Connect Whisper for
studio-grade transcription.
Plug in your own OpenAI Whisper API key and Thought Recorder will route the files you choose through it. Billed to your account. We never see your audio or your key.
When on-device isn't accurate enough.
Thought Recorder's built-in transcription uses Apple's on-device Speech framework — fast, free, and completely private. It handles most recordings cleanly. But for the moments where accuracy really matters — accented speakers, technical vocabulary, noisy environments, or client-facing transcripts — Whisper is the gold standard.
The trade is small: a few cents per recording, billed directly to your own OpenAI account. The connection is between your iPhone and OpenAI; Thought Recorder is just the courier.
Five steps. Ten minutes. Done.
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01
Create an OpenAI account
Go to platform.openai.com/signup. Sign up with your email (or Google / Microsoft). You'll need to verify your email and add a phone number — this is OpenAI's anti-abuse step, not anything we control.
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02
Add a payment method
Go to Billing → Payment methods and add a card. Whisper is pay-as-you-go — you're billed monthly for what you actually use.
Tip: if you'd rather have a hard cap, OpenAI lets you pre-pay credits instead of running a tab. Same billing page.
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03
Set a spending limit Do this
Go to Usage limits and set two numbers:
- Soft limit — you get an email warning when you cross this (e.g. $10/month).
- Hard limit — your key stops working when you cross this (e.g. $25/month).
This is the most important step. If your key ever leaks, the hard limit is what stops a stranger from running up your bill.
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04
Create your API key
Go to API keys and click Create new secret key. Name it something like "Thought Recorder" — just for your own records.
The key looks like
sk-proj-abc123.... Copy it now — OpenAI only shows it once, and you can't view it again afterwards.Treat this like a password. Anyone with the key can use your OpenAI account. Don't paste it into chats, screenshots, or shared documents.
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05
Paste it into Thought Recorder
Open Thought Recorder on your iPhone. Go to Settings → Transcription → Whisper. Paste your key into the field, tap Save, and you're done.
From now on, any recording can be transcribed with Whisper by tapping the transcript options on the recording detail screen. On-device transcription still works alongside it — Whisper is opt-in per file.
$0.36 per hour of audio ($0.006 per minute)
Pricing reflects OpenAI's Whisper API rate as of 28 May 2026. Check openai.com/api/pricing for the current rate.
What goes where, plainly.
- Your API key lives in the iOS Keychain on your iPhone. It is not sent to Gonzodocs, Apple, or any third party — only to OpenAI when you transcribe.
- The audio file you transcribe is uploaded directly from your phone to OpenAI's API. We are the courier; we don't see the request, the response, or the audio.
- OpenAI's API terms (as of 2024) state they do not use API request data to train their models. You can verify this at openai.com/policies/api-data-usage-policies.
- You can rotate or revoke your key anytime from your OpenAI dashboard. If you do, Thought Recorder will simply stop using Whisper and fall back to on-device transcription.
Common questions.
Do I have to use Whisper?
No. On-device transcription works for every recording without any key. Whisper is an opt-in for files where you want extra accuracy.
Will I be charged just for connecting the key?
No. You're only charged per transcription request. Connecting the key has no cost.
What if I lose or accidentally share my key?
Go to your API keys page, revoke the old one, and generate a new one. Then paste the new key into Thought Recorder's Settings.
Can Thought Recorder use my key for other OpenAI services?
No. The app only calls OpenAI's Whisper transcription endpoint. It cannot make ChatGPT, GPT-4, or image-generation calls on your key.
Why not use a Gonzodocs-managed Whisper key?
Because then we'd see your audio, manage your billing, and stand between you and OpenAI. Bring-your-own-key keeps us out of that loop entirely.
Is there a free transcription tier?
OpenAI gives new accounts a small amount of free credit, but it expires quickly. After that, Whisper is pay-as-you-go at $0.006/minute.
Set up. Ready to go.
Every recording, one tap from a studio-grade transcript.