Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Basil AI when transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device matters most, and BetterDictation when capturing spoken notes quickly during or after meetings matters most. Test each on your own meetings; the right choice tends to become obvious quickly.
On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload.
A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application.
Basil AI (Basil Private AI Note Taker) is a privacy-first AI transcription and note-taking application that processes all audio locally on Apple devices using Apple's on-device speech and machine-learning frameworks. Because recordings, transcripts, and summaries never leave the device and no cloud servers are involved, Basil is positioned for privacy-conscious professionals handling sensitive conversations, including lawyers conducting client meetings and other client-services practitioners where confidentiality matters. The app records live meetings and can also process uploaded audio and DRM-free video files, then generates transcripts with speaker diarization plus AI summaries and key takeaways. It supports a large set of languages and can work offline, including in airplane mode. Outputs can be exported to formats such as text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, and integrated with Apple's ecosystem (Apple Notes, iCloud Drive, Files). Basil is distributed on the Apple App Store by TONSOR LLC and is available as a universal app across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision, with recent iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS versions required. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a system-wide dictation tool for macOS that converts speech into typed text inside any application. Users trigger it with a keyboard shortcut (Option+Space) and can choose push-to-talk or toggle-to-talk modes; the transcribed text is then inserted directly where the cursor sits. It runs OpenAI's Whisper model locally on Apple's Neural Engine, so basic transcription works fully offline and, per the vendor, no audio recordings or transcripts are stored. It supports 100+ languages and applies automatic punctuation. The app requires Apple Silicon (M1 or newer); Intel Macs are not supported. An optional Pro add-on adds stammer correction, automatic formatting, and post-processing of dictations. It is aimed at people who write or capture text frequently, such as founders, engineers, and writers, who want to dictate emails, documents, notes, and messages rather than type them. Because it works across all apps, it can be used to capture spoken notes alongside meetings, though it is a general dictation utility rather than a dedicated meeting-recording assistant.
Best suited for
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Basil AI | BetterDictation |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | 100% on-device transcription with no cloud upload | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application |
| Standout feature | Speaker diarization to separate participants automatically | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine |
| Team usage | AI-generated summaries, minutes, and key takeaways | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips |
| Integrations | Support for recording live meetings and uploading audio/video files | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation |
| Languages & capture | Multi-language support and offline (airplane-mode) operation | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes |
| Best-fit workflow | Export to text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, plus Apple Notes/iCloud/Files | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting |
Basil AI
Choose Basil AI if you need transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device — strengths include strong privacy posture since data never leaves the device.
BetterDictation
Choose BetterDictation if you need dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps — strengths include runs locally on-device for privacy; vendor states no audio or transcripts are stored.
Basil AI
BetterDictation
It depends on your workflow. Basil AI is strong for transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device, while BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades and BetterDictation 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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