kitio.aiAiko vs Ermine.ai
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Ermine.ai is completely free, while Aiko is free trial.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Local Whisper transcription
- About 100 languages
- Mac, iOS and visionOS apps
- Shortcuts support
- No data collection
- In-browser speech recognition
- Microphone recording
- Audio and transcript download
- No account needed
| Feature | Aiko | Ermine.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | On-device transcription app for Mac, iPhone and Vision Pro | Browser-based transcription that keeps your audio on your device |
| Category | Audio & voice | Audio & voice |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free |
| Starting price | $24 one-time | Free |
| Free plan | No, trial available | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Sindre Sorhus | Ermine.ai |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Ermine.ai is completely free, while Aiko is free trial.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
Prices in USD, checked Nov 5, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Aiko
- Audio never leaves your device
- One-time price, no subscription
- Uses the large Whisper model on Mac
- Apple platforms only
- Smaller models on iPhone can be less accurate
- Quality drops for some languages
Ermine.ai
- Audio never leaves your device
- Nothing to install or sign up for
- Fast after the first model load
- English only
- First load downloads a 50 MB model
- Live microphone input only, no file uploads
Which one should you choose?
Choose Aiko if you want:
- Audio never leaves your device
- One-time price, no subscription
- Uses the large Whisper model on Mac
Watch out: apple platforms only.
Choose Ermine.ai if you want:
- Audio never leaves your device
- Nothing to install or sign up for
- Fast after the first model load
Watch out: english only.
Aiko vs Ermine.ai FAQ
What is the difference between Aiko and Ermine.ai?
Aiko: On-device transcription app for Mac, iPhone and Vision Pro. Ermine.ai: Browser-based transcription that keeps your audio on your device. Both are audio & voice tools.
Is Aiko or Ermine.ai cheaper?
Ermine.ai is completely free, while Aiko is free trial.
Do Aiko and Ermine.ai have free plans?
Aiko: No, trial available. Ermine.ai: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Aiko?
Aiko is made by Sindre Sorhus.
Who makes Ermine.ai?
Ermine.ai is made by Ermine.ai.
Which should I choose, Aiko or Ermine.ai?
Choose Aiko if you value audio never leaves your device and one-time price, no subscription. Choose Ermine.ai if you value audio never leaves your device and nothing to install or sign up for.