BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Sembly AI: Team-focused notetaker with action items across 48 languages Here's where each one pulls ahead on pricing, features, and the meetings it suits best.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist BetterDictation when dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps matters most, and Sembly AI when multilingual meeting transcription 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.
Team-focused notetaker with action items across 48 languages
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
Sembly AI records and transcribes meetings in 40+ languages, then produces AI notes, summaries, and automatically detected tasks, with an AI chat assistant (Semblian) over single or multiple meetings. It connects to Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex, and automates via Zapier, webhooks, MCP, and CRM tools. As of March 2026, Sembly no longer offers a permanent free plan — the only no-cost option is a time-limited Basic free trial; paid plans start at $10/user/mo (annual).
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Sembly AI is from $10/mo (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Sembly AI |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | 40+ language transcription |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Automated action items |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Semblian AI chat |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Workflow automations |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | 40+ language transcription |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Automated 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.
Sembly AI
Choose Sembly AI if you need team ai notes with task automation — strengths include transcription and ai notes in 40+ languages.
BetterDictation
Sembly AI
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Sembly AI is strong for team ai notes with task automation. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Sembly AI is from $10/mo. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
You can — some teams pair them when each covers a different part of the meeting workflow.
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