Aiko: On-device AI transcription app for Mac, iOS, and visionOS that converts lecture and meeting audio to text privately. Observe.AI: Observe.AI is a contact-center conversation intelligence platform that records, transcribes, and auto-scores customer calls and chats against quality scorecards while guiding agents in real time. Which one wins depends on your platform mix, budget, and how hands-off you want notes to be.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Aiko when transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying matters most, and Observe.AI when contact-center agents getting real-time prompts and after-call summaries during live interactions matters most. Trial each on a few real meetings before you commit — the better fit usually shows fast.
On-device AI transcription app for Mac, iOS, and visionOS that converts lecture and meeting audio to text privately.
Observe.AI is a contact-center conversation intelligence platform that records, transcribes, and auto-scores customer calls and chats against quality scorecards while guiding agents in real time.
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
Observe.AI is a conversation intelligence and CX platform built for contact centers. It captures customer interactions across voice, chat, and email, then transcribes them using a proprietary automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine that produces diarized transcripts with built-in PII redaction. On top of those transcripts, it layers large language models to automatically evaluate 100% of conversations against configurable QA scorecards, replacing the manual sampling most quality teams rely on. The platform surfaces sentiment, keyword spotting, and operational insights, and feeds them into coaching workflows for supervisors. For frontline agents, an Agent Copilot delivers real-time guidance, next-best-action prompts, and automated after-call summaries during live interactions. It's aimed at enterprise CX, support, and sales operations in regulated industries such as banking, insurance, healthcare, and travel, and offers hundreds of pre-built integrations with common contact-center and CRM systems. Distinct points include full-coverage auto QA, real-time agent assist tied to live sentiment, and an ASR engine tuned specifically for contact-center audio rather than general meetings.
Best suited for
Aiko is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Observe.AI is custom pricing (contact sales). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Aiko | Observe.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Fully on-device transcription powered by a local Whisper model | Proprietary ASR that produces diarized call transcriptions with built-in PII redaction |
| Standout feature | Support for roughly 100 languages | Automated quality assurance that scores 100% of interactions against configurable QA scorecards |
| Team usage | Transcription of audio and video files in formats like m4a, wav, mp3, mp4, and mov | Real-time Agent Copilot delivering live guidance, prompts, and next-best-action suggestions |
| Integrations | Export to multiple formats including JSON, CSV, and SRT subtitles | Automated after-call summaries for voice and chat interactions |
| Languages & capture | Word-replacement feature to auto-correct common errors | Sentiment analysis, keyword spotting, and conversation analytics across voice, chat, and email |
| Best-fit workflow | Apple Shortcuts integration and Universal Purchase across Mac, iOS, and visionOS | Supervisor coaching workflows and pre-built integrations with contact-center and CRM tools |
Aiko
Choose Aiko if you need transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying — strengths include strong privacy because nothing leaves the device.
Observe.AI
Choose Observe.AI if you need quality assurance teams auto-scoring every support call against compliance and qa scorecards — strengths include auto-scores 100% of conversations instead of a small manual sample, giving full qa coverage.
Aiko
Observe.AI
It depends on your workflow. Aiko is strong for transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying, while Observe.AI is strong for quality assurance teams auto-scoring every support call against compliance and qa scorecards. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Aiko is a free tier with paid upgrades and Observe.AI is custom pricing. 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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