BeAware Conference Captioning: AI real-time captioning and translation app for live in-person and hybrid events, with on-screen overlays and multilingual attendee access. StenoAI: Open-source desktop app that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on-device with no bots, subscriptions, or cloud processing. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist BeAware Conference Captioning when providing accessible live captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing conference attendees matters most, and StenoAI when generating diarized live transcripts during zoom, teams, or meet calls on a mac matters most. Test each on your own meetings; the right choice tends to become obvious quickly.
AI real-time captioning and translation app for live in-person and hybrid events, with on-screen overlays and multilingual attendee access.
Open-source desktop app that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on-device with no bots, subscriptions, or cloud processing.
BeAware Conference Captioning is an AI-powered real-time transcription and translation tool designed for live in-person, seminar, and hybrid event settings, with a focus on accessibility for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and non-native-language attendees. Built by BeAware (founded by Saamer Mansoor), the product transcribes a speaker in real time and can translate the output into more than 25 languages, with simultaneous translation into several languages at once. Attendees can follow captions on event screens or join on their own devices via a QR code or URL without downloading an app, and the captioning view can be customized for overlay design, text size, and background color to suit different venues and broadcast setups. The system integrates with production tooling such as Bitfocus Companion and supports remote control over a local network, making it suitable for AV-driven stage productions. It also generates AI summaries and follow-up questions based on the live talk and provides offline access to transcripts and translations after the event. A companion app is available on Apple platforms and is actively maintained, with the latest version released in mid-2026, confirming the product is currently operating. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
StenoAI (Steno) is an open-source desktop application that records meetings, transcribes them in real time, and generates AI-powered summaries while keeping all data local on the user's device. It positions itself as a privacy-first meeting notes tool with no cloud processing, no subscriptions, and no bots joining calls, and it is distributed under the MIT license with an actively maintained release history (v0.5.4 in June 2026). On Apple Silicon it can use the Parakeet TDT v3 model for live transcription, and it also supports Whisper models, capturing both system audio and microphone input via a native Core Audio Tap on recent macOS versions so it works across platforms like Zoom, Teams, Meet, Discord, and phone calls without OAuth integrations. During recording it shows live speaker labels distinguishing the user from others, and it supports 25 European languages for live transcription with up to 99 languages available via Whisper after recording. Summaries are produced with local LLMs through Ollama (for example Llama 3.2, Gemma, or Qwen), with optional remote Ollama server support to run larger models on a separate machine, and both transcripts and summaries can be exported as editable Markdown. A Windows build is in alpha alongside the primary macOS app. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BeAware Conference Captioning is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); StenoAI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BeAware Conference Captioning | StenoAI |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Real-time AI transcription with translation into 25+ languages | On-device transcription with Parakeet TDT v3 (Apple Silicon) or Whisper models |
| Standout feature | Simultaneous translation into multiple languages within seconds | System audio and microphone capture via native Core Audio Tap (no bots) |
| Team usage | Customizable on-screen caption overlays (design, text size, background) | Real-time on-screen speaker labels distinguishing you from others |
| Integrations | Attendee access via QR code or URL with no app download required | Local LLM summaries through Ollama, with remote Ollama server support |
| Languages & capture | Integration with Bitfocus Companion and local-network remote control | 25 European languages live, up to 99 languages via Whisper after recording |
| Best-fit workflow | AI-generated summaries and follow-up questions plus offline transcript access | Markdown export of transcripts and summaries |
BeAware Conference Captioning
Choose BeAware Conference Captioning if you need providing accessible live captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing conference attendees — strengths include purpose-built for live in-person and hybrid stage events and av workflows.
StenoAI
Choose StenoAI if you need capturing and summarizing confidential meetings without sending audio to the cloud — strengths include fully local, bot-free capture with no cloud processing or subscriptions for core use.
BeAware Conference Captioning
StenoAI
It depends on your workflow. BeAware Conference Captioning is strong for providing accessible live captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing conference attendees, while StenoAI is strong for capturing and summarizing confidential meetings without sending audio to the cloud. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BeAware Conference Captioning is a free tier with paid upgrades and StenoAI 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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