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Kajo vs OpenWhispr
OpenWhispr is a solid MIT-licensed dictation app for macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS: local dictation is unlimited and free, its cloud transcription is capped per week on the free tier, and cross-device sync and chat over your data are paid. Kajo is built as the archive from the start: import any recording, transcribe on your machine, file it into folders, and ask a folder — or, with a confirm, the whole library — with cited answers. Free covers 5 files or 150 minutes of audio — total, for life; one $49 purchase unlocks unlimited imports and Lifetime convenience (watch folders, batch export) — one payment, no subscription.
OpenWhispr types what you say. Kajo keeps what you recorded — one private library on your machine, with cited answers and REFI-QDA export.
Why people choose Kajo over OpenWhispr
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Built for recordings, not dictation
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Cited chat in the free core loop
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No weekly word cap
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REFI-QDA export built in
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Nothing syncs off your machine
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Your installed version keeps working
Kajo vs OpenWhispr: side by side
| Feature | Kajo | OpenWhispr |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | A searchable archive of recordings | Dictation into any app |
| Free tier | 5 files or 150 minutes of audio — total, for life; core loop included | Unlimited local dictation, free; OpenWhispr Cloud transcription capped at 2,000 words/week |
| Paid plans | $49 launch / $99 standard, one-time — unlimited imports + Lifetime convenience (watch folders, batch export) | Pro $80/user/year (cross-device sync, cloud transcription); Business $160/user/year adds "chat over your data" |
| Chat over your data | Yes — on your machine, from Free | Yes — Business plan |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | MIT; macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS |
| REFI-QDA / QDPX export | Yes | No |
Three reasons Kajo exists
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Local-first / private by default
Your audio never leaves your laptop.
Audio is transcribed on-device — there is no cloud-processing path. Private by architecture.
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Cross-platform, including Linux
Mac, Windows, and Linux — one product, three operating systems.
Native installers for all three. Linux is a first-class target, not a port — the only local audio knowledge base that takes it seriously.
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Cited chat
Ask questions across your archive — get cited answers.
Chat with your entire library using a local model. Every answer links back to the exact moment in the recording — no copy/paste.
Frequently asked questions
OpenWhispr already has chat over your data — why switch?
OpenWhispr's chat is on its Business plan, alongside cross-device sync. In Kajo, cited chat is part of the free core loop and runs on your machine; one Lifetime purchase unlocks unlimited imports and Lifetime convenience (watch folders, batch export).
Does Kajo keep my data on-device?
Yes. There is no sync and no cloud-processing path; the library is an encrypted database on your machine, and you can export any transcript or answer yourself.