Echo99 is a free menu bar app that records, transcribes, and summarizes calls from Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet entirely on-device, without joining as a visible meeting bot. (Free)
The app captures microphone and system audio as separate WAV files, maintaining a continuous recording even when the audio device changes mid-call. Auto-record mode activates when another app begins using the microphone and stops automatically when the call ends. On-device transcription produces speaker-labeled transcripts in 25 languages, with offline support.
Speaker identification learns to recognize named participants across multiple calls, storing voice matching data locally on the Mac. Meeting summaries covering key points, decisions, and action items are generated on-device without sending audio to external services. Each recording session is saved as a local folder with discrete files: mic.wav, system.wav, metadata.json, transcript.txt, and summary.md. Echo99 also imports existing audio and video files for retrospective transcription.
Upcoming features listed on the developer’s roadmap include a Voice Agent in beta, a searchable recording archive, an MCP server, and connections to external AI models via OpenRouter or local Ollama instances.
System requirements: macOS 14.4 or later. Runs on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Pricing: (Free)
Limitations: No App Store distribution; direct download only. Experimental features such as live transcript preview remain in development. The app sends an anonymous install ID on launch, which is the sole network telemetry.
Alternatives: Fireflies.ai (cloud-based transcription with team workspace), Otter.ai (cloud transcription with real-time captions), Grain (meeting highlights and clips with cloud storage).
Suitable for users who need private, on-device meeting transcription and summaries without a visible bot participant in their video calls.
