Amical: Amical is an open-source, local-first AI dictation and voice-notes app that transcribes speech to text on your own machine using Whisper and open-source LLMs. FoCase Rec: FoCase Rec is a magnetic hardware recorder plus companion app that captures phone calls and in-person audio, then transcribes and summarizes the recordings using AI. Below, they line up on price, capture method, and how each fits a real meeting stack.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Amical when dictating emails, messages, and documents hands-free with app-appropriate formatting matters most, and FoCase Rec when capturing in-person meetings, interviews, and lectures for later transcription and review matters most. Run both through a week of actual calls to see which suits your workflow.
Amical is an open-source, local-first AI dictation and voice-notes app that transcribes speech to text on your own machine using Whisper and open-source LLMs.
FoCase Rec is a magnetic hardware recorder plus companion app that captures phone calls and in-person audio, then transcribes and summarizes the recordings using AI.
Amical is an open-source, MIT-licensed AI dictation application that turns speech into formatted text directly on your device. It runs OpenAI's Whisper for speech recognition locally and uses open-source LLMs (via Ollama) for intelligent processing, so dictation can work offline once a local model is set up; for machines that can't handle local inference, it offers a cloud fallback. Built with Electron and TypeScript, it runs on Mac and Windows as a desktop app with a floating widget interface and configurable hotkeys. Its standout feature is context-aware formatting: it detects the active application and adapts tone and structure accordingly, producing professional text in email, casual phrasing in chat apps, or prompt and command-style output in IDEs and terminals. It supports many languages plus mixed-language dictation, and custom vocabulary for domain-specific terms. Beyond dictation, it is adding smart voice notes with summaries and task generation. It targets privacy-conscious writers, developers, and professionals wanting a free alternative to paid dictation tools.
Best suited for
FoCase Rec is a hybrid hardware-and-software product for recording, transcribing, and summarizing conversations. The slim magnetic device attaches to the back of an iPhone and uses vibration-conduction technology to capture both sides of a phone call with a single button press, working around iOS call-recording restrictions without Bluetooth pairing for capture. It also doubles as a standalone voice recorder for lectures, meetings, and interviews, with dual-microphone noise reduction. Recordings sync to the FoCase Rec app, where OpenAI Whisper powers voice-to-text transcription across more than 100 languages, and GPT-based AI generates summaries and mind maps that extract key points. The app supports playback, simple editing, password protection, file transfer, and one-tap sharing of audio, transcripts, and summaries. It is aimed at professionals, sales and support staff, students, and anyone who needs documented records of calls and meetings. The recorder is a one-time purchase, and the company advertises free lifetime call recording plus included AI transcription and summarization up to a monthly minute allowance, avoiding recurring subscription fees.
Best suited for
Amical is open source (open source); FoCase Rec is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Amical | FoCase Rec |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Local speech-to-text transcription powered by OpenAI Whisper | Magnetic phone-back recorder that captures both sides of iPhone calls with a single button press |
| Standout feature | On-device LLM processing via Ollama, with a cloud fallback option | Doubles as a standalone voice recorder for meetings, lectures, and interviews with dual-mic noise reduction |
| Team usage | Context-aware formatting that adapts tone to the active app (email, chat, IDE, terminal) | AI transcription via OpenAI Whisper supporting 100+ languages |
| Integrations | Multi-language and mixed-language dictation support | AI summarization and mind-map generation using GPT to extract key points |
| Languages & capture | Custom vocabulary for domain-specific terms and configurable hotkeys | Companion app for playback, simple editing, file transfer, and one-tap sharing of audio, transcripts, and summaries |
| Best-fit workflow | Smart voice notes with summaries and task generation (in development) | Password protection for stored recordings |
Amical
Choose Amical if you need dictating emails, messages, and documents hands-free with app-appropriate formatting — strengths include fully open source (mit) and actively maintained with frequent releases.
FoCase Rec
Choose FoCase Rec if you need recording and documenting business or sales phone calls with searchable transcripts and summaries — strengths include records phone calls on iphone without app-based workarounds or per-call fees, plus works for in-person audio.
Amical
FoCase Rec
It depends on your workflow. Amical is strong for dictating emails, messages, and documents hands-free with app-appropriate formatting, while FoCase Rec is strong for recording and documenting business or sales phone calls with searchable transcripts and summaries. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Amical is open source and FoCase Rec is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Sure. Running both makes sense when their strengths don't overlap and the budget allows.
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