Terpside compared with Interpreter, Interpreter Pro, and Chrome and Windows live captions
If you are looking for an alternative to Interpreter (useinterpreter.com), Interpreter Pro, or the live captions in Chrome or Windows, here is a comparison based on what each one publishes on its own site, checked on October 9, 2026. All of them keep what is said on the call in front of you. Four things differ: where the audio is processed, whether they translate, how they charge, and where they run.
I make Terpside, so I am not neutral. That is why I only list facts you can check on each site, and below I also say when another option may suit you better.
Comparison
| Terpside | Interpreter (useinterpreter.com) | Interpreter Pro | Chrome Live Caption | Windows live captions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where the audio is processed | On your computer. Call audio never leaves it. | On their online service. They say they do not save audio, captions or translations. | In the cloud, at a provider under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). They say they do not store audio or transcripts. | On your computer. If you turn on translation, the text is sent to Google. | On your computer. |
| Translation | English ↔ Spanish, on your computer, below each turn. | Yes, online. | Yes, in the cloud. | Optional, by sending the text to Google. | Only on Copilot+ PCs and only into English (or Chinese). |
| How it shows what is said | One bubble per turn once the person finishes, with a color per speaker. | Captions as people speak, with a color per speaker. | Live transcript beside the call. | One line that keeps rewriting as people speak, without telling speakers apart. | One line that keeps rewriting as people speak, without telling speakers apart. |
| Internet during the call | Not needed. | Yes. | Yes. | Only to translate. | No. |
| Account | None. | Yes, with email. | Yes, with Google. | No. | No. |
| Price | Free: 60 minutes a day. Pro: 19.90 USD a month, unlimited hours. | 20 minutes to try it; 15 USD a month (35 h), 40 USD (100 h) or 70 USD (200 h), or 0.45 USD an hour. | Free: 120 minutes a month. Pro: 29.99 USD a month, unlimited; minute packs from 5 USD. | Free, comes with Chrome. | Free, comes with Windows 11. |
| Where it runs | Windows 10 and 11, with any app on the computer (browser or desktop program). | Chrome and Edge (web app and extension) and Android. | Chrome extension, with browser-based platforms. | Only with audio playing inside Chrome. | Windows 11, with any audio on the computer. |
| Help for interpreting | A medical glossary that warns you when a word has more than one possible translation, and doses, dates and phone numbers kept on screen (Pro). | Quick term lookup, floating notes and up to 50 custom terms. | Transcript editing, term lookup and a personal glossary. | None specific. | None specific. |
Data from terpside.app, useinterpreter.com, interpreter-pro.com and the Google Chrome and Microsoft help pages, checked on October 9, 2026. Other products' prices and features may change: check their sites before deciding. Terpside is in active development and gets new features with every version.
When each one fits
Terpside fits if you do not want your patients' audio to leave your computer, if your platform is a desktop program rather than a browser, if you work full shifts and do not want to count hours, or if Chrome or Windows captions fall short because they rewrite the sentence, do not tell speakers apart and do not translate into Spanish.
Chrome or Windows captions are enough if you only need the text and not the translation. Another paid app may fit better if you work on a Mac or a phone, or if looking up terms and editing the text during the call matters most to you.
Frequently asked questions
Why not use the free captions in Chrome or Windows?
You can, and many interpreters do. But they are not made for interpreting: they keep rewriting the sentence while the person speaks, do not tell who said what, and do not put the translation beside it (Windows only translates into English and only on Copilot+ PCs; Chrome sends the text to Google to translate it). Terpside waits until each person finishes and shows you the whole turn, with the translation below.
Is there a useinterpreter alternative that does not use the cloud?
Yes: Terpside recognizes and translates on your own Windows computer. Call audio never leaves it, no account is needed, and it works without internet during the call.
Which is cheaper for a full-time interpreter?
It depends on your hours. At about 160 hours a month, Interpreter needs the 200-hour plan (70 USD a month); Interpreter Pro costs 29.99 USD and Terpside Pro 19.90 USD, both with unlimited hours. Chrome and Windows captions are free, but without on-device translation into Spanish. With few hours, pay-as-you-go or the free plans may suit you better.
Does it work with my platform?
Terpside captures the audio of the app you choose on Windows, whether a browser or a desktop program. Interpreter and Interpreter Pro run in the browser (Interpreter also on Android). Always check which tools your agency allows.
Try it on your calls
Free with 60 minutes a day, no account or card. The Pro trial lasts 5 days, up to 2 hours a day.