Daisy: Local-first, open-source macOS meeting recorder and AI notes app that transcribes on-device and exposes meetings to AI tools through a local MCP server. OpenWhispr: Open-source, privacy-first voice-to-text desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux that also transcribes meetings into AI-organized notes. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Daisy when recording and transcribing meetings privately on a mac without cloud upload matters most, and OpenWhispr when turning rough in-meeting notes into structured summaries and action items matters most. Test each on your own meetings; the right choice tends to become obvious quickly.
Local-first, open-source macOS meeting recorder and AI notes app that transcribes on-device and exposes meetings to AI tools through a local MCP server.
Open-source, privacy-first voice-to-text desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux that also transcribes meetings into AI-organized notes.
Daisy, from Addicted Studio, is a local-first meeting recorder and AI notes application for macOS that records meetings on the Mac, transcribes them on the device, and then exposes the captured conversations as a local MCP server for AI tools. It captures both microphone and system audio from any source, including Zoom, Google Meet, Telegram, and other apps, using ScreenCaptureKit, and performs on-device transcription with WhisperKit plus speaker identification via Pyannote diarization, so audio never leaves the Mac unless the user explicitly enables a cloud LLM provider. Beyond raw transcription, Daisy generates structured notes with action items and follow-ups and supports multiple summarization backends including Apple Intelligence, Anthropic, and OpenAI, as well as MCP. Because it runs a local MCP server, tools such as Claude Desktop and Cursor can read recorded meetings directly, and Daisy can export results to Notion, Linear, Attio, Slack, or arbitrary webhooks. It offers several capture modes covering meeting recording, voice dictation, and quick voice notes. Daisy is a native Mac application (not Electron) for Apple Silicon, is fully open source on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 license, and emphasizes privacy with no telemetry, tracking, or required account. The project maintains a product site at mydaisy.io with installation, FAQ, and support documentation. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
OpenWhispr is an open-source desktop application for macOS, Windows, and Linux that converts speech to text and includes a meeting notes capability built on the same engine. Its core function is global-hotkey dictation that inserts transcribed text at the cursor in any application, but it also ships an AI Notepad for meetings, an AI Chat that can reference past meetings, and an audio upload feature for transcribing recorded files. For meetings it captures the computer's audio directly rather than sending a bot into the call, transcribes the conversation in the background, and combines rough notes with the transcript to produce structured minutes that highlight decisions, action items, and next steps. Transcription can run locally using bundled Whisper and NVIDIA Parakeet models or connect to cloud models with a bring-your-own-key setup, and the project emphasizes that audio can be processed and discarded for privacy. The codebase is publicly available on GitHub and the app is actively maintained through 2026. It is aimed at developers, writers, and individuals or small teams who want a private, auditable, cross-platform transcription and meeting-notes tool. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Daisy is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); OpenWhispr is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Daisy | OpenWhispr |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Local recording of mic and system audio from any source via ScreenCaptureKit | Open-source and auditable, with code published on GitHub |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription with WhisperKit and speaker diarization via Pyannote | Cross-platform desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux |
| Team usage | Structured AI notes with action items and follow-ups | Local transcription via bundled Whisper and NVIDIA Parakeet models |
| Integrations | Multiple summarization backends: Apple Intelligence, Anthropic, OpenAI, and MCP | Bring-your-own-key cloud model option for flexibility |
| Languages & capture | Local MCP server so Claude Desktop, Cursor, and similar tools can read meetings | AI Notepad that turns rough meeting notes plus transcript into structured minutes |
| Best-fit workflow | Exports to Notion, Linear, Attio, Slack, or custom webhooks | Full-text search and AI Chat across captured meetings |
Daisy
Choose Daisy if you need recording and transcribing meetings privately on a mac without cloud upload — strengths include fully local-first with audio kept on-device unless a cloud llm is explicitly enabled.
OpenWhispr
Choose OpenWhispr if you need privately transcribing computer-audio meetings without a bot joining the call — strengths include fully open source, so users can inspect and self-host the code.
Daisy
OpenWhispr
It depends on your workflow. Daisy is strong for recording and transcribing meetings privately on a mac without cloud upload, while OpenWhispr is strong for privately transcribing computer-audio meetings without a bot joining the call. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Daisy is a free tier with paid upgrades and OpenWhispr 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.
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