BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Cleft Notes: AI voice-note app that turns spoken thoughts and meeting audio into structured, organized 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 BetterDictation when dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps matters most, and Cleft Notes when turning spoken ideas into structured, formatted notes matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.
A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application.
AI voice-note app that turns spoken thoughts and meeting audio into structured, organized notes.
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
Cleft Notes is an AI-powered voice-note app that captures spoken thoughts, meeting recaps, and other audio and converts them into structured, readable notes. Users record by speaking, and the app transcribes the audio and reshapes it into organized output, offering formats such as bulleted and headed notes, flowing paragraphs without bullets, or a cleaned-up verbatim transcript. It performs transcription on-device, which allows it to work offline and supports a privacy-focused approach, with encrypted cloud sync and local file storage that users control. Cleft integrates with a range of productivity tools, including Notion, Apple Notes, Obsidian, Todoist, and automation via Zapier, so notes can flow into existing workflows. The app is available across the Apple ecosystem, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and CarPlay, making it convenient to capture thoughts hands-free. While it is broadly a voice-to-notes tool, it is commonly used to capture meeting summaries and post-meeting recaps, and it is aimed at professionals and individuals who think out loud and want spoken input turned into well-formatted notes rather than raw recordings. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Cleft Notes is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Cleft Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | On-device transcription that works offline |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Multiple output formats: organized, no-bullets, or verbatim |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Encrypted cloud sync with user-controlled local storage |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Integrations with Notion, Apple Notes, Obsidian, Todoist, and Zapier |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and CarPlay |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Hands-free voice capture of thoughts and meeting recaps |
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.
Cleft Notes
Choose Cleft Notes if you need capturing post-meeting recaps and action items by voice — strengths include on-device transcription enables offline use and privacy.
BetterDictation
Cleft Notes
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Cleft Notes is strong for capturing post-meeting recaps and action items by voice. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Cleft Notes 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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