The on-device alternative to Otter.ai for lectures and recordings.
Silo Transcribe is an on-device transcription app for Mac, iPhone and iPad, an alternative to Otter.ai for lectures, interviews and the recordings you keep. It transcribes on your own device by default, where Otter uploads the audio to its servers, and on the Mac it turns a lecture into practice questions answered from the lecture itself.
Silo Transcribe vs Otter.ai.
dimension by dimension| Dimension | Silo Transcribe | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Where transcription runs | On your Mac, iPhone or iPad by default | On Otter's servers, after the audio uploads |
| Your recordings | Stay on your device by default | Uploaded to Otter's server, where the audio is compressed |
| Account | None required | Otter account; you log in to record |
| Pricing | $14.99 one-time · no subscription | Free Basic plan; paid plans billed per user, monthly or annually |
| Transcription limits | No per-minute limit | Basic: 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 file imports in total; paid plans raise the caps |
| Summaries | Generated on your device by default | Automated summaries with action items and outlines |
| Without a connection | Transcribes offline after a one-time model download | Keeps recording; transcribes after it reconnects and uploads |
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Otter.ai alternative, answered.
Silo Transcribe · on-deviceYes, if you mostly transcribe lectures, interviews and recordings you keep, and you want them to stay on your own device. Silo Transcribe transcribes on your Mac, iPhone or iPad by default, and on the Mac it turns a lecture into practice questions. For meeting notes, Silo Meet is the Silo app built for that job.
Yes. On the Mac, import a WAV, MP3, FLAC or Ogg file; each import gets an audio check first, so a clipped, quiet or noisy recording is flagged before you rely on its transcript. On iPhone and iPad, import an audio file or record with the microphone.
No. Silo Transcribe is a one-time $14.99 purchase covering Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no per-minute limit on transcription. Otter.ai has a free Basic plan capped at 300 transcription minutes a month and 30 minutes per conversation, and paid plans billed per user, monthly or annually.
Yes. After a one-time model download it transcribes and summarizes without a connection, and on the Mac it builds practice questions offline too. The only exception is an optional Mac mode where you connect your own cloud account yourself.
Keep your work on your Mac.
Silo Transcribe: $14.99 one-time · no subscription. No subscription, no account, and nothing uploaded unless you add your own key: an on-device-first alternative to Otter.ai.