Audio time is the cleanest volume measure
The dashboard recorded 22,103 seconds of transcription, not words, transcript text, or a trustworthy count of finished dictations.
A real seven-day API snapshot
A real week of Listen Orb dictation.
In the OpenAI API project used for day-to-day Listen Orb dictation, OpenAI recorded 6 hours and 8 minutes of audio and $1.66 in transcription charges. Optional polish and every text-model charge are excluded. This example is OpenAI-only. xAI usage is billed by xAI and is not shown here.
Download free trialApple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+
Buy — $99 one timeOn another device?
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required · $99 one time
The provider receipt
$1.66 to transcribe 6 hours and 8 minutes.
This example is intentionally transcription-only. Optional polish and every text-model charge were removed.
| API work | Observed amount | Actual charge |
|---|---|---|
| Transcription | 368 min 23 sec of provider-recorded audio | $1.66 |
| Transcription-only total | 7-day project snapshot | $1.66 |
The time machine
About 12 hours returned in one week.
The transcription charge is small. The gap between typing and dictating is the larger value.
Estimated typing time18h 25mat 40 words per minute
−Observed dictation time6h 8mOpenAI-recorded audio
=Estimated time saved12h 17mabout 12 hours returned
The estimate treats the observed audio as speech at 120 words per minute—about 44,206 words—then compares it with typing at Listen Orb's documented 40 WPM baseline. OpenAI retained audio duration for this historical week, not word totals or confirmed insertions. The audio and cost are observed; the time saved is modeled and assumes the transcribed audio became useful text. See the calculation and privacy details.
What the number means
It is one transparent example—not a typical-use promise.
Your own OpenAI dashboard is the source of truth for this OpenAI example. xAI usage is billed by xAI and is not in this snapshot.
Time saved is an estimate
The historical provider record has no word total, so the time-machine calculation uses visible speaking- and typing-speed assumptions rather than presenting the result as measured behavior.
Polish is outside this example
The public total excludes all optional polish and text-model charges, so it answers one narrow question: what the audio transcription cost.
The Mac license is separate
The one-time Listen Orb license is not included in this API total. Listen Orb does not resell OpenAI or xAI usage.
ChatGPT billing is separate too
A ChatGPT subscription does not include OpenAI API usage. The API project connected to your key is billed independently.
How we prepared it
Real records, with private account details removed.
The public example keeps only the facts needed to understand volume and cost.
1 · Select the window
August 22–28, 2026
We used seven consecutive UTC days from a deliberately busy period.
2 · Isolate Listen Orb
The day-to-day API project
The dashboard was filtered to Codex Dictation, the project used for normal Listen Orb dictation. The separate prompt-polish experiment project was excluded.
3 · Keep billed work
gpt-transcribe only
We kept the Audio Transcriptions duration and its matching transcription spend line. Every text-model and polish charge was removed.
4 · Remove identifiers
No content or credentials
No audio, transcript text, API key, email, account name, project ID, user ID, or API-key ID appears on this page.
Sources · checked September 1, 2026
Want the billing basics first? Read the Listen Orb API usage guide.
Try before you buy
Measure your own week.
Use the free trial, then check the OpenAI or xAI account associated with your active key for your actual usage.
Simple ownership
One-time license. No subscription.
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required. One license works on up to 3 Macs.
Pay once for the Mac app. There is no recurring Listen Orb fee.
Local processing has no API usage fees. For cloud, pay the active provider separately for API usage. OpenAI and xAI each bill the account that issued the key. ChatGPT subscriptions and SuperGrok are not API credit. Listen Orb does not resell usage. Understand API billing or see a real seven-day example.
One-time Mac license
$99One-time Mac license
- 3 days free, up to 7 with use
- Local processing included
- No subscription
- One license for up to 3 Macs
Download the free trialApple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+
On another device?
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
One license for up to 3 Macs. No Listen Orb account or subscription. Local needs no API key. For cloud, your OpenAI or xAI API key is stored in macOS Keychain; that provider bills usage separately. Applicable tax is shown at checkout.
License and purchase details · Recover a license · Contact support
Your key, your provider records
Try Listen Orb in your real workflow.
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required. API usage is billed separately by the active provider.
Download free trialApple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+
Or buy — $99 one timeOn another device?
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.