-to-text notes app?
Can I edit, organize, and search the note later?
Do I have to keep every note in OpenWhispr?
Should I choose Cloud or local transcription?
Can I record notes without an internet connection?
What do I get before I pay?
What users say
For people who would rather save the thought than repeat it.
From our Discord, GitHub, and inboxes. These reviews speak to the product, not a particular note-taking profession.
0
Cloud transcription audio stored after processing
Cloud audio is sent only to transcribe, then immediately discarded. With a local model, transcription happens on your device.
Started using OpenWhispr with my local models and hardware. I have to say, this is better than typing.
I switched to voice input for my Claude Code chats. Even when I stumble and rephrase mid-sentence, the transcription comes out clean and polished.
I needed a local model for when I'm travelling or have no WiFi, and this perfectly solves it. The UI and performance are great.
Pricing
Free to start.
Upgrade when your notes need more.
FreePopular $0No card details needed | Pro $6.67/user/mo$80/user billed annually Start with Pro | Business $13.33/user/mo$160/user billed annually Start with Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | People capturing everyday thoughts with local transcription and limited Cloud use | People who want unlimited Cloud transcription and their notes on mobile and across devices | People who need a shared notes workspace, unlimited recordings, and chat over shared data |
| Main reason to choose | A free way to capture everyday thoughts with unlimited local models and 2,000 Cloud words each week | Unlimited Cloud transcription plus notes on mobile and across devices | A shared notes workspace with unlimited recordings and chat over shared data |
| Offline speech-to-textOffline speech-to-text runs entirely on your own device, works without an internet connection, and is unlimited and free. | Included | Included | Included |
| Cloud speech-to-textCloud speech-to-text sends audio to OpenWhispr Cloud for top accuracy and speed, with no local models to download. | 2,000 words/week via OpenWhispr Cloud, or unlimited using your own API keys | Unlimited OpenWhispr Cloud speech-to-text | Unlimited OpenWhispr Cloud speech-to-text |
| Meeting recordings | 5 hours/month | 20 hours/month | Unlimited |
| Privacy & data handling | Offline audio stays on your device. Cloud audio is sent only to transcribe it, then never stored. | Offline audio stays on your device. Cloud audio is sent only to transcribe it, then never stored. | Offline audio stays on your device. Cloud audio is sent only to transcribe it, then never stored. |
| Setup experience | Hands-on: install the app, choose local models, optionally add API keys | Easy: install the app, upgrade, use unlimited Cloud speech-to-text | Moderate: configure team workflows and data access |
| Advanced features |
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| Team management | None | None | Basic team and workflow use |
| Support | Community support | Email support | Priority support |
Need SSO, compliance features, admin controls, or dedicated support for a larger team?
We also offer a custom Enterprise plan with managed onboarding and tailored features.
Talk to us
Built in the open
A thought should be easier to keep than to lose.
OpenWhispr starts with a small promise: when a thought arrives away from the keyboard, you should be able to save it in words you can use later.
We build in public. Every release and every line of code is on GitHub, where anyone can see how the app works and decide whether it fits their notes.
And if anything breaks, you talk to the people who built it, in Discord.
Free · open source · local-first
The next thought can arrive as a note, not a memory test.
Download OpenWhispr, record the idea, then write or generate the editable version when you have room to develop it.
Download for freeTakes 5 minutes to set up. If it does not work, we will fix it with you in Discord. Free forever on Mac, Windows & Linux.