Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
MacWhisper is a macOS program that transcribes finished audio and video recordings with local Whisper models on the device itself, not real-time dictation. Russian is supported, and there is no Windows version. Potok (potok.now) is built for a different task: it inserts text into any field on Windows and macOS as you dictate, with a free limit of 2500 words per week.
Buying MacWhisper expecting live dictation into your work fields, and finding a transcriber for finished recordings, is a common misunderstanding, because the tasks look alike. MacWhisper is excellent at transcribing interviews, meetings and voice notes, but it does not insert text as you speak: first the recording, then the whole file is processed. The program also exists only for macOS, and there is simply no Windows version. If you need on-the-fly dictation or a program for both systems, look at other options. A list of such options is collected in the section voice input alternatives.
Why people look for a MacWhisper replacement
The main reason is different tasks. Judging by the version name in the App Store (Whisper Transcription), MacWhisper is made for transcribing recordings that already exist: drop in a file, get text. Real-time dictation, where words appear in the working field as you speak, is not part of that model. That is not a shortcoming but a different product.
The second reason is the platform. MacWhisper exists only for macOS. If the work computer runs Windows, the program will simply not install, and the search for a replacement is driven by compatibility, not by recognition quality.
The third reason is confusion over price. The same program is sold differently in different places: a one-time purchase through Gumroad with lifetime updates, and separately a version in the App Store where you can choose a yearly subscription or a one-time purchase at a different price. It is hard to compare these options with each other, and the payment method from Russia is not clearly described anywhere.
The fourth is the size of the team. MacWhisper is backed by a small studio from the Netherlands, not a large company. For some this is a plus, a developer close to its users. For others it is a reason to think about long-term support and the speed of updates.
| Service | Platforms | Free | Price | Payment from Russia | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potok bot and web version | Telegram (@potok_now_bot, mini app inside the bot) | 60 minutes per month | 7 days: 249 ₽, 30 days: 449 ₽, one year: 2 890 ₽; included in the Potok app subscription | Russian bank cards, rubles | cloud, servers in Russia; internet required |
| Fireflies.ai | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension | limited storage and AI credits | — | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| Audio2Text | Web, Telegram | 15 minutes per month | 295 ₽/mo (Basic, 500 minutes); 495 ₽/mo (Standard, 1000 minutes); 1245 ₽/mo (Expert, 5000 minutes) | rubles | not disclosed |
| Tactiq | Chrome extension | 10 meeting transcriptions per month | $12/mo (Pro, monthly) | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| Transkribator (@gotranscribeai_bot) | Telegram, Max | 3 transcriptions per month | — | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| Notta | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | 120 minutes per month, up to 3 minutes per recording | $13.99/mo (Pro, monthly, 1800 minutes); $27.99/mo (Business, monthly) | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| Telegram voice message transcription | Telegram | without Premium, a few transcriptions per week; with Premium, no limit on their number | — | not disclosed | Telegram servers |
| Voicee (@Voicee_AI_Bot) | Telegram, Web | 45 minutes to start | 500 ₽/hour of recording (without a package; cheaper with packages) | rubles | not disclosed |
| TurboScribe | Web | 3 files a day, each up to 30 minutes | $20/mo (Unlimited, monthly) | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| Voix (@RecogMyAudioBot) | Telegram | voice messages up to 15 minutes, video up to 6 minutes | — | not disclosed | not disclosed |
| Kontur.Tolk | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | not disclosed | — | rubles | servers in Russia |
What to check in a replacement
Before installing a replacement, work out which of the two tasks you are really solving with MacWhisper.
- Define the scenario: you need on-the-fly dictation straight into a work field, or transcription of audio and video recordings that already exist. MacWhisper can only do the second.
- Check the platform: MacWhisper is macOS only, and if any of your computers run Windows, you need a program that works on both systems.
- Compare the total cost across all purchase options, a one-time license and a subscription, not just the first figure you see on the site.
- Find out the payment method from Russia in advance, not during checkout. For MacWhisper it is not clearly described anywhere.
- Check where recognition physically happens by default, on the device as with MacWhisper or on the developer's server, and what exceptions there are to that rule.
- Find out whether there is a personal dictionary for terms and names that a general model often distorts.
- Assess the size of the team behind the service: a small independent studio may respond to feedback faster, but is not always predictable in how the product develops years ahead.
- Check the quality of Russian speech recognition on your own text, not on a general claim of language support.
| Service | Platforms | Free | Price | Payment from Russia | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potok bot and web version | Telegram (@potok_now_bot, mini app inside the bot) | 60 minutes per month | 7 days: 249 ₽, 30 days: 449 ₽, one year: 2 890 ₽; included in the Potok app subscription | Russian bank cards, rubles | cloud, servers in Russia; internet required |
| MacWhisper | macOS | A free version is available ("Free forever", limited functionality), Pro is paid | €64/one-time (Pro, one-time purchase through Gumroad, lifetime updates); $29.99/yr (Pro, App Store version ("Whisper Transcription"), subscription); $99.99/one-time (Pro, App Store version, one-time purchase) | not disclosed | on the device (offline) by default, with local Whisper models; there are optional cloud transcription providers, but not as the main mode |
| GigaType | Windows, macOS | free with no limits: open source under the MIT license (Copyright (c) 2026 Disrupt Builders), all features are available without payment | — | not needed: there are no paid plans | device (offline, Sber's GigaAM neural network) |
Where Potok will not replace MacWhisper
Potok will not replace MacWhisper in its main task, transcribing audio and video recordings that already exist. Potok recognizes only what you say right now, during dictation, and does not work with finished files at all. If you need to turn a meeting recording, an interview or a voice message into text, MacWhisper can do that, and Potok cannot.
Potok will not replace a fully offline mode either. MacWhisper by default recognizes speech with local models on the device itself, while Potok is a cloud service: recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work at all without the internet. If audio must not leave the computer, the difference is exactly here, not in how convenient the interface is. A program with fully offline recognition in Russian is covered in the comparison of GigaType and Potok.
One more nuance: MacWhisper is a macOS-only program, but with no weekly word limit after a one-time purchase, whereas Potok's free plan is limited to 2500 words per week.
Frequently asked questions
No, MacWhisper exists only for macOS. Windows users need a separate program for transcription or dictation.
No. Judging by the version name in the App Store (Whisper Transcription), MacWhisper is a transcriber for audio and video files that are already recorded. For dictation, where text appears in the field as you speak, you need a separate program.
MacWhisper alternatives. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For MacWhisper alternatives you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
MacWhisper alternatives. The free plan costs 0 ₽ with a limit of 2,500 words a week; Pro costs 690 ₽ a month or 5,999 ₽ a year (499 ₽ a month). Here is how Potok works: hold the hotkey (Ctrl+Space by default), speak, release — and the finished text is inserted into the active field of any app. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For MacWhisper alternatives you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
MacWhisper alternatives. Versions are available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the default hotkey is Ctrl+Space; there are no mobile versions. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. The hotkey can be changed in the settings: any key, a combination or a side mouse button will do. Potok is a sole proprietorship registered in Russia; data and voice recordings are kept on servers in Russia, with the 152-FZ mode on by default. For MacWhisper alternatives you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
MacWhisper alternatives. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For MacWhisper alternatives you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Recording to text
Send a recording to Potok's Telegram bot or upload a file of up to 2 GB in the bot's mini app. The first 60 minutes of every month are free.
Open @potok_now_bot in TelegramPrimary sources: macwhisper.com · docs.macwhisper.com · www.getvoibe.com · support.microsoft.com · support.apple.com
Transcribe a recording in Telegram
Voice messages, video notes, audio and video are transcribed by Potok's Telegram bot @potok_now_bot: forward it a voice message from any chat, or send a file or a YouTube, VK Video, RuTube, Instagram or TikTok link. A short recording comes back as text in the chat, a long one as a file; timestamps and speaker labels can be turned on. The buttons give a short summary, tasks and deadlines, an answer to a question about the recording and export to TXT, DOCX, PDF or SRT. Large files, up to 2 GB, are easier to upload in the bot's mini app, via the Upload button next to the input field. The bot recognizes 100+ languages (the language is detected automatically); 60 minutes per month are free.