# LocalWhisper vs Marian

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Marian at none against LocalWhisper's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LocalWhisper sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Marian asks for nothing beyond the download.

LocalWhisper ships an update every 4 weeks, Marian monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LocalWhisper | Marian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localwhisper/id6760680371/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kevin Mok](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885695111) | [Jose Tomy Joseph](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090882701) |

## What reviewers say

### LocalWhisper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localwhisper/id6760680371)

This app offers on-device speech-to-text transcription powered by AI. It prioritizes user privacy by processing all audio locally, with options for free offline use or a one-time purchase for enhanced features and accuracy. Advanced users can also connect to their own Whisper servers.

**Highlights:** On-device speech-to-text transcription, Privacy-focused, no cloud uploads, Offline functionality, AI-powered grammar and punctuation cleanup, Customizable phrase keys and user dictionary, Optional connection to personal Whisper servers, Hands-free dictation with slide controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| LocalWhisper Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### Marian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marian-pdf-reader/id6812545779)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LocalWhisper free?

LocalWhisper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Marian free?

Marian is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do LocalWhisper or Marian have ads?

Neither LocalWhisper nor Marian shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LocalWhisper or Marian?

LocalWhisper ships an update every 4 weeks, and Marian monthly. Most recently, LocalWhisper was updated on November 9, 2026 and Marian on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*