Krisp Review
Krisp is an AI noise cancellation layer that sits between your microphone and any calling app. It removes background noise, echo, and room reverb in real time — on both your end and the other person's audio. It works with Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, phone calls, and anything else that uses a mic. You don't change your workflow; you just sound better.
Best for
- Remote workers who take calls from noisy environments (home office, coffee shops, co-working spaces)
- Sales teams and client-facing roles where audio quality directly affects close rates
- Anyone on frequent video calls who wants to eliminate barking dogs, keyboard noise, and HVAC hum
Trade-offs to consider
- Free tier has limited minutes per day — heavy callers will need a paid plan
- Adds a small amount of CPU overhead since processing runs locally (not cloud-based)
- Works best on calls where you control your own audio setup — less helpful for in-person or speaker-phone scenarios
Quick workflow test before you pay
Install the free version and use it for a full day of real calls. Don't test with a quiet room — that proves nothing. Test it when the environment is actually noisy: kids in the background, construction outside, or a busy open-plan office.
- Run a test call with a colleague and ask if they notice a difference in your audio.
- Check CPU usage during a call to make sure it doesn't slow down your machine.
- Try toggling Krisp on and off mid-call to hear the before/after difference yourself.
- Verify it works with your primary calling app (Zoom, Teams, Meet, etc.) without extra config.
Red flags that should make you pause
- Your calls are already in quiet environments and you rarely deal with background noise.
- Your machine is already resource-constrained and can't handle additional audio processing.
- You primarily use speakerphone or shared conference room setups where Krisp has less impact.
- The free tier covers your call volume and upgrading adds no meaningful value.
How Krisp compares
Krisp is not the only noise cancellation option. Here's how it stacks up against the most common alternatives:
| Tool | Works across all apps? | Hardware requirement | Two-way noise removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krisp | ✅ Yes — system-level virtual mic | Any modern CPU (Mac or Windows) | ✅ Yes — cleans your mic and inbound audio |
| Zoom built-in suppression | ❌ Zoom only | Any modern CPU | ❌ Outbound mic only |
| NVIDIA RTX Voice | ✅ Yes — also system-level | NVIDIA RTX GPU required | ✅ Yes |
| Otter.ai | Different tool — transcription, not noise cancellation | Any browser/device | N/A — different use case |
Note: Otter.ai is a meeting recorder/transcriber, not a noise cancellation tool. They're complementary — you can run Krisp and Otter.ai simultaneously on the same call.
Who should buy Krisp
- You use multiple calling apps. If you're in Zoom for some calls and Teams or Meet for others, Krisp's system-level approach means you set it up once and it works everywhere — unlike Zoom's built-in suppression.
- You don't have an NVIDIA GPU. NVIDIA RTX Voice is free and excellent if you have the hardware. If you don't, Krisp is the next-best option and doesn't require specific GPU hardware.
- Your calls happen in uncontrolled environments. Open-plan offices, home offices with family noise, coffee shops — Krisp's AI model is specifically tuned for these scenarios.
- Audio quality directly affects your work outcomes. Sales calls, client calls, recorded demos, podcast recordings — these are contexts where poor audio costs real money.
- You want to fix it once and forget it. Krisp runs in the background and doesn't require per-call configuration. If you're the type who wants a tool that just works, that's a meaningful benefit over adjusting settings in every individual app.
Why audio quality matters more than people think
Bad audio is the fastest way to lose credibility on a call. Background noise signals "unprofessional" whether that's fair or not. Sales teams that fix their audio quality see higher engagement and fewer "can you repeat that?" interruptions. For remote workers, clear audio is the difference between being taken seriously and being the person everyone mutes.
Frequently asked questions
Does Krisp work with Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet?
Yes. Krisp installs as a virtual microphone and speaker on your system, so it works with any app that lets you choose an audio input — including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Slack, Discord, and phone calls. You select the Krisp microphone in your app settings and Krisp handles the rest.
How is Krisp different from Zoom's built-in noise suppression?
Zoom's noise suppression only works inside Zoom. Krisp is a system-level layer that works across every app you use — Teams, Meet, Discord, phone calls, and anything else that uses a microphone. Krisp also provides two-way noise removal (your audio and the other party's incoming audio), whereas Zoom's suppression only cleans your outgoing audio. If you use more than one calling app, Krisp is the more flexible choice.
Does Krisp require special hardware like an NVIDIA GPU?
No. Krisp runs on any modern Mac or Windows machine using the CPU. NVIDIA RTX Voice (a competing tool) requires an NVIDIA RTX GPU, which limits it to users with specific hardware. Krisp's CPU-based approach works on virtually any laptop or desktop, though it does add a small amount of processing load — usually noticeable only on older or heavily loaded machines.
Is the free tier usable, or does it time out quickly?
The free tier gives you a meaningful number of noise-free minutes per week — enough to test Krisp across several real calls before deciding whether to upgrade. If you're a light caller, the free tier may cover you indefinitely. High-volume users (multiple long meetings per day) will likely hit the limit and need a paid plan. Krisp is transparent about the limits on their pricing page, so it's worth checking against your actual call volume before buying.
Try it free
Krisp offers a free tier with enough minutes to run a real test across several calls. If it solves the problem, the paid plan is straightforward. If it doesn't — because your environment is already quiet, or because your machine struggles with the overhead — the free test will tell you that before you spend anything.
Affiliate link — if you sign up, ExpertChoice earns a commission at no extra cost to you. We recommend tools we've evaluated independently.