Our verdict: Vibe is a polished, private transcription app: drop in files or a whole folder and get timestamped transcripts without uploading anything. It uses the GPU through Vulkan on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel cards. Optional summaries can use a local Ollama model or the Claude API, and only the Claude option sends text online.
About Vibe
Vibe is an open-source desktop app under the MIT license that transcribes speech on your own device. It supports Whisper models from tiny to large, plus NVIDIA Parakeet TDT v3 and Nemotron models, in close to 100 languages. Audio is processed locally and never leaves your computer.
You can transcribe files, the microphone or system audio, or audio from sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. Vibe offers speaker diarization, a stable timestamps mode for subtitles, translation into English, and export to SRT, VTT, TXT, HTML, PDF, JSON and DOCX. Power users get a CLI and an HTTP API. Summaries work locally with Ollama or online with your own Claude API key.
What it does well
- Offline transcription. Whisper, Parakeet and Nemotron models run locally on your PC.
- Batch mode. Queues whole folders and processes them one after another.
- Many export formats. Saves SRT, VTT, TXT, HTML, PDF, JSON and DOCX.
- Speaker diarization. Separates speakers using the audio itself, without a cloud service.
- GPU acceleration. Uses Vulkan on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel graphics cards.
Who it is for
Good fit
Podcasters, researchers and subtitle makers who need accurate transcripts without uploading audio.
Look elsewhere
People who want live dictation into other apps; a dictation tool fits that better.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and open source (MIT)
- Audio never leaves your PC
- Batch transcription of folders
- Wide choice of export formats
Cons
- Large models need a decent GPU for good speed
- Models are separate downloads
- Claude summaries require your own paid API key
How to install Vibe
The button downloads the 64-bit Windows installer from the official GitHub release. Vibe needs a transcription model before the first run; models can be changed in Settings, so pick a smaller one for speed or a larger one for accuracy. Summaries are optional: use Ollama to keep them local, or add a Claude API key if you accept sending transcript text to Anthropic.
Questions about Vibe
Is Vibe free?
Yes. Vibe is open source under the MIT license and free to use. Only the optional Claude summaries need a paid Anthropic API key.
Does Vibe work offline?
Yes. Transcription runs entirely on your device once a model is downloaded. Internet is needed only for model downloads, online video links and Claude summaries.
