Is AudioGuideKit really free?

Yes, AudioGuideKit is completely free and open-source under the MIT license. There are no per-visitor fees, no subscription costs, and no hidden charges. You only pay for your own hosting, which can be free with services like Vercel or Netlify.

Does AudioGuideKit work offline?

Yes, AudioGuideKit is built as a Progressive Web App (PWA) with Service Workers that cache audio files and metadata. It works in airplane mode, underground, or anywhere with poor network connectivity.

What do I need to run AudioGuideKit?

AudioGuideKit requires only static file hosting. There's no database or backend needed. You can deploy to Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages, AWS S3, or any web server that can serve static files.

Can I customize the branding?

Yes, AudioGuideKit supports white-label branding through simple configuration changes. You can customize colors, logos, and branding without modifying the source code.

Who is AudioGuideKit for?

AudioGuideKit is designed for museums, galleries, cultural institutions, heritage sites, developers building audio experiences, and agencies delivering exhibition projects. It's ideal for anyone who wants a free alternative to expensive audio guide hardware or SaaS platforms.

Stop types | AudioGuideKit

Name: AudioGuideKit
Author: AudioGuideKit

AudioGuideKit supports several different stop types. While most tours primarily use audio stops, mixing in other types can create a richer, more engaging experience.

At the moment only audio stops are fully supported and tested. Other stop types are available but flagged as experimental and full support will be introduced in the future.

Overview

Type	Description	Use Case
`audio`	Audio playback with optional transcription	Main tour content
`text`	Rich text content	Detailed information
`image-text`	Image with accompanying text	Photo essays
`video`	Video playback	Demonstrations, intros
`3d-object`	Interactive 3D model viewer	Artifacts, architecture
`headline`	Large text header	Section dividers
`quote`	Styled quotation	Historical quotes
`rating`	Star rating collection	Feedback
`email`	Email collection form	Newsletter signup

Audio stops

The bread and butter of audio tours. Displays a card with image, title, and audio player.

{
  "id": "1",
  "type": "audio",
  "title": "Welcome to Barcelona",
  "duration": "3 min audio",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "audioFile": "https://your-storage.com/01-welcome.mp3",
  "transcription": "Welcome to Barcelona! Today we'll explore the Gothic Quarter..."
}

Audio stop fields

Field	Required	Description
`id`	Yes	Unique stop identifier
`type`	Yes	Must be `"audio"`
`title`	Yes	Stop title
`duration`	Yes	Human-readable duration
`image`	Yes	Stop image URL
`audioFile`	Yes	Audio file URL (MP3, M4A)
`transcription`	No	Text version of the audio

Include transcriptions! They help with accessibility, allow visitors to read ahead, and improve SEO if search engines crawl your tour.

Text stops

Display rich text content without audio. Good for detailed information that visitors can read at their own pace.

{
  "id": "2",
  "type": "text",
  "title": "Cathedral History",
  "duration": "2 min read",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "content": "The Barcelona Cathedral was constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries..."
}

Text stop fields

Field	Required	Description
`content`	Yes	The text to display
Other standard fields	Yes	`id`, `type`, `title`, `duration`, `image`

Image-text stops

Combines an image with accompanying text. Like text stops, but with more visual emphasis.

{
  "id": "3",
  "type": "image-text",
  "title": "The Main Altar",
  "duration": "1 min read",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "content": "Notice the intricate gold leaf work on the altar, dating back to..."
}

Use image-text stops when the image is central to understanding the content. Use text stops when the image is decorative.

Video stops

Embed video content. Useful for introductions, demonstrations, or drone footage.

{
  "id": "4",
  "type": "video",
  "title": "Cathedral Overview",
  "duration": "2 min video",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "videoUrl": "https://your-storage.com/cathedral-overview.mp4"
}

Video stop fields

Field	Required	Description
`videoUrl`	Yes	Video file URL (MP4 recommended)
Other standard fields	Yes	`id`, `type`, `title`, `duration`, `image`

Video files are large and may not work well offline. Consider using video stops only for online-only tours or keep videos short.

3D object stops

Display interactive 3D models that visitors can rotate and zoom. Great for artifacts, sculptures, or architectural details.

{
  "id": "5",
  "type": "3d-object",
  "title": "Roman Amphora",
  "duration": "Interactive",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "modelUrl": "https://your-storage.com/amphora.glb"
}

3D object fields

Field	Required	Description
`modelUrl`	Yes	3D model file URL (GLB/GLTF format)
Other standard fields	Yes	`id`, `type`, `title`, `duration`, `image`

3D models use the GLB format (binary glTF). You can export from Blender, SketchUp, or download from Sketchfab.

Headline stops

Large text headers to divide your tour into sections. Don't include duration—these are visual dividers.

{
  "id": "6",
  "type": "headline",
  "title": "Part 2: The Gothic Quarter",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx"
}

Headline stop fields

Field	Required	Description
`id`	Yes	Unique stop identifier
`type`	Yes	Must be `"headline"`
`title`	Yes	The headline text
`image`	Yes	Background image
`duration`	No	Typically omitted for headlines

Quote stops

Display a styled quotation. Perfect for historical quotes, visitor testimonials, or famous sayings about the location.

{
  "id": "7",
  "type": "quote",
  "title": "Antoni Gaudí",
  "duration": "Quote",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "quote": "Nothing is art if it does not come from nature.",
  "attribution": "Antoni Gaudí, 1910"
}

Quote stop fields

Field	Required	Description
`quote`	Yes	The quotation text
`attribution`	No	Who said it and when
Other standard fields	Yes	`id`, `type`, `title`, `image`

Rating stops

Collect star ratings from visitors. Appears as an interactive card with 1-5 stars.

{
  "id": "8",
  "type": "rating",
  "title": "How was your tour?",
  "duration": "Rate us",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx"
}

Place rating stops near the end of your tour, when visitors have experienced enough to form an opinion.

Rating collection

When a visitor submits a rating, it's stored locally. If collectFeedback: true is set in your metadata, ratings can be collected and analyzed.

Email stops

Collect email addresses for newsletters or follow-up communication.

{
  "id": "9",
  "type": "email",
  "title": "Stay in Touch",
  "duration": "Sign up",
  "image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-xxx",
  "description": "Get notified about new tours and special events.",
  "placeholder": "Enter your email"
}

Email stop fields

Field	Required	Description
`description`	No	Text explaining why to sign up
`placeholder`	No	Input placeholder text
Other standard fields	Yes	`id`, `type`, `title`, `image`

Email collection requires backend integration to actually store emails. The stop type provides the UI, but you'll need to connect it to your email service.

Mixing stop types

A typical tour might look like this:

"stops": [
  { "type": "audio", "title": "Welcome" },
  { "type": "audio", "title": "First Stop" },
  { "type": "audio", "title": "Second Stop" },
  { "type": "headline", "title": "Part 2: The Old Town" },
  { "type": "audio", "title": "Third Stop" },
  { "type": "quote", "title": "Historical Quote" },
  { "type": "audio", "title": "Fourth Stop" },
  { "type": "rating", "title": "Rate Your Experience" },
  { "type": "email", "title": "Stay Connected" }
]

Best practices

Lead with audio - Visitors expect audio tours to have audio
Use headlines sparingly - Too many breaks the flow
Place feedback at the end - After visitors have context
Keep videos short - 2 minutes max for mobile attention spans
Test 3D on mobile - Performance varies by device