BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Substrata: AI sales intelligence platform that analyzes the social and emotional signals behind conversations to help dealmakers read buyer intent. 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 Substrata when coaching sellers on social dynamics in high-stakes conversations matters most. Run both through a week of actual calls to see which suits your workflow.
A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application.
AI sales intelligence platform that analyzes the social and emotional signals behind conversations to help dealmakers read buyer intent.
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
Substrata is an AI sales coaching and deal intelligence platform that takes a different angle from typical conversation intelligence tools: rather than focusing on transcription and summaries, it analyzes the social and emotional signals beneath sales conversations. Its core function is to model buyer psychology, attitudes, and momentum across interactions to help professional dealmakers understand intent and power dynamics. A central component is SoundWave, a real-time conversational analytics engine that listens to sales calls and analyzes voice tone, pace, pauses, interruptions, and the push-pull of social dynamics, surfacing the why behind what is being said rather than just the words. Substrata applies this signal analysis across conversations and email exchanges to gauge buyer sentiment and engagement, giving sellers and revenue leaders a read on how deals are actually progressing. The platform is aimed at B2B revenue professionals and leaders, and is positioned for smaller and mid-sized dealmaking teams that want behavioral insight into negotiations and high-value conversations. It has been recognized as a high performer across sales coaching, AI sales assistant, conversation intelligence, sales analytics, and revenue operations categories. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Substrata is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Substrata |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | SoundWave real-time analysis of tone, pace, pauses, and interruptions |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Behavioral analysis of buyer attitudes, intent, and power dynamics |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Email signal analysis for sentiment and engagement |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Deal momentum tracking across conversations |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Coaching insights focused on social and emotional cues |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | SoundWave real-time analysis of tone, pace, pauses, and interruptions |
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.
Substrata
Choose Substrata if you need reading buyer intent and sentiment during negotiations — strengths include analyzes social and emotional subtext beyond plain transcription.
BetterDictation
Substrata
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Substrata is strong for reading buyer intent and sentiment during negotiations. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Substrata 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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