Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. TranscribeAudio: A Chrome extension that transcribes any browser tab's audio into a live, floating real-time caption overlay using OpenAI's Whisper-based speech recognition. 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 TranscribeAudio when transcribing online lectures, courses, and webinars for study notes 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.
A Chrome extension that transcribes any browser tab's audio into a live, floating real-time caption overlay using OpenAI's Whisper-based speech recognition.
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
TranscribeAudio is a Chrome browser extension that captures the audio playing in any browser tab and turns it into real-time text, displayed in a repositionable floating caption overlay while you keep working. It is aimed at people who want live captions and transcripts for online meetings, lectures, courses, podcasts, webinars, and videos. Because it works from tab audio rather than joining calls as a meeting bot, it can transcribe Zoom, Google Meet, YouTube, Vimeo, and essentially any site with audio or video without sending notifications into the call. Transcription is powered by OpenAI's Whisper-based speech recognition, which the company says handles accents, background noise, and specialized terminology, and supports over 50 languages. Setup is a three-step flow: install from the Chrome Web Store, sign in, then click Start Transcribing on a tab. Finished transcripts can be exported as text files for notes, summaries, or sharing, with cloud storage listed as an upcoming feature. The product offers a free tier with paid upgrades for more usage, languages, and faster transcription.
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); TranscribeAudio is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | TranscribeAudio |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Real-time, live transcription of any browser tab's audio |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | Repositionable floating caption overlay that stays on screen while you work |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Tab-audio capture that works without joining meetings as a bot |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | OpenAI Whisper-based speech recognition across 50+ languages |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Compatibility with YouTube, Zoom, Google Meet, Vimeo, and any audio/video site |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | Export of transcripts as TXT files for notes and sharing |
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.
TranscribeAudio
Choose TranscribeAudio if you need generating live captions and transcripts for zoom and google meet calls without a bot — strengths include captures meeting and video audio without a visible bot joining the call.
Alter
TranscribeAudio
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while TranscribeAudio is strong for generating live captions and transcripts for zoom and google meet calls without a bot. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and TranscribeAudio 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 TranscribeAudio.
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.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. AmpUp: AI sales coaching platform with a native notetaker that records and transcribes calls, then delivers prep briefs, debriefs, and practice scenarios. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Anarlog: Open-source, local-first AI meeting notepad (formerly Hyprnote) by Fastrepl that records and summarizes private meetings on your own device with no bot. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. AskElephant: AI workflow platform for revenue teams that captures calls and meetings and automates CRM updates, handoffs, and coaching. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Aspect: AI interview assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes recruiting interviews, then autofills ATS scorecards. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Attendee: Open-source, self-hostable meeting bot API that sends bots into Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams to capture recordings and transcripts. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Attention: AI conversation intelligence platform that records and transcribes sales calls, scores them against frameworks, and automates CRM updates and follow-ups. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Attio Call Intelligence: Attio's native call intelligence records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings and syncs every conversation to the Attio CRM automatically. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. AudioNotes: AI note taker for voice, audio, video, and text that records meetings and memos and turns them into structured notes and summaries. 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. AudiosTranscribe: French-focused, bot-free meeting transcription tool with European inference, summaries, action plans, and automatic audio deletion. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Audiosum: AI transcription platform with Arabic dialect support that transcribes and summarizes meetings, lectures and videos. Which one wins depends on your platform mix, budget, and how hands-off you want notes to be.