Aiolos or Superwhisper?
Superwhisper and Aiolos take a similar approach: speech recognition can run on your Mac, without internet. They differ in the AI, the meeting notes, the platforms and the price.
As of October 6, 2026 · Details on other apps according to their makers, sources below
In short
- Superwhisper fits if you use many platforms, want to build your own modes in detail, or use API keys from several AI providers.
- Aiolos fits if the AI should be included in the price and run in the EU by default or entirely offline, and if meeting notes should go to Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes or OneNote.
- Both recognize speech locally with Whisper and work in any app.
The comparison at a glance
| Feature | Aiolos | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac with Apple silicon, macOS 15 or later, Windows coming | Mac, Windows, iOS and Android |
| Speech recognition on the device | On your Mac (Whisper) | Local Whisper models or cloud models |
| Without internet | Yes | Yes |
| AI for rewriting | Four modes (Raw, Correction, Prompt, Assistant), AI in the EU or offline (Gemma 4, beta) | Custom modes with cloud models like GPT or Claude or local models, your own API keys in Pro |
| Meeting notes | No bot, notes with action items and decisions, export to Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes, OneNote, Markdown | Live recording with system audio (in Pro), speaker separation and a summary with decisions and action items, audio and video files too |
| Languages | 99 | 100+ |
| Free use | The first 50 free for life as early birds; after that a free plan with unlimited dictation without AI and 2,000 AI words a week | Free plan with local Whisper models |
| Price | Pro: €59 a year or €7.99 a month, AI and VAT included | Pro: $8.49 a month, plus yearly and lifetime licenses |
What they have in common
Superwhisper and Aiolos both recognize speech with Whisper models on the device. Both work in any app, have a custom dictionary, and can dictate without an internet connection.
When Superwhisper is the better fit
- Besides the Mac, you use Windows, iPhone or Android.
- You want to build modes yourself, with your own prompts and the AI model of your choice.
- You already have API keys with AI providers and want to use them.
- You want to transcribe audio and video files, or buy a lifetime license.
When Aiolos is a good fit
- You want four ready-made modes instead of building your own: Raw, Correction, Prompt and Assistant.
- The AI should run in EU data centers by default, or entirely on your Mac.
- Meeting notes should be structured and go straight to Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes or OneNote.
- You want the AI included, with Pro for €59 a year.
Frequently asked questions
Do Superwhisper and Aiolos work offline?+
Yes, speech recognition runs on the device in both apps. For the AI, Superwhisper offers local models and Aiolos the offline AI with Gemma 4 (beta).
Do I need my own AI keys for Aiolos?+
No. After the early-bird phase, the AI is included, with 2,000 AI words a week on the free plan and fair use on Pro. Only as an early bird do you use your own OpenRouter key and pay for the AI there directly.
How much does Superwhisper cost?+
According to its maker, there is a free plan, Pro at $8.49 a month, and yearly and lifetime licenses.
Sources
- Superwhisper, features and pricing
- Superwhisper documentation, meeting recorder
- Superwhisper documentation, recording system audio (Pro)
- Superwhisper, meeting transcription
Retrieved on October 5, 2026. Prices and features of other apps may change; their makers' details are authoritative.
Try Aiolos on your Mac.
The first 50 get Aiolos free for life. After that, there's a free plan, and Pro with AI included.