Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. SmartDepo: AI deposition summary platform for litigators that produces cited summaries with page-line citations. 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 SmartDepo when extracting key admissions from testimony for case preparation matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.
macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required.
AI deposition summary platform for litigators that produces cited summaries with page-line citations.
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
SmartDepo is an AI-powered deposition summary platform built for litigation attorneys that analyzes deposition transcripts and generates comprehensive summaries with precise citations. It offers several summary products, including page/line summaries, key admissions analysis, deposition abstracts, and deposition memos, allowing legal teams to choose the format that fits a given task. SmartDepo emphasizes accurate page-line citations that can be carried directly into court filings, and it uses topic detection to organize information in a way that mirrors how attorneys structure case materials. The platform is designed to analyze entire transcripts without omissions and pairs its AI output with human review by legal professionals, and it reports producing summaries within minutes. SmartDepo is part of Rev, a speech-to-text company, which provides established backing for its operations. Because it is focused specifically on deposition summarization rather than general meeting notes, it is most useful to litigators, paralegals, and litigation support staff who need to quickly extract admissions, build chronologies of testimony, and prepare filings from lengthy deposition records. Its citation-first approach is tailored to the accuracy and traceability demands of legal work. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); SmartDepo is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | SmartDepo |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | AI deposition summaries with page-line citations |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | Multiple summary formats: page/line summaries, key admissions, abstracts, and memos |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Topic detection that organizes content like attorney case materials |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | Full-transcript analysis without omissions |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Human review of AI-generated summaries by legal professionals |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Fast turnaround, with summaries produced in minutes |
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.
SmartDepo
Choose SmartDepo if you need generating cited page-line summaries of deposition transcripts — strengths include citation-focused output suitable for court filings.
Alter
SmartDepo
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while SmartDepo is strong for generating cited page-line summaries of deposition transcripts. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and SmartDepo is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
You can — some teams pair them when each covers a different part of the meeting workflow.
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