MacWhisper

MacWhisper transcribes audio and video, including interviews, voice memos, lectures, and subtitle material. It supports 100 languages, speaker recognition, timestamps, batch transcription, transcript cleanup, translation, and subtitle export. The Mac app can record meetings in Zoom, Teams, Webex, Skype, Chime, and Discord, detecting when meetings start and end. It also offers system-wide dictation, grammar improvement, and AI prompts for dictation. For AI services, users can supply their own API keys for listed providers, connect custom OpenAI-compatible endpoints, or use local models through Ollama and LM Studio. Local models can work offline; the privacy policy says app functionality runs on the device, while noting that anonymous licensing-status analytics may be sent. Transcriptions can be uploaded to Notion, Zapier, Obsidian, n8n, Make.com, and custom webhooks, and the app can be controlled through a CLI. The iOS version can record in-app, transcribe shared audio, create AI summaries, and support chats about transcripts. On iOS, local models require iPhone 15 or newer, and cloud transcription has a 25 MB file limit. A free plan is listed; MacWhisper Pro costs €64.00 per month as a one-time payment.

MacWhisper combines transcription, meeting recording, dictation, and export or integration options. Check the iOS device requirement and cloud file-size limit if you plan to use those features.

MacWhisper suits people who need to transcribe or translate recordings, create subtitles, or dictate across Mac and iOS. Its local-model and integration options may appeal to users with specific processing or workflow needs.

Overview

MacWhisper is a Mac transcription app for turning audio and video into searchable text, subtitles, and exports. It suits people who want transcription alongside meeting recording, dictation, and workflow integrations. Its breadth is appealing, though iOS device and file-size limits matter if you plan to use the mobile app.

Key features

MacWhisper handles interviews, lectures, voice memos, and other audio or video files, with batch transcription, transcript cleanup, translation, speaker recognition, and timestamps. Support for 100 languages and exports to SRT, VTT, TXT, Markdown, PDF, HTML, DOTE, and DOCX make it useful for both reading and subtitle workflows. Speaker labels help distinguish participants, while batch processing is suited to larger queues of recordings.

It can record meetings in Zoom, Teams, Webex, Skype, Chime, and Discord, with automatic start and end detection. That can reduce the need to remember a separate recording step, though the feature is most relevant to people whose meetings happen in those services. System wide dictation adds grammar improvement and AI prompts, extending the app beyond recorded material.

For AI services, users can supply their own API keys, connect custom OpenAI compatible endpoints, or run local models through Ollama and LM Studio. The maker says local models can process sensitive content offline on the Mac. Its privacy policy also says app functionality runs on-device and audio, text, and other data do not leave the device, while anonymous licensing status analytics may be sent. Integrations with Notion, Zapier, Obsidian, n8n, Make.com, and custom webhooks, plus CLI control, suit people who want transcripts in an existing workflow.

The iOS app can record in-app, transcribe shared audio, create AI summaries, and support chat with transcripts. On-device local models require iPhone 15 or newer; cloud transcription is capped at 25 MB per file. Those restrictions make the mobile version less flexible for older phones or large recordings.

Pricing

MacWhisper is freemium. The Free plan is free, billed Free forever, and includes transcription and subtitle export. It is a reasonable way to handle basic transcription without a recurring charge, but the free-plan description does not promise the broader Pro feature set.

MacWhisper Pro is €64 a month, billed Pay Once. It includes 100 languages. The pay-once term is the key distinction from a subscription: it is a one-time payment, while the displayed monthly amount should not be read as monthly renewal. The plan details do not give a seat count or transcription quota, so buyers should not assume either.

Platforms

MacWhisper is available for macOS and iOS. Its main product is a Mac app; iOS offers recording, shared-file transcription, AI summaries, and transcript chat, subject to the iPhone 15-or-newer requirement for local models and the 25 MB cloud file limit.

Who it's for

MacWhisper is a strong fit for Mac users who regularly transcribe varied recordings, need speaker labels or subtitle exports, or want dictation and meeting capture in the same tool. Local-model support and on-device processing also make it relevant to people handling sensitive material, provided they choose an offline model. It is less suited to buyers who need an unrestricted mobile workflow or a clearly stated transcription allowance before purchase.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad export support, speaker recognition, timestamps, batch transcription, cleanup, and translation cover several stages of a transcription workflow.
• Pros: Meeting recording across six named services and system wide dictation extend its use beyond imported files.
• Pros: Local models, API keys, custom compatible endpoints, and integrations offer flexibility for privacy and automation workflows.
• Cons: Local models on iOS require iPhone 15 or newer, limiting the mobile experience on older devices.
• Cons: Cloud transcription on iOS has a 25 MB file limit, which can rule out larger recordings.
• Cons: The Free plan is described around transcription and subtitle export, while Pro's published plan detail gives a language count but no quota or seat terms.

Alternatives

Happy Scribe is worth considering if Android support or a free trial matters; its free plan includes unlimited meeting recordings, a 45-minute per-recording limit, and a 10-minute AI trial.

Notta fits readers who want broader platform coverage, including web and Windows, and a free plan with one seat and 120 transcription minutes per month.

Avoma is an option for teams looking at paid-seat plans, with its Startup plan at $19 a month billed annually and free view-only seats.

Rev may suit users who want a defined free allowance: its free plan includes English-only transcription, 45 AI transcription and caption minutes per month, five files at once, and one user.

tl;dv is a fit for people prioritizing unlimited recordings and transcriptions on a free plan, with web, Windows, macOS, and iOS support.

Transkriptor offers an individual Lite plan at $9.99 a month billed monthly, including 300 transcription minutes per month.

Otter.ai is another freemium transcription option with Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows support.

Trint is a paid alternative with a free trial and support across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows.

For broader category browsing, see Audio Transcription Software, Speech-to-Text Software, Speech Recognition Software, and Transcription Software.

Verdict

Choose MacWhisper if you want a Mac-centered transcription workflow that also covers meeting recording, dictation, subtitles, integrations, and local models. Its strongest case is the range of ways it can turn recordings into usable text without confining users to a single AI setup. Look elsewhere if your priority is unrestricted iOS file handling or a published transcription quota and seat allowance before paying.