Aiko

Name: Aiko
Price: 24 USD

Free trial iPhoneMac

What Aiko is

Aiko converts speech from meetings, lectures, and other audio into text on iOS and macOS. It runs OpenAI’s Whisper model locally on the device; macOS uses Whisper large v2, while iOS uses the medium or small model according to available memory. Audio is supported in 100 languages, though quality varies by language. Aiko accepts platform-supported audio and video files including M4A, WAV, MP3, MP4, and MOV, but not OGG. Transcripts can be exported as JSON, CSV, text, or subtitles, with subtitles savable as SRT. Apple Shortcuts supports workflows such as recording then transcribing and batch jobs. The app has no built-in batch transcription or live transcription, and translation is available only to English. Its privacy policy says transcription happens on-device and no data or personal information is collected. The full app has a 14-day TestFlight trial without limitations, auto-charges, or commitment. No free plan is listed.

Who it suits

Aiko suits iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who need local speech transcription, broad language support, subtitle exports, and Shortcut-based workflows. It is less suited to live transcription or built-in batch processing.

What it does well

Runs Whisper locally on the device
Supports audio in 100 languages
Exports JSON, CSV, and subtitles
Works with Apple Shortcuts
14-day full trial has no limitations

What to know first

No free plan is listed
No built-in live transcription
No built-in batch transcription
Does not accept OGG files

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Aiko	one-time purchase · Universal Purchase for macOS, iOS, and visionOS	$24, paid once

As sindresorhus.com lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

Aiko focuses on private, on-device transcription for Apple platforms, with many language options and practical export formats. Its missing live and built-in batch modes are important considerations for meeting and bulk-processing workflows.

Facts from Aiko's own pages

Batch transcription limit: Built-in batch transcription is not supported; the maker suggests using Shortcuts instead. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Export formats: JSON,CSV,SRT,subtitles,text · sindresorhus.com, 20 Sept 2026
Exports: Aiko can export transcriptions in formats including JSON, CSV, and subtitles, and the FAQ explains how to save subtitles as SRT. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
File support: Aiko accepts audio and video formats supported by macOS and iOS, including M4A, WAV, MP3, MP4, and MOV, but not OGG. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Free plan: No · sindresorhus.com, 20 Sept 2026
Languages supported: 100 · sindresorhus.com, 20 Sept 2026
Languages: Aiko supports audio in 100 languages, though the page cautions that quality varies by language. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Live transcription limit: Aiko does not yet support live transcription; the maker suggests recording a meeting and importing it afterward. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Maker: Aiko is presented on Sindre Sorhus’s site; his About page describes him as a full-time open-source developer focused in part on macOS app development. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Model by platform: The app uses Whisper large v2 on macOS and the medium or small model on iOS depending on available memory. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Privacy: Aiko transcribes audio directly on the device, and its privacy policy says the app collects no data or personal information. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Purpose: Aiko converts speech to text from meetings, lectures, and other audio. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Shortcuts: Aiko supports Apple Shortcuts, including workflows for batch transcription and recording and transcribing audio. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Speaker identification: No · sindresorhus.com, 20 Sept 2026
Support: Users can submit feedback or bug reports through the app or the maker’s feedback form; the form says to check spam if no reply arrives within two weeks. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Timestamp support: Yes · sindresorhus.com, 20 Sept 2026
Transcription model: It uses OpenAI’s Whisper model running locally on the device. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Translation limit: Aiko can translate speech to English, but the model does not support translating to other languages. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026
Trial: The full app is available free for 14 days through TestFlight, with no limitations, auto-charges, or commitment. · sindresorhus.com, 9 Oct 2026