Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Slipbox: Privacy-first, bot-free AI meeting companion that captures system audio locally on Mac and Windows and turns it into transcripts, notes, and summaries. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Alter when freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot matters most, and Slipbox when privacy-conscious professionals who cannot use cloud meeting bots matters most. Trial each on a few real meetings before you commit — the better fit usually shows fast.
macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required.
Privacy-first, bot-free AI meeting companion that captures system audio locally on Mac and Windows and turns it into transcripts, notes, and summaries.
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
Slipbox is a privacy-first AI meeting companion built for individual professionals and teams who want to capture meetings without sending a bot into the call. Instead of joining a conference as a visible participant, Slipbox runs on your own machine and captures the device's system audio alongside your microphone, then transcribes the conversation on-device in real time. As the meeting progresses it can surface real-time insights and cues, and once the conversation ends it generates AI summaries using customizable templates, tagged notes, and searchable meeting records. Because the core transcription happens locally, audio does not need to leave the device, and the product uses a hybrid model in which optional cloud features can be turned on when needed; users can also bring their own LLM API key or point Slipbox at local models such as Ollama to keep data within their firewall. It works across common communication apps including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Slack, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord, and Webex, and integrates with note tools like Obsidian. Slipbox is available for macOS, Windows, and iPhone, and is suited to consultants, researchers, and privacy-conscious knowledge workers who want a personal meeting record without a meeting bot. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Slipbox is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | Slipbox |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Bot-free capture of system audio plus microphone directly on the device |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | On-device, real-time transcription with optional hybrid cloud features |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | AI summaries from customizable templates, tagged notes, and searchable records |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | Automatic meeting detection across Zoom, Teams, Meet, Slack, FaceTime and more |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Bring-your-own LLM API key or local model support (e.g. Ollama) |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Speaker identification, semantic search, and Obsidian integration |
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.
Slipbox
Choose Slipbox if you need consultants and researchers keeping private records of client and interview calls — strengths include no bot joins the call, so capture is discreet across many platforms.
Alter
Slipbox
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while Slipbox is strong for consultants and researchers keeping private records of client and interview calls. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and Slipbox 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.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Alter and Slipbox.
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