MacWhisper
Mac transcription and dictation software for lectures, videos, podcasts, files, and online meetings, with local transcription and a one-time Pro license.
Short description
MacWhisper is a Mac-focused transcription tool built around processing audio and video files, meetings, podcasts, and recordings. It also offers system-wide dictation, local models, AI services, speaker recognition, workflow automation, and extensive export options.
Features
File transcription: Drag and drop mp3, wav, m4a, ogg, opus, mov, and mp4 files
Meeting recording: Automatically records Zoom, Teams, Webex, Skype, Discord, and Chime, with automatic start and end detection and no bot
System-wide dictation: Pro includes high-quality dictation, AI prompts, app-specific prompts, and grammar
Podcast transcription: Creates per-speaker files
YouTube transcription
App Audio capture
Local models: Privacy and offline support
Speaker recognition
Filler cleanup
100+ languages: Includes translation
Exports: .srt, .vtt, .txt, .md, .pdf, .html, and .docx
Search and editor
Batch transcription
Watched Folders
AI services: Supports BYO API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, xAI, Azure, Deepseek, Google, and OpenRouter
Local AI: Ollama and LM Studio
AI tools: Summarization, chat, and custom prompts
Workflow automation: Auto-upload to Notion, Zapier, Obsidian, n8n, Make.com, or a webhook
CLI: Command-line control
Pricing
Free: €0, free forever
Pro: €64 one-time, with lifetime updates
Purchase: Available through Gumroad or the App Store
Integrations
AI providers: OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, xAI, Azure, Deepseek, Google, OpenRouter, Ollama, LM Studio, Deepgram, ElevenLabs, and Gladia
Workflow uploads: Notion, Zapier, Obsidian, n8n, Make.com, and custom webhooks
CLI: Agent and scripting workflows
Platforms
- macOS
- plus iOS
- iPad versions
What users love about MacWhisper
One-time pricing: €64 lifetime license instead of a $12/month subscription
On-device transcription: Privacy and offline support for sensitive files
Batch processing: High accuracy and significant transcription time savings
Recognition: Featured in Apple Keynotes, Forbes, and 9to5Mac
What users complain about MacWhisper
Not built primarily for live dictation: The product is transcription-first
Free-tier limitations: Key features such as speaker recognition, batch processing, and meetings require Pro
Limited platforms: macOS and iOS only, with no Windows support
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