kitio.aiAiko vs WhisperAPI
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Aiko starts at $24 one-time and WhisperAPI starts at $10 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
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
- Whisper-based transcription
- 98+ languages
- Files up to 10 GB
- JSON, VTT, DOCX and PDF export
- Developer API
| Feature | Aiko | WhisperAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | On-device transcription app for Mac, iPhone and Vision Pro | Pay-as-you-go transcription API and web app built on OpenAI Whisper |
| Category | Audio & voice | Audio & voice |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Starting price | $24 one-time | $10 one-time |
| Free plan | No, trial available | Yes |
| Made by | Sindre Sorhus | WhisperAPI |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Aiko starts at $24 one-time and WhisperAPI starts at $10 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- 5 transcription credits
40 credits
$10 one-time
- $0.25 per credit
- Credits never expire
100 credits
$20 one-time
- $0.20 per credit
- Credits never expire
200 credits
$30 one-time
- $0.15 per credit
- Credits never expire
Custom
$0.10 / credit
- Minimum 1,000 credits
- For large volumes
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
WhisperAPI
- No subscription; credits never expire
- Handles very large files
- Many export formats
- Only five free credits
- Relies on Whisper rather than its own model
- Bundle sizes are small for heavy use
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 WhisperAPI if you want:
- No subscription; credits never expire
- Handles very large files
- Many export formats
Watch out: only five free credits.
Aiko vs WhisperAPI FAQ
What is the difference between Aiko and WhisperAPI?
Aiko: On-device transcription app for Mac, iPhone and Vision Pro. WhisperAPI: Pay-as-you-go transcription API and web app built on OpenAI Whisper. Both are audio & voice tools.
Is Aiko or WhisperAPI cheaper?
Aiko starts at $24 one-time and WhisperAPI starts at $10 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Aiko and WhisperAPI have free plans?
Aiko: No, trial available. WhisperAPI: Yes.
Who makes Aiko?
Aiko is made by Sindre Sorhus.
Who makes WhisperAPI?
WhisperAPI is made by WhisperAPI.
Which should I choose, Aiko or WhisperAPI?
Choose Aiko if you value audio never leaves your device and one-time price, no subscription. Choose WhisperAPI if you value no subscription; credits never expire and handles very large files.