# Cleft - For Verbal Thinkers — Speak. Capture. Clarity.

> Voice-to-text note-taking app for verbal thinkers, with offline and organization features. (iPhone/iPad app by Cleft AI.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cleft-for-verbal-thinkers/id6479458038 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Cleft AI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736012358)
- Category: Utilities, Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 67 App Store ratings · 50 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 270 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2024-08-27
- Data updated: 2026-08-08
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cleft-for-verbal-thinkers/id6479458038/reviews.md

## What is Cleft?

You're a verbal thinker. Cleft captures thoughts before they vanish. The way you think. Out loud. On device, even offline. Featured in Fast Company's "25 Best New Apps."

Capture on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or CarPlay. Wherever a thought lands.

"You've built one of the BEST apps for ADHD people." - Jenner, Entrepreneur

KEY FEATURES
• Spotlight Search - Find any note instantly from anywhere
• Fast Transcription - Keeps up with how fast you talk
• One-Tap Capture - Voice to text in seconds
• Pick Up Anytime - Add to yesterday's thought. Or any note, whenever the next one lands
• Siri & Shortcuts - Search notes, get summaries, export by voice
• Apple Watch - Record notes from your wrist
• CarPlay - Capture hands-free while driving
• Recording at a Glance - Dynamic Island, Lock Screen
• Keyboard Shortcuts - Fast navigation without leaving the keyboard
• Widgets - Pin a thought, resume your last, or capture fresh from your home screen
• Offline-First - Works without internet, syncs when connected
• Smart Organization - Capture first. Organize never.
• Markdown Export - Edit and format your notes
• Privacy by Design - On-device transcription, encrypted storage

"When I looked at what was written, it was like 'My God, somebody got me here.'" - 73-year-old farrier, first time user

BUILT FOR HOW YOU THINK
Accessibility isn't a feature here. It's the foundation. Cleft was made by people with ADHD, Autism, and Dysgraphia, for people who think the same way. Capture ideas without losing your flow. No system to manage. Rambles welcome.

"Fits my brain like a glove." - Rafa, Founder

CAPTURE ANYTHING
Meeting notes • Creative ideas • Article drafts • To-do lists • Project docs • Daily journals • Quick thoughts

CLEFT PLUS ($6.99/mo or $39.99/yr — annual works out to $3.33/mo)
• 30-minute recordings
• Customize Cleft - tell it how you want notes shaped
• Notion auto-send + Obsidian & Apple Notes integrations
• Zapier & Shortcuts automation
• Family Sharing on annual - share Plus with up to 6 people

"$39 a year for this is ridiculously low." - Legal tech advisor

Subscriptions auto-renew until canceled. Manage in App Store settings.

AS FEATURED IN
Fast Company • The Verge • Lifehacker • GeekWire • TechCrunch • Snazzy Labs

Try Cleft Free.

Change Log: https://cleftnotes.com/changelog/
Terms: https://cleftnotes.com/terms
Privacy: https://cleftnotes.com/privacy

## Key features

- Live transcription
- Offline-first functionality
- One-tap voice capture
- Smart organization
- Markdown export
- Apple Watch support
- On-device transcription

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Plus Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| Monthly Plus Plan | $6.99 | per month |


## What do users think of Cleft?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🚀 Excellent transcription quality
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Helpful summarization and formatting
- 🚀 Seamless cross-device experience
- 👍 Responsive and helpful support team

**Cons**

- 🐛 Unreliable recording and syncing issues
- 🐛 Glitchy and unusable after recent update
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and frequent errors

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Recording stops working after initial use
- Inability to append to existing notes
- Manual sync never works as expected
- Lack of support for non-English languages

**Most requested features**

- Increase maximum recording time
- Improve editing and toggling between modes
- Add ability to retry processing failed summaries
- Allow custom storage locations for notes and audio
- Enhance integration with Obsidian and other tools
- Expand Shortcuts and automation capabilities

## Recent user reviews (10 of 50)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cleft-for-verbal-thinkers/id6479458038/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Love

*2026-07-17*

It's hard to connect the word "love" with a piece of digital technology, but Cleft somehow gets me excited to wake up first thing in the morning and to record my first journal. From the animation that reacts to the sound of my voice to the different writing styles that I can summarize to the local storage, it's a beautiful app that keeps things simple, doesn't charge too much for the service that it offers, and keeps me engaged with developing a journal that I'm going to come back to years later.

If you're thinking about downloading a voice recording app, don't look any further than Cleft. I'm excited about all the additional features that they work on because the app is a little bit bare, and it could use some more development. That's my only complaint, and it's a small one.

### 5/5 — So cool

*2026-06-23, version 1.14.1*

This app is so cool it really is for verbal thinkers.

### 5/5 — Best around

*2026-04-03*

I’ve been using this app since it first began, and before was even released on the App Store. It’s amazing with constant updates and a developer who truly believes in it. I have Parkinson’s and this app has changed my life and how I use my phone.

**Developer response:** Delighted to hear this @tacogy3 - thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. We're proud to hear ❤️ Anything you need, please reach out to us!
- Jonny

### 2/5 — Frustrated with Bugs

*2026-02-06*

I’m a paying Cleft subscriber and the recent updates have introduced numerous bugs to iOS 18. It will attempt to start a recording automatically and then tell me it needs to be at least three word. When I attempt to view it and back out, the whole interface turns white and I have to force quit the app. I also can’t reliably get my audio to sync. And every time the app opens it shows me the most recent update patch notes.

**Developer response:** Hey WriteTheCheck, sorry about the experience - NOT the experience you should have had, sorry about that. We've shipped three updates since v1.11 that address the auto-recording trigger, the white screen crash, and sync reliability. v1.12.3 is live now: https://learn.cleftnotes.com/changelog#march-22-2026. 

Would love for you to update and let us know if things improve. If not, email us athello@cleftnotes.com and we'll sort it out. - Jonathan

### 5/5 — Life Saver

*2026-01-17*

Cleft is my favorite tool. I’m at the hospital with my mom, and I’m about to record a message to recap everything the doctors have said this morning. So helpful to me and to the family members who will get the link. Grateful to have the specific support of Cleft.

**Developer response:** Some feedback stops me with feels, and this was one of those @AmyAnnettely. thank you sooo much! 

Glad Cleft could help during a tough time. Wishing your mom well!! 

If you need anything, be sure to drop us a line! - Jonathan

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work on macOS 26

*2025-12-10, version 1.10*

I will remove this review once the issue has been resolved since this app is great on both iOS and macOS, but only when I updated to macOS 26 did the app crash anytime I try to start a voice note or have it break down a text note.

### 5/5 — So useful for my ADHD brain

*2025-10-10*

As someone with ADHD, I love this app for processing and streamlining ideas, capturing insights, and working through complex problems. I recommend it to all my coaching clients, too, who find it incredibly useful. Thank you!

**Developer response:** Thank you SO much for recommending Cleft to your clients @imbusybeingawesome. Hearing that it helps with ADHD processing means a lot to us. - Jonathan

### 5/5 — Wow great!

*2025-09-12, version 1.10*

I love the longer talking time. I can ramble and take tangents while thinking out loud and Cleft puts them all structured and formatted clearly. Very impressive!

### 5/5 — Cleft is my fave

*2025-08-26*

(I used Cleft to create this note)
# Thoughts on Cleft AI Voice Memos

I really love using Cleft. It makes everything so much easier because I can just use my voice without worrying about structuring my dictation, punctuation, or even organizing my thoughts. I can simply think out loud, and it gives me back a usable note. Speak your mind, Cleft Collects your thoughts indeed!

## Preparing for a Review

- I'm getting ready to include this in a review of Cleft AI Voice Memos on the Mac App Store.
- It's super cool to be able to just talk and receive something useful in return.

**Developer response:** Love that you used Cleft to write the review. That's the best endorsement we could ask for! - Jonathan

### 5/5 — Works great & integrates Markdown well

*2025-07-22*

Cleft is a great summary tool for recording meetings and verbal thoughts.  It integrates well with other tools and has the best condensed summaries from an AI tool that I have used.

**Developer response:** Glad the markdown integration is working for your setup. Thanks for the review! - Jonathan

## Frequently asked questions about Cleft

### What does Cleft do?

Cleft is a voice-to-text note-taking application designed for individuals who think verbally. It allows users to capture their thoughts by speaking, offering real-time transcription and offline functionality. The app aims to provide a frictionless experience for recording ideas without the need for typing.

### What are the key features of Cleft?

Key features include live transcription that displays your words in real-time, offline-first operation for use without internet, and one-tap capture to quickly convert voice to text. It also offers smart organization for structuring thoughts, markdown export for editing, Apple Watch support for wrist recording, and widget support for quick capture.

### How much does Cleft cost?

Cleft offers a freemium model. While basic functionality is available for free, there is a subscription service called Cleft Plus, priced at $6.99 per month or $39.99 per year. This premium tier unlocks features like longer recording limits, custom processing instructions, and integrations with other note-taking and automation services.

### Is Cleft available on different devices?

The description mentions Apple Watch support and Home Screen widget support, indicating compatibility with Apple devices. It also highlights on-device transcription and encrypted storage, suggesting a focus on privacy and potentially a robust mobile experience. Specific operating system compatibility is not detailed but implied for Apple ecosystems.

### What are common use cases for Cleft?

Cleft is useful for capturing a wide range of content, including meeting notes, creative ideas, article drafts, to-do lists, project documentation, daily journals, and quick thoughts. Its design caters to users who want to quickly record spoken ideas without interrupting their thought process.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.14.3 — 2026-07-03

1.14.3 focuses on capture reliability.

Changed
- Account details stay private on screen. Your name, email, and App User ID stay hidden until you reveal them. When you need help, copy your App User ID so we can find your account without your email being visible.
- Settings stay in the right place. Your preferences keep following you through iCloud, while device-specific choices stay on the device they belong to.

Fixed
- Recent-note widgets show the right note. Your widget keeps showing your latest note instead of slipping back to an older snapshot.
- Abandoned widget starts stay abandoned. If you back out of a Lock Screen or widget recording launch, Cleft will not start that recording later by surprise.
- Apple Watch note lists look right. Recent notes on your Watch show the correct summary, date, archive state, tags, and account.
- Apple Watch recordings finish more reliably. A recording that already reached your iPhone can keep moving after you reopen Cleft or reconnect.
- Apple Watch styles are respected. Watch recordings keep the style you chose on your Watch when they first sync. Later rewrites on iPhone, iPad, and Mac use your current style setting.

Full release notes: https://cleftnotes.com/changelog/1.14.3

### 1.14.2 — 2026-07-01

1.14.2 makes writing, switching views, and playback feel clearer.

- Typed notes are ready when you are: long-press New Note and start writing right away. Save stays visible on iPhone, and drafts stay editable until they are saved.
- Notes and Transcript follow your tap on iPhone and iPad, so the view you choose is the view you see.
- Audio feedback is clearer: Play shows when audio is getting ready, so you are not left guessing.
- Cleft keeps its own warm accent color across Settings and What's New.

Full release notes: https://cleftnotes.com/changelog/1.14.2

### 1.14.1 — 2026-06-23

1.14.1 keeps iPhone and iPad note controls and Zapier automations reliable.

- Zapier automations now receive richer note fields, with more reliable Note Created, Note Updated, Note Published, Note Unpublished, and Comment Added triggers. Existing Zaps keep working.
- You can create your own note styles from Writing Style settings on iPhone and iPad.
- Long-press Edit opens your custom note style again, pre-filled and ready to change.
- On iPad, Send and More toolbar menus open reliably, so copy, share, delete, and other note actions stay reachable. Thanks Andrew M.
- Keyboard shortcuts keep working as before.

Full release notes: https://cleftnotes.com/changelog/1.14.1

### 1.14 — 2026-06-22

Make Cleft yours, from how it writes to where it saves.

- Pick how each note is written, right from the recording screen. Swipe or tap between Organized, Verbatim, and styles you make yourself.
- Set a rule Cleft always follows, like "no adverbs" or "keep it brief."
- Choose your style on Apple Watch and CarPlay, and cancel a CarPlay recording you didn't mean to start.
- Every note now saves to your device automatically, free on iPhone and iPad. With Plus, pick the folder yourself: your Obsidian vault, a Drafts folder, wherever you keep things.
- Your theme, note style, and writing rules stay in sync across every iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the same iCloud account.

Also tidier note previews, more reliable Apple Watch sync, and more than 30 fixes across recording, sync, and sharing.

Full release notes: https://cleftnotes.com/changelog/1.14

### 1.13.0 — 2026-05-05

Official CarPlay support: Tap New Note on your car screen, speak your thoughts, and your note's waiting on your phone when you arrive.

Send in one tap: A new Send button on the note toolbar puts Notion and three Copy options (Markdown, Plain Text, Transcript) one tap away.

Pin any note to your home screen: Long-press a note, tap Pin to Widget, and it stays front and center until you pin a different one.

Continue Last widget: Pick up your most recent note straight from the home screen or Control Center.

Siri and Shortcuts, fully working: Search Notes, Get Last Transcript, Export Note, Get Note Summary, and more.

Live recording timer: See elapsed time in the Dynamic Island and the on the Lock Screen.

Pause and resume from the Dynamic Island: Tap pause or resume without opening the app.

Bigger text, still sharp: Note text and toolbar icons scale with your Dynamic Type setting.

Smaller uploads: Recordings compress before uploading, so they sync faster on patchy signal.

Your music picks back up on its own: Apple Music, Audible, and Pocket Casts resume within seconds of saving a note.

Plus fixes for sync reliability, second recordings, low-memory transcription, and more.

## Apps similar to Cleft

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Quiche Browser](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quiche-browser/id1668363952) | 4.9 (776) | Free | Utilities |
| [AudioPen: AI Voice to Text](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiopen-ai-voice-to-text/id6502638001) | 4.7 (141) | Free | Utilities |
| [AI Actions for Shortcuts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-actions-for-shortcuts/id6465250302) | 4.6 (26) | Free | Utilities |
| [Shutter Declutter: Pic Cleaner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shutter-declutter-pic-cleaner/id6745152835) | 4.9 (330) | Free | Utilities |
| [Bit Buddy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bit-buddy/id6478040971) | 4.8 (6) | Free | Utilities |
| [Ticci Tabs](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ticci-tabs/id6504975664) | 4.9 (52) | Free | Utilities |

## Related topics

[cleft](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cleft) · [cleft ai](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cleft-ai)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-08.*