BetterDictation: A macOS speech-to-text app that uses on-device Whisper to turn spoken words into typed text in any application. Whisper Notes: Offline, privacy-first Whisper transcription app for iPhone and Mac that records and, on Mac, summarizes meetings and recordings. 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 Whisper Notes when summarizing and querying meeting recordings on a mac 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.
Offline, privacy-first Whisper transcription app for iPhone and Mac that records and, on Mac, summarizes meetings and recordings.
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
Whisper Notes is a privacy-first voice transcription app for iPhone and Mac that runs OpenAI's Whisper speech-recognition model entirely on-device, with no cloud uploads. It records voice or imports audio files such as MP3, M4A, and WAV, and transcribes across more than 100 languages while keeping all processing local. On Mac, it adds AI-powered features including auto-generated titles, summaries, and a chat function to ask questions about transcripts on recordings of three minutes or longer, and it can record meetings from Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet as well as offer system-wide dictation via the Fn key. The iPhone app focuses on transcription with quick lock-screen recording, timestamps, and export, while AI summaries on iPhone are noted as not yet available. The app uses a one-time purchase model rather than a subscription, with separate purchases per platform, and the Mac version offers a limited free trial before unlocking unlimited use. It requires Apple Neural Engine hardware (iPhone 12 or newer) and M-series Macs. The developer reports a substantial user base, and the offline, no-subscription approach makes it appealing for users with privacy or confidentiality concerns. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades (paid); Whisper Notes is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BetterDictation | Whisper Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | System-wide dictation that inserts text into any macOS application | 100% on-device, offline transcription with no cloud uploads |
| Standout feature | On-device transcription using OpenAI's Whisper on Apple's Neural Engine | Whisper-based transcription across 100+ languages |
| Team usage | Offline operation for basic dictation with no cloud round-trips | Mac AI summaries, auto titles, and transcript chat (3+ minute recordings) |
| Integrations | Support for 100+ languages with automatic punctuation | Mac meeting recording for Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet |
| Languages & capture | Push-to-talk and toggle-to-talk recording modes | System-wide Fn-key dictation on Mac |
| Best-fit workflow | Optional Pro post-processing: stammer correction and automatic formatting | Audio file import, timestamps, and export |
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.
Whisper Notes
Choose Whisper Notes if you need transcribing confidential meetings or interviews entirely offline — strengths include fully offline processing is strong for privacy and confidential recordings.
BetterDictation
Whisper Notes
It depends on your workflow. BetterDictation is strong for dictating emails, documents, and notes hands-free across mac apps, while Whisper Notes is strong for transcribing confidential meetings or interviews entirely offline. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BetterDictation is a free tier with paid upgrades and Whisper Notes 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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