Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Kapwing: Collaborative browser-based video editor with auto subtitle generation and video-to-text transcription. Below, they line up on price, capture method, and how each fits a real meeting stack.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Alter when freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot matters most, and Kapwing when collaboratively editing captions across a team 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.
Collaborative browser-based video editor with auto subtitle generation and video-to-text transcription.
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
Kapwing is a collaborative, browser-based video creation and editing platform that includes automatic subtitle generation and transcription among its core tools. Users can upload audio or video, or create content within the editor, and Kapwing's auto subtitle generator transcribes the spoken audio into time-synced captions that can be edited, restyled, and exported. The platform also offers a dedicated function to turn videos into text automatically, producing a transcript from the recording. Captions can be translated into many languages, supporting creators who publish across regions. Kapwing positions itself as a workspace for teams, with collaboration features that let multiple people work on the same project, alongside a broad set of editing tools such as trimming, resizing for different platforms, and adding text and graphics. It is aimed at social media teams, marketers, educators, and creators who need quick, editable captions and transcripts integrated directly into a video editing and collaboration workflow rather than a separate transcription service. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Kapwing is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | Kapwing |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Automatic subtitle and caption generation |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | Video-to-text transcription |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Subtitle translation across many languages |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | Browser-based collaborative editing workspace |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Editing tools for trimming, resizing, and styling captions |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Automatic subtitle and caption generation |
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.
Kapwing
Choose Kapwing if you need adding auto-generated subtitles to social and marketing videos — strengths include collaboration features let teams work on the same project.
Alter
Kapwing
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while Kapwing is strong for adding auto-generated subtitles to social and marketing videos. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and Kapwing 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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