What’s a good tool for batch-transcribing 50+ large MP3 files?

There are also hosted transcription services that accept large files and batch uploads, sometimes allowing dozens of files at once. Check their file-size limits, pricing, language support, and privacy terms before uploading everything. Once the individual transcripts are exported, they can be merged into one text file for searching.

Whisper.cpp is worth considering. It runs locally and can be scripted to process a whole folder of MP3 files instead of handling them one at a time. You would likely need to combine the generated transcripts afterward.

Buzz is an open-source desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux that uses Whisper for transcription. It has a simple interface and may be more convenient than setting up Whisper.cpp manually, although you may still need to automate or combine the batch output.

If you already subscribe to Microsoft 365, Word includes a transcription feature. It may be useful for occasional files, but it generally focuses on importing recordings individually, so it may not be the best fit for more than 50 large MP3s.

Vibe is another offline option where you can drag and drop audio files. It keeps recordings on your computer, which is useful for privacy. I’m not certain whether its interface supports batches directly, but processing a folder could probably be automated with a macro or script.