Comparison
Echosy vs MacWhisper
Both are privacy-first Mac apps that transcribe on-device. MacWhisper started as a file-transcription tool; Echosy is built around live recording — meetings, captions, and dictation. Here's an honest breakdown.
Free download · macOS 14+ · Apple Silicon · Pro is a one-time $49.80
The short version
Choose Echosy if your main job is live audio: recording meetings with system audio + mic, real-time captions while people speak, system-wide dictation, and AI summaries — with notably better Cantonese and Chinese-dialect recognition via Qwen3-ASR. Pro is a one-time $49.80.
Choose MacWhisper if you mostly transcribe existing files and want that free without limits, need automatic speaker identification, or want batch/watch-folder workflows. Its Pro license is €64 one-time.
| Feature | Echosy | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|
| One-time purchase | $49.80 | €64 (Pro) |
| On-device / offline transcription | ||
| System audio capture (record meetings) | Included (free tier) | Pro only |
| Real-time live captions | Included | Pro only |
| System-wide dictation | Free, unlimited | Included (direct-sale version) |
| Cantonese / Chinese dialects | Dedicated (Qwen3-ASR: Cantonese, Hokkien, Shanghainese) | Generic Whisper Chinese |
| File transcription | Pro | Free (smaller models) |
| Batch / watch folders | Pro | |
| Speaker identification | Pro | |
| AI summaries | Built-in — cloud key or 100% local via Ollama | Bring your own API key |
| Ask AI about the transcript | Via AI prompts (own key) | |
| Recording length | 4 h/session (Pro) | |
| Export formats | MD, TXT, SRT, VTT, DOCX, PDF | SRT, VTT, CSV, DOCX, PDF, … |
Where MacWhisper is better
Credit where due: MacWhisper is a mature, well-loved app. Its free tier transcribes unlimited files with no recording-length caps, it offers automatic speaker recognition (Pro), batch and watch-folder processing, a YouTube importer, and an iPhone/iPad companion app. If your workflow is "drop in files, get transcripts", it's excellent.
Where Echosy is better
Echosy treats live audio as the core product, not an add-on: system-audio meeting recording and real-time captions are included from the free tier, not paywalled. Dictation is unlimited and free. AI summaries work out of the box — point them at OpenAI/Gemini, or run fully offline with Ollama. And if you work in Cantonese, Hokkien, Shanghainese, or mixed Chinese-English speech, Echosy's Qwen3-ASR models are purpose-built for it, where Whisper-only apps fall back to generic "Chinese".
Frequently asked questions
Is Echosy cheaper than MacWhisper?+
Echosy Pro is a one-time $49.80; MacWhisper Pro is €64 one-time (roughly $69). Both have free tiers: Echosy's includes unlimited dictation and 15-minute live recordings; MacWhisper's includes unlimited file transcription with smaller models.
Do both work offline?+
Yes. Both transcribe on-device with local models. For AI text features, MacWhisper requires your own cloud API key; Echosy can use a cloud key or run summaries fully offline with Ollama.
Which is better for meeting transcription?+
Echosy — system audio + microphone capture with live timestamps is the core feature and available on the free tier, while MacWhisper gates meeting recording and real-time captions behind Pro. If you need automatic speaker labels, MacWhisper Pro has diarization and Echosy currently does not.
Which is better for Chinese and Cantonese?+
Echosy. It ships Qwen3-ASR with dedicated Cantonese, Hokkien, and Shanghainese support and handles Cantonese-English code-switching. Whisper-based apps like MacWhisper support 'Chinese' generically without a Cantonese mode.
Try Echosy on your Mac
Free to download. Your audio never leaves your Mac — no account, no upload, no subscription.
Free download · macOS 14+ · Apple Silicon · Pro is a one-time $49.80
Comparison based on publicly available information about MacWhisper as of June 2026. Features and pricing may change — always confirm details on the official MacWhisper website. MacWhisper is a trademark of its respective owner; Echosy is not affiliated with it.