# 12 Best Groq (hosted Whisper) Alternatives (2026)

> 12 verified Groq (hosted Whisper) alternatives in Speech-to-text APIs, led by OpenAI Whisper (API). Compared on real production cost and per-use-case verdicts.

Groq (hosted Whisper) is groqcloud runs openai's whisper models on custom lpu chips, turning audio files into text extremely fast at very low per-hour prices.. Teams that switch usually cite price at production volume, streaming latency for live agents, self-hosting and license control. The alternatives below are ranked by published head-to-head verdicts, not sponsorship.

## Where to switch, by reason

| Switching because of | See |
| --- | --- |
| price at production volume | [Azure AI Speech (STT)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/best/developers/) |
| streaming latency for live agents | [Cartesia Ink](https://www.versusref.com/stt/best/voice-agents/) |
| self-hosting and license control | [Mistral Voxtral Transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/best/self-hosted/) |
| dictation | [Moonshine](https://www.versusref.com/stt/best/dictation/) |
| medical | [AssemblyAI](https://www.versusref.com/stt/best/medical/) |

## The Groq (hosted Whisper) alternatives, ranked

| # | Tool | Positioning | vs Groq (hosted Whisper) | Best if you need | Price | Rating |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [OpenAI Whisper (API)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/whisper/) | Low-cost pay-as-you-go file transcription from OpenAI; no first-party streaming or diarization | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. | medical | See pricing |  |
| 2 | [Amazon Transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/amazon-transcribe/) | AWS-native STT API with deep AWS ecosystem integration and compliance coverage | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): ~15% more languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 3 | [Aqua Voice](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/aqua-voice/) | AI-native system-wide dictation (YC W24) with a developer speech API (Avalon) | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | From $8/mo |  |
| 4 | [AssemblyAI](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/assemblyai/) | Accuracy-led voice AI API for developers and voice agents |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 5 | [Azure AI Speech (STT)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/azure-speech/) | Enterprise-grade STT inside the Azure cloud ecosystem | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): ~50% more languages. |  | From $1,600/mo |  |
| 6 | [Cartesia Ink](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/cartesia-ink/) | Streaming STT for voice agents with native turn detection |  |  | From $5/mo |  |
| 7 | [Cohere Transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/cohere-transcribe/) | Enterprise-grade open ASR for accurate batch transcription | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 8 | [Deepgram](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/deepgram/) | Developer-first realtime STT API for voice agents and transcription at scale | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 9 | [DeepInfra (ASR)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/deepinfra-stt/) | Low-cost hosted ASR inference |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 10 | [Distil-Whisper](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/distil-whisper/) (OSS) | Distilled Whisper: near-Whisper accuracy at a fraction of the size and up to 6x the speed, English-only, MIT-licensed | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 11 | [ElevenLabs Scribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/elevenlabs-scribe/) | Accuracy-led STT API from the leading AI audio company |  |  | From $6/mo |  |
| 12 | [faster-whisper / whisper.cpp](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/faster-whisper/) (OSS) | The de facto local Whisper runtimes: faster-whisper (Python/CTranslate2) and whisper.cpp (C/C++) |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 13 | [FunASR / SenseVoice (Alibaba)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/funasr/) (OSS) | Open-source industrial ASR toolkit | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 14 | [Gladia](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/gladia/) | EU-based real-time and batch STT API built on the Solaria models |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 15 | [Google Cloud Speech-to-Text](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/google-stt/) | Hyperscaler STT API with Chirp foundation models and enterprise compliance | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): ~25% more languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 16 | [OpenAI gpt-4o-transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/gpt-4o-transcribe/) | Flagship GPT-4o based transcription API from OpenAI | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 17 | [Gradium Speech-to-Text](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/gradium-stt/) | Low-latency STT for voice agents | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | From $13/mo |  |
| 18 | [xAI Grok Speech-to-Text](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/grok-stt/) | Low-cost hosted STT API on the Grok stack | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 19 | [Handy](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/handy/) | Private local-first open-source dictation |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 20 | [IBM watsonx Speech to Text](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/ibm-watson-stt/) | Enterprise cloud STT API | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 21 | [JigsawStack Speech-to-Text](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/jigsawstack-stt/) | Whisper-based STT endpoint inside an indie all-in-one small-model AI API platform |  |  | From $27/mo |  |
| 22 | [Kyutai STT](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/kyutai-stt/) (OSS) | Streaming-first open STT for self-hosted voice agents | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 23 | [Lemonfox.ai](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/lemonfox/) | Cheapest hosted Whisper large-v3 API for batch transcription |  |  | From $5/mo |  |
| 24 | [MacWhisper](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/macwhisper/) | Local-first macOS transcription and dictation app with one-time Pro pricing |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 25 | [Microsoft MAI-Transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/mai-transcribe/) | Frontier-lab accuracy STT delivered through Azure Speech | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 26 | [Monologue](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/monologue/) | Context-aware Apple dictation by Every |  |  | From $14.99/mo |  |
| 27 | [Moonshine](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/moonshine/) (OSS) | On-device streaming STT for live voice interfaces, from tiny edge models to Whisper Large v3-beating accuracy | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 28 | [NVIDIA Parakeet / Riva](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/nvidia-parakeet/) | Open-weights, GPU-accelerated self-hosted STT stack | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 29 | [Picovoice (Leopard / Cheetah)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/picovoice/) | Private, on-device STT SDK for apps and edge devices | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 30 | [Qwen3-ASR](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/qwen3-asr/) (OSS) | Open-weights multilingual ASR models | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 31 | [Rev AI](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/rev/) | Transcription-heritage STT API with low per-hour pricing and open (non-commercial) Reverb models | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 32 | [Salad Transcription API](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/salad-transcription/) | Ultra-low-cost batch transcription on a community GPU cloud |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 33 | [Sarvam AI (Saarika / Saaras)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/sarvam-stt/) | Indian-language sovereign speech-to-text API | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 34 | [sherpa-onnx](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/sherpa-onnx/) (OSS) | On-device ASR/TTS runtime for edge and embedded |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 35 | [Smallest.ai Pulse](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/smallest-pulse/) | Ultra-low-latency multilingual STT for voice agents | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 36 | [Soniox](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/soniox/) | Ultra-low-cost multilingual STT + real-time translation API | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): ~40% fewer languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 37 | [Speechmatics](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/speechmatics/) | Accuracy-first enterprise STT with flexible deployment (SaaS, container, on-prem) | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 38 | [Superwhisper](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/superwhisper/) | AI voice-to-text dictation with context-aware formatting modes |  |  | From $8.49/mo |  |
| 39 | [Together AI Transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/together-stt/) | Low-cost hosted Whisper STT API | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 40 | [VoiceInk](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/voiceink/) | Open-source, local-first Superwhisper / Wispr Flow alternative with one-time pricing |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 41 | [Vosk](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/vosk/) (OSS) | Lightweight offline STT toolkit for edge and embedded devices | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 42 | [Mistral Voxtral Transcribe](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/voxtral/) | Low-cost EU-based transcription API with Apache-2.0 open-weight models | vs Groq (hosted Whisper): about half the languages. |  | See pricing |  |
| 43 | [WhisperKit (Argmax)](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/whisperkit/) (OSS) | On-device Apple Silicon STT (Whisper) |  |  | From $1,330/mo |  |
| 44 | [WhisperX](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/whisperx/) (OSS) | Whisper + forced alignment + diarization pipeline for accurate word timestamps |  |  | See pricing |  |
| 45 | [Willow Voice](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/willow/) | Cross-platform AI dictation with smart formatting and enterprise-grade privacy |  |  | From $15/mo |  |
| 46 | [Wispr Flow](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/wispr-flow/) | System-wide AI voice dictation with auto-editing |  |  | From $12/mo |  |

## How the top Groq (hosted Whisper) alternatives compare

A closer look at the top 6: each Groq (hosted Whisper) alternative's standing among Speech-to-text APIs peers, its verdict record against Groq (hosted Whisper), and the trade-offs of leaving.

### 1. OpenAI Whisper (API)

Among the 43 speech-to-text tools we track, OpenAI Whisper (API) has the 21st-widest language coverage.
Our use-case verdicts have OpenAI Whisper (API) ahead of Groq (hosted Whisper) for medical and matches it for dictation and voice agents.
Seen from the other side, Groq (hosted Whisper) vs OpenAI Whisper (API): ~2× the languages.
OpenAI Whisper (API) lists $0.006 per audio-minute (batch), verified July 2026.

**Why teams switch (Medical):** The heaviest attribute for clinical transcription under US healthcare privacy law is HIPAA BAA availability. OpenAI Whisper API has a verified HIPAA BAA, while no such fact exists for Groq. This is a gate-level requirement: without a BAA, Groq cannot be used for covered healthcare data under HIPAA. On the next two equally weighted attributes, both tools tie on PII redaction (neither supports it) and custom vocabulary (both support it). Both also qualify on SOC 2 Type II. On self-hosting, Groq has an edge. But none of these secondary factors can override the absence of a BAA at weight 5 out of 5, which is the definitive gate for this use case. [Medical verdict](https://www.versusref.com/stt/groq-whisper-vs-whisper/)

**Overall verdict:** Groq wins four use cases outright against OpenAI Whisper's one, and the facts behind that record are clear. Its batch price is $0.002 per audio minute versus $0.006 for OpenAI, a 3x cost advantage that drives the Call Centers and Meetings wins where volume is high. For Developers, Groq adds a free tier of 28,800 audio seconds per day and supports 99 languages compared to OpenAI's 57, broadening addressable workloads. For Self-Hosted teams, Groq offers an on-premises option while OpenAI does not. OpenAI's single win is Medical, where its HIPAA BAA availability gives it a compliance edge Groq cannot match.

OpenAI Whisper (API) cost: Published rates: batch $0.006/min, verified Jul 20, 2026.

| Monthly volume | Monthly bill (batch) |
| --- | --- |
| 1K min/mo | $6 |
| 10K min/mo | $60 |
| 100K min/mo | $600 |
[Full OpenAI Whisper (API) vs Groq (hosted Whisper) comparison](https://www.versusref.com/stt/groq-whisper-vs-whisper/) · [OpenAI Whisper (API) review](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/whisper/)

### 2. Amazon Transcribe

Among the 43 speech-to-text tools we track, Amazon Transcribe has the 3rd-widest language coverage - a fit for multilingual and localization projects.
Seen from the other side, Groq (hosted Whisper) vs Amazon Transcribe: ~10% fewer languages.
Amazon Transcribe lists $0.006 per audio-minute (batch), verified July 2026.

Amazon Transcribe cost: Published rates: batch $0.006/min · streaming $0.01/min, verified Jul 20, 2026.

| Monthly volume | Batch bill | Streaming bill |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1K min/mo | $6 | $10 |
| 10K min/mo | $60 | $100 |
| 100K min/mo | $600 | $1,000 |
[Amazon Transcribe review](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/amazon-transcribe/)

### 3. Aqua Voice

Among the 43 speech-to-text tools we track, Aqua Voice has the 28th-widest language coverage.
The reverse angle matters too - Groq (hosted Whisper) vs Aqua Voice: ~2× the languages.
Published pricing starts at $0.0065 per audio-minute (batch), verified July 2026.

Aqua Voice cost: Published rates: batch $0.0065/min · streaming $0.0065/min, verified Jul 20, 2026.

| Monthly volume | Batch bill | Streaming bill |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1K min/mo | $6.50 | $6.50 |
| 10K min/mo | $65 | $65 |
| 100K min/mo | $650 | $650 |
[Aqua Voice review](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/aqua-voice/)

### 4. AssemblyAI

Among the 43 speech-to-text tools we track, AssemblyAI has the 12th-widest language coverage - a fit for multilingual and localization projects.
Published pricing starts at $0.0035 per audio-minute (batch), verified July 2026.
[AssemblyAI review](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/assemblyai/)

### 5. Azure AI Speech (STT)

Among the 43 speech-to-text tools we track, Azure AI Speech (STT) has the 1st-widest language coverage - a fit for multilingual and localization projects.
Before switching, weigh what stays behind - Groq (hosted Whisper) vs Azure AI Speech (STT): ~35% fewer languages.
Its published rate is $0.003 per audio-minute (batch), verified July 2026.
[Azure AI Speech (STT) review](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/azure-speech/)

### 6. Cartesia Ink

Among the 43 speech-to-text tools we track, Cartesia Ink has the 12th-widest language coverage - a fit for multilingual and localization projects.
[Cartesia Ink review](https://www.versusref.com/stt/tools/cartesia-ink/)

Source: https://www.versusref.com/stt/alternatives/groq-whisper/