MacWhisper is a paid Mac app from Good Snooze, built by Jordi Bruin in the Netherlands, and by default it transcribes on your Mac: its help centre says transcription "is all performed locally on your Mac or iOS device, and transcription data doesn't leave the local device". Some optional features do send data out: cloud transcription providers receive your audio, AI prompts and DeepL translation receive your transcript. The biggest practical risk MacWhisper itself warns about is fake download sites, so where you get the app matters.
Publisher note: SuprFlow publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Competitor details come from each company's own pages, checked on 1 October 2026. Prices and features change; confirm before you buy.
This page reports what MacWhisper's own pages say. It is not a security audit, and we have not tested MacWhisper's network traffic.
What do MacWhisper's own pages say?
As of 1 October 2026.
| Question | What MacWhisper states | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes it? | "Jordi Bruin and friends at Good Snooze in the Netherlands." | macwhisper.com |
| Where is speech turned into text? | On your Mac by default, using a downloaded model "such as Whisper or Parakeet". If you choose a cloud provider (such as Groq, ElevenLabs or Deepgram), the audio goes to that provider's server. | Keeping transcriptions private |
| What about AI and translation? | AI prompts send the transcript to the AI provider you set up (such as OpenAI or Anthropic), unless you use a local provider such as Ollama or LM Studio. DeepL translation sends the transcript to DeepL. AI dictation needs your own API key and a Pro licence. | Keeping transcriptions private, Dictation |
| What is stored, and where? | Models, a database of transcripts and sessions, and media files are kept under ~/Library/Application Support/MacWhisper in your user account. | File locations |
| Analytics | "MacWhisper can send anonymous analytics events related to the licensing status to make sure that the user has a valid license." | Privacy policy |
| Training use | Not addressed on the pages we read. | — |
| Audits and certifications | None listed on the pages we read. | — |
| Admin controls | MDM keys can turn off cloud transcription, remote translation, adding AI services and app updates. | MDM deployment |
| Platforms | MacWhisper is the direct download for Mac. Whisper Transcription is the Mac App Store and iPhone/iPad edition. | Edition differences |
| Is the source public? | The pages we read do not describe the app as open source or link to its source code. | macwhisper.com |
Does MacWhisper keep transcription local?
Yes, unless you turn on a feature that sends data out. MacWhisper's privacy article lists exactly three such features:
- Cloud transcription. Audio goes to the provider you pick instead of being transcribed on the Mac.
- DeepL translation. The transcript goes to DeepL.
- AI prompts. The transcript goes to your AI provider, unless that provider is a local one such as Ollama or LM Studio.
The App Store edition adds a fourth: the optional Assistant subscription. MacWhisper's Assistant article says cloud transcription there sends files "to our servers", and adds: "don't use this feature with sensitive data."
Meeting recording stays local in the same way, but MacWhisper's meeting article says it needs Screen Recording and Microphone permission.
What do MacWhisper's pages not say?
- The privacy policy predates the cloud options. It was last updated 14 February 2024 and says: "No data (audio, text or other) leaves your device." The help centre now describes optional cloud transcription, translation and AI prompts. Ask Good Snooze which text governs your use.
- What happens on the Assistant servers. The pages we read do not say where Assistant cloud transcription runs, how long files are kept or whether they are used for training. Its own advice is to keep sensitive data away from it.
- Training. No page we read addresses model training. With your own API key, the provider's terms for your account apply.
- Retention controls. The file-locations article says where transcripts are stored but not whether the app can delete them on a schedule.
- Audit reports. We found no SOC 2 report, ISO certificate or BAA on MacWhisper's pages.
How can you check for yourself?
- Get the real app. The footer of macwhisper.com says: "www.macwhisper.com is the official website for MacWhisper. Unfortunately there are scam websites online that pretend to be the official website for MacWhisper, and they may contain malware downloads." It says purchases go through Gumroad or the App Store, and to "Only install the app from the link you receive after confirming your download on Gumroad." How to check a signed Mac release shows how to see who signed what you installed.
- Review settings. Confirm the transcription model is a local one, and check whether any cloud transcription provider, DeepL key or AI service is configured.
- Review permissions in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Screen Recording is only needed for meeting recording.
- Run a network test with fictional text. Turn off Wi-Fi, then dictate or transcribe a short recording of "Order 5512 for Lena Okafor, 3,140 euros, ship Tuesday." If it still transcribes, speech recognition is local.
- On a managed Mac, ask IT to set the MDM keys that disable cloud transcription, remote translation and new AI services.
When is MacWhisper a reasonable choice, and when does something else fit better?
MacWhisper is a reasonable choice for transcribing recordings, interviews and meetings on your own Mac, with local models by default, a one-time Pro licence and MDM controls for IT. If transcription is the job, it is a strong fit.
Something else may fit better if your main job is dictating into other apps all day, since dictation is one feature of a transcription workspace, or if a vendor review requires published audit reports, which MacWhisper's pages do not list.
A dedicated local-speech dictation app is one option for the first case. SuprFlow, for example, runs speech recognition on the Mac with a downloaded WhisperKit model and pastes text at the cursor. Its Default formatting is local cleanup of punctuation, capitalization and numbers; optional Cloud API formatting sends transcript text, not audio, to a provider you configure. It still uses the network for licence checks, model downloads, updates and usage telemetry. It is proprietary, Mac-only (Apple Silicon, macOS 14 or later), costs $125 once with no free tier, and has no file transcription, meeting recorder or audit reports. For files and meetings, MacWhisper does more. Where does my dictation go? traces SuprFlow's data path.
Questions people ask
Is MacWhisper legit?
Yes. It is a paid app from Good Snooze with a public help centre, a privacy policy and a Gumroad store. The risk MacWhisper itself flags is fake sites, so download only from macwhisper.com or the App Store.
Is MacWhisper local?
Yes, by default. MacWhisper says transcription runs on your Mac with a downloaded model. Cloud transcription, DeepL translation and cloud AI prompts are optional and send data out.
Is MacWhisper open source?
Its pages do not describe it as open source, and we found no link to its source code. It runs speech models such as Whisper and Parakeet, which are published by their developers.
Is MacWhisper private enough for confidential recordings?
With local models and no cloud features, MacWhisper says audio and text stay on the device. Whether that meets your obligations is a question for your firm's policy, not the app.
Related guides
- MacWhisper pricing
- Is MacWhisper Pro worth it?
- MacWhisper alternatives
- SuprFlow vs MacWhisper
- Superwhisper vs MacWhisper
- On-device dictation vs no internet
Sources
- MacWhisper — official site
- MacWhisper — Privacy policy
- MacWhisper Support — Keeping Transcriptions Private
- MacWhisper Support — How to use the Dictation feature
- MacWhisper Support — Local Files and Data Locations
- MacWhisper Support — Deploying MacWhisper with MDM
- MacWhisper Support — MacWhisper and Whisper Transcription Difference
- MacWhisper Support — Assistant
- MacWhisper Support — Automatic Meetings Recordings