Aiko: On-device AI transcription app for Mac, iOS, and visionOS that converts lecture and meeting audio to text privately. Pluely: A lightweight open-source desktop AI meeting assistant that captures system audio for live transcription and on-call answers without joining as a visible bot. 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 Pluely when running a privacy-conscious, locally processed meeting helper via ollama 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.
A lightweight open-source desktop AI meeting assistant that captures system audio for live transcription and on-call answers without joining as a visible bot.
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
Pluely is an open-source AI meeting assistant created by independent developer Srikanthnani and released in 2025 as a privacy-first, bot-free alternative to commercial in-meeting copilots. Built with Tauri, the app is roughly 10MB and launches quickly, running as an always-on-top overlay on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows, and Linux. Rather than sending a participant into your call, Pluely captures system audio and microphone input directly on your device, converts speech to text, and can surface AI responses and notes during a meeting, interview, or presentation. It is bring-your-own-key, so users connect their own provider credentials; it supports a wide range of large language models, including OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Grok, Mistral, Cohere, Ollama, and custom endpoints, alongside multiple speech-to-text engines such as Whisper, Deepgram, ElevenLabs, Groq, and Azure. Because it is GPL-licensed and fully inspectable, teams can audit or modify the code, and local model options via Ollama allow processing to stay on the machine. As an indie project it depends on external API keys for most capabilities and is still maturing. Confirm features and any usage policies on the official site. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Aiko is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Pluely is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Aiko | Pluely |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Fully on-device transcription powered by a local Whisper model | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone for live transcription |
| Standout feature | Support for roughly 100 languages | Always-on-top overlay app for macOS, Windows, and Linux |
| Team usage | Transcription of audio and video files in formats like m4a, wav, mp3, mp4, and mov | Bring-your-own-key support for many LLMs (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Mistral, Cohere, Ollama, custom) |
| Integrations | Export to multiple formats including JSON, CSV, and SRT subtitles | Multiple speech-to-text providers (Whisper, Deepgram, ElevenLabs, Groq, Azure, and others) |
| Languages & capture | Word-replacement feature to auto-correct common errors | Lightweight (~10MB) and fast to launch |
| Best-fit workflow | Apple Shortcuts integration and Universal Purchase across Mac, iOS, and visionOS | Open source under GPL with optional local processing via Ollama |
Aiko
Choose Aiko if you need transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying — strengths include strong privacy because nothing leaves the device.
Pluely
Choose Pluely if you need getting live transcription and ai assistance during meetings without a visible bot in the call — strengths include free and open source with fully inspectable code.
Aiko
Pluely
It depends on your workflow. Aiko is strong for transcribing recorded lectures into searchable text for studying, while Pluely is strong for getting live transcription and ai assistance during meetings without a visible bot in the call. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Aiko is a free tier with paid upgrades and Pluely is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary.
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