Whisper Notes

Offline Whisper transcription for iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs

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Screenshot of Whisper Notes, Offline Whisper transcription for iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs

What is Whisper Notes?

Whisper Notes is an AI transcriber tool. A native Apple app that transcribes audio entirely on-device using Whisper and Parakeet models. Covers Lock Screen recording, Voice Memos import, speaker labels, 100+ languages, Mac system-wide Fn voice typing and optional meeting capture, with a one-time purchase instead of a subscription.

Whisper Notes is a native speech-to-text app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs that runs Whisper and Parakeet models entirely on the device. Recordings, imported audio files and meeting captures are processed locally, with no servers, no analytics and no internet requirement. The pitch is narrow and deliberate: take the open-source Whisper family, wrap it in interface that needs no Python install or command line, and keep every second of audio on the hardware that captured it. The developer states that roughly 70,000 professionals use it. The iPhone and iPad build covers recording from the Lock Screen, importing MP3, M4A and WAV files, sharing clips straight out of Apple Voice Memos, and automatic speaker labelling with per-speaker timestamps. It supports more than 100 languages and handles five Shortcuts actions that let people automate recording and transcription. The Mac build adds system-wide voice typing: hold Fn in any app, speak, release, and the text is pasted into whatever field has focus. It also monitors for Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls and offers to record them from system audio, then produces transcripts with speaker labels. Model choice is where the product rewards a little reading. Parakeet V3 is the default and is fast (a 35 minute file in about 18 seconds on an M4 Pro test, at 6.32 percent word error rate) but covers 25 European languages. Whisper Large V3 Turbo is the multilingual fallback at over 100 languages and a much slower 14.3x realtime. SenseVoice is the correct pick for Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Cantonese. The direct-download Mac app also includes an optional on-device Gemma model for summaries and transcript Q&A. The tool sits in the same space as cloud transcription services such as Otter and Descript, and competes on privacy and pricing model rather than collaboration features. Buyers who need shared workspaces, team accounts, live transcription or Windows and Android support should look elsewhere: the developer states no such versions exist or are planned.

How do you use Whisper Notes?

  1. 1Install the app on your device
    Download the free Mac trial from whispernotes.app, or buy the iOS version on the App Store. The Mac build is free for 5,000 words a week before any payment.
  2. 2Download a transcription model
    Models download inside the app on first run, so no Python or whisper.cpp setup is required. Parakeet V3 is the default; switch to Whisper Large V3 Turbo or SenseVoice in Settings if your audio is outside its language range.
  3. 3Record or import audio
    Tap the Lock Screen widget to start an offline recording on iPhone, or import an MP3, M4A or WAV file. Voice Memos clips can be shared directly into the app from the share sheet.
  4. 4Review the transcript and speaker labels
    Transcription streams in as it processes. Rename any speaker once and the label updates throughout; set the speaker count manually from 2 to 6 when voices sound similar.
  5. 5Try Mac voice typing and meeting capture
    Hold Fn in any app, speak and release to paste text. Enable Meeting Recording in Settings to have the app offer to record Zoom, Teams and Google Meet calls, which requires Screen Recording permission.
  6. 6Export your transcript
    Export with timestamps, as SRT subtitles, or as VTT on Mac. The Mac build also writes each transcript as a Markdown file with YAML front matter into a folder you choose, such as an Obsidian vault.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • All transcription runs locally on the device, so audio never reaches a server and there is no account to maintain.AI
  • One-time pricing on iOS at $7.99, a rare model among transcription tools that mostly bill monthly.AI
  • Mac voice typing works in any text field via the Fn key, including inside cloud apps, without sending speech anywhere.AI
  • Parakeet V3 is genuinely quick: a 35 minute file in about 18 seconds in the developer's M4 Pro test.AI
  • Speaker labels with timestamps, plus SRT, VTT and Markdown export, cover interview and subtitle workflows.AI

Cons

  • Apple Silicon only: no Windows, Android or Intel Mac version exists, and the developer states none is planned.AI
  • The Mac direct download is a separate $14 license from the $7.99 App Store purchase, which is confusing.AI
  • On-device AI summaries and transcript chat exist only in the direct-download Mac build, not on iPhone or the Mac App Store edition.AI
  • Default Parakeet model covers 25 European languages; broader coverage means the much slower Whisper Large V3 Turbo.AI
  • No real-time transcription, and older devices are excluded (iPhone 12 or later, M-series Macs only).AI

How much does Whisper Notes cost?

Free trial

The Mac app downloaded from whispernotes.app is free for up to 5,000 words per week, with no time limit, before the $14 one-time license applies. The iOS app is a paid purchase with no free tier.

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Pricing

iOS, iPadOS and the Mac App Store build cost $7.99 once, covering unlimited transcriptions and updates. The Mac direct download from whispernotes.app is a separate $14 one-time license, free for 5,000 words a week. No subscriptions on either path.

Learn more

Support

The homepage answers common questions in a detailed FAQ covering models, devices, privacy, exports and meeting recording. No dedicated help centre, contact page or documentation site is listed.

Integrations

Shares audio in from Apple Voice Memos, plugs into the Shortcuts app through five actions, and on Mac detects Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls to record system audio. Markdown transcripts can land in an Obsidian vault.

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Features

Offline transcription on the Apple Neural Engine via Parakeet V3, Whisper Large V3 Turbo and SenseVoice, covering 100+ languages. Includes Lock Screen recording, Voice Memos import, speaker diarization with timestamps, SRT/VTT/Markdown export, Shortcuts actions, and on Mac, Fn voice typing, streaming output, meeting capture and an on-device Gemma assistant for summaries and transcript questions.

Frequently asked questions about Whisper Notes

  • How much does Whisper Notes cost?
    iOS, iPadOS and the Mac App Store build cost $7.99 once, covering unlimited transcriptions and updates. The Mac direct download from whispernotes.app is a separate $14 one-time license, free for 5,000 words a week. No subscriptions on either path.
  • Does Whisper Notes offer a free trial?
    The Mac app downloaded from whispernotes.app is free for up to 5,000 words per week, with no time limit, before the $14 one-time license applies. The iOS app is a paid purchase with no free tier.
  • How do you use Whisper Notes?
    The walkthrough on this page covers 6 steps: 1. Install the app on your device 2. Download a transcription model 3. Record or import audio 4. Review the transcript and speaker labels 5. Try Mac voice typing and meeting capture 6. Export your transcript.
  • What platforms does Whisper Notes support?
    Whisper Notes is available on iOS and MacOS.
  • What does Whisper Notes integrate with?
    Shares audio in from Apple Voice Memos, plugs into the Shortcuts app through five actions, and on Mac detects Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls to record system audio. Markdown transcripts can land in an Obsidian vault.
  • What are the limitations of Whisper Notes?
    Apple Silicon only: no Windows, Android or Intel Mac version exists, and the developer states none is planned. The Mac direct download is a separate $14 license from the $7.99 App Store purchase, which is confusing. On-device AI summaries and transcript chat exist only in the direct-download Mac build, not on iPhone or the Mac App Store edition.

Status

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Added10/21/2026

Platforms

iOSMacOS

Pricing

Free TrialPaid