Transcription app
WhisperPal vs MacWhisper
MacWhisper is a well-loved Mac app for transcribing audio and video files locally with Whisper. WhisperPal shares that local-first approach and adds a meeting workflow on top: automatic recording, speaker memory, AI chat and an MCP server.
- Detects real calls in 15 meeting apps and browsers and records app audio plus your microphone.
- Several local engines — Whisper, WhisperKit, Qwen3-ASR and Parakeet — chosen per language and Mac.
- Bring your own AI: Ollama, LM Studio, any OpenAI-compatible API, or the Codex and Claude Code CLIs.
- Free during beta, with every feature included.
When to choose
Choose WhisperPal if
- Most of your audio comes from meetings.
- You want speakers recognised automatically.
- You work in Chinese as well as English.
Choose MacWhisper if
- You mainly transcribe existing files and podcasts.
- You prefer a mature product with a long track record.
Based on publicly available information as of October 2026. Products change — tell us if something is out of date.
Apple Silicon · macOS 12 or later v0.2.0 Beta