Speech to Text for Mac
at $0.02/hour
Open source macOS menu bar app for live voice transcription.
Bring your own API key and pay only for what you use. No subscription.
Free and open source · No account needed · No data collected
Baseper vsOtter.aiSuperwhisper
See how the best macOS transcription apps compare.
| Baseper | Otter.ai | Superwhisper | Wispr Flow | Whisper.cpp | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.02/hr | $17/mo | $10/mo | $15/mo | Free |
| Subscription | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Data privacy | Your key, your data | Their servers | Local or cloud | Their servers | Fully local |
| Open source | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Works offline | No | No | Yes (local mode) | No | Yes |
| Setup effort | Download + API key | Create account | Download + pay | Download + pay | Compile from source |
| Native Mac app | Yes | Web app | Yes | Yes | CLI |
The only open source transcription app with pay-per-use pricing and a native Mac interface.
Set up in 2 minutes
First launch: Bypass Gatekeeper
macOS will show "unidentified developer" warning. This is normal for unsigned apps. Right-click the app → Open to launch it.
Get your API key
Get a free API key from Groq or Google AI Studio. Pick a model in Baseper's settings and paste your key.
Grant microphone access
On first recording, macOS will ask for microphone permission. Click "OK" to allow.
Start transcribing
Click the Baseper icon in your menu bar, hit Start, and speak. Your transcription appears in real-time!
Coming soon
Don't want to manage API keys?
I'm exploring a managed version — same great transcription, zero setup.
You'd only pay for what you use. No monthly fee.
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No spam. Just gauging interest.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Baseper free?
- The app is free and open source. You pay only for API usage — starting at $0.02/hr with Groq's free tier, or free within Google Gemini's generous free tier.
- How is Baseper different from Otter.ai or Wispr Flow?
- Baseper has no subscription — you bring your own API key and pay per use. There's no account to create, no data stored on third-party servers, and the source code is fully open for inspection.
- How accurate is the transcription?
- Baseper uses the same Whisper models that power most commercial transcription apps. Accuracy depends on the model you choose — Whisper Large V3 Turbo offers near state-of-the-art results.
- Does Baseper work offline?
- No. Baseper streams audio to a cloud API for transcription. If you need offline transcription, consider Whisper.cpp or Superwhisper's local mode.
- Is my audio data private?
- Baseper sends audio directly to the API provider you choose (Groq or Google Gemini). Nothing passes through Baseper's servers — there are no Baseper servers. Your API key is stored locally on your Mac.
- What API key do I need?
- Either a Groq API key (free at console.groq.com) or a Google Gemini API key (free at aistudio.google.com). Both offer free tiers that are more than enough for personal use.