Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. Sona Insight: Apple-ecosystem AI app that records, transcribes, summarizes, and lets you chat with meetings, lectures, and interviews. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Basil AI when transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device matters most, and Sona Insight when capturing lectures and interviews with custom summary formats matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.
On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload.
Apple-ecosystem AI app that records, transcribes, summarizes, and lets you chat with meetings, lectures, and interviews.
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
Sona Insight (also presented simply as Sona, at sona.wtf) is an AI-powered voice-to-text and meeting assistant built for the Apple ecosystem, with support across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and additional Apple platforms, plus a web browser experience. The app records conversations and transcribes them into text across a wide range of languages, then automatically summarizes key points and action items. Users can apply custom summary templates tailored to meetings, lectures, or interviews, and an AI chat feature lets them ask follow-up questions, brainstorm, or draft follow-ups based on the captured conversation. Sona supports offline recording, with internet required only for processing and AI queries, and it includes Apple-native touches such as Live Activities, Dynamic Island support, and an Apple Watch app for quick capture. Transcripts and summaries are stored in each user's personal account and can be exported and shared as PDF or text. The product targets people who want to stay present in a meeting or lecture while letting AI handle transcription, summarization, and recall afterward. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Sona Insight is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Basil AI | Sona Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | 100% on-device transcription with no cloud upload | Records and transcribes meetings, lectures, and interviews |
| Standout feature | Speaker diarization to separate participants automatically | Automatic summaries with key points and action items |
| Team usage | AI-generated summaries, minutes, and key takeaways | Custom summary templates for different conversation types |
| Integrations | Support for recording live meetings and uploading audio/video files | AI chat to ask questions and draft follow-ups from transcripts |
| Languages & capture | Multi-language support and offline (airplane-mode) operation | Offline recording with PDF/TXT export and sharing |
| Best-fit workflow | Export to text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, plus Apple Notes/iCloud/Files | Apple-native Live Activities, Dynamic Island, and Apple Watch support |
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.
Sona Insight
Choose Sona Insight if you need recording and summarizing meetings while staying present — strengths include deep apple-ecosystem integration across iphone, ipad, mac, and watch.
Basil AI
Sona Insight
It depends on your workflow. Basil AI is strong for transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device, while Sona Insight is strong for recording and summarizing meetings while staying present. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades and Sona Insight 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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