Ava: AI live captioning and transcription app for accessibility, providing real-time captions for conversations and video meetings. TongueType: TongueType is a privacy-focused macOS voice dictation app that turns speech into text on-device using a local Whisper AI model. Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Ava when real-time captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing participants matters most, and TongueType when transcribing recorded audio or video files locally, such as meeting or interview recordings matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.
AI live captioning and transcription app for accessibility, providing real-time captions for conversations and video meetings.
TongueType is a privacy-focused macOS voice dictation app that turns speech into text on-device using a local Whisper AI model.
Ava is a live captioning and transcription service built primarily for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, as well as for organizations that need accessible meetings and conversations. The app captures audio from in-person conversations and from video conferencing tools, then generates real-time captions on a phone, computer, or in the meeting interface. Ava combines automatic speech recognition with an optional professional scribe service for higher-accuracy, ADA-compliant captioning, giving users a choice between fast AI captions and human-assisted transcription. Features include color-coded speaker identification so users can follow who said what, support for many languages, and stored transcripts and summaries after a conversation ends. Through its Ava Connect integration, the service connects with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and it is available across mobile (iOS and Android), web, and desktop (Windows and Mac). Ava is aimed at individuals who need accessibility support in daily conversations and meetings, as well as at educational institutions, healthcare providers, corporations, and event venues that must provide compliant real-time captioning without committing to a traditional CART contract. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
TongueType is a voice dictation application for macOS that converts speech to text entirely on-device using a locally-run Whisper AI model, so audio never leaves the Mac. It lives in the menu bar with no dock icon, and works as a press-to-talk input method: the user holds a configurable hotkey (or uses a double-tap latch), speaks, and the transcribed text is inserted at the cursor in any application that accepts text input. Beyond live dictation, it can transcribe audio and video files (such as WAV, MP3, MP4, and MOV). It supports multiple languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, with automatic language detection, plus customizable post-processing rules, overlay appearance, and microphone options. Preferences can sync across Macs via iCloud. It requires macOS 14+ on Apple Silicon (M1 or later). The app is aimed at people who want faster text entry than typing, professionals needing quick transcription, and users with typing difficulties (arthritis, RSI, tremor, and similar accessibility needs).
Best suited for
Ava is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); TongueType is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Ava | TongueType |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Integration with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams | On-device speech-to-text using a local Whisper AI model (no cloud) |
| Standout feature | Real-time live captions for in-person and online conversations | Press-to-talk hotkey dictation with double-tap latch, inserting text at the cursor in any app |
| Team usage | Color-coded speaker identification | Audio and video file transcription (WAV, MP3, MP4, MOV) |
| Integrations | Optional professional scribe service for higher accuracy | Multi-language support with automatic language detection (English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and more) |
| Languages & capture | Mobile, web, and desktop apps | Customizable post-processing rules, overlay appearance, and microphone options |
| Best-fit workflow | Saved transcripts and conversation summaries | iCloud sync of preferences across multiple Macs |
Ava
Choose Ava if you need real-time captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing participants — strengths include strong accessibility focus for deaf and hard-of-hearing users.
TongueType
Choose TongueType if you need dictating text into any macos application instead of typing — strengths include fully on-device processing with no servers or accounts, strong for privacy.
Ava
TongueType
It depends on your workflow. Ava is strong for real-time captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing participants, while TongueType is strong for dictating text into any macos application instead of typing. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Ava is a free tier with paid upgrades and TongueType 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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