Notely vs MacWhisper
The closest match on this list. Both transcribe files, record meetings and summarize with AI. MacWhisper is a Mac app that runs Whisper locally and charges once. Notely is a phone-first recorder with a Mac app, a Chrome extension and a dictation keyboard, iCloud and EU-hosted sync, and a chat with your recordings.
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Notely AI
The AI voice-note app for anything you hear
- →Records your Mac's audio during Teams, Zoom and Meet calls, or any browser tab via the Chrome extension
- →Upload a file or paste a YouTube link
- →30 languages, with live translation on Premium
- →Privacy mode processes everything on your device
- →10 free minutes every day, or from $0.49 for extra minutes
- →Notely Keyboard dictates into any app on iOS and Android
MacWhisper
Local transcription on your Mac, paid once
- →Runs Whisper and Parakeet models on your Mac; nothing has to leave it
- →Transcribes audio and video files, YouTube links and meetings
- →Speaker recognition, subtitles, batch processing and 100 languages
- →Bring your own AI service for summaries, or run one locally
- →Free tier; Pro is €64 once with lifetime updates
Side by side
The features people actually ask about, without the marketing gloss.
| Feature | Notely | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Recording conversations anywhere: phone, Mac or browser | Transcribing files and meetings on a Mac |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, macOS, plus a Chrome extension | macOS; a newer iOS app with a smaller feature set; no Windows |
| Online meetings (Zoom, Teams, Meet) | Yes Press record on your Mac (macOS 14.4 or later) and Notely captures the computer audio from the call. In Chrome on any computer, the Notely extension captures the tab's audio. On your phone, record from the room or import the recording. | Yes Records app and system audio from Zoom, Teams, Webex and more on Pro |
| In-person conversations and lectures | Yes Phone or Mac on the table, tap record | Partly Record from the Mac microphone; the iOS app covers some of this |
| Upload audio and video files | Yes MP3, WAV, M4A and more | Yes MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, OPUS, MOV, MP4, with batch and watched folders on Pro |
| YouTube links | Yes Paste a URL and Notely transcribes it | Yes YouTube and podcast transcription on Pro |
| Languages | 30 languages, plus live translation on Premium | 100 languages, with translation on Pro |
| Summaries and chat | Yes Meeting notes, to-dos, flashcards and quizzes; ask questions of any recording | Yes AI prompts on a finished transcript through OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama and others |
| Speaker recognition | Yes On Premium, with the premium AI models | Yes Automatic speaker labels on Pro |
| Dictation into other apps | Yes Yes, with Notely Keyboard on iOS and Android: tap the mic, talk, and the text is typed where your cursor is. Cloud or on-device Whisper, with formatting and translate modes. | Yes System-wide dictation with grammar cleanup on Pro |
| Subtitle export | Yes SRT subtitles, plus PDF, Markdown, email and text | Yes SRT and VTT free; DOCX, PDF, HTML and Markdown on Pro |
| On-device processing | Yes On-device transcription on every plan, with the larger Whisper models on Premium. Privacy mode on Premium keeps transcription and summaries on the device and blocks every cloud call. | Yes Everything local by default; AI summaries go to the service you configure, or a local model |
| Sync across devices | Yes Notes, transcripts and audio sync through your iCloud; transcripts and notes through EU servers | No Files live on your Mac |
| Where your data lives | On your device first, then your iCloud; transcripts and notes sync through EU servers, encrypted in transit and at rest. Fully on-device with Privacy mode. | On your Mac; nothing leaves it unless you use a cloud AI service |
| No training on your data | Yes Notely never trains on your data. Your data is never sold or shared with unrelated third parties | Yes No; the developer never sees your audio |
| Free plan | Yes 10 minutes of recording every day, forever | Yes Free transcription of files and mic recordings with TXT, SRT and VTT export |
| Paid plans | $7.99/month or $49.99/year for 1,800 min/month | Pro €64 once, lifetime updates; a subscription option on the Mac App Store |
| Pay as you go | Yes 10 min for $0.49, 35 min for $1.99, 80 min for $4.99. No subscription. | Partly Not needed; the one-time licence covers it |
| Company | Built in Stockholm, Sweden | Good Snooze, the Netherlands |
Based on publicly available information from macwhisper.com as of September 2026. MacWhisper is a product of Good Snooze. Notely is not affiliated with MacWhisper. Spotted something out of date? Let us know and we'll fix it.
Where each one wins
No tool is best at everything. Here is the honest version.
Notely AI
- Works on iPhone and Android as well as Mac, so the lecture, the interview and the walk are covered
- Chrome extension captures any browser tab on any computer, including Windows
- Recordings sync across your devices through iCloud and notes through EU servers, with Privacy mode when you want nothing uploaded
- Summary templates for meetings, study and to-dos, plus a chat that answers questions about the recording
- Free plan needs no setup: no models to download, no API keys
- Pay per minute with no subscription if you only record now and then
- 30 languages against MacWhisper's 100
- No VTT subtitles, no batch processing, no watched folders
- Dictation is on iOS and Android only; none on the Mac
- The larger on-device models and Privacy mode need Premium; MacWhisper is local from the free tier up
- Premium is a subscription; MacWhisper Pro is a one-time €64
MacWhisper
- Everything runs locally on your Mac by default, with Whisper and Parakeet models you pick
- €64 once, lifetime updates, and a genuinely useful free tier
- 100 languages, speaker labels, SRT and VTT subtitles, batch and watched folders
- Bring any AI service, or a local model through Ollama or LM Studio, for summaries
- Records meetings and system audio, dictates system-wide, transcribes YouTube and podcasts
- Mac-first: no Android, no Windows, and a smaller iOS app
- No sync; your library lives on one Mac
- AI summaries need you to set up a service or a local model; nothing summarizes out of the box
- Recording in the room or on the move depends on the more limited iOS app
- No pay-per-minute option, and the App Store version is a subscription
The difference, explained
How similar are Notely and MacWhisper?
Very, on paper. Both transcribe files and YouTube links, record meetings from system audio, label speakers and summarize with AI. The split is where they live. MacWhisper is a Mac app whose library stays on that Mac; its iOS app is newer and does less. Notely is a phone app first, with a Mac app, a Chrome extension and a dictation keyboard, and everything syncs through your iCloud and EU servers. If your recordings happen at a desk, MacWhisper is excellent. If they happen in lecture halls, cafés and on walks, Notely.
Which one is more private?
MacWhisper is local by default: transcription runs on your Mac and the developer never sees your audio. AI summaries are the exception; they go to whichever service you configure, unless you run a local model. Notely saves everything on your device first, then syncs to your iCloud and to EU servers, encrypted in transit and at rest, so you can re-listen and chat from any device, and on Premium, Privacy mode processes everything on your device so nothing is uploaded. Both are a long way from the cloud-only norm.
Which one summarizes better?
Notely summarizes out of the box: pick a template for meeting notes, to-dos, flashcards or a quiz, and ask the recording questions afterwards. MacWhisper lets you run AI prompts on a finished transcript through OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama and a dozen other services, which is more flexible but needs you to set up a service or a local model first.
Which one records meetings better?
Both capture app and system audio on a Mac without a bot. MacWhisper covers Zoom, Teams, Webex, Skype, Chime and Discord on Pro. Notely captures the Mac's audio when you press record, captures the browser tab on any computer through its Chrome extension, and records from the room on your phone. If you take calls on Windows, only Notely's extension covers you.
Which one is cheaper?
Over time, MacWhisper: Pro is €64 once with lifetime updates, and the free tier handles plain file transcription. Notely Premium is $7.99 a month or $49.99 a year for 1,800 minutes a month, with minute packs from $0.49 if you only need it occasionally. Both free tiers never expire. Notely's is 10 minutes a day with no setup; MacWhisper's is unlimited but you download the models and bring your own AI for summaries.
When should you choose MacWhisper?
Choose MacWhisper if you work on a Mac, want transcription that never touches a server, need VTT subtitles, batch processing or 100 languages, and prefer paying once. It is the better tool for a desk-bound workflow with files coming in.
When should you choose Notely?
Choose Notely if your recordings happen on your phone as often as your Mac, if you want them synced and searchable everywhere, if you want summaries and a chat without configuring anything, or if you use Windows and need the Chrome extension. Choose it for EU hosting with an on-device option, and for pay-per-minute pricing.
Can you use both?
Yes. MacWhisper for the files and desk calls on your Mac, Notely for everything on the move. Both export Markdown and plain text, so nothing gets stuck in either one.
Your recordings are yours
Privacy is the reason Notely exists, not a checkbox on a pricing page.
Encrypted in transit and at rest
Without an account, your notes stay on your device and in your iCloud, never on our servers.
Local first, then your cloud
Everything is saved on your device first, then synced to your iCloud and to EU servers.
Privacy mode
On Premium, transcription and summaries run entirely on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Never sold
Your data is never sold or handed to unrelated third parties. No ads, no data brokers.
Delete anything, anytime
Remove a single note or your whole account in two taps. Gone means gone.
Built for regulated teams
Enterprise plans come with a DPA, a BAA and an on-prem option.
Trying Notely takes three steps
Download the app
Free on iOS, Android and macOS, or add the Chrome extension. No credit card, no account wall before your first note.
Record or import
Press record on your Mac during a Teams, Zoom or Meet call, tap record on your phone, upload a file or paste a YouTube link.
Read, ask, share
Your transcript and summary land in minutes. Ask follow-up questions, then export as PDF, Markdown, SRT or email.
Frequently asked questions
Stop typing. Start talking.
Your first note in under 30 seconds. No credit card, no tutorial hell.
Download Notely AIFree to download. No credit card required.