What is MacWhisper?
MacWhisper is a macOS app for turning audio and video files into text. It runs OpenAI's Whisper, Qwen and Nvidia Parakeet models, with speaker recognition based on NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Diarization. The developer states that all transcription is done on the device, so no data leaves the Mac, which the text presents as a reason it suits sensitive recordings such as interviews. It is also available on iPhone and iPad.
In practice you can record directly from a microphone or capture meetings automatically from Zoom, Teams, Webex, Skype, Chime and Discord. You can also drag and drop files, edit and search transcripts, play audio or video synced to the text, and export to SRT, VTT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown, HTML and other formats. The Pro tier adds batch transcription, watch folders, a command line interface, integrations with Notion, Zapier, n8n and Obsidian, and optional cloud services and AI models for cleanup and translation.
Key features
- Transcribes audio and video files on the Mac using Whisper, Qwen and Parakeet models
- Automatic recording and transcription of meetings in Zoom, Teams, Webex and other apps
- Speaker recognition and manual speaker labels
- Subtitle export in SRT and VTT, plus DOCX, PDF, Markdown and other formats
- Full-text search and audio or video playback synced to the transcript
- System-wide dictation to replace Apple's dictation
Who is it for
- Journalists and researchers who transcribe interviews
- Students recording lectures
- Professionals transcribing meetings
- Video creators adding subtitles
Pros and cons
- All transcription runs locally on the device, with no data leaving the Mac
- Supports 100 languages and very fast transcription, up to about 30x realtime
- Core features are macOS-only, and many advanced features require the Pro version
- Some advanced models and features are limited to M-series Macs
MacWhisper pricing
The vendor does not publish prices in a readable form (often pricing is shown only after signing in).
Is MacWhisper free?
Yes, there is a free plan. The base app includes transcription of audio and video files, editing, search and exports; some Whisper models are fully available only to Pro users.
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- Best AI for meetings - #10
MacWhisper alternatives
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 TurboScribe | 20 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 HappyScribe | 8.50 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 Fireflies.ai | 10 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 Otter Meeting Agent | 16.99 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 Wispr Flow | 12 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
 Notta | 8.17 USD/mo | yes | Transcription & meetings |
All alternatives to MacWhisper →
FAQ
What is MacWhisper used for?
Mac app that transcribes audio and video into text on-device using Whisper and other speech models, for meetings, interviews and lectures.
Is MacWhisper free?
Yes, there is a free plan. The base app includes transcription of audio and video files, editing, search and exports; some Whisper models are fully available only to Pro users.
How much does MacWhisper cost?
The vendor does not publish prices publicly or requires sign-in.
What are the best MacWhisper alternatives?
Closest alternatives: TurboScribe, HappyScribe, Fireflies.ai, Otter Meeting Agent, Wispr Flow.
Data checked October 12, 2026 on the vendor website (goodsnooze.gumroad.com).