Free / Open-sourceFree open-source dictation that runs speech-to-text on your own machine
Free / Open-sourceFree open-source dictation that runs speech-to-text on your own machine

Private, offline speech-to-text for iPhone, iPad and Mac

This is our editors' assessment out of 5, not an average of user ratings. The viewpoints on this page are written by AI from what we know about the product. They are not customer reviews.
According to OpenAITools.app telemetry verified on 2026-11-11, Whisper Notes (apps.apple.com) is an AI platform indexed under AI Speech-to-Text generating 0 monthly visits with a month-over-month traffic delta of +0 (0.0%). Its primary geographic market is Global (— traffic share), and it operates on a Paid pricing model. Top competing alternatives by monthly volume include OpenWhispr (291.76K visits/mo), VoiceInk (42.91K visits/mo), Superwhisper (238.29K visits/mo).
Runs fully on-device so my meetings stay private.
Speaker diarization occasionally mixes up voices.
One-time purchase makes it an instant buy.
Airplane mode transcription actually works.
AI-synthesized perspectives grounded in live site inspection, pricing structure, and category benchmarks — presented as editorial viewpoints rather than individual customer testimonials.
Choose between Parakeet, OpenAI's Whisper, SenseVoice or, on supported iOS 26 devices, Apple Speech — all running locally.
Automatic diarization labels who said what; rename or reassign each speaker afterwards.
Detects the spoken language automatically across 101 languages, including recordings where speakers switch languages mid-sentence.
Start recording from the Lock Screen, widgets, Control Center, the Action button, Apple Watch or "Hey Siri", and import files in batches.
Save transcripts as TXT, Markdown or SRT subtitles with timestamps and speaker labels, or auto-save to Files and iCloud Drive.
Whisper Notes is built around a simple premise: transcription software should not require you to upload a confidential interview or a client meeting to somebody else's server. The app runs its speech models directly on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, which is why turning on airplane mode changes nothing about how it works. Developers, journalists, students and researchers use it for exactly that reason — the recording is often the sensitive part.
Functionally it covers the whole workflow rather than just the conversion step. You can record from the Lock Screen, a widget, Control Center, the Action button, Apple Watch or Siri, or import audio and video files from WhatsApp, Voice Memos, Photos and Files, several at once. Each recording can run up to 24 hours. Once transcribed, transcripts are editable — double-tap a paragraph to fix a word — and can be exported with timestamps and speaker labels as TXT, Markdown or SRT subtitles for video work.
Pricing is deliberately uncomplicated: a single purchase, no subscription, no in-app purchases and no ads. The listing is available on the App Store from SmashMelon LLC, and the app carries a 4.7-star rating from hundreds of reviewers. Note that it needs an iPhone 12 or newer, and because notes live only on your device, you should export anything important — deleting the app deletes its data.
Transcribe sensitive source interviews without ever sending the audio off the device, then export labelled quotes for writing.
Record a lecture on the Lock Screen and turn it into searchable text that handles subject-specific terminology.
Capture meetings with speaker separation so you can attribute decisions and action items to the right person.
Transcribe video audio into timestamped SRT files for captions without a separate subtitle workflow.
Side-by-side telemetry comparison of competing AI tools in the same primary category
| Rank | AI Tool | Monthly Visits | MoM Growth | Direct traffic share | Pricing | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | Whisper Notes | 0 | — | — | Paid | Current |
| 1 | OpenWhispr | 291.76K | -13.3% | 25% direct | Free | vs OpenWhispr |
| 2 | VoiceInk | 42.91K | -16.2% | 38% direct | Free Trial, Paid | vs VoiceInk |
| 3 | Superwhisper | 238.29K | -13.9% | 25% direct | Freemium | vs Superwhisper |
| 4 | Whisper Memos | 6.68K | +29.2% | 39% direct | Freemium | vs Whisper Memos |
| 5 | Voicetypr | 4.55K | -28.8% | 40% direct | Free Trial, Paid | vs Voicetypr |
| 6 | Aqua Voice | 152.6K | +19% | 38% direct | Freemium | vs Aqua Voice |
Free / Open-sourceFree open-source dictation that runs speech-to-text on your own machine
Free / Open-sourceFree open-source dictation that runs speech-to-text on your own machine

Free / Open-sourcePrivate, open-source voice-to-text dictation for Mac powered by local AI
Free / Open-sourcePrivate, open-source voice-to-text dictation for Mac powered by local AI
Free / Open-sourceJust speak. Write faster, in any app.

Free / Open-sourceSpeak a memo, get a formatted email with transcription and summary
Free / Open-sourceSpeak a memo, get a formatted email with transcription and summary
Free / Open-sourceOffline AI voice dictation for Mac and Windows, paid once instead of monthly
Free / Open-sourceOffline AI voice dictation for Mac and Windows, paid once instead of monthly

Free / Open-sourceVoice dictation that writes like you talk, in any app
Free / Open-sourceVoice dictation that writes like you talk, in any app

Free / Open-sourceOpen-source, privacy-first AI meeting assistant that runs locally
Free / Open-sourceOpen-source, privacy-first AI meeting assistant that runs locally
Free / Open-sourceTurn voice memos into structured notes with AI
Free / Open-sourceTurn voice memos into structured notes with AI

Free / Open-sourceVoice typing that works in every app and website
Free / Open-sourceVoice typing that works in every app and website
Free / Open-sourceLocal-first AI memory that makes your videos, audio and documents searchable
Free / Open-sourceLocal-first AI memory that makes your videos, audio and documents searchable

Free / Open-sourceVoice-powered note taking with dictation in 50+ languages
Free / Open-sourceVoice-powered note taking with dictation in 50+ languages

Free / Open-sourceSpeak naturally, get polished text anywhere you write
Free / Open-sourceSpeak naturally, get polished text anywhere you write