Sigmise

Sigmise is a desktop app (macOS and Windows) that captures live audio from your meetings, lectures, or any conversation and turns it into real-time subtitles with translation. It listens to both system audio and your microphone simultaneously, so you can follow along in your preferred language while the original speaker talks. When the session ends, you get an AI-generated summary and a searchable transcript you can chat with to ask follow-up questions.

The app uses Microsoft Azure for speech recognition and OpenAI for its AI summaries — both handled locally on your machine for privacy. What makes Sigmise stand out is its floating overlay window that stays on top of any other app, so you can see subtitles over Zoom, Teams, or a video player without switching screens. It supports 28 languages, identifies different speakers, and offers a live summary panel that updates as people speak — particularly helpful if you're listening in a second language. The free plan gives you 120 minutes of transcription per month, and the Pro plan bumps that to 1,200 minutes for $15.99/month.

Sigmise is ideal for anyone who spends a lot of time in meetings or lectures. Non-native speakers can follow along with live translations. Students can record and review foreign-language classes. Global teams can bridge language gaps in real time. And if you're tired of taking notes manually, the AI chat feature lets you ask questions like "What were the action items?" instead of scanning through pages of text.