Overview
OpenAI Whisper API is the official cloud transcription service from OpenAI. It provides high-quality speech-to-text using the same Whisper model architecture that powers WhisperKit, but processed on OpenAI’s servers. Key Benefits:- High accuracy across 100+ languages
- Automatic language detection
- Official OpenAI support and reliability
- Works on any Mac (no Apple Silicon required)
Setup Instructions
1
Create OpenAI Account
Visit platform.openai.com and sign up or log in
2
Add Payment Method
Go to Settings → Billing → Add a payment method
OpenAI requires a payment method. Whisper API costs ~$0.006 per minute of audio.
3
Generate API Key
Go to API Keys → Create new secret key → Copy the key immediately
4
Add to Stenox
Open Stenox Settings → Providers tab → OpenAI → Paste your API key
5
Select as Transcription Provider
In your Profile settings, set Transcription Provider to OpenAI Whisper
Pricing
OpenAI Whisper API is pay-per-use:| Audio Duration | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 minute | ~$0.006 |
| 10 minutes | ~$0.06 |
| 1 hour | ~$0.36 |
| 10 hours | ~$3.60 |
Language Support
OpenAI Whisper supports 100+ languages:- European: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian
- Asian: Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian
- Middle Eastern: Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, Persian
- And many more…
When to Use OpenAI Whisper
OpenAI Ecosystem
Already using OpenAI for other services (GPT-4, DALL-E, etc.)
Multi-language
Need high-quality transcription across multiple languages
Intel Mac
Running on Intel Mac where WhisperKit is slower
Official Support
Want the reliability of official OpenAI infrastructure
When to Consider Alternatives
- Budget-conscious: Groq Whisper offers free tier
- Maximum privacy: WhisperKit runs locally
- Maximum accuracy: DeepGram Nova-3 often outperforms
Troubleshooting
Invalid API key error
Invalid API key error
- Verify you copied the complete key
- Check the key is active in OpenAI dashboard
- Ensure billing is set up (required even for new accounts)
Rate limit exceeded
Rate limit exceeded
- OpenAI has usage limits based on account tier
- Wait a few minutes or upgrade your account tier
- Consider using Groq Whisper as a fallback
Incorrect language
Incorrect language
- Set specific language in Profile settings instead of auto-detect
- Ensure you’re speaking clearly in the expected language

