Ottex
Mac, iOS
Choose if
You want dictated emails to follow your saved writing instructions.
Look elsewhere if
You need voice dictation on a Windows computer.
ComparisonEvery claim sourced · verified Oct 2026
Alter vs Krisp: the honest comparison.
Three tools. Different strengths. Find your fit.
Ottex
Alter
KrispAll comparisons
FAQ
At a glance
Which one fits your work?
Each tool takes a different approach. Here’s a quick side-by-side to help you choose based on your workflow, platforms, and goals.
Alter
—
Choose if
You want customizable automatic cleanup for dictation on your Mac.
Look elsewhere if
You need dictation on a Windows PC.
Krisp
Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Web
Choose if
You want structured notes from bot-free desktop meeting recordings.
Look elsewhere if
You need to dictate text directly into other apps.
The evidence
Pricing
Alter Pro costs $240/yr; Krisp Core costs $16/seat/mo; Ottex Pro costs $168/yr. Ottex offers free app access with local models or bring your own API key (BYOK), with provider usage charges separate.
See the evidence — 13 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Krisp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers. | YesSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Oct 2026Core app access is uncapped with local models or separately billed BYOK inference; advanced local voice models and speaker identification require an upgrade. | PartialSource: krisp.ai/blog — checked Oct 2026Unlimited transcription; AI noise cancellation (60 minutes daily); AI summaries & action items (2 daily); Meeting history (limited) |
| Subscription | $14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included. | $3.5/moSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Oct 2026Adds advanced local voice models; AI cleanup and meeting reports use local generation or separately billed BYOK models. | $16/moSource: krisp.ai/pricing — checked Oct 2026Monthly billing is $16/mo/user and annual billing is advertised as $8/mo/user with Save 50%, without a published annual total. |
| One-time payment | Not applicableSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Application is free | $720 one-timeSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Oct 2026Permanent access to Alter and future platform upgrades. | NoNo one-time payment plan |
| Bring your own keyPay the model provider, not the middleman | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026OpenRouter, Google AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, and compatible providers. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/how-to — checked Oct 2026Users add provider API keys in settings. | No public claim |
| Education discount | NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Same pricing for everyone. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/references — checked Oct 2026Students and academics can request a discount using a university email; discounted monthly and annual prices and percentage are not published. | No public claim |
The evidence
Platforms
Alter requires macOS 15 or later and its current release is beta; Ottex supports Mac and iOS. Krisp supports Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Web, making it the choice for meetings across those platforms.
See the evidence — 4 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Krisp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | No public claim | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, WebSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026 |
| Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/references — checked Oct 2026Alter is a native macOS application. | No public claim |
The evidence
Meetings & team memory
Alter, Krisp and Ottex capture without bots. Krisp offers opt-in chat or audio recording notices that platforms may block; Ottex offers an experimental opt-in macOS camera recording watermark, which Alter lacks.
See the evidence — 20 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Krisp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026With speaker separation. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/getting-started — checked Oct 2026Meetings can be recorded manually or through configurable automatic capture. | YesSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Core and Advanced support transcription-only, audio recording and screen recording modes. |
| Bot-free captureNo "recording bot" joins your call | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026System-audio capture, no bot joins the call. | YesSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Oct 2026Capture uses Mac audio without a bot joining the call. | YesSource: krisp.ai/ai-meeting-assistant — checked Oct 2026Desktop recording can capture meetings without a bot joining the call. |
| Camera recording watermarkShow recording in your camera video | PartialExperimental macOS virtual camera adds an Ottex icon to video; install/enable the extension, select it and turn video on. Guide covers Meet in Chrome and Zoom desktop; effects may obscure it. | NoSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Oct 2026Capture is documented as invisible to attendees, without visible meeting-platform indicators. | No public claim |
| Participant noticesRecording notices in chat or calendar | No public claim | No public claim | PartialSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Notify others you're using Krisp enables chat or audio notices, with possible platform blocking and no verified calendar-invite notice or affirmative consent collection. |
| Speaker separation | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | PartialSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Paid voice options identify speakers; saved local voiceprints recognize previously named voices. | YesSource: linkedin.com/pulse — checked Oct 2026Krisp automatically applies speaker names in transcripts and notes while allowing manual edits. |
| Calendar detection | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Calendar-based meeting detection. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Alter detects meetings in Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, and other conferencing apps. | YesSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026With Note Taker enabled and audio devices configured, Krisp captures the next call automatically. |
| Cross-meeting search | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Transcript search covers titles, content, speakers, and summaries across meetings. | YesSource: linkedin.com/pulse — checked Oct 2026Global AI Chat answers questions across meetings and identifies which conversations informed the answer. |
| Shared team memory | PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace. | No public claim | YesSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026AI Chat supports All Meetings, folders and Shared with Me contexts containing accessible meeting content. |
The evidence
From meeting to finished work
Alter, Krisp and Ottex summarize meetings. Alter drafts follow-up emails; Krisp offers meeting document templates and shared meeting memory; Ottex offers meeting document templates plus CRM and ticket drafts.
See the evidence — 16 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Krisp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting template libraryTurn a transcript into a structured document | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Choose a ready-made document template to extract relevant information from a meeting transcript into a structured document, such as a product review or client-call report. | No public claim | YesSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Ready-made templates such as Project Sync, Client Status Update and Hiring generate structured documents from transcripts and can be selected per meeting or set as the default. |
| Transcript chat prompt libraryReady-made prompts for AI chat about meetings | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Use ready-made reusable prompts in AI chat to ask questions, analyze discussions and extract information from meeting transcripts. | No public claim | YesSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Core and Advanced users can select reusable suggested prompts such as Summarize call by speakers and List Q&A in a meeting's Ask Anything tab. |
| Decisions, owners, action itemsLeave the meeting with next steps clear | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Decisions with owners extracted. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/getting-started — checked Oct 2026Transcript prompts extract decisions and unresolved issues. | YesSource: krisp.ai/ai-meeting-assistant — checked Oct 2026Meeting notes identify key decisions and next steps, and action items can be assigned to participants. |
| Follow-up email draftedThe outcome is sent, not summarized | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Drafted from templates or your own. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/getting-started — checked Oct 2026Users can request a follow-up email draft from a meeting transcript. | PartialSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Krisp can email meeting recaps to invitees, but a dedicated editable follow-up email drafting workflow is unverified. |
| CRM update / ticket draft | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Structured for the target app. | PartialSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Oct 2026Configured meeting workflows push summaries to a CRM; a dedicated CRM draft review flow is unspecified. | PartialSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Meeting notes can be sent automatically or manually to a selected HubSpot contact, company or deal, without a verified CRM-field draft review workflow. |
| Your rough notes steer the result | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result. | YesSource: list.alterhq.com/p — checked Oct 2026Live Notepad content is combined with the meeting transcript to generate recaps. | YesSource: linkedin.com/pulse — checked Oct 2026Users' manual notes are incorporated into generated summaries, with visual cues distinguishing their contributions from AI content. |
The evidence
Dictation & transcription AI
Alter and Ottex support custom dictionaries and voice snippets. Alter uses a customizable Action for automatic dictation cleanup; Ottex automatically applies saved dictation rules per app; Krisp has no system-wide dictation.
See the evidence — 29 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Krisp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engines | Cloud: Whisper, Gemini 3 Flash, Voxtral. Local: Whisper, Parakeet v3.Source: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Hosted routing, BYOK, or fully local. | Apple Speech, Whisper, Whisper Pro, Parakeet, Soniox V5Source: docs.alterhq.com/how-to — checked Oct 2026Voice settings offer Apple, local, advanced local, and cloud processors. | No public claim |
| Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Apple and downloaded Whisper models support on-device recognition. | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Model selection per task | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Choose the model per task and per provider. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Users select the voice processor and downloaded local model. | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching. | No public claim | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Automatic formatting | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Dictation automatically fixes punctuation, groups ideas into paragraphs and formats enumerations as lists. Formatting toggles and profile rules customize output. | PartialSource: list.alterhq.com/p — checked Oct 2026App-aware dictation formatting is documented, but automatic punctuation, paragraphing, and list behavior are not individually specified. | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Custom dictionary | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Add or delete names and specialist terms with preferred spellings; entries provide recognition context during transcription. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Settings → Voice → Dictionary accepts user-defined terms. | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Voice snippetsSay a saved phrase to insert a link or text | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Save a voice trigger and expansion text; saying the trigger while dictating inserts the saved URL or text in place. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Spoken-phrase replacements automatically insert saved text, including URLs and signatures, at the end of dictation. | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Custom voice instructionsFree-form rules applied after dictation | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Saved profile instructions automatically process dictation before insertion; rules can include writing examples, personal phrasing and email signatures. | PartialSource: list.alterhq.com/p — checked Oct 2026Automatic dictation cleanup uses a customizable Alter Action; cleanup is disabled for speech-to-prompt. | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Tone presetsChoose a predefined writing style | YesSelect built-in Messaging or Email profiles for casual or professional dictation; assigning apps or websites enables automatic profile activation. | No public claim | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
| Text transforms / AI ShortcutsApply an AI action to existing text | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Select or copy existing text, open Omnibar and run an AI Shortcut to rewrite, translate, summarize or apply a custom prompt; the result is copied/pasted. | YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/workflows — checked Oct 2026Voice commands rewrite, translate, summarize, or format text selected anywhere on the Mac. | PartialSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Core and Advanced users can summarize and analyze meeting transcripts through AI Chat with saved response instructions; arbitrary selected-text actions are unverified. |
| Per-app output rules | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email. | No public claim | NoSource: help.krisp.ai/hc — checked Oct 2026Not supported for system-wide dictation. |
Questions people actually ask.
Alter vs Krisp: which should I choose?
Choose Alter for customizable Mac dictation, or Krisp for structured meeting notes and shared meeting memory across platforms. Choose Ottex for dictation that follows saved writing instructions and meetings that produce CRM or ticket drafts.
Is Alter or Krisp free?
Alter has a free tier with unspecified limits; Krisp offers unlimited transcription, AI summaries and action items capped at two daily, and limited history. Ottex app access is free with local models or BYOK, but API provider usage can cost extra.
How much do Alter and Krisp cost?
Alter Pro is $29/mo or $240/yr; Local+ is $3.5/mo or $29/yr, and Lifetime is $720 one-time. Krisp Core is $16/seat/mo, with annual pricing unverified; Ottex Pro is $14/mo or $168/yr, with free local-model and BYOK app paths.
Is Alter more private than Krisp?
For on-device dictation recognition, choose Alter or Ottex: both offer local models, while Krisp has no local-processing option. BYOK in Alter or Ottex routes audio to an API provider; local recognition alone does not establish where subsequent AI cleanup runs.
Is it worth switching from Alter to Krisp?
Switch to Krisp if shared meeting memory and ready-made meeting document templates matter more than dictation; stay with Alter for customizable Mac dictation cleanup. Choose Ottex if you need saved dictation instructions plus CRM and ticket drafts.
Does Alter or Krisp work on Windows or Android?
Choose Krisp for Windows or Android; it also supports Mac, iOS and Web. Alter requires macOS 15 or later and is currently beta; Ottex supports Mac and iOS, so neither supports Windows or Android.
Do Alter and Krisp record meetings without a bot?
Yes: Alter, Krisp and Ottex all support bot-free capture. Krisp offers opt-in chat or audio recording notices that platforms may block; Ottex offers an experimental opt-in macOS camera recording watermark; neither mechanism establishes participant consent.