Your needs. Your shortlist.

Audio, video & subtitles apps.

Record, edit, transcribe, and caption audio and video.

Platform macOS iPhone iPad

Pricing model Free / usable free plan One-time purchase Subscription

Free includes documented ongoing free plans, not just free downloads or time-limited trials. Feature limits still apply.

Key features Edit PDFs Annotation & signing Combine PDFs OCR (paid tools) Transcription & subtitles Read later

Your preferences No subscription Offline mode No ads No account required Beginner friendly

Only documented attributes match. Unknown details are never treated as a yes.

31 apps match your needs

Showing 1–20 of 31

Buzz

An open-source desktop route to offline speech transcription and timed subtitle files.

Best forUsers comfortable checking model and backend settings Research reviewed

Free open-source softwareFree

Pros

Offline audio/video transcription documented
TXT, SRT and VTT export documented

Watch out

The current README says newer Mac releases require Apple Silicon; it identifies 1.4.5 as the last Intel-compatible version.
Backend and model differences can invalidate speed comparisons.

macOSWindowsLinux

CarScreen: Video in Your Car

Organize personal videos and choose a compatible external playback route.

Best forA library mixing personal local videos and supported links Research reviewed

Free download; optional paid features. See feature and purchase boundaries below.Freemium

Pros

Local-file and supported-link library with playback progress
AirPlay and HDMI output; selected personal local video to Google Cast
Playlist and big-screen allowances separated from on-device playback

Watch out

CarPlay is audio-only; compatible video displays use separate output routes.
Remote links may expire, need a network or restrict external playback.

iPhoneiPad

Diktator: Voice to Text

Dictate and optionally translate text with local models, using a keyboard on iPhone/iPad and a separate set of Mac text-delivery workflows.

Best forTyping less in notes, messages and other writing apps Research reviewed

Free local dictation with selected models. Optional 21-day trial; US App Store Pro $14.99 once. Direct website licenses are separate, with device-count pricing.Freemium

Watch out

No recognition accuracy, insertion, permission or cross-device test was performed.
The current iPhone/iPad listing is 2.3.3 and requires iOS/iPadOS 26. The submitted Direct Mac guide describes 2.3.1; this is not one tested build.

iPhoneiPadmacOS

Ferrite Recording Studio

A spoken-word recording and editing candidate for interviews, narration and podcasts on iPhone or iPad.

Best forAssembling interviews and spoken-word episodes Research reviewed

Free tier · Ferrite 3 Pro $29.99One time

Pros

Recording and multitrack speech editing
Developer-documented effects and export workflows

Watch out

Hardware and Pro entitlement affect recording options.
Transcript generation is not established by these sources.

iPhoneiPad

iMovie

Apple’s video editor is a baseline to try before buying a more complex editing workflow.

Best forA first straightforward iPad movie Research reviewed

Free downloadFree

Pros

Movie, Storyboard and Magic Movie workflows
Titles and audio editing
Finished movie and editable project sharing

Watch out

Device-specific export limits must be checked.
Do not assume automatic subtitle transcription is included.

iPhoneiPadmacOS

LumaFusion

A multitrack editor to investigate when an iPad project needs more deliberate control over layers and sound.

Best forEditors with a concrete layered-video requirement Research reviewed

$29.99 app · optional paid extrasPaid

Pros

Multitrack timeline described by developer
Keyframed effects and audio controls
Project and movie export options

Watch out

This draft scopes the iPhone/iPad edition, not Android or Mac parity.
Codec, external storage and add-on behavior need hardware-specific checks.

iPhoneiPad

MacWhisper

A Mac transcription candidate with a broader workflow than a simple subtitle generator.

Best forInterview and lecture transcription on Mac Research reviewed

Free edition · Pro €64 one-timeOne time

Pros

Local transcription advertised
Subtitle and document export advertised
Optional AI integrations

Watch out

This profile covers the Mac workflow, not feature parity with the separate iOS offering.
Only follow download links from the verified official site.

macOS

How we test

Clear methods, dated sources, and honest limitations. See what supports each recommendation.

Learn about our testing process

Who this is for

Mac, iPhone and iPad users who want to find better apps and get things done.

Sources and relationships disclosed. No paid rankings.