The private, offline Aiko alternative for iPhone and iPad
Aiko and LoroNote both run Whisper on the device, so neither uploads audio. The difference is scope: Aiko transcribes files you hand it, while LoroNote records too — from the phone or an Apple Watch — and adds on-device speaker labels, folders, and Apple Intelligence summaries. Aiko is $24.00 upfront and needs iOS 26; LoroNote is a free download and runs on iOS 18.6.
Why people look for an alternative to Aiko
- 1 Aiko requires iOS 26. If your iPhone or iPad is on an earlier version, it will not install at all.
- 2 No recording-first workflow: Aiko is built around transcribing audio shared or imported into it, not capturing a meeting as it happens.
- 3 No speaker separation, so a two-person interview comes back as one undivided block of text.
- 4 $24.00 upfront in the US storefront, with no way to try the app on your own audio first.
What changes when you switch
- You can start a recording in the app — or from an Apple Watch — instead of capturing elsewhere and importing.
- Interviews come back with speakers separated and labelled automatically, and the labels survive TXT and SRT export.
- You give up Mac and Apple Vision support. Aiko covers those; LoroNote is iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
The differences that decide it
| Feature | LoroNote | Aiko |
|---|---|---|
| Where audio is processed | On device | On device |
| In-app recording | Yes, plus Apple Watch | Focused on imported and shared audio |
| Speaker labels | Automatic, on device, renameable | Not available |
| Minimum iOS | iOS 18.6 | iOS 26.0 |
| Price | Free download; $39.99 lifetime | $24.00 upfront |
Full comparison: LoroNote vs Aiko: Two On-Device Whisper Apps Compared
What you would pay instead
| Plan | Price | What it allows |
|---|---|---|
| LoroNote — free download | $0 | Try it before paying anything |
| LoroNote Monthly | $4.99/month | No plan cap on minutes or files |
| LoroNote Yearly | $19.99/year | No plan cap on minutes or files |
| LoroNote Lifetime | $39.99 once | No renewal, no plan cap |
| Aiko | $24.00 once | One-time purchase; requires iOS 26 or later |
When to stay with Aiko
- You only ever transcribe files you already have, and you want the smallest possible tool for that one job.
- You need the same app on a Mac or Apple Vision Pro.
- You prefer paying once for a utility with no subscription option at all.
Other options worth knowing
- Otter.ai — Otter.ai is a cloud meeting assistant. A bot joins your Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams call, transcribes it on Otter’s servers, and shares the notes with your team.
- Notta — Notta is a cloud transcription and AI meeting-notes service with real-time translation, bilingual transcription, and bots that join Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex.
- Whisper Notes — Whisper Notes is an on-device speech-to-text app for iPhone and Mac, sold as a one-time purchase, with system-wide Fn voice typing on the Mac and a choice of Parakeet, Whisper, and SenseVoice engines.
Aiko alternative: common questions
Is LoroNote a good Aiko alternative?
It is the closer match if you record as well as transcribe. Both run Whisper on the device, but LoroNote adds in-app and Apple Watch recording, automatic speaker labels, and a review workflow built for long meetings and lectures.
Does Aiko separate speakers?
No. Aiko does not offer speaker detection, so an interview transcribes as a single block. LoroNote identifies speakers on the device, lets you rename them once, and keeps the labels in exports.
Why can I not install Aiko?
Aiko requires iOS 26.0 or later. On an older iPhone or iPad it will not install. LoroNote requires iOS 18.6, so it runs on a wider range of devices.
Which is cheaper?
Aiko is $24.00 once. LoroNote is free to download, $19.99 a year, or $39.99 once for lifetime access — so Aiko is cheaper outright, and LoroNote is the one you can test on your own audio before paying.
Test it before you cancel anything
LoroNote is a free download. Record one real meeting, put the phone in airplane mode, and check the transcript before you move any workflow across.
Download LoroNote