Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. RemNote: RemNote is an AI-powered note-taking and learning platform that can record and transcribe lectures, meetings, and other spoken sessions into searchable, timestamped notes. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Basil AI when transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device matters most, and RemNote when uploading recorded meetings or audio sessions for transcription and review 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.
RemNote is an AI-powered note-taking and learning platform that can record and transcribe lectures, meetings, and other spoken sessions into searchable, timestamped 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
RemNote is a knowledge-management and learning tool that combines note-taking, PDF and PowerPoint annotation, flashcards, and spaced repetition in one app. Its Lecture Recorder feature captures live audio and produces real-time transcription with timestamped notes, and it also accepts uploaded audio files in MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, and OGG formats for transcription after the fact. Once a session is recorded, users get a raw transcript of every word spoken alongside AI-organized bullet-point summaries, and can click any sentence to play back the audio at that timestamp, highlight it, or generate flashcards and quizzes. An AI tutor can answer questions by referencing the transcript and citing specific timestamps. RemNote runs as a web app and on desktop, iOS, and Android, with offline access available. It is built primarily for students and serious learners, including medical, law, and language students, who want to capture spoken material such as lectures or meetings and convert it into study-ready notes and review material.
Best suited for
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); RemNote is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Basil AI | RemNote |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | 100% on-device transcription with no cloud upload | Live audio recording with real-time transcription and timestamped notes |
| Standout feature | Speaker diarization to separate participants automatically | Audio file upload and transcription (MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG) |
| Team usage | AI-generated summaries, minutes, and key takeaways | Click-to-play audio from any transcript sentence |
| Integrations | Support for recording live meetings and uploading audio/video files | AI-generated summaries, flashcards, and quizzes from transcripts |
| Languages & capture | Multi-language support and offline (airplane-mode) operation | AI tutor that answers questions citing transcript timestamps |
| Best-fit workflow | Export to text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, plus Apple Notes/iCloud/Files | Note-taking, PDF/PowerPoint annotation, and spaced-repetition flashcards |
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.
RemNote
Choose RemNote if you need recording and transcribing lectures into searchable, timestamped study notes — strengths include turns recorded audio directly into searchable, study-ready notes and review material.
Basil AI
RemNote
It depends on your workflow. Basil AI is strong for transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device, while RemNote is strong for recording and transcribing lectures into searchable, timestamped study notes. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades and RemNote 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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