BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Otolio: Japanese AI meeting-minutes service (formerly Smart Scribe) that transcribes and automates the full minutes workflow for businesses. 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 Otolio when sales teams preparing for and following up on client meetings 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.
Japanese AI meeting-minutes service (formerly Smart Scribe) that transcribes and automates the full minutes workflow for businesses.
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
Otolio, formerly known as Smart Scribe (スマート書記), is a Japanese AI meeting-minutes service operated by Epicbase, Inc. It is designed for corporate use and automates the entire meeting documentation process rather than only producing a transcript. Users can record in-person meetings or capture audio from web conferencing tools, after which Otolio automatically transcribes the audio and generates summarized, cleaned-up minutes. Features include speaker visualization, registration of specialized terminology for improved accuracy on industry-specific vocabulary, and filler-word removal. The platform organizes recording, transcription, minutes generation, and follow-up tasks within a single interface, and offers specialized agents oriented toward meeting minutes and toward sales preparation and follow-up. Security is positioned as a core concern for Japanese enterprises: Otolio is ISO 27001 certified, uses encryption, and states that it does not perform unauthorized machine learning on user data. A mobile app supports transcription, audio playback, and file upload. Otolio is aimed at Japanese organizations that hold frequent internal meetings, sales calls, one-on-ones, and executive sessions and want to reduce the administrative burden of writing minutes. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Otolio is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Otolio |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | Automatic transcription of in-person and web-conference audio |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | AI summarization and cleanup of meeting minutes |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Speaker visualization and specialized terminology registration |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Filler-word removal for cleaner transcripts |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Dedicated minutes and sales agents in one interface |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Mobile app for transcription, playback, and file upload |
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.
Otolio
Choose Otolio if you need japanese companies automating internal meeting minutes — strengths include built for the japanese market with strong handling of japanese minutes workflows.
BetterDictation
Otolio
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Otolio is strong for japanese companies automating internal meeting minutes. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Otolio is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Sure. Running both makes sense when their strengths don't overlap and the budget allows.
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