MacWhisper review

MacWhisper runs speech models such as OpenAI's Whisper, Qwen and Nvidia Parakeet directly on a Mac, so audio is never uploaded to a server. The developer describes it as a good fit for sensitive audio such as interviews, which is exactly the concern for reporters protecting sources or researchers bound by consent rules. You drag in a file or record from a microphone, and it transcribes in 100 languages, with speaker recognition, filler word removal, timecodes, synced playback and exports to SRT, VTT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown and HTML. It can also record calls in Zoom, Teams, Webex and other apps. The free version covers basic transcription, and Pro is a one-time license with lifetime updates rather than a subscription. The listed price showed in euros and zloty from our location, so the USD check is pending. It needs macOS 14 or later, runs best on M-series Macs, and has no shared workspace for teams.

Who it is for

Journalists and researchers with sensitive recordings who want transcription that never leaves their Mac.

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending).

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• On-device transcription, no data leaves the Mac
• Supports 100 languages
• Speaker recognition with Nvidia diarization
• SRT, VTT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown and HTML exports
• Records Zoom, Teams, Webex and other meeting apps

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Recordings stay on your machine
• Strength: One-time payment, no subscription
• Strength: Free version for basic transcription
• Weakness: Mac only, with an iPhone and iPad version sold separately
• Weakness: Speed depends on your hardware
• Weakness: No shared team workspace

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, MacWhisper Free
• Pricing model: One-time Pro license with lifetime updates
• Languages: 100
• Requirements: macOS 14 or later, M-series Macs recommended

Where it ranks

MacWhisper is No. 5 in our Best AI Transcription Software verdict.