Buzz
Open-source Whisper transcription with mic + file modes. Cross-platform Qt app.
Editorial verdict: “Best open-source Whisper desktop app. Cross-platform, free, less polish than MacWhisper.”
Compatibility at a glance
Which runtime + OS combos this app works against. Source of truth for "will it run on my setup?"
What it is
Buzz is the open-source alternative to MacWhisper: cross-platform Qt app, supports mic, file, and folder modes, batch processing, translation. Built on whisper.cpp under the hood. Less polished than MacWhisper but free and runs on Linux + Windows + macOS.
✓ Strengths
- +Open-source MIT-licensed
- +Cross-platform Qt app
- +Reasonable real-time perf on CPU
△ Caveats
- −Qt UI is functional, not native-looking
- −Speaker diarization is less mature than MacWhisper
About the Voice / transcription category
Transcription, speech-to-text, or text-to-speech.
Where to go from here
Pre-filled with this app's recommended use case + budget tier. Get the full rig + runtime + model picks.
The full directory — filter by category, runtime, OS, privacy posture, or VRAM.
What this app talks to: Ollama, vLLM, llama.cpp, MLX, LM Studio. The upstream layer.
Did this app work for you on a specific rig? Submit the benchmark — it powers the model + hardware pages.