Choose FluidVoice for free, open-source desktop dictation on Mac or beta Windows. Choose Ottex on Mac or iOS when you also need meeting recording and finished emails, tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, or docs.
Ottex
Mac, iOS · Free tier · $14/mo · PAYG
Ottex is unusually broad for a young Mac/iOS-first tool: it turns dictation and meetings into emails, tickets, CRM updates, notes, and docs, but it is not the pick if you need Windows, Android, web, browser extension, or compliance paperwork.
Choose if
You want one tool for system-wide dictation, meeting recording, and finished written outcomes like follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and docs
You want a real free path: unlimited local dictation, file transcription, and meetings on Mac with Whisper/Parakeet, or BYOK instead of a forced subscription
You need multilingual dictation with 100+ languages, auto-detection, mixed-language speech, personal vocabulary, and per-app output rules
Look elsewhere if
You need Windows, Android, Linux, web access, or a browser extension
You need mature team infrastructure such as a shared workspace, API/webhooks, third-party note destinations, or assistant chat over transcripts today.
FluidVoice
Mac · Free tier
FluidVoice is a compelling free, open-source choice for local, system-wide dictation with 99-language model support, but it offers no meeting recording or intelligence.
Choose if
You want free, unlimited local dictation without sending voice or transcripts to the vendor.
You need system-wide desktop dictation with per-app prompts, voice commands, and custom vocabulary.
You want to transcribe audio and video files locally, with TXT or JSON export.
Look elsewhere if
You need a meeting assistant for recording, summaries, action items, or team collaboration.
The evidence
What actually differs, claim by claim.
Each section opens with the takeaway. The table underneath is the receipt — every cell carries its source and the date we checked it.
Pricing
FluidVoice is completely free, making it the simpler choice for local dictation. Ottex also offers unlimited local use and BYOK for free, then adds optional provider usage at $0.20/hour, Pro at $14/month or $168/year, and Team at $24/seat/month or $288/seat/year.
See the evidence — 10 claims across 2 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Free tier
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers.
YesSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026The core app and local inference are free; optional cloud enhancement uses the user's provider key.
Subscription
$14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
NoNo subscription plan
Pay-as-you-go / one-timeEscape the flat subscription
$0.2/hourSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted models at cost: dictation ~$0.2/h, meetings ~$0.5/h (~$3/mo average).
NoSubscription only
Bring your own keyPay the model provider, not the middleman
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026OpenRouter, Google AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, and compatible providers.
YesSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Users can supply OpenAI, Groq, or custom provider API credentials for optional enhancement.
Education discount
NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Same pricing for everyone.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026No separate education discount is published because the product is free.
Platforms
FluidVoice wins desktop coverage with Mac support and Windows installers published as beta prereleases. Ottex supports Mac and iOS, so it is the better fit for Apple users who need a mobile app, but neither tool covers Android, Linux, or the web.
See the evidence — 4 claims across 2 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Platforms
Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
MacSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Some platforms in beta/waitlist
Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM.
PartialSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026The macOS app is native Swift while the Windows beta uses Flutter with native speech and input components.
Meetings & team memory
Ottex wins decisively because it records meetings, while FluidVoice does not offer meeting recording or collaboration. Both can transcribe files locally, but FluidVoice is a dictation and file-transcription tool rather than a meeting assistant.
See the evidence — 12 claims across 2 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026With speaker separation.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Bot-free captureNo "recording bot" joins your call
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026System-audio capture, no bot joins the call.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Speaker separation
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Calendar detection
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Calendar-based meeting detection.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Cross-meeting search
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Shared team memory
PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
From meeting to finished work
Ottex is the only choice here for turning meetings into follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and docs. FluidVoice provides no meeting summaries, action items, or team collaboration.
See the evidence — 8 claims across 2 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Decisions, owners, action itemsLeave the meeting with next steps clear
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Decisions with owners extracted.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Follow-up email draftedThe outcome is sent, not summarized
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Drafted from templates or your own.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
CRM update / ticket draft
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Structured for the target app.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Your rough notes steer the result
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
Dictation & transcription AI
FluidVoice is a strong free choice for local, system-wide dictation, with BYOK, per-app prompts, voice commands, custom vocabulary, and 99-language model support. Ottex narrowly leads on language breadth with 100+ languages and adds auto-detection, mixed-language speech, personal vocabulary, and per-app output rules, while also supporting free local models and BYOK.
See the evidence — 9 claims across 2 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Engines
Cloud: Whisper, Gemini 3 Flash, Voxtral. Local: Whisper, Parakeet v3.Source: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted routing, BYOK, or fully local.
Nemotron Speech 3.5, Parakeet Flash, Parakeet TDT v3 and v2, Cohere Transcribe, Apple Speech, WhisperSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026The app publishes seven recognition-engine families with multiple variants.
Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device.
YesSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Supported speech models run on the device after any required download.
Model selection per task
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Choose the model per task and per provider.
YesSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Users select among the supported recognition models during onboarding or in settings.
Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching.
No public claim
Per-app output rules
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email.
YesSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Different prompt sets can be assigned to different applications.
Cost
What a year actually costs at your volume.
Personal or team — switch tabs. Subscriptions are flat; usage-based pricing depends on how much you speak and meet.
OttexSubscription - Pro$168/yr$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
Estimates, not quotes. Striped bar segments are the cost of the second app you picked above to cover the gap — rankings use that combined total. PAYG uses hosted at-cost estimates ($0.2/h dictation, $0.5/h meetings); BYOK is estimated at about a third of that because you pay the model provider directly. Bring-your-own-key plans still pay the model provider per use. One-time licenses are amortized over 2 years. Subscriptions use published pricing, checked Aug 2026.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
Ottex vs FluidVoice: which is better?
Choose FluidVoice for free, open-source local dictation on Mac or beta Windows. Choose Ottex if you use Mac or iOS and want dictation plus meeting recording and finished outputs such as emails, tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and docs.
Is Ottex free?
Yes. Ottex offers unlimited local dictation, file transcription, and meetings on Mac, plus a free BYOK path; paid options start at $0.20/hour or $14/month.
Is FluidVoice free?
Yes. FluidVoice is free and supports unlimited local dictation without sending voice or transcripts to the vendor, but it does not record or analyze meetings.
How much do Ottex and FluidVoice cost?
FluidVoice is free. Ottex can also be free with local AI or BYOK, while hosted processing costs $0.20/hour, Pro costs $14/month or $168/year, and Team costs $24/seat/month or $288/seat/year.
Is Ottex or FluidVoice safer for private dictation?
Both offer local processing, so either can keep dictation on the device. FluidVoice explicitly avoids sending voice or transcripts to the vendor during local use, while Ottex also offers local models or BYOK; privacy-focused buyers should use one of those paths instead of Ottex hosted processing.
Does Ottex or FluidVoice work on Windows or Android?
FluidVoice is the only Windows option, although its published Windows installers are beta prereleases. Ottex supports Mac and iOS, and neither tool supports Android.
Does Ottex or FluidVoice work offline?
Both offer local processing, so both can handle dictation without relying on a vendor-hosted transcription service. Ottex also supports local meeting and file transcription on Mac, while FluidVoice supports local dictation and local audio or video file transcription.
