Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Soniox: Multilingual speech AI platform offering real-time and async speech-to-text and translation APIs for meetings and voice apps. 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 Soniox when building voice agents and dictation features into apps 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.
Multilingual speech AI platform offering real-time and async speech-to-text and translation APIs for meetings and voice apps.
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
Soniox is a multilingual speech AI platform that provides speech-to-text, translation, and text-to-speech APIs aimed at developers building voice-enabled applications, including meeting transcription, voice agents, dictation, and call-center tools. Its speech recognition supports real-time streaming with low latency as well as asynchronous processing of recorded files, and it covers a broad set of languages with the ability to handle conversations where speakers switch languages mid-sentence. For meeting and multi-party scenarios, Soniox offers speaker separation so transcripts can attribute speech to individual participants, along with handling of names, alphanumerics, and domain-specific terms. The platform also includes real-time speech translation across many language pairs, which is useful for international calls and meetings. Soniox markets enterprise-grade compliance, including SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR, and offers multi-region deployment with data-residency options and a privacy-oriented architecture where audio is processed in real time. Because it is delivered as APIs and SDKs, organizations typically embed Soniox into their own products rather than using it as a standalone meeting application. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Soniox is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | Soniox |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Real-time and asynchronous speech-to-text APIs |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | Speaker separation for multi-participant conversations |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Real-time speech translation across many language pairs |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | Code-switching support for mid-sentence language changes |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Web and server SDKs for browser and backend integration |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Enterprise compliance with SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR |
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.
Soniox
Choose Soniox if you need transcribing multilingual meetings and calls in real time — strengths include strong multilingual and translation capabilities for global meetings.
Alter
Soniox
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while Soniox is strong for transcribing multilingual meetings and calls in real time. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and Soniox 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.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Alter and Soniox.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Amber Notes: EU-focused AI meeting notetaker by Dutch company Amberscript, with EU-only data hosting, multilingual transcription and an Ask Amber chat. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Amberscript: Audio and video to text service offering automatic and human-verified transcripts and subtitles. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
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