Local transcription
Audio and text stay on the machine.
Website Direct edition
Pay once. Fully unlocked. Verified by Apple.
This website download is a separate direct-distribution build from the Mac App Store edition. It contains no StoreKit purchase flow or subscription screen: every feature is available after the one-time website purchase.
Apple notarized this exact disk image after an automated malware check. It is signed with the publisher's Developer ID and its notarization ticket is stapled to the download, so Gatekeeper can verify it even when your Mac is offline.
How signing, notarization and installation work- Version
- 1.0 (build 1)
- Released
- 2026-08-22
- Requires
- macOS 14 or later
- Architecture
- Apple silicon and Intel
- Download
- 4.4 MB DMG
- Apple check
- Notarized · Developer ID signed
- SHA-256
5230b11738eb89c761163386a796d6896d11f7b7eccf462250b2f036f291733b
What it is
What Lectern does
Transcribes meetings and lectures on-device and keeps them in a searchable archive, so the recording and its text stay on your Mac and remain findable months later.
Transcription runs locally, which matters most for exactly the recordings you would never upload — client calls, medical discussions, internal reviews.
The archive is the other half. A transcript you cannot find again is a transcript you did not make.
How it does its job
Searchable archive
Full-text search across every past session.
Speaker structure
Turns are separated so a transcript reads as a conversation.
What it doesn't do
Overlapping speech and poor microphones degrade any transcriber, this one included.
Check the recording workflow you actually need
Lectern's supplied recording capture shows an on-device Whisper session with pause, discard and stop-and-save controls. Its product workflow includes a searchable archive and speaker-structured text. That is separate from promising every audio source, language or export format.
| Before buying | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Language and accent | Confirm the language with support; test names and specialist vocabulary on a representative recording. |
| Meeting capture | Confirm the audio input. Microphone recording does not by itself establish direct system-audio capture. |
| Existing audio files | Confirm your exact import format and whether the release supports your intended file workflow. |
| Export and sharing | Confirm the required output format and how you will reopen it outside the app. |
Text walkthrough: record, review, find again
- Get the participants' agreement to record and test the chosen input with non-sensitive audio.
- Check that the needed local resources are ready, then test with the network disconnected if offline use is essential.
- Record a short session, stop and save it, then compare the text with the recording.
- Verify names, amounts, negations, owners and deadlines before sharing notes.
- Search for a distinctive phrase later and check your backup/reopen workflow.
Use the transcript review example, compare Lectern with Otter or confirm language and file support.
Keep exploring
Related apps and practical guides
InQOne document with four views — writing, data, canvas, slides — where a changed number updates everything.
Better NotesHandwriting, pages and PDF markup in one local-first workspace — your notes stay files you own.
Spider NotesNotes arranged as a memory web, with a recall mode that blanks the labels and tests you.
Native, local-first, and yours
Lectern is a native Mac app distributed as a complete, fully activated download. No subscription, no account, no locked features, no tracking.
Buy & downloadGet Lectern
Choose $10 for one app, $20 for two different apps, or $49 for every published app through Stripe's hosted checkout. Download on the confirmation page or open the delivery email on your Mac. Each link is single-use; your email shows its exact expiry. Keep the installer for future use. If your link expires or the download fails, ask for a replacement link with your receipt; do not buy again.
Common questions
What is Lectern?
A native Mac recorder and transcriber: live on-screen transcript, on-device Whisper or Apple Speech, deterministic notes with TL;DR, summaries and action items, and a full-text searchable archive of every word you have ever recorded. Audio never leaves the device.
Who is Lectern for?
Lectern is for Mac users looking for notes & study. Meetings and lectures transcribed on-device and kept in an archive you can search months later.
Can I transcribe a meeting without sending its audio to a cloud service?
Lectern's meeting transcription workflow runs on-device and keeps a searchable local archive. Prepare required local resources before going offline and review the transcript against the recording before sharing it.
Which Macs can run Lectern?
Lectern requires macOS 14 or later. Supported architecture: Apple silicon and Intel. Check About This Mac before purchasing.
Is this the same Lectern edition as the Mac App Store version?
No. The Mac App Store edition can include Apple's in-app subscription system. The website Direct edition is a separately signed build with no StoreKit purchase flow: one website purchase unlocks the complete app with no recurring charge.
Is Lectern the full version, or are features locked?
The download is the complete app. There is no subscription, no locked tier, no account, and no trial timer — every feature is included.
How do I get Lectern?
Choose $10 for one app, $20 for two different apps, or $49 for every published app through Stripe's hosted checkout on this page. Download links are delivered on the confirmation page and by email. Each link is single-use; its exact expiry is shown in your delivery email. Keep the installer. If the link expires or a download fails, contact support@macossoftware.com with your receipt instead of buying again.
Is the Lectern Direct edition notarized by Apple?
Yes. Version 1.0 is signed with a Developer ID certificate, notarized by Apple, and distributed with a stapled notarization ticket. Its published SHA-256 checksum is 5230b11738eb89c761163386a796d6896d11f7b7eccf462250b2f036f291733b.