BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Condens: UX research platform for storing, transcribing, tagging, and analyzing user interviews in a searchable, collaborative repository. Below, they line up on price, capture method, and how each fits a real meeting stack.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist BetterDictation when dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps matters most, and Condens when collaboratively analyzing qualitative data in real time matters most. Trial each on a few real meetings before you commit — the better fit usually shows fast.
A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application.
UX research platform for storing, transcribing, tagging, and analyzing user interviews in a searchable, collaborative repository.
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
Condens is a user research platform that helps research teams store, analyze, share, and scale customer data in one collaborative hub. It supports importing recordings, notes, and user feedback, and provides automated multilingual transcription with AI-powered speaker recognition and automated captions. For analysis, Condens offers a split-screen interface that lets researchers review raw data and tag it simultaneously, along with AI-driven pattern identification across datasets and quick generation of evidence-backed findings. All research lives in a searchable, centralized repository with cross-project insight discovery, filtering, and role-based access control for managing confidential data. Condens emphasizes real-time collaboration, allowing multiple team members to build, edit, and tag data together, and integrates with tools such as Slack, Teams, Figma, and Miro, plus whiteboard functionality for interactive sessions. Additional AI capabilities include automated bookmarking, summarization, and pattern detection across multiple studies. Positioned as a lean, practical tool for researchers who want to move quickly, Condens aims to streamline the path from interview transcripts to shareable insights without the overhead of heavier enterprise systems. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Condens is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Condens |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | Automated multilingual transcription with speaker recognition and captions |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Split-screen interface for simultaneous data review and tagging |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | AI-driven pattern identification across datasets |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Searchable centralized repository with cross-project discovery |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Real-time collaborative analysis and tagging |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Integrations with Slack, Teams, Figma, and Miro plus whiteboards |
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.
Condens
Choose Condens if you need transcribing and tagging user interview recordings — strengths include fast, practical workflow from transcript to tagged insights.
BetterDictation
Condens
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Condens is strong for transcribing and tagging user interview recordings. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Condens 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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