An offline AI scribe transcribes sessions and writes clinical notes entirely on your computer, with no data sent to the cloud. In 2026 this category is still emerging — most commercial scribes are cloud-only — but on-device models are now good enough to make a private, offline workflow realistic for therapists.
What to look for in an offline scribe
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|
|---|---|
| Fully on-device processing | Data never leaves your computer |
|---|---|
| Multi-language support | Sessions and notes in any language |
| Note formats (SOAP, DAP, BIRP…) | Fits your documentation style |
| No training on your data | Your sessions stay yours |
The current state of offline AI scribes
Most established scribes — SimplePractice, Mentalyc, Upheal — are cloud-only. As of mid-2026, fully local options are mostly indie or in development. The reason is technical: running good transcription and a capable language model locally used to require a powerful machine. That changed in 2026 — modern on-device models run comfortably on a mid-range laptop.
Why offline is suddenly viable
Open-source speech models and small language models have improved dramatically. A 2026 mid-range laptop can now transcribe accurately and generate structured clinical notes locally — something that needed a server just two years earlier.
Offline vs cloud at a glance
For the full trade-off, see local vs cloud AI scribe for therapists. For why on-device matters for sensitive data, see do AI scribes train on your therapy data?.
Where Eclio stands
Eclio is building the first commercial local AI scribe for therapists — transcription and note generation that run entirely on your computer, no internet, nothing on a server. It's in development now; join the waitlist to get early access when the local mode launches.