The two plans
| MacWhisper Free | MacWhisper Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €0, free forever | €64 one-time per licence |
| Updates | ✓ | Lifetime updates included |
| Record from the Mac microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Import mp3, wav, m4a, ogg, opus, mov, mp4 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 100 languages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export subtitles (.srt, .vtt) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export formats | .txt | .txt, .md, .pdf, .html, .docx |
| Automatic speaker recognition | ✗ | ✓ |
| Batch transcription of many files | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transcribe YouTube and media URLs | ✗ | ✓ |
| Translate transcripts | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI features (your own API keys, or local models via Ollama / LM Studio) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Watch folders: transcribe new files automatically | ✗ | ✓ |
| Record meetings (Zoom, Teams, Webex and more) | ✗ | ✓, with automatic start and end detection |
| System-wide dictation | ✓ | ✓, higher quality |
In short: the free version is a capable single-file transcriber that exports plain text and subtitles. Pro is what you buy for speaker labels, meeting recording, Word and PDF export, batch work and the AI features.
Is €64 a good price?
For a Mac-only user, yes: a one-time price with lifetime updates is cheaper than any subscription after a few months. Two things to keep in mind. MacWhisper runs only on Apple devices, so a Windows PC at work needs a different app. And its AI summaries and chat use your own API keys or a local model you set up in Ollama or LM Studio, so they are not built in the way the transcription is.
What the alternatives cost
| Price | Speaker labels | Platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacWhisper | Free; Pro €64 one-time | Pro only | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Scrieb | Free 1 h/day; Pro €22.99/month or €154.99/year | ✓ in every plan | Mac and Windows, one licence |
| Aiko | $24 one-time | ✗ | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Buzz | Free, open source | ✓ | Mac (Apple Silicon), Windows, Linux |
| Vibe | Free, open source | ✓ | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| noScribe | Free, open source | ✓ | Mac, Windows, Linux |
- Cheapest with speaker labels: Buzz, Vibe or noScribe, all free. See open-source Whisper GUIs.
- Best one-time value on the Mac: MacWhisper Pro.
- Mac and Windows, summaries and chat built in: Scrieb. Over a year, Scrieb Pro costs more than MacWhisper Pro; what you pay for is Windows, built-in summaries by recording type, AI chat across recordings and speaker labels in the free plan too.
More options: MacWhisper alternatives for Mac.
Pricing
Scrieb: free plan 1 hour a day with speaker labels and summaries. Pro has no minute limits, one licence for Mac and Windows.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does MacWhisper cost?
- MacWhisper has a free version and MacWhisper Pro, a one-time €64 per licence that includes lifetime updates, as shown on macwhisper.com on 24 October 2026. It is not a subscription. Prices in other currencies may differ.
- Is MacWhisper free?
- Yes, there is a free version with no time limit. It records from the Mac microphone, imports common audio and video files, transcribes 100 languages and exports subtitles and plain text. Speaker recognition, meeting recording, batch transcription and DOCX/PDF export need Pro.
- Does MacWhisper free include speaker recognition?
- No. On MacWhisper’s own comparison table, Automatic Speaker Recognition is a Pro feature.
- Is MacWhisper Pro a subscription?
- No. It is a one-time purchase per licence with lifetime updates.
- Is there a MacWhisper for Windows?
- No. MacWhisper is a Mac app, with iPhone and iPad versions. On Windows, Scrieb, Buzz, Vibe and noScribe run Whisper locally.
- Is MacWhisper Pro worth it?
- If you work only on a Mac and want speaker labels, batch processing and Word export for a one-time price, it is good value. If you also use Windows, want speaker labels without paying, or want built-in summaries without setting up API keys or a local LLM, compare the alternatives below.