About whipscribe-mcp
whipscribe-mcp is an MCP server for transcribing audio and video through the WhipScribe cloud API. It serves users working with local files or media URLs, and returns transcripts in several formats.
Key features
- 01Transcribe media URLs
- 02Transcribe local media files
- 03Check job progress
- 04Fetch transcripts in multiple formats
- 05Browse recent jobs
Use cases
- 01Transcribe podcasts or online videos
- 02Process local recordings and videos
- 03Check transcription job status
MCP support
The MCP server exposes tools for media transcription, job-status checks, and transcript retrieval to compatible clients.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
uvx whipscribe-mcpWHIPSCRIBE_API_KEYSecretWhipScribe API key (optional; unlocks paid quota, the anonymous free tier works without it)Local servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.
Tools
6Saved tool list · updated 2w ago
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | Yes | Direct media URL or supported share URL. |
| diarize | boolean | No | Label speakers in the transcript. |
| language | string|null | No | ISO 639-1 language code (e.g. 'en', 'es'). Auto-detect when omitted. |
| word_timestamps | boolean | No | Include per-word timing. |
Details
From the project READMEwhipscribe-mcp
mcp-name: io.github.neugence/whipscribe-mcp
MCP server for Whipscribe — transcribe audio and video from a URL or local file via Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or any MCP-compatible client.
⚠️ Beta service
whipscribe-mcpand the Whipscribe API are in beta. Endpoints, response shapes, and quotas may change without notice.- Jobs can fail, stall, or return partial output. Retry logic is your responsibility.
- Beta credits can be invalidated without notice — e.g. for infrastructure migration, key compromise, or pricing reset. Beta credits do not convert to cash.
- We will give 7 days' written notice before any pricing change that affects active keys, and honor unused credits at the old rate for 7 days after the notice.
- Not suitable for production use cases where transcription failure has legal, safety, or financial consequences.
- By installing and using this package, you accept the full terms at whipscribe.com/terms.
Install
uvx whipscribe-mcp
Alternatives:
pipx install whipscribe-mcp
pip install whipscribe-mcp
Requires Python 3.10+.
Claude Desktop
Add to claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"whipscribe": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["whipscribe-mcp"]
}
}
}
Optional: set WHIPSCRIBE_API_KEY in env to unlock paid quota.
{
"mcpServers": {
"whipscribe": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["whipscribe-mcp"],
"env": {
"WHIPSCRIBE_API_KEY": "your-key"
}
}
}
}
Restart Claude Desktop. Type "transcribe this podcast URL: …" and Claude will call the tool.
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
transcribe_url(url, language?, diarize?, word_timestamps?) | Transcribe audio/video from any URL (YouTube, podcast feeds, direct file links). |
transcribe_file(path, language?, diarize?, word_timestamps?) | Transcribe a local audio/video file. |
get_job_status(job_id) | Check progress of a running job. |
get_transcript(job_id, format) | Fetch the transcript in txt, json, srt, vtt, or docx. |
list_recent_jobs(limit?) | Browse your recent jobs (local cache). |
All tools return a JSON object of the shape:
{
"ok": true,
"job_id": "...",
"status": "done",
"transcript_preview": "first 300 chars...",
"url_to_full": "https://whipscribe.com/view?id=...",
"duration_sec": 967.3,
"beta_notice": "..."
}
On failure:
{
"ok": false,
"error": {
"code": "upload_failed",
"message": "human-readable explanation",
"retryable": true
}
}
Environment variables
| Variable | Required | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
WHIPSCRIBE_API_KEY | No | — | API key (links jobs to your account and its credits; without it, every recording still gets a free preview) |
WHIPSCRIBE_API_BASE | No | https://whipscribe.com/api/v1 | Override API base URL (e.g. for staging) |
WHIPSCRIBE_MCP_TELEMETRY | No | 1 | Set to 0 to disable anonymous usage telemetry |
WHIPSCRIBE_MCP_POLL_TIMEOUT_SECONDS | No | 600 | Max seconds transcribe_url / transcribe_file waits before returning the job_id with a non-terminal status |
WHIPSCRIBE_MCP_POLL_INTERVAL_SECONDS | No | 3 | Seconds between job-status polls during transcription |
Privacy
Opt-in anonymous telemetry (on by default; disable with WHIPSCRIBE_MCP_TELEMETRY=0):
What we collect (metadata only):
- Anonymous install hash:
sha256(machine_id + salt)[:16] - Package version, OS, Python version
- Tool name, duration in milliseconds, error code
What we never collect:
- URLs you transcribe
- Local file paths
- API keys
- Transcript text
- Email or any personally identifying information
The anonymization algorithm is in this repo (src/whipscribe_mcp/telemetry.py). Inspect it. If it's not acceptable, turn it off.
Pricing
See whipscribe.com/pricing for current rates. Every recording gets a free preview, with or without an API key; credit packs start at $6 and never expire, and the Workspace plan is $19 a month (fair use 300 hours a month).
License
Apache License 2.0. Copyright 2026 Neugence Technology Pvt. Ltd.
Contact
- Website: whipscribe.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Issues: github.com/neugence/whipscribe-mcp/issues
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.