BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Sona Insight: Apple-ecosystem AI app that records, transcribes, summarizes, and lets you chat with meetings, lectures, and interviews. Which one wins depends on your platform mix, budget, and how hands-off you want notes to be.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist BetterDictation when dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps matters most, and Sona Insight when capturing lectures and interviews with custom summary formats 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.
Apple-ecosystem AI app that records, transcribes, summarizes, and lets you chat with meetings, lectures, and interviews.
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
Sona Insight (also presented simply as Sona, at sona.wtf) is an AI-powered voice-to-text and meeting assistant built for the Apple ecosystem, with support across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and additional Apple platforms, plus a web browser experience. The app records conversations and transcribes them into text across a wide range of languages, then automatically summarizes key points and action items. Users can apply custom summary templates tailored to meetings, lectures, or interviews, and an AI chat feature lets them ask follow-up questions, brainstorm, or draft follow-ups based on the captured conversation. Sona supports offline recording, with internet required only for processing and AI queries, and it includes Apple-native touches such as Live Activities, Dynamic Island support, and an Apple Watch app for quick capture. Transcripts and summaries are stored in each user's personal account and can be exported and shared as PDF or text. The product targets people who want to stay present in a meeting or lecture while letting AI handle transcription, summarization, and recall afterward. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Sona Insight is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Sona Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | Records and transcribes meetings, lectures, and interviews |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Automatic summaries with key points and action items |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Custom summary templates for different conversation types |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | AI chat to ask questions and draft follow-ups from transcripts |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Offline recording with PDF/TXT export and sharing |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Apple-native Live Activities, Dynamic Island, and Apple Watch support |
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.
Sona Insight
Choose Sona Insight if you need recording and summarizing meetings while staying present — strengths include deep apple-ecosystem integration across iphone, ipad, mac, and watch.
BetterDictation
Sona Insight
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Sona Insight is strong for recording and summarizing meetings while staying present. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Sona Insight is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary.
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