Spokenly vs Hedy

Spokenly records meetings on Mac and provides system-wide dictation. Hedy adds live coaching with suggested talking points during conversations.

Updated October 2026

Download Spokenly

Quick Answer

Spokenly is completely free with local models and BYOK, with provider usage billed separately. It combines dictation across macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux with meeting recording on Mac. Capture microphone and system audio, save the recording, and transcribe it locally or in the cloud. Hedy specializes in live meeting coaching: talking points, follow-up questions, and summaries. Spokenly does not provide live coaching.

Spokenly

Free with local Parakeet and Whisper, BYOK cloud at no cost
System-wide dictation in any macOS, iOS, Windows, or Linux app
Works offline with on-device models
Modes with AI Instructions using GPT-4, Claude, and other providers
iOS app with a custom keyboard for system-wide voice typing
Agent mode and MCP server for AI coding agents (macOS)

Hedy

-Real-time meeting coach with live talking points
-Transcripts, summaries, and cross-session chat
-On-device speech recognition, optional local AI analysis
-SOC 2 Type I, HIPAA, and GDPR aligned
-Free up to 5 hours per month, then Pro $12.99 per month
-Broad platform list: Windows, Android, web, and Apple Watch

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side breakdown of key features and capabilities.

Feature	Spokenly	Hedy
Meeting recording	System audio + microphone, Mac	Conversation capture and live coaching
Pricing	Free with BYOK, Pro $9.99 per month	Free 5 hrs/mo, Pro $12.99 per month
Primary use	System-wide dictation and transcription	Live meeting coaching and notes
System-wide dictation	Yes, any app	No
Local models	Yes, free and unlimited	Yes, optional Local AI Processing on supported hardware
Offline mode	Yes, Parakeet and Whisper	Yes, with Local AI Processing on supported hardware
BYOK (own API keys)	Yes, free	No
Real-time meeting guidance	No	Yes, core feature
Meeting summaries	Via modes with AI Instructions	Yes, core feature
Platforms	macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux	iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, Watch, web
iOS app and keyboard	Yes, custom keyboard	iOS app, no dictation keyboard
Compliance	Local Only Mode, on-device option	SOC 2 Type I, HIPAA, GDPR
AI coding agent integration (MCP)	Yes (macOS)	Yes, remote MCP server with 18 tools (Pro)
Languages	100+	30+

Pricing

Spokenly is completely free with local models and BYOK cloud transcription. Pro at $9.99 per month adds premium managed cloud providers and the iOS app with a custom keyboard.

Hedy is free for up to 5 hours of meetings per month, with real-time insights limited to the first 30 minutes of a session. Pro is $12.99 per month or $99.99 per year, and there is a $299 lifetime option. There is no BYOK option to bring your own key.

If your need is everyday dictation, Spokenly is free for unlimited local use. If your need is live meeting coaching, Hedy's subscription buys a feature Spokenly does not offer.

See full Spokenly pricing details

Dictation App vs Meeting Coach

Hedy is a copilot for live conversations. It listens during a meeting, lecture, or interview and surfaces talking points and follow-up questions in real time, then produces a transcript and summary. Speech recognition runs on-device. AI analysis uses the cloud by default, with optional Local AI Processing for offline summaries, chat, and live suggestions on supported hardware.

Spokenly is a voice input tool for your whole day. You dictate into any field, on macOS, iOS, Windows, or Linux, using a local model or a BYOK cloud provider. You can route output through modes with AI Instructions for cleanup or tone, and on macOS you can drive automation with Agent mode and the MCP server.

If you want help speaking during meetings, Hedy is the specialist. If you want fast, private voice typing across apps and platforms, Spokenly is the better fit. Spokenly can also record the meeting on Mac for transcription after saving; Hedy adds live coaching.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Where each app is strong, and where it falls short.

Spokenly

+Free unlimited local transcription, free BYOK cloud
+System-wide dictation on macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux
+Works fully offline with on-device models
+Modes with AI Instructions, custom dictionary, word replacements
+Agent mode and MCP server for AI coding agents

-No real-time in-meeting coaching
-No dedicated meeting summary view
-Meeting notes rely on AI Instructions over recorded audio

Hedy

+Real-time talking points during conversations
+Strong compliance posture (SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR)
+Wide platform coverage including web and Apple Watch
+On-device speech recognition and optional local AI analysis

-Local AI Processing requires supported hardware
-No system-wide dictation or iOS dictation keyboard
-No BYOK to use your own provider
-Free tier capped at 5 hours per month

Which One Is Right for You?

Choose Spokenly if you...

You want voice typing plus Mac meeting recording
You need offline dictation with local models
You want free local transcription and free BYOK cloud
You use Claude Code, Cursor, or other AI coding agents
You want dictation on Windows, Linux, Mac, and iPhone

Choose Hedy if you...

-You want live coaching and prompts during meetings
-You need transcripts and summaries of conversations
-You value SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR alignment
-You want the same assistant on web, Watch, and more

Switching from Hedy

Getting started takes a few minutes.

1Download Spokenly free from spokenly.app/download.
2Pick a model: Parakeet for speed, Whisper Large V3 Turbo for accuracy, or BYOK cloud.
3Set your dictation shortcut. Right Option works well for one-handed use.
4Add AI Instructions to summarize recorded meeting audio if you need notes.
5Install Spokenly on iPhone for system-wide voice typing with the custom keyboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hedy a dictation app?

No. Hedy is a real-time meeting coach that suggests talking points during conversations and writes summaries afterward. It does not offer system-wide dictation. Spokenly is the dictation app: you speak into any field in any app.

Can Spokenly summarize my meetings?

Spokenly records system audio and your microphone on Mac without a meeting bot. The recording is saved in History for transcription with local or cloud models. Spokenly offers AI Instructions for processing text, but no live in-meeting coaching.

Does Spokenly work offline?

Yes. Pick a local model (Parakeet for speed, Whisper Large V3 Turbo for accuracy) and Spokenly works fully offline. Hedy also supports offline transcription, summaries, chat, and live suggestions with optional Local AI Processing on supported hardware.

Does Hedy support MCP?

Yes. Hedy Pro includes a remote MCP server with 18 tools and OAuth 2.1 authentication. Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients can read and write sessions, topics, highlights, and to-dos.

Is Hedy private?

Hedy runs speech recognition on-device and offers optional Local AI Processing on supported hardware. Enable it and turn off Cloud Sync to keep transcripts and AI content on-device. Sharing a session still uploads it. Cloud analysis is not used for training. Spokenly keeps audio on-device with local models and offers a Local Only Mode that blocks outbound network entirely.

Which one works on Windows?

Both. Hedy has a Windows app, and Spokenly for Windows is generally available with on-device Parakeet and BYOK cloud. For meeting notes specifically, see our Spokenly vs Otter.ai comparison.

Ready to try Spokenly?

Free to use with local models. No account required.

Download Spokenly

Mac, Windows, Linux & iPhone

Free local models

Works offline

Other comparisons

vs Otter.ai vs Granola vs Hyprnote vs Wispr Flow vs Willow Voice vs SuperWhisper

This comparison is published by Spokenly. We aim for accuracy and transparency and will update this page as both products evolve. Learn more about Hedy on their official website.