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Aiko

Free

If you need audio transcription on your Apple devices, Aiko is your ultimate choice. Let’s see how you can use it to convert speech into text!

Writing AssistantsFreeFree tier
#AI#audio transcription#speech to text#privacy#OpenAI Whisper#multilingual#meetings#lectures#productivity#macOS#iOS
Inputs: audioOutputs: text
Type
Saas
Aiko screenshot

About Aiko

Aiko is an AI-powered audio transcription application designed specifically for Apple devices, including macOS, iOS, and visionOS. Developed by Sindre Sorhus, Aiko leverages OpenAI's Whisper model running locally on the device to convert speech into text efficiently. The app supports audio in over 100 languages, making it a versatile tool for users from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Aiko emphasizes privacy by performing all transcription on-device, ensuring that sensitive recordings never leave the user's device.

The app offers high-quality, on-device transcription suitable for meetings, lectures, interviews, and more. It integrates with Apple's Shortcuts app, allowing users to automate transcription workflows. Aiko is a Universal Purchase, meaning a single purchase grants access across all supported Apple platforms. The free trial via TestFlight provides full access for 14 days without limitations, after which users can purchase the app from the App Store to continue using it.

Technical details: Aiko utilizes the Whisper large v2 model on macOS and the medium or small model on iOS, depending on available memory. While the app does not include built-in batch transcription, users can achieve this functionality through custom Shortcuts shared by the developer. The transcription output may occasionally lack punctuation; the developer provides tips for fixing this via external tools like ChatGPT.

Aiko is ideal for anyone needing accurate, private, and on-device transcription on Apple devices, from students and professionals to journalists and researchers. Its support for a wide range of languages and integration with system shortcuts enhances its utility in various scenarios.

Key Features

On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper model for privacy
Supports over 100 languages for audio input
Compatible with macOS, iOS, and visionOS as a Universal Purchase
Integration with Apple Shortcuts for automation and batch transcription
High accuracy transcription for meetings, lectures, and more
Privacy-focused with no cloud uploads; all processing locally

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Transcription happens entirely on-device, ensuring user privacy
  • Supports a wide range of languages (over 100)
  • Universal Purchase works across macOS, iOS, and visionOS
  • Integrates with Apple Shortcuts for workflow automation
  • Free 14-day trial available without limitations or auto-charge
Cons
  • Free trial is limited to 14 days; ongoing use requires a paid purchase (price should be verified on App Store)
  • No built-in batch transcription; it must be achieved via custom Shortcuts
  • Transcription may sometimes miss punctuation; users may need to correct manually or use external tools
  • Model size varies by device (large on macOS, medium/small on iOS), which may affect accuracy on mobile devices
  • Only available on Apple platforms (macOS, iOS, visionOS); no support for Android, Windows, or web

Best For

Professionals: For converting meeting and lecture speech to text.Content Creators: Transcription of audio and video content into text for subtitles or documentation.Students: Transcribing lectures and seminars for study and revision purposes.Researchers: Efficiently transcribe interviews and research notes.Writers and Journalists: Convert interviews and spoken notes into editable text.Language Learners: Practice and improve language skills by transcribing audio in different languages.Accessibility Users: Enhance accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments by converting spoken content to text.Developers: Incorporate transcription into apps and workflows with shortcuts support.Privacy-Conscious Users: For individuals requiring high-level privacy for sensitive recordings.Video Editors: Creating transcripts for video editing and adding subtitles.

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