Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Talat: A privacy-first desktop meeting notes app that records and transcribes calls entirely on your own machine, with no bot and no cloud upload. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Alter when freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot matters most, and Talat when keeping a searchable local archive of meeting notes in markdown or obsidian 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.
A privacy-first desktop meeting notes app that records and transcribes calls entirely on your own machine, with no bot and no cloud upload.
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
Talat is a lightweight desktop application that records and transcribes meetings entirely on the user's own computer, keeping audio and notes off cloud servers. It captures both the microphone and system audio, automatically detecting active conferencing apps such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and FaceTime, and transcribes both sides of the conversation in real time with low latency. Speakers are identified automatically and can be adjusted manually, and transcript segments can be edited, split, or deleted. When a meeting ends, an on-device large language model generates a summary highlighting key points, decisions, and action items. Because transcription and summarization run locally using hardware acceleration, the app functions offline and does not send meeting data to external providers, though users can optionally connect their own cloud LLM if they prefer. Talat supports exporting notes to Markdown for tools like Obsidian, along with webhooks and Model Context Protocol (MCP) support for integrating meeting data into other workflows, plus full local search across past recordings. Available for Apple Silicon Macs and Windows, it is sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, making it suited to privacy-conscious individuals and small teams who want local control of their meeting records. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Talat is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | Talat |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Fully local, on-device recording and transcription with no cloud upload |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | Captures microphone and system audio from Zoom, Teams, Meet, and FaceTime |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Real-time speaker identification with editable transcript segments |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | On-device LLM summaries of key points, decisions, and action items |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Markdown export to tools like Obsidian, plus webhooks and MCP support |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Local search across all previously recorded meetings |
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.
Talat
Choose Talat if you need recording and transcribing meetings without sending audio to the cloud — strengths include audio and notes never leave the device, supporting strong privacy and offline use.
Alter
Talat
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while Talat is strong for recording and transcribing meetings without sending audio to the cloud. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and Talat 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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