Social media
obs-localvocal
Live captions for your OBS stream, generated on your own machine
★ 1.6k
May 2026
GPL-2.0
Social media
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 23 Aug 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 31 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 13 tools we list in Social media
- Works without using a terminal5 of 13
- No API key required4 of 13
- Keeps your data on your own machine1 of 13
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed8 of 13
Only 1 of the 13 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
An OBS plugin that transcribes what you say and puts it on screen as you speak, with optional translation for viewers in other languages. Processing happens locally so no audio is sent anywhere. It competes with the stream for CPU, so test the load before going live, and real-time transcription is less accurate than offline - mishearings go straight onto the screen, and Japanese is weaker than English.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineNot required
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
obs-localvocal FAQ
- Is obs-localvocal free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use obs-localvocal?
- You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.
- Does obs-localvocal work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use obs-localvocal commercially?
- The licence is GPL-2.0. Using it commercially is fine, but if you distribute something built on it you may be required to release that under the same licence. Keep it internal, or check before distributing.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| obs-localvocal (this page) | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| Postiz | Not needed | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| AI-Marketing-Content-Creator | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | Yes | With conditions |
| Buffer | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | Yes | Not verified |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.