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. HiDock: AI note-taking hardware (docks, recorders, mini devices) paired with the HiNotes app to transcribe and summarize meetings. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Amical when dictating emails, messages, and documents hands-free with app-appropriate formatting matters most, and HiDock when capturing phone calls and bluetooth-earphone conversations for notes matters most. Trial each on a few real meetings before you commit — the better fit usually shows fast.
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.
AI note-taking hardware (docks, recorders, mini devices) paired with the HiNotes app to transcribe and summarize meetings.
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
HiDock is a hardware-and-software brand built around capturing meeting audio and turning it into transcripts and summaries through its companion HiNotes service. The product line includes USB-C docking stations such as the H1E and the O1 meeting-room dock, the HiDock P1 voice recorder for Bluetooth earphones, and the P1 mini for capturing phone calls and in-person conversations. The devices capture two-way audio from video calls, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings, including a proprietary BlueCatch technology that records through standard Bluetooth earbuds. Captured audio is sent to HiNotes, which auto-transcribes it and generates AI summaries using tailored templates organized by profession, such as sales, engineering, HR, and education. HiDock markets unlimited AI transcription across many languages, and because recording happens on the device or dock rather than through a meeting bot, no extra participant needs to join the call. The approach suits people who hold in-person or mixed meetings and want a dedicated capture device rather than a browser bot. HiNotes is available as a mobile and web app that turns recordings into searchable, actionable notes. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Amical is open source (open source); HiDock is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Amical | HiDock |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Local speech-to-text transcription powered by OpenAI Whisper | Hardware capture devices (docks, recorders, phone-call mini) for video, phone, and in-person meetings |
| Standout feature | On-device LLM processing via Ollama, with a cloud fallback option | HiNotes companion app for transcription and AI summaries |
| Team usage | Context-aware formatting that adapts tone to the active app (email, chat, IDE, terminal) | BlueCatch recording through standard Bluetooth earphones |
| Integrations | Multi-language and mixed-language dictation support | Profession-specific summary templates |
| Languages & capture | Custom vocabulary for domain-specific terms and configurable hotkeys | Multi-language transcription support |
| Best-fit workflow | Smart voice notes with summaries and task generation (in development) | Bot-free capture that does not require others to join via an assistant |
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.
HiDock
Choose HiDock if you need recording and summarizing in-person and conference-room meetings — strengths include dedicated hardware works well for in-person and mixed meetings, not just web calls.
Amical
HiDock
It depends on your workflow. Amical is strong for dictating emails, messages, and documents hands-free with app-appropriate formatting, while HiDock is strong for recording and summarizing in-person and conference-room meetings. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Amical is open source and HiDock is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary.
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