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. ownscribe: Local-first command-line tool that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings on macOS entirely on-device, with natural-language search across notes. This comparison weighs them on pricing, features, and everyday workflow fit.
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 ownscribe when keeping fully on-device transcripts and summaries for privacy-sensitive discussions matters most. Trial each on a few real meetings before you commit — the better fit usually shows fast.
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.
Local-first command-line tool that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings on macOS entirely on-device, with natural-language search across notes.
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
ownscribe is a local-first meeting transcription and summarization command-line tool that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on the user's own machine without sending data to external servers. It is MIT-licensed and actively maintained, with v0.12.0 released in June 2026, and is written primarily in Python with a Swift component for system audio capture. On macOS 14.2 and later it captures system audio through Core Audio, and it transcribes with WhisperX to produce word-level timestamps, with optional speaker diarization via PyAnnote. For summaries it ships with a built-in local model (Phi-4-mini) and can also connect to Ollama or OpenAI-compatible backends, offering multiple templates tailored to meetings, lectures, and brief summaries. A standout feature is its natural-language search: the ask command lets users query across their stored meeting notes to retrieve relevant information. Quality-of-life features include silence-based auto-stop so recordings end cleanly when a meeting goes quiet. Because it is a CLI distributed through GitHub and runs entirely on local hardware, ownscribe targets developers and privacy-focused users who prefer scriptable, terminal-driven workflows over a graphical meeting notetaker while keeping all audio and transcripts on-device. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
VoiceInk is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); ownscribe is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | VoiceInk | ownscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Local on-device speech-to-text via whisper.cpp and Parakeet (FluidAudio) Whisper models | Local-first recording, transcription, and summarization via CLI |
| Standout feature | Optional cloud transcription/enhancement through user-supplied API keys (Groq, Deepgram, Cerebras, Gemini) | System audio capture on macOS 14.2+ through Core Audio |
| Team usage | Global keyboard shortcuts and push-to-talk dictation that inserts text into any app | WhisperX transcription with word-level timestamps |
| Integrations | Power Mode: automatic per-app/per-website switching of transcription and AI settings | Optional speaker diarization via PyAnnote |
| Languages & capture | Personal Dictionary for custom words, phrases, and text replacements | Local summarization with a built-in Phi-4-mini model, plus Ollama and OpenAI-compatible backends |
| Best-fit workflow | AI enhancement modes (email, chat, posts) and audio-file transcription support | Natural-language search across meeting notes with the ask command |
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.
ownscribe
Choose ownscribe if you need developers capturing and summarizing meetings from the terminal on a mac — strengths include runs entirely on-device with no data sent to external servers.
VoiceInk
ownscribe
It depends on your workflow. VoiceInk is strong for hands-free drafting of emails, messages, and documents in any macos app, while ownscribe is strong for developers capturing and summarizing meetings from the terminal on a mac. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
VoiceInk is a free tier with paid upgrades and ownscribe 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.
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