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 Superwhisper: the honest comparison.
Three tools. Different strengths. Find your fit.
Ottex
Alter
SuperwhisperAll 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.
Superwhisper
Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Choose if
You want saved writing instructions applied automatically during dictation.
Look elsewhere if
You need fully local AI cleanup with custom instructions.
The evidence
Pricing
Alter Pro costs $240/year versus $84.99/year for Superwhisper Pro. Ottex needs no app subscription with local models or your own API key (BYOK); provider API charges are separate.
See the evidence — 15 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Up to 2 (no AI processing) |
| 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. | $8.49/moSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Cloud inference is included, local transcription and optional BYOK are available, and meeting summaries do not require BYOK. |
| 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. | $249.99 one-timeSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026The same Pro features are licensed for the product's lifetime, subject to the service terms. |
| 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. | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Pro supports user-supplied provider API keys. |
| 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. | YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Verified students, faculty and academic institutions receive 40% off monthly, annual and lifetime website purchases after verification; discounted USD prices are not published. |
The evidence
Platforms
Superwhisper supports Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, making it the choice for Windows or Android. Alter requires macOS 15+ and is currently in beta; Ottex supports Mac and iOS.
See the evidence — 4 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | No public claim | Mac, Windows, iOS, AndroidSource: superwhisper.com/changelog — 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
Ottex offers an experimental, opt-in macOS camera recording watermark; Alter has none, and camera recording watermark support in Superwhisper is unverified. Recording notices in meeting chat or calendar are unverified for all three.
See the evidence — 17 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Desktop Pro modes capture live meetings through system-audio recording. |
| 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: superwhisper.com/meeting-transcription — checked Oct 2026Meeting audio is recorded from the user's device 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 | No public claim |
| 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. | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Pro separates speakers into editable labels, with labels omitted from standard AI summaries. |
| 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. | No public claim |
| 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. | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026The macOS CLI searches across stored transcriptions, including captured meeting transcripts. |
| Shared team memory | PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace. | No public claim | No public claim |
The evidence
From meeting to finished work
Alter and Ottex draft follow-up emails; that workflow is unverified for Superwhisper, which produces minutes. Ottex also structures transcripts using document templates and offers separate ready-made prompts for transcript chat.
See the evidence — 11 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No public claim |
| 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 | No public claim |
| 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: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Meeting Mode organizes action items alongside attendees and discussion points. |
| 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. | No public claim |
| 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. | No public claim |
| 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. | No public claim |
The evidence
Dictation & transcription AI
Alter, Superwhisper Pro and Ottex can automatically apply saved instructions to dictation. Superwhisper and Ottex activate rules by app; Alter formats for the app, but user-configurable per-app rules are unverified.
See the evidence — 30 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Alter | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | Whisper, Nvidia Parakeet, Cohere Transcribe, Superwhisper S1-Voice, Deepgram Nova, ElevenLabs ScribeSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026The model library includes local and cloud recognition engines. |
| 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. | YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Whisper, Parakeet and Cohere recognition models run on-device, subject to hardware support. |
| 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. | YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Each mode has selectable voice and optional language models. |
| Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching. | No public claim | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026100+ languages · Mixed-language dictation uses Automatic detection and may need vocabulary hints or instructions to preserve the input languages. |
| 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. | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Pro AI modes add punctuation, paragraphs and lists, while custom modes can define additional formatting rules. |
| 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. | YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Editable vocabulary supplies recognition hints for names, acronyms and specialist terms. |
| 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. | YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Saved replacements expand spoken phrases such as a work-email trigger into the configured text. |
| 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. | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Pro Custom modes automatically apply saved user-written instructions to every dictation in that mode; S1-mini cannot run Custom modes. |
| 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 | PartialSource: superwhisper.com/blog — checked Oct 2026Pro tone controls offer casual through formal settings, including five documented S1-mini preferences. |
| 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: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Pro Super Mode formats selected text through spoken commands, and Custom modes process selected or copied text with user-defined instructions. |
| Per-app output rules | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email. | No public claim | YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Oct 2026Modes can activate automatically for selected applications and websites. |
Questions people actually ask.
Alter vs Superwhisper: which should I choose?
Choose Superwhisper for Windows or Android and Pro modes that activate by app; choose Alter on Mac for meeting follow-ups and CRM workflows. Choose Ottex for dictated text shaped by saved writing examples and for CRM and ticket drafts.
Is Alter free?
Alter has a free tier; Superwhisper has a limited free tier without AI processing. Ottex offers free app access with local models or BYOK, with separate provider API charges for BYOK.
How much do Alter and Superwhisper cost?
Alter Pro is $240/year, Local+ is $29/year and Lifetime is $720 one-time; Superwhisper Pro is $84.99/year or $249.99 one-time for Lifetime. Ottex Pro is $168/year, with free app access through local models or BYOK; BYOK provider fees are separate.
Is Alter safe?
For audio privacy, use local recognition to process audio on-device in Alter, Superwhisper or Ottex. Cloud models and BYOK involve provider processing; Superwhisper limits fully local AI cleanup to English Message/Mail modes.
Is it worth switching from Alter to Superwhisper?
Switch to Superwhisper for Windows support or dictation modes that activate by app; stay with Alter if you rely on its CRM and Linear meeting workflows. Ottex also supports per-app rules and drafts CRM updates and tickets, but has no Windows version.
Does Alter or Superwhisper work on Windows or Android?
Superwhisper supports both Windows and Android. Alter requires macOS 15+ and is in beta; Ottex supports Mac and iOS, so neither covers those platforms.
Which supports more languages, Alter or Superwhisper?
Superwhisper and Ottex support 100 languages, versus 50 for Alter. Ottex supports mid-sentence switching; Superwhisper uses automatic detection and may need vocabulary hints to preserve languages, while mixed-language support in Alter is unverified.