Transcripted vs MacWhisper
MacWhisper and Transcripted both turn speech into text on your Mac, with nothing sent to the cloud. MacWhisper is strongest at transcribing audio files. Transcripted is built to capture your meetings and dictation every day and keep them as notes.
Download Transcripted — FreeAt a glance
| Transcripted | MacWhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Mac app for dictation, meetings, and audio files | Mac app for audio file transcription, plus dictation and meetings |
| Where speech becomes text | On your Mac | On your Mac, with optional cloud transcription on Pro |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free, no account | Free version. Pro is a one-time payment |
| Speaker names | Yes, free, and remembered across meetings | Speaker recognition on Pro |
| Saves captures as files | Yes, Markdown files saved automatically | Export to Markdown, SRT, DOCX, PDF, and more |
| AI tool access | Folder, local MCP server, and CLI | CLI and integrations on Pro |
| Open source | Yes, MIT | No |
| Platforms | Mac with Apple silicon, macOS 26+ | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
MacWhisper details come from its own website, checked September 2026. Prices and features can change.
Both keep your audio private
MacWhisper and Transcripted both transcribe on your Mac. If privacy is the main reason you're looking, either one works.
A daily habit, not a one-off job
MacWhisper shines when you have a file to transcribe. Transcripted is built for what you say every day. Press a hotkey to dictate. Click Record for a meeting. No bot joins the call.
Every capture is saved as a Markdown file in a folder on your Mac, with speaker names and timestamps. Transcripted remembers voices, so it can suggest who's talking in your next meeting. Over time, the folder becomes a searchable record you can open in Obsidian or point Claude at.
Where MacWhisper is better
MacWhisper has more tools for audio files: batch transcription, subtitles, live captions with translation, YouTube transcription, and many export formats. It also has iPhone and iPad apps.
If most of your work is transcribing recordings or making subtitles, MacWhisper fits better.
FAQ
Is Transcripted a good MacWhisper alternative?
Yes, if you mainly want to capture meetings and dictation. Transcripted does it on your Mac for free and saves everything as Markdown notes.
Does MacWhisper send audio to the cloud?
Not by default. MacWhisper transcribes on your device. Its Pro version also offers optional cloud transcription.
Can Transcripted transcribe audio files too?
Yes. Drop in an audio or video file and Transcripted saves it as the same kind of Markdown note as a meeting.
Is Transcripted free?
Yes. Transcripted is free and open source under the MIT license, including speaker names.