The larger Whisper file for a long interview
Runs in:
Fits on:
· needs ~3.1 GB · Free to download · License: MIT
Record grandparents' stories
Interview, transcribe and turn into a memoir.
The tools below run on your computer. Most of them are free, and the local work stays on your machine.
Works offline · Free options
Your computer
Describe your computer
Pick the closest line. Office PC and Mini PC are estimates. Linux and a home server stay in the list. We guess the specs, then hide models that would not fit. The guess stays cautious.
4 results
Most tools here are free.
Family & History whisper.cpp
The small engine behind many transcription apps, including on Windows and Linux.
Installer only · Some setup · Free
Work & Office A step behind Gemma 3 12B, and a clear step ahead of a 3B toy model.
Turns the transcript into a memoir draft
Runs in:Fits on:· needs ~5.2 GB · Free to download · License: Apache 2.0
HONEST COMPARISON
Local or cloud: Record grandparents' stories?
Reviewed Oct 2026
- Privacy: Local winsA family voice stays on your machine
- Cost: Local winsLong recordings are free
- Quality: TieWhisper's words are close to a cloud transcript
- Ease: Cloud winsAn interview app gives you a format
Local AI
Whisper can transcribe a family recording, and the voice stays in the house.
- The recording stays on your computer
- Hours are free
- You can edit the transcript locally
Where it falls short
- Speaker labels are manual
- A long sitting is slow on a laptop
Cloud & apps
Story apps and Otter are easier to share, and the recording leaves the house.
- OOtter.aiAppFreemium
A live transcript if you want notes during the conversation.
Best for: Live notes
Audio is stored in the cloud
- SStoryCorpsAppFreePopular choice
An interview app with a format made for family stories.
Best for: Interviews
You choose whether a story is archived
Our take
Record and transcribe family stories locally. Use a sharing app only when the person has agreed to that.
Choose local if…
- The recording is private
- You already have the file
Choose cloud if…
- You want a guided interview
- They have agreed to share it
How to do it in 3 steps
- Open the model page and pick any app under Runs in, for example MacWhisper or whisper.cpp. Each app page links to that maker's own guide.
- Open the Whisper large-v3 page and check the traffic light for a few kinds of computer.
- Follow that official guide. This site does not add its own install steps.
Questions
- Does this upload my files?
- The local tools on this page don't upload your files. The cloud options in the comparison do.
- What does it cost?
- Most options are free. A few apps are a one-time purchase, and a few models need a computer with more memory.
- What if it will not fit?
- Use Check my computer, or turn on the lighter memory filters. A red light on the model page means the file is too big.
Not into local AI? Try these instead
Ordinary apps for family & history. These are normal links to the maker's site.
Family Tree Maker
Desktop software for a family tree, sources, and charts.
Family Tree MakerGramps
A free genealogy program you keep on your own computer.
GrampsAncestry
Records and a shared family tree you search in a browser.
Ancestry