FluidVoice is the simpler choice if you want a free Mac dictation app and do not need meetings. Vowen is broader: Mac and Windows, local-capable dictation, file transcription, and bot-free meeting notes for $49 one-time. Ottex sits between them as our Mac/iOS option for dictation, meetings, and finished outputs.
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 · Limited free
FluidVoice is a free, open-source macOS dictation tool with local model options and system-wide insertion, but it is not a meeting assistant and its public claims are thin on formatting, collaboration, and enterprise controls.
Choose if
You want a free, GPLv3 macOS dictation app with no paid tiers.
You use macOS 15 Sequoia or later and want voice input that works across text fields with a global hotkey.
You want control over speech models, including local options and Whisper support for up to 99 languages.
Look elsewhere if
You need Windows, web, iOS, Android, Linux, or browser-extension support.
You need meeting recording, summaries, action items, speaker identification, calendar integration, or shared team memory.
Vowen
Mac, Windows · Limited free · $49 one-time
Vowen is a strong local-first dictation and meeting recorder for Mac and Windows, especially at $49 one-time, but its mobile apps, team memory, consent controls, and compliance posture are still mostly unproven or enterprise-only.
Choose if
You want offline-capable dictation and transcription on Mac or Windows with local Whisper/Parakeet plus optional cloud engines.
You prefer a $49 one-time Pro license over another recurring subscription for unlimited meetings, file transcriptions, Command Mode, tones, and workflows.
You need bot-free meeting capture from Zoom, Teams, Meet, Slack Huddles, or system audio, with AI summaries, action items, and follow-ups.
Look elsewhere if
You need a proven iOS, Android, web, browser extension, or Linux workflow today; mobile is only coming soon and no web or Linux app is claimed.
You need mature team collaboration, shared workspace, cross-meeting memory, CRM/task drafting, or visible consent controls; those public claims are absent or un
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 the price winner for Mac-only dictation because it is free forever with no paid tiers. Vowen is the better value once meetings or unlimited file transcription matter: its free plan includes unlimited voice dictation, 10 audio/video transcriptions, 5 hours of meeting notes, and 5 Command Mode calls per day, while Pro is $49 one-time. Ottex has the broadest pricing menu with free local AI, free BYOK, $0.2
See the evidence — 13 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Vowen
Free tier
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers.
PartialSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Free forever, no paid tiers
PartialSource: docs.vowen.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Unlimited voice dictation; 10 audio/video transcriptions; 5 hours total meeting notes recording; 5 Command Mode calls per day; 1 custom tone; 1 text expansion; 1 custom API integration.
Subscription
$14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
NoNo subscription plan
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
$49 one-timeSource: vowen.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Lifetime updates
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 Jun 2026Optional AI provider API keys can be added for enhanced transcription.
YesSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Cloud transcription and AI enhancement use user-provided provider keys.
Education discount
NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Same pricing for everyone.
No public claim
No public claim
Platforms
Vowen wins platform coverage between the compared tools because it supports Mac and Windows, while FluidVoice is Mac-only. Ottex covers Mac and iOS, which helps Apple users who want mobile access, but it loses to Vowen if Windows is required. None of the three claims Android, Linux, web, or browser-extension coverage in the input.
See the evidence — 5 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Vowen
Platforms
Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
MacSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026
Mac, WindowsSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Some platforms in beta/waitlist
Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM.
YesSource: altic.dev/fluid — checked Jun 2026The vendor describes FluidVoice as a native macOS app.
No public claim
Meetings & team memory
Vowen wins meeting capture because it supports meetings, bot-free capture, 5 free hours of meeting notes, and unlimited meeting notes on the $49 Pro plan. FluidVoice does not offer meeting recording, summaries, action items, speaker identification, calendar integration, or team memory. Ottex also supports meetings and is stronger than FluidVoice here, but Vowen is the compared-tool pick for Mac and Windows meeting capture.
See the evidence — 16 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Vowen
Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026With speaker separation.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
YesSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Vowen captures meetings from Zoom, Teams, Meet, Slack Huddles, or any app that produces sound.
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 Jun 2026Not supported.
YesSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Silent meeting capture records without a bot or banner.
Speaker separation
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
PartialSource: vowen.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Speaker identification is a Pro feature.
Calendar detection
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Calendar-based meeting detection.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
PartialSource: vowen.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Auto-detect meetings is a Pro feature.
Cross-meeting search
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
No public claim
Shared team memory
PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
No public claim
From meeting to finished work
Ottex wins meeting intelligence because it turns meetings and dictation into follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, notes, and docs. Vowen covers summaries, action items, follow-ups, Command Mode, workflows, tones, and custom API integration, but mature team memory, CRM/task drafting, and shared workspaces are not claimed. FluidVoice is not built for meeting intelligence at all.
See the evidence — 11 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Vowen
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 Jun 2026Not supported.
YesSource: vowen.ai — checked Jun 2026Chat with meetings can surface decisions.
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 Jun 2026Not supported.
YesSource: vowen.ai — checked Jun 2026Meeting chat can surface follow-ups.
CRM update / ticket draft
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Structured for the target app.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
No public claim
Your rough notes steer the result
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
PartialSource: docs.vowen.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Custom note instructions are Pro-only.
Dictation & transcription AI
Vowen wins dictation AI between FluidVoice and Vowen because it combines Mac and Windows support, BYOK, 99 languages, file transcription, and an explicit local option. FluidVoice is still attractive for free Mac dictation with BYOK, file transcription, and 99 languages, but it lacks Vowen's Windows coverage and meeting layer. Ottex is the widest dictation system overall with local AI, BYOK, 100 languages, Mac/iOS,F
See the evidence — 12 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Vowen
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, Parakeet TDT v2, Cohere Transcribe, Apple Speech, Whisper Tiny/Base/Small/Medium/LargeSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026The README lists these supported speech models.
Local Whisper and Parakeet; cloud models from Groq, Deepgram, AssemblyAI, ElevenLabs, Mistral, Soniox, and moreSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026The docs say users can choose from 10+ engines.
Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device.
PartialSource: altic.dev/fluid — checked Jun 2026Local speech models are supported, while Cohere and AI enhancement use optional cloud providers.
YesSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Local Whisper and Parakeet run offline on the device.
Model selection per task
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Choose the model per task and per provider.
YesSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Jun 2026Users can choose among multiple supported speech models.
YesSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Users can pick and switch transcription engines.
Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching.
No public claim
No public claim
Per-app output rules
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email.
No public claim
YesSource: docs.vowen.ai/introduction — checked Jun 2026Per-app writing styles are listed in the docs.
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 Jun 2026.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
FluidVoice vs Vowen: which should I pick?
Pick FluidVoice if you only need free Mac dictation with BYOK, file transcription, and 99 languages. Pick Vowen if you need Windows, offline-capable local models, meeting notes, follow-ups, or a $49 one-time Pro license.
Is FluidVoice free?
Yes. FluidVoice is listed as free forever with no paid tiers, so it is the cleanest no-cost option in this pair for Mac dictation.
Is Vowen free?
Vowen has a free plan with unlimited voice dictation, 10 audio/video transcriptions, 5 hours total meeting notes recording, 5 Command Mode calls per day, 1 custom tone, 1 text expansion, and 1 custom API integration. That is usable for trying meetings and workflows, but the unlimited path is the $49 one-time Pro plan.
How much does FluidVoice cost compared with Vowen?
FluidVoice costs $0 because it has only a free plan. Vowen costs $0 on its limited free plan or $49 one-time for Pro, which unlocks unlimited meeting notes, audio/video transcriptions, Command Mode, workflows, and tones on up to three devices.
Is FluidVoice safe or private?
FluidVoice is GPLv3, Mac-only, and supports BYOK, which is appealing if you want control over your speech setup. Vowen is the stronger privacy pick if offline/local processing is the deciding factor, because it explicitly supports local Whisper/Parakeet plus optional cloud engines.
Is it worth switching from FluidVoice to Vowen?
Switch to Vowen if you need Windows, offline-capable dictation, meeting capture, summaries, action items, follow-ups, or unlimited transcription under a $49 one-time license. Stay with FluidVoice if free Mac dictation is the whole job.
Does FluidVoice or Vowen work on Windows or Android?
Vowen works on Mac and Windows, while FluidVoice works on Mac only. Neither tool is listed for Android, Linux, web, or browser extensions.
