Aiko: On-device AI transcription app for Mac, iOS, and visionOS that converts lecture and meeting audio to text privately. joinly: Open-source, self-hostable connector that lets AI agents join Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe, listen, and act in real time via MCP. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Aiko when transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying matters most, and joinly when self-hosted, privacy-first real-time meeting transcription for regulated teams matters most. Test each on your own meetings; the right choice tends to become obvious quickly.
On-device AI transcription app for Mac, iOS, and visionOS that converts lecture and meeting audio to text privately.
Open-source, self-hostable connector that lets AI agents join Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe, listen, and act in real time via MCP.
Aiko is a native transcription app for macOS, iOS, and visionOS, developed by Sindre Sorhus, that converts speech to text from meetings, lectures, and recordings entirely on-device. It uses OpenAI's Whisper model running locally, so audio never leaves the user's device, which makes it appealing for students and professionals with privacy requirements. Aiko transcribes both audio and video files in common formats such as .m4a, .wav, .mp3, .mp4, and .mov, and supports around 100 languages. Transcriptions can be exported in multiple formats, including JSON, CSV, and SRT subtitles, and the app includes a word-replacement feature to automatically correct recurring errors. It also integrates with Apple Shortcuts for automation workflows. Because Aiko prioritizes accuracy over speed, it does not perform live transcription while recording and currently does not include speaker detection, so it is best for transcribing recorded lectures, interviews, and meetings after the fact. The app is offered as a Universal Purchase with a free trial via TestFlight, making it a low-cost, privacy-first option for turning lecture and meeting recordings into searchable text. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
joinly is an open-source middleware project (by joinly-ai) that makes meetings accessible to AI agents. It runs as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that equips any agent with the tools to join a live video call, capture a real-time transcript, and interact by voice or chat during the meeting. Rather than being a finished notetaker app, joinly is a framework developers use to build interactive meeting agents that can listen, answer, search the web, draft documents, and post chat messages while the meeting is in progress. It works cross-platform across Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams (and browser-based calls), and is model-agnostic, supporting OpenAI, Anthropic, and local models through Ollama. Speech-to-text and text-to-speech are modular, with Whisper or Deepgram for transcription and Kokoro, ElevenLabs, or Deepgram for synthesis. The project is MIT licensed and deployed via Docker (with a separate CUDA GPU image), giving teams full data sovereignty. The MCP server exposes join/leave controls, transcript and participant access, audio control, chat messaging, and video snapshots, making it a building block for custom, privacy-first meeting automation. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Aiko is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); joinly is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Aiko | joinly |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Fully on-device transcription powered by a local Whisper model | MCP server that exposes meeting tools (join/leave, transcript, chat, audio control, snapshots) to AI agents |
| Standout feature | Support for roughly 100 languages | Real-time transcription with timestamps and speaker information, subscribable for live updates |
| Team usage | Transcription of audio and video files in formats like m4a, wav, mp3, mp4, and mov | Cross-platform support for Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and browser-based calls |
| Integrations | Export to multiple formats including JSON, CSV, and SRT subtitles | Modular speech-to-text and text-to-speech backends (Whisper, Deepgram, Kokoro, ElevenLabs) |
| Languages & capture | Word-replacement feature to auto-correct common errors | Model-agnostic: works with OpenAI, Anthropic, and local LLMs via Ollama |
| Best-fit workflow | Apple Shortcuts integration and Universal Purchase across Mac, iOS, and visionOS | Docker-based self-hosting with optional CUDA GPU image |
Aiko
Choose Aiko if you need transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying — strengths include strong privacy because nothing leaves the device.
joinly
Choose joinly if you need building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls — strengths include fully open source (mit) and self-hostable for complete data control.
Aiko
joinly
It depends on your workflow. Aiko is strong for transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying, while joinly is strong for building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Aiko is a free tier with paid upgrades and joinly is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Sure. Running both makes sense when their strengths don't overlap and the budget allows.
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