Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. SpeakNotes: Browser-based AI tool that turns uploaded or recorded meeting audio and video into structured summaries with action items and decisions. Which one wins depends on your platform mix, budget, and how hands-off you want notes to be.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Alter when freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot matters most, and SpeakNotes when extracting action items and decisions from long calls 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.
Browser-based AI tool that turns uploaded or recorded meeting audio and video into structured summaries with action items and decisions.
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
SpeakNotes is an AI-powered transcription and summarization platform that converts audio and video recordings into structured written content. Its workflow has three steps: users upload audio or video files, paste a YouTube link, or record directly in the browser; the system transcribes and analyzes the content; and it returns a structured summary in a chosen format. For meetings, SpeakNotes is designed to extract action items, decisions, and key discussion points, making it suited to turning recorded calls into usable minutes. It supports speech-to-text across 50+ languages and offers 15+ output formats, including meeting notes, transcripts, blog posts, and flashcards, with export to tools such as Notion and Obsidian. The product is browser-based with direct upload and YouTube integration rather than a meeting bot, so it is oriented toward processing existing recordings and in-browser capture. SpeakNotes targets professionals who work with recorded content, including meeting participants who need post-call summaries, as well as students, researchers, podcast listeners, and content creators who want condensed, structured takeaways from long audio or video. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); SpeakNotes is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | SpeakNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Upload audio/video, paste a YouTube link, or record directly in the browser |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | AI transcription and analysis with structured summaries |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Extraction of action items, decisions, and key discussion points |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | 15+ output formats including meeting notes and transcripts |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | 50+ language support |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Export to Notion, Obsidian, and other tools |
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.
SpeakNotes
Choose SpeakNotes if you need turning recorded meeting audio or video into structured minutes — strengths include flexible inputs (file upload, youtube, in-browser recording).
Alter
SpeakNotes
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while SpeakNotes is strong for turning recorded meeting audio or video into structured minutes. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and SpeakNotes is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Often yes: teams combine tools when one handles capture and another handles analysis.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Alter and SpeakNotes.
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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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