Skip to main content

Compare

Kajo vs Scriberr

Scriberr is a strong open-source option if you are happy to self-host: Docker or Homebrew, on-device transcription with speaker diarization, a directory watcher, chat over a transcript through Ollama or an OpenAI-compatible model, and a REST API. Kajo is the packaged desktop version of that idea: install it on Mac, Windows, or Linux, transcribe on your machine, ask a folder — or, with a confirm, the whole library — with cited answers, and export REFI-QDA to NVivo, MAXQDA, or ATLAS.ti. One $49 purchase unlocks unlimited imports and Lifetime convenience (watch folders, batch export) — one payment, no subscription.

Scriberr is local transcription you host yourself. Kajo is local transcription you install — with a library, cited chat across a folder, and CAQDAS export built in.

Kajo Voice cited chat over a folder of local transcripts, as a Scriberr alternative
The same local transcription as a signed desktop app — with folder-scoped cited chat, on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Why people choose Kajo over Scriberr

  • A desktop app, not a server

  • Ask a folder, not one transcript

  • Speaker labels included

  • REFI-QDA export built in

  • Still fully local

  • Your installed version keeps working

Kajo vs Scriberr: side by side

Feature Kajo Scriberr
Setup Install a desktop app Self-host (Docker or Homebrew)
On-device transcription Yes Yes
Chat scope A folder or, with a confirm, the whole library — with citations One transcript, via Ollama or an OpenAI-compatible model
Speaker labels Yes Yes
Watched folders Watch folders (Lifetime) Directory watcher
REFI-QDA / QDPX export Yes Not listed

Three reasons Kajo exists

  1. Local-first / private by default

    Your audio never leaves your laptop.

    Audio is transcribed on-device — there is no cloud-processing path. Private by architecture.

  2. Cross-platform, including Linux

    Mac, Windows, and Linux — one product, three operating systems.

    Native installers for all three. Linux is a first-class target, not a port — the only local audio knowledge base that takes it seriously.

  3. Cited chat

    Ask questions across your archive — get cited answers.

    Chat with your entire library using a local model. Every answer links back to the exact moment in the recording — no copy/paste.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Docker or a server to run Kajo?

No. Kajo is a native desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux. There is no container to run and nothing to keep updated on a server.

Does Kajo keep transcription local like Scriberr?

Yes. Kajo transcribes on your machine; your audio stays there. Translation, summaries, and chat run on-device too — there is no cloud-processing path.

Keep exploring

Kajo vs Skimle Kajo vs Spokenly Kajo vs OpenWhispr Kajo vs Happy Scribe All comparisons →