LymeScribe
one computer on your network transcribes for the rest
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What is LymeScribe?
LymeScribe is a privacy-focused desktop transcription application by LymeStack that runs OpenAI's Whisper speech-to-text models locally on Mac or Windows machines. Audio never leaves your device or local network, making it suitable for sensitive conversations and confidential work. It supports both single-machine and local network host-client deployments.
LymeScribe pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Free desktop application with paid hosting unlock feature for using your machine as a local network server
LymeScribe pros
- Complete privacy: audio and transcripts remain on your device or local network, not sent to cloud
- Free desktop application available with no subscription required for basic use
- Supports both Mac and Windows with speaker identification/diarization capabilities
- Host-client architecture allows local network transcription sharing across multiple machines
LymeScribe cons
- Requires specific hardware: Mac M2 or newer with 16GB+ RAM; Windows requires 64-bit OS with NVIDIA GPU for speaker labeling
- CPU-only transcription is slow: processing a one-hour recording can take several hours
- Limited cloud integration compared to cloud-based transcription services
- Paid hosting feature required to use your computer as a local network transcription server
Frequently asked questions about LymeScribe
Can LymeScribe work offline?
Yes, it runs entirely on your local machine. Audio is processed locally with Whisper models, requiring no internet connection after initial setup.
What are the Mac system requirements?
Apple recommends M2 or higher with 16GB or more RAM for optimal performance.
Does it support speaker identification?
Yes, on Mac and Windows with NVIDIA GPU. On Windows CPU-only systems, speaker labeling is not available and processing is significantly slower.
Can multiple machines share transcription?
Yes, LymeScribe features a host-client architecture allowing multiple machines on a local network to connect to a host machine for transcription services.