Alternative to MacWhisper
A private, local alternative to MacWhisper
MacWhisper is excellent at turning a file into text, with speaker labels in its Pro tier. unottr adds the library around it: a watched folder, speaker names that persist, search across every meeting, AI overviews and cited Ask answers, on Linux as well as Apple Silicon.
Who MacWhisper is for
MacWhisper is a Mac app that runs Whisper locally to transcribe audio and video files, popular for quick one-off transcription.
Where unottr differs
- Local-only transcription
- Transcription and speaker identification run on your computer with no network call. Audio is never uploaded.
- No account
- There is no sign-in. Install it, point it at a folder, and it works.
- One-time price
- $6.90 once for packaged downloads and support. No subscription and no charge per recording.
- Cited Ask answers
- Ask across meetings and get answers that cite the recording, speaker, date and timestamp, then open the video at that moment.
- Bring your own model
- Use Ollama or LM Studio on your computer, a hosted API, or an installed agent CLI. AI is optional.
When MacWhisper is the better fit
unottr is a desktop app for Linux x64 and Apple Silicon. It has no mobile apps, no live meeting bots and no team workspace. MacWhisper may suit you better if:
- You mainly need quick one-off transcription of files on a Mac.
- You do not need a library, speaker memory or cross-meeting questions.
- You want a long-established Mac-only tool and do not need Linux.
See the full comparison. Details about MacWhisper come from its public website and may have changed; check them before deciding.
One-time purchase · $6.90
Your meetings stay yours.
Local transcripts, speaker labels and search, with optional AI that cites its sources.
Linux x64 · Apple Silicon · unottr 0.2.0 · MIT licensed