Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. Dictanote: Dictanote is a browser-based, cross-device notes app with built-in real-time speech-to-text voice typing in 50+ languages, plus an AI assistant that transcribes and summarizes voice notes. 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 Dictanote when professionals capturing voice memos and turning them into clean, summarized text with action items matters most. Run both through a week of actual calls to see which suits your workflow.
On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload.
Dictanote is a browser-based, cross-device notes app with built-in real-time speech-to-text voice typing in 50+ languages, plus an AI assistant that transcribes and summarizes voice notes.
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
Dictanote is a dictation-powered note-taking app that lets you write notes by speaking instead of typing. Its core voice-typing engine transcribes speech to text in real time across more than 50 languages and 80+ dialects, and supports voice commands for inserting punctuation, paragraphs, and symbols, as well as keyboard shortcuts for starting, stopping, and switching dictation languages. Notes sync across devices and can be organized into notebooks, with offline editing available (though live dictation needs connectivity). Its AI layer, AudioScribe, takes raw voice notes and rewrites them into clean, summarized text—automatically adding punctuation and stripping filler words, repetitions, and "umms." Users can choose summarization levels, apply custom writing styles (such as a business memo or to-do list), dictate in one language and output in another, and connect output to other apps via Zapier or webhooks. It targets writers, students, journalists, and professionals who prefer speaking over typing. Dictanote also offers a companion Chrome extension, Voice In, for dictating into other web apps.
Best suited for
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Dictanote is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Basil AI | Dictanote |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | 100% on-device transcription with no cloud upload | Real-time speech-to-text voice typing in 50+ languages and 80+ dialects |
| Standout feature | Speaker diarization to separate participants automatically | Voice commands for punctuation, paragraphs, symbols, and dictation control |
| Team usage | AI-generated summaries, minutes, and key takeaways | Custom voice commands to automate text entry and correct errors |
| Integrations | Support for recording live meetings and uploading audio/video files | AudioScribe AI assistant that transcribes and summarizes voice notes, removing filler words |
| Languages & capture | Multi-language support and offline (airplane-mode) operation | Notebooks for organizing notes, with cloud sync across devices and offline editing |
| Best-fit workflow | Export to text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, plus Apple Notes/iCloud/Files | Multilingual AI output (dictate in one language, write in another) and Zapier/webhook integrations |
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.
Dictanote
Choose Dictanote if you need students and writers drafting notes, articles, or book content hands-free by voice — strengths include strong multilingual coverage with 50+ languages and 80+ dialects.
Basil AI
Dictanote
It depends on your workflow. Basil AI is strong for transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device, while Dictanote is strong for students and writers drafting notes, articles, or book content hands-free by voice. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades and Dictanote is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Often yes: teams combine tools when one handles capture and another handles analysis.
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