Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. CraftNote: A cross-platform AI meeting assistant that transcribes and summarizes conversations, identifies speakers, and can join calls on major meeting platforms. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Alter when freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot matters most, and CraftNote when capturing in-person conversations and converting them into structured notes matters most. Run both through a week of actual calls to see which suits your workflow.
macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required.
A cross-platform AI meeting assistant that transcribes and summarizes conversations, identifies speakers, and can join calls on major meeting platforms.
Alter is a native macOS application that records, transcribes, and analyzes meetings directly on the user's Mac without sending a bot into the call. Instead of joining a meeting as a visible participant, Alter captures audio from the system output and microphone, so it works across Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype, Discord, and in-person conversations. Transcription runs through on-device models, with a choice of an optimized Parakeet model for major languages or Whisper for broader language coverage, and speaker identification is performed locally. Because processing happens on the device, recordings and transcripts stay on the Mac and the app can operate without an internet connection. Beyond raw transcripts, Alter generates summaries and action items, lets users chat with their meetings, and connects to tools such as Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, and Jira. It targets solopreneurs, freelancers, consultants, and other professionals who want private, bot-free meeting capture on macOS. The product is actively developed and operating in 2025 and 2026. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
CraftNote is an AI-powered meeting assistant available on the web, iOS, and Android that captures, transcribes, and analyzes conversations in real time and converts them into organized notes. It generates structured summaries suited to follow-ups and action items, identifies speakers, and supports a wide range of languages with automatic detection. A meeting bot can join calls on platforms including Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack Huddles, Webex, and Discord to capture full transcripts and summaries automatically, and the browser-based app lets users record, transcribe, and summarize without a download while syncing across phone and tablet. CraftNote also offers customizable note templates such as to-do lists, minutes, and executive briefs, an AI chat interface for querying recorded content, and export options including PDF, DOCX, and shareable links. The app is developed by Joyolabs and became available on Google Play in mid-2025. It is positioned for busy professionals who want meeting documentation handled automatically across both online calls and in-person conversations, with encrypted storage and privacy protections for stored content. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); CraftNote is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | CraftNote |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Real-time transcription and AI-generated summaries |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | Meeting bot for Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Slack Huddles, and Discord |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Speaker identification and multi-language support with auto-detection |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | Customizable note templates such as minutes, to-do lists, and executive briefs |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | AI chat for querying recorded content |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Export to PDF and DOCX and shareable links; web, iOS, and Android apps |
Alter
Choose Alter if you need freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot — strengths include local processing keeps recordings and transcripts on the user's own mac.
CraftNote
Choose CraftNote if you need automatically transcribing and summarizing online meetings across multiple platforms — strengths include works across web, ios, and android with cross-device sync.
Alter
CraftNote
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while CraftNote is strong for automatically transcribing and summarizing online meetings across multiple platforms. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and CraftNote 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.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Alter and CraftNote.
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