Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) can be accomplished through a desktop application on your personal computer, be it Windows, Linux, or OSX, or via an online service. Both approaches present their unique set of advantages and drawbacks.

Online services for ASR are user-friendly and often demand minimal computational power. However, privacy concerns are associated with these services. Most of these platforms rely on cloud-based solutions, implying that your recorded conversations are temporarily stored on an external server. Furthermore, in some instances, by opting for a cloud service, you may inadvertently consent to the utilization of your recordings for their internal research objectives, posing significant privacy issues. Thus, it is essential to thoroughly peruse the terms and conditions of any ASR service before deciding if its privacy measures align with your requirements.

For highly sensitive data where trust in online services is questionable, running an ASR application on your own computer grants you full authority over the entire process. Your data won't be transferred elsewhere for processing, and the software can operate without an internet connection, if desired. However, this approach does present challenges; local ASR processing is often more intricate and demands a computer with adequate processing power. While numerous online ASR services are compatible with a basic laptop optimized for web browsing, such as a Chromebook, the same cannot be said for installable services.

In the following section, we will highlight several notable ASR services. The first will be the Transcription Portal. A significant portion of our team has contributed substantially to the development of this online ASR tool. Other independent options will be discussed subsequently.