BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Tana: AI workspace with a bot-less meeting notetaker that transcribes and summarizes meetings directly into a connected knowledge base. 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 Tana when turning meeting notes into linked tasks and project knowledge 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.
AI workspace with a bot-less meeting notetaker that transcribes and summarizes meetings directly into a connected knowledge base.
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
Tana is an AI-native workspace that combines outlining, knowledge management, and a built-in meeting notetaker. Its Meeting Notetaker captures, transcribes, and summarizes meetings without requiring a bot to join the call; instead, it records computer system audio directly from the desktop app, which means it works across Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, and even in-person meetings, lectures, and interviews started on the computer. On Mac, Tana can detect when a meeting link is opened and offer to start transcribing immediately. Once captured, transcripts and summaries flow directly into the Tana workspace, where the AI can extract action items and push them to task boards, link the meeting to relevant people and projects, and surface notes where they are needed. It supports many languages with automatic detection and is available on Mac and Windows desktop apps. Tana is aimed at professionals and teams who want their meeting notes to become structured, connected knowledge rather than isolated transcripts, integrating capture with an ongoing personal or team knowledge system. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Tana is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Tana |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | Bot-less meeting capture using computer system audio |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Transcription and AI summaries for online and in-person meetings |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Action items pushed directly to task boards in the workspace |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Links meeting notes to relevant people and projects |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | Automatic meeting detection on Mac |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | 60+ language support with automatic detection |
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.
Tana
Choose Tana if you need transcribing and summarizing meetings without a bot in the call — strengths include captures meetings without adding a bot to the call.
BetterDictation
Tana
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Tana is strong for transcribing and summarizing meetings without a bot in the call. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Tana 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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