Choose FluidVoice for free local dictation and file transcription, or Wispr Flow for mobile apps and bot-free Mac meeting notes. We make Ottex, the reference option here for combining local dictation, files, meetings, and finished work.
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.
Wispr Flow
Mac, Windows, iOS · Limited free · $7.5/mo
Polished system-wide dictation with smart formatting and useful bot-free Mac meeting notes, but it cannot transcribe prerecorded audio or video files.
Choose if
You want polished system-wide dictation across macOS, Windows, iPhone, and beta Android.
You dictate specialized terms and need custom vocabulary, snippets, corrections, and more than 100 languages.
You use a Mac and want bot-free meeting recording with summaries, action items, and transcript chat.
Look elsewhere if
You need to import prerecorded audio or video files for transcription.
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 wins on price: it is free, while Wispr Flow’s desktop free tier hard-caps dictation at 5,000 words a week, about 38 minutes at 130 words per minute. Wispr Flow removes dictation limits for $15/month or $144/year on Pro, with a $7.50/month or $72/year Student plan; Ottex offers a free local or BYOK path and $0.20/hour pay-as-you-go pricing.
See the evidence — 15 claims across 3 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Wispr Flow
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.
PartialSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 20262,000 words (soft cap) and 5,000 words (hard cap) per week on desktop; 1,000 words (soft cap) and 1,500 words (hard cap) on iOS; unlimited on Android; weekly meeting limit not numerically published
Subscription
$14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
NoNo subscription plan
$7.5/moSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026This is discounted Flow Pro pricing for eligible students.
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
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.
NoSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Not supported
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.
YesSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Aug 2026Students and educators with an education email receive 50% off Flow Pro.
Platforms
Wispr Flow wins platform coverage with Mac, Windows, iOS, and beta Android apps, although its Notetaker is unavailable on Android. FluidVoice covers Mac and beta-prerelease Windows only, while Ottex is narrower still at Mac and iOS.
See the evidence — 6 claims across 3 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Wispr Flow
Platforms
Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
MacSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Some platforms in beta/waitlist
Mac, Windows, iOSSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — 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.
YesSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Wispr describes its macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android clients as native apps.
Meetings & team memory
Wispr Flow wins meeting capture because its Mac app records meetings without a bot and produces transcripts, summaries, and action items; the free plan has a weekly meeting limit that is not numerically published. FluidVoice records no meetings at any price, while Ottex provides meeting recording on Mac through its free local and BYOK paths.
See the evidence — 17 claims across 3 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Wispr Flow
Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026With speaker separation.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
PartialSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Notetaker records meetings and voice memos on Mac only and is unavailable to Enterprise organizations.
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.
YesSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Aug 2026Recording happens on the user's device without a bot joining the call.
Speaker separation
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
YesSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026The refined transcript separates speakers and supports assigning or renaming speaker labels.
Calendar detection
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Calendar-based meeting detection.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
YesSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Mac Notetaker detects calls and can show a recording prompt automatically.
Cross-meeting search
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 2026Not supported.
YesSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026The remote MCP server lets compatible AI clients search summaries, notes, and transcripts across meetings.
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.
No public claim
From meeting to finished work
Wispr Flow is the only compared tool with meeting intelligence, providing summaries, action items, and transcript chat on Mac, while FluidVoice has no meeting recording or intelligence. Ottex goes further toward finished work by turning meetings into follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and documents, though it lacks mature team infrastructure today.
See the evidence — 9 claims across 3 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Wispr Flow
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.
YesSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Meeting summaries include decisions made during the meeting.
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.
No public claim
CRM update / ticket draft
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Structured for the target app.
NoSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Aug 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 Aug 2026Not supported.
No public claim
Dictation & transcription AI
FluidVoice wins for control and privacy with free local models, BYOK, file transcription, per-app prompts, voice commands, custom vocabulary, and 99-language support. Wispr Flow wins for polished cross-device dictation and supports 100 languages, but has no local option, BYOK, or prerecorded-file transcription; Ottex combines local and BYOK operation with 100-language dictation and per-app output rules on Mac and iOS.
See the evidence — 13 claims across 3 toolsverified Aug 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
FluidVoice
Wispr Flow
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.
Wispr cloud voice-to-text engineSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Every plan uses the same cloud-hosted voice-to-text engine.
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.
NoSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Flow requires an internet connection for voice transcription.
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.
No public claim
Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching.
No public claim
PartialSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026100+ languages · Code-switching works best with one primary language and occasional foreign words; rapid mid-sentence switching is unsupported.
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.
YesSource: docs.wisprflow.ai/articles — checked Aug 2026Users can set styles by destination category: Personal message, Work messages, Email, and Other.
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.
0 h5 h10 h
0 h7.5 h15 h
Fill the gaps with:
Wispr FlowStudent$72/yrThis is discounted Flow Pro pricing for eligible students. · Unlimited dictations; paid-plan meeting allowance not numerically published
Wispr FlowFlow Pro$144/yrNotetaker is included at no extra cost but is being rolled out gradually. · Unlimited dictations; higher weekly meeting limit, exact number not published
OttexSubscription - Pro$168/yr$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
Wispr FlowBusiness+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$456/yr$288 + $168The published price is per seat, and some business-plan accounts may not have Notetaker access. · Unlimited dictations; Notetaker availability varies by business account
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.
FluidVoice vs Wispr Flow: which is better?
Pick FluidVoice if you want free local desktop dictation or prerecorded-file transcription. Pick Wispr Flow if you need iPhone, beta Android, or bot-free meeting notes on a Mac.
Is FluidVoice free?
Yes, FluidVoice is free and supports unlimited local dictation without sending voice or transcripts to the vendor. It also includes local audio and video file transcription.
Is Wispr Flow free?
Wispr Flow has a free plan, but desktop dictation hard-caps at 5,000 words a week, about 38 minutes at 130 words per minute; iOS hard-caps at 1,500 words, about 12 minutes, while Android dictation is unlimited. Treat the desktop and iOS tiers as teasers rather than dependable weekly plans.
How much do FluidVoice and Wispr Flow cost?
FluidVoice costs $0, while Wispr Flow Pro costs $15/month or $144/year. Wispr Flow also offers Student at $7.50/month or $72/year and Business at $30/seat/month or $288/seat/year.
Is FluidVoice safer than Wispr Flow?
FluidVoice is the clearer privacy choice because it can run locally without sending voice or transcripts to the vendor. Wispr Flow has no local option, so choose FluidVoice when on-device processing is the deciding requirement.
Should I switch from FluidVoice to Wispr Flow?
Switch if you need iOS, beta Android, or bot-free Mac meeting summaries and action items. Stay with FluidVoice if free local processing, BYOK, or audio and video file transcription matters more.
Does FluidVoice or Wispr Flow work on Windows and Android?
Both support Windows, although FluidVoice’s Windows installers are beta prereleases. Wispr Flow also has a beta Android dictation app, while FluidVoice has no Android app and Wispr Flow’s Notetaker is unavailable there.
