Comparison
Talki vs MacWhisper
MacWhisper is a transcription workbench for files, meetings and system audio. Talki is for the words you say every day. Many people could use both.
The short answer
Choose MacWhisper if most of your audio already exists: interviews, lectures, video files, meetings. Choose Talki if you want to speak a message or a note right now, have the text in the app you are using, and keep the recording organised by project.
Side by side
| Talki | MacWhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Dictation and voice notes | Transcribing files, meetings and system audio, plus dictation |
| Local models | Apple on-device speech | Whisper, Parakeet and other local models |
| Your own API key | Yes, OpenRouter | Yes, for external AI services |
| File import | Not offered | Drag and drop; mp3, wav, m4a, ogg, opus, mov, mp4 |
| Subtitles | Not offered | .srt and .vtt export |
| Notes and projects | Yes | Not documented |
| Price | Free core; Talki Plus planned | Free version; Pro €64 once |
MacWhisper facts come from macwhisper.com, checked on 19 October 2026.
When to use which
- Recording a podcast episode for subtitles: MacWhisper.
- Replying to a message by voice, then pasting: Talki.
- Capturing ideas through the day into project notes: Talki.
- Batch transcribing a folder of interviews: MacWhisper.
Where Talki is different
Talki is shaped around short, frequent captures. The floating control starts in a keystroke, the original is saved first, and the result lands where you were typing or in a project note. It does not try to be a file transcription studio.
Can Talki transcribe an audio file?
Not in this version. Talki transcribes what you record with it. For existing files, a tool like MacWhisper is the better fit.