VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. joinly: Open-source, self-hostable connector that lets AI agents join Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe, listen, and act in real time via MCP. 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 VoiceInk when hands-free drafting of emails, messages, and documents in any macos app matters most, and joinly when self-hosted, privacy-first real-time meeting transcription for regulated teams matters most. Run both through a week of actual calls to see which suits your workflow.
VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device.
Open-source, self-hostable connector that lets AI agents join Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe, listen, and act in real time via MCP.
VoiceInk is a native macOS dictation application that converts spoken words into text and inserts them into any app, positioned as an open-source alternative to Superwhisper and Wispr Flow. It runs transcription locally using whisper.cpp Whisper models (and Parakeet via FluidAudio), so voice data stays on the device by default; optionally, you can connect cloud transcription and AI services such as Groq, Deepgram, Cerebras, and Gemini using your own API keys. Users trigger recording with global keyboard shortcuts or push-to-talk, and VoiceInk types the result wherever the cursor sits. Its Power Mode automatically switches transcription and AI-enhancement settings based on the active app or website, while a Personal Dictionary handles custom terminology and text replacements. Enhancement prompts can reformat dictation for email, chat, or social posts, and a later release added the ability to share audio files into the app for transcription. The project is published on GitHub under GPL v3, runs on Apple Silicon Macs (macOS 14.4+), and also offers an iOS version. It suits writers, developers, and professionals who want fast, private hands-free text entry.
Best suited for
joinly is an open-source middleware project (by joinly-ai) that makes meetings accessible to AI agents. It runs as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that equips any agent with the tools to join a live video call, capture a real-time transcript, and interact by voice or chat during the meeting. Rather than being a finished notetaker app, joinly is a framework developers use to build interactive meeting agents that can listen, answer, search the web, draft documents, and post chat messages while the meeting is in progress. It works cross-platform across Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams (and browser-based calls), and is model-agnostic, supporting OpenAI, Anthropic, and local models through Ollama. Speech-to-text and text-to-speech are modular, with Whisper or Deepgram for transcription and Kokoro, ElevenLabs, or Deepgram for synthesis. The project is MIT licensed and deployed via Docker (with a separate CUDA GPU image), giving teams full data sovereignty. The MCP server exposes join/leave controls, transcript and participant access, audio control, chat messaging, and video snapshots, making it a building block for custom, privacy-first meeting automation. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
VoiceInk is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); joinly is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | VoiceInk | joinly |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Local on-device speech-to-text via whisper.cpp and Parakeet (FluidAudio) Whisper models | MCP server that exposes meeting tools (join/leave, transcript, chat, audio control, snapshots) to AI agents |
| Standout feature | Optional cloud transcription/enhancement through user-supplied API keys (Groq, Deepgram, Cerebras, Gemini) | Real-time transcription with timestamps and speaker information, subscribable for live updates |
| Team usage | Global keyboard shortcuts and push-to-talk dictation that inserts text into any app | Cross-platform support for Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and browser-based calls |
| Integrations | Power Mode: automatic per-app/per-website switching of transcription and AI settings | Modular speech-to-text and text-to-speech backends (Whisper, Deepgram, Kokoro, ElevenLabs) |
| Languages & capture | Personal Dictionary for custom words, phrases, and text replacements | Model-agnostic: works with OpenAI, Anthropic, and local LLMs via Ollama |
| Best-fit workflow | AI enhancement modes (email, chat, posts) and audio-file transcription support | Docker-based self-hosting with optional CUDA GPU image |
VoiceInk
Choose VoiceInk if you need hands-free drafting of emails, messages, and documents in any macos app — strengths include transcribes entirely offline by default, keeping voice data on-device for privacy.
joinly
Choose joinly if you need building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls — strengths include fully open source (mit) and self-hostable for complete data control.
VoiceInk
joinly
It depends on your workflow. VoiceInk is strong for hands-free drafting of emails, messages, and documents in any macos app, while joinly is strong for building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
VoiceInk is a free tier with paid upgrades and joinly is a free tier with paid upgrades. 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.
More head-to-head comparisons involving VoiceInk and joinly.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. VoiceOps: VoiceOps is an AI conversation intelligence platform that transcribes and analyzes customer calls into structured insights for sales coaching, quality assurance, and compliance. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. VoicePen: Apple-native AI app that records and transcribes meetings, lectures, and voice memos, then turns them into summaries and rewritten notes. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. VoiceToNotes: AI transcription and dictation tool that captures voice and conversations via the device microphone and turns them into formatted, organized notes. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. VoiceType: An AI speech-to-text dictation app for Mac and Windows that turns spoken input into auto-formatted, edited text inside any app. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. Voicegain: Speech-to-text and ASR platform with developer APIs plus a private LLM-powered meeting notetaker. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. Voicit: Spanish-first, bot-free AI tool that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings in Spanish plus Catalan, Basque, and more. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. Voicy: Voicy is a privacy-focused AI dictation app and Chrome extension that turns speech into formatted text inside any website or desktop application. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. Voiso: Voiso is a cloud contact-center platform with AI speech analytics that transcribes calls into searchable text, scores conversations, and generates automatic call summaries. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. Votars: Multilingual AI meeting recorder and transcriber supporting many languages with real-time translation and one-click export. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. Voz AI Voice Note Taker: iOS voice note taker that records, transcribes, and automatically generates structured notes from lectures, calls, and videos. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. VozParaTexto: Portuguese AI audio and video transcription service with speaker identification and DOCX/SRT export, used for meetings, interviews and lectures. Which one wins depends on your platform mix, budget, and how hands-off you want notes to be.
VoiceInk: VoiceInk is an open-source macOS dictation app that turns speech into text in any application using local whisper.cpp AI models that run entirely on-device. WAVV: CRM-embedded multi-line dialer with call recording and live listen-in coaching, focused on real estate and insurance sales. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.