Is my data sent to the cloud?

No. Chirp runs 100% locally on your Mac using Apple's Neural Engine. Your audio and transcriptions never leave your device. There are no servers, no accounts, and no data collection.

What's included in the free trial?

The 7-day free trial includes all features: unlimited recording duration, unlimited history, Meeting Mode with speaker labels, audio playback, and all export options. No credit card required. After the trial, get Chirp (from $39 one-time) for unlimited dictation.

Do I need an internet connection?

Only for the initial download and license activation. After that, Chirp works completely offline.

Which Macs are supported?

Chirp requires an Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, or M4) running macOS 14.2 (Sonoma) or later. Intel Macs are not supported because Chirp relies on Apple's Neural Engine.

What's the difference between Solo and Meeting Mode?

Solo Mode is for quick dictation — tap to record your voice, release to transcribe. Meeting Mode captures longer recordings with automatic speaker identification, labeling who said what.

Yes. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.

Best Voice to Text Apps for Mac

Side-by-side comparison of 8 Mac transcription apps. Compare pricing, privacy, offline support, and features.

Comparison Table

App	Price	Processing	Offline	Speaker ID	Platform
Chirp	From $39 one-time	100% Local			Mac
macOS Dictation	Free	Local + Cloud	Partial		Mac / iOS
Otter.ai	From $8.33/mo	Cloud			Cross-platform
Rev	From $25.49/mo	Cloud			Web + mobile
Whisper CLI	Free (OSS)	Local			Cross-platform
VoiceInk	$39.99 one-time	Local			Mac
SuperWhisper	$8.49/mo or $249	Local + Cloud		Basic	Mac + iOS
Spokenly	Free / $7.99/mo	Local + Cloud			Mac + iPhone

Why Chirp

Chirp is the only Mac transcription app that combines 100% local processing, speaker identification, and a simple one-time license. No cloud uploads, no bots joining your calls.

Fast: up to 190x realtime on Apple Neural Engine
Private: Zero network requests for transcription
Affordable: $39 one-time for dictation, optional $10/mo for meetings
Complete: Solo dictation + Meeting Mode with speaker ID
Offline: Works without internet after setup

Detailed Comparisons

How Chirp stacks up against each alternative

Chirp vs macOS Dictation

macOS Dictation is free and built-in, making it the default choice for basic dictation. However, it sends some audio to Apple for processing, lacks meeting support, and has no history or export features.

Chirp Advantages

100% local — no data sent to Apple servers
Meeting Mode with speaker identification
Searchable history with audio playback
Export to Markdown and SRT formats
up to 190x realtime transcription speed

macOS Dictation Advantages

Free and pre-installed on every Mac
Works across macOS and iOS
No additional setup required

Chirp vs Otter.ai

Otter.ai is a cloud-based transcription service with real-time collaboration features. It requires an internet connection and a monthly subscription, but offers strong team collaboration tools.

Chirp Advantages

100% local processing — audio never uploaded
Works offline, no internet required
One-time $39 license vs ongoing subscription
No bot joins your meetings

Otter.ai Advantages

Real-time collaboration and sharing
Works on any platform with a browser
Team features with shared workspaces

Chirp vs Rev

Rev offers cloud-based transcription with human review options. It targets enterprise users and charges per-seat monthly subscriptions.

Chirp Advantages

One-time $39 vs from $25.49/month
100% local — no cloud processing
Works offline
No per-seat pricing

Rev Advantages

Human-reviewed transcription option
Enterprise-grade collaboration tools
Cross-platform support

Chirp vs Whisper CLI

OpenAI's Whisper is a free, open-source speech recognition model. It's powerful but requires technical setup (Python, ffmpeg, command line) and lacks a graphical interface.

Chirp Advantages

Native Mac app — no terminal or Python required
Meeting Mode with speaker identification
Searchable history and audio playback
Optimized for Apple Neural Engine hardware
Hotkey-triggered dictation in any app

Whisper CLI Advantages

Free and open-source
Works on any platform (Mac, Windows, Linux)
Customizable with different model sizes

Chirp vs VoiceInk

VoiceInk is a Mac-native local transcription app with a similar privacy focus to Chirp. It uses local processing but lacks meeting transcription and speaker identification.

Chirp Advantages

Meeting Mode with speaker identification
Searchable history with audio playback
Export to Markdown and SRT
Speaker voice profiles for auto-recognition

VoiceInk Advantages

Custom AI actions and text formatting
Supports more whisper model variants

Chirp vs SuperWhisper

SuperWhisper offers local transcription with optional cloud features. It supports Mac and iOS but uses a subscription model or high one-time price.

Chirp Advantages

$39 one-time vs $8.49/mo or $249 lifetime
Full speaker diarization (vs basic separation)
100% local — no optional cloud processing
Searchable history with audio playback

SuperWhisper Advantages

iOS companion app
Multiple Whisper model sizes
Optional cloud processing for accuracy

Chirp vs Spokenly

Spokenly is a Mac and iPhone transcription app with both local and cloud processing options. It has a free tier and supports speaker identification.

Chirp Advantages

$39 one-time vs $7.99/mo subscription
100% local — no cloud processing option means no data risk
Optimized for Apple Neural Engine

Spokenly Advantages

Free tier available
iPhone companion app
Both local and cloud processing options

Comparison FAQ

Common questions about choosing a Mac transcription app

It depends on your priorities. Chirp is the best option for users who want fast, private, local transcription — with a one-time license for dictation and an optional meeting subscription. macOS Dictation is free and built-in but lacks speaker identification and meeting features. Otter.ai is strong for cloud-based collaboration but requires a subscription and internet connection.

Chirp is 100% local (macOS Dictation sends some data to Apple), offers Meeting Mode with speaker identification, has searchable history with audio playback, and can export to Markdown/SRT. macOS Dictation is free and built-in, which makes it convenient for basic dictation needs.

Chirp processes everything locally on your Mac — your audio never leaves your device. It handles both solo dictation and meeting transcription with speaker identification, all offline. Otter.ai is cloud-based and starts at $8.33/month. Chirp starts at $39 one-time with no recurring fees for dictation.

macOS Dictation is completely free and built-in. Chirp offers a 7-day free trial with all features unlocked. Whisper CLI is free and open-source but requires technical setup. Spokenly has a free tier with basic features.

Chirp, VoiceInk, and Whisper CLI work fully offline. SuperWhisper and Spokenly work offline for local models but have optional cloud features. macOS Dictation has partial offline support. Otter.ai and Rev require internet.

Chirp (local), Otter.ai (cloud), Rev (cloud), and Spokenly (local) support speaker identification. SuperWhisper has basic speaker separation. macOS Dictation, VoiceInk, and Whisper CLI do not identify speakers.

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