BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. EventCAT: AI platform that delivers real-time subtitles and voice interpretation in 50+ languages for conferences, webinars, and online meetings. 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 EventCAT when adding real-time translation and captions to zoom, teams, or google meet webinars matters most. Test each on your own meetings; the right choice tends to become obvious quickly.
A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application.
AI platform that delivers real-time subtitles and voice interpretation in 50+ languages for conferences, webinars, and online meetings.
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
EventCAT is an AI-powered real-time interpretation and subtitling platform built by XL8 Inc. for meetings, webinars, and live conferences. It converts spoken audio into live captions and synthesized voice translation across more than 50 languages, allowing multilingual audiences to follow sessions without traditional interpreter booths. The platform offers two products: an OnlineMeeting mode that integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and a Conference mode designed for in-person and hybrid events. For conferences, each session generates a unique QR code so attendees can view or listen to captions in their preferred language on a phone or tablet, while subtitles can also be projected on main event screens and pushed to YouTube and OBS streams. EventCAT exposes two processing modes, one tuned for low latency and one tuned for accuracy, and supports custom glossaries for industry and company-specific terminology. After an event it produces downloadable transcripts in multiple languages and AI-generated summaries. The service advertises SOC 2 certification and a stated policy of not storing or training on user data, and it is actively operating in 2025 and 2026. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); EventCAT is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | EventCAT |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | Real-time AI subtitles and synthesized voice interpretation in 50+ languages |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Conference mode with per-session QR codes for attendees plus main-screen subtitle display |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Integrations with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, YouTube, and OBS |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Selectable speed-prioritized and accuracy-prioritized translation modes |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Custom glossaries for industry and proper-noun accuracy |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Post-event downloadable multilingual transcripts and AI summaries |
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.
EventCAT
Choose EventCAT if you need providing multilingual live subtitles and audio at in-person conferences and seminars — strengths include combines both live captions and voice interpretation in one platform.
BetterDictation
EventCAT
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while EventCAT is strong for providing multilingual live subtitles and audio at in-person conferences and seminars. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and EventCAT 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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