BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Grain: Grain is an AI notetaker and conversation intelligence platform that records, transcribes, and summarizes video calls and Slack huddles, with or without meeting bots. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist BetterDictation when dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps matters most, and Grain when recording and summarizing client or team meetings for action items 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.
Grain is an AI notetaker and conversation intelligence platform that records, transcribes, and summarizes video calls and Slack huddles, with or without meeting bots.
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
Grain is an AI meeting assistant and conversation intelligence platform that automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings, generating AI notes, action items, and shareable video clips. It supports Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams (plus Slack huddles), and can capture audio without a meeting bot via bot-free desktop capture, or join calls with a recording bot. Transcription covers 100+ languages. On higher tiers, Grain syncs meeting notes and insights to CRMs including HubSpot and Salesforce, making it useful for sales and customer success teams tracking deal conversations. The Business tier also adds AI coaching, custom AI follow-up emails, trackers, and team interaction metrics. The Free plan includes unlimited meetings with a 45-minute recording limit, AI notes and action items, 30-day meeting history, and unlimited free viewer seats; paid seats unlock unlimited meeting duration, history, and uploads.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Grain is from $15/mo (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | AI meeting notes & action items |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Multi-language transcription (100+ languages) |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Shareable video clips & highlight reels |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | CRM sync (HubSpot & Salesforce) |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Bot-free desktop capture |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | AI meeting notes & action items |
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.
Grain
Choose Grain if you need sales and customer success teams capturing call insights synced to a crm — strengths include records and transcribes meetings with or without a bot, including bot-free desktop (computer-audio) capture.
BetterDictation
Grain
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Grain is strong for sales and customer success teams capturing call insights synced to a crm. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Grain is from $15/mo. 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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