Comparison

SpamBlocker vs DictationRec

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SpamBlocker

This app helps manage unwanted emails by reassigning spam mailboxes and filtering incoming messages. It uses machine learning and rule-based systems to identify and block junk mail, supporting IMAP/POP3 accounts. It does not have mail sending capabilities.

Highlights
  • Spam/Trash mailbox reassignment
  • Machine learning spam filtering
  • Rule-based filtering (sender, subject)
  • IMAP/POP3 support
  • HTML image blocking
  • Multi-account support
Read full description

■SpamBlocker supports Spam/Trash mailbox’s reassignment. Some (IMAP) mail servers support a machine learning spam filtering by using the mail data in the spam mailbox. If the spam mailbox matches between SpamBlocker and the mail server, SpamBlocker can feedback its spam filtering result to the mail server. Then the spam mail traffic can be reduced. ■SpamBlocker provides a spam filtering feature SpamBlocker(the usage is explained at the online help in the App) can filter out spams(junk mails) from the incoming mail messages by a spam filter which is generated by the SpamBlocker's built-in machine learning engine. SpamBlocker also supports 'rule based' filtering by specifying "sender's mail address" or "subject"'s substring.
 SpamBlocker supports IMAP/POP3 and can access only Inbox, spam box, trash box. SpamBlocker has no mail sending facility. As for the POP3 mail filtering, SpamBlocker has to get started before other mailers, otherwise spams will be downloaded to other mailers because POP3 has no synchronization mechanism . SpamBlocker supports HTML image blocking. SMS/MMS are not supported. SpamBlocker adapts the advertising free application model, but it has no resident toolbar, so the client area with an advertisement banner isn't narrower than other standard iOS applications. 
■Main Features: •Fast machine learning engine optimized for a mobile device ◦Learn ham and spam mail messages to generate a spam filter ◦Spam filtering time is very short compared with mail messages downloading time. ◦Multi-language. In this version, only English and Japanese are supported. 
European languages will be OK if it's based on alphabets. ◦Multi-account ■How to connect to an mail server: To connect an mail server, just specify your full email address as your login name(username) and the password you log in to your account. If you don't know your login name/password, contact an organization or personnel in charge of the mail server to get a hostname, user id(name), password. ■Basic operation * Pull down to Refresh/Long Press to reload&spam filtering * Push up to download older mails at the bottom of message lists * Tap/Swipe the navigation bar to move around mailboxes * Move/Delete/Mark mail messages by the toolbar on the navigation bar * Tap/Swipe the navigation bar to turn over mail messages * Swipe To POP3 server to move back a mail to POP3 server. * Add a mail to the blacklist/spam learning data by swiping a cell ■Spam filtering: SpamBlocker generates a spam filter by learning from spam and ham messages in INBOX. Just follow the steps, you can have your own spam filter. 1. Tap 'Edit' button in Monitor. 2. Pick up several mail messages by tapping each table cell. 3. Tap "SPAM" button on the command bar. 4. Likewise pick up mails, and "HAM" button on the command bar. 5. "Pull down to Refresh" or "Long press on the navigation bar" triggers Machine learning, then a spam filter will be generated. 6. Repeat the steps(1-5) until the number of spams and hams reaches about 16. 7. After learning 16 spams and 16 hams, SpamBlocker is ready to start judging which mail is spam or not. Set the spam filter switch on the account setting if you want to start the spamfiltering. 8. Check the filtering result on Monitor. 9. Correct errors and 'Pull down to Refresh" or "Long press on the navigation bar", re-learning starts and your spam filter gets smarter. Repeat the steps(8-9) until no errors are found. ■Spam Rule Filtering: Please don't forget about turning on "Spam Rule switch" at the account setting after setting rules. ■Other usage: Please visit support page. http://www.seimitsusakufu.com/iOS/mailapps/en/support.html. ■Support: To get a further support , contact through the following mail address. support_seimitsu@jcom.home.ne.jp ■Copyright: Some of icons in this software are designed by Icons8 (http://icons8.com)

About

DictationRec

Record dictations and meetings with simultaneous speech recognition. Share transcribed text and audio files via email or AirDrop. Supports multiple languages and offers live or delayed recognition modes.

Highlights
  • Real-time speech recognition
  • Simultaneous audio recording
  • Multiple language support
  • Live and shift recognition modes
  • File sharing via email/AirDrop
  • Organized folder for past dictations
Features
Read full description

This app records dictation/meeting contents and simultaneously takes speech recognition of them and displays them sequentially. You can share recognition results by email for instance. Because the recognition engine is Apple's formal voice recognition engine that is available on iOS10, it supports different local languages in different countries including Japan. Attention: This app requires internet connection through WiFi or communication environment with carriers. How to use is as follows. (1) Recognition language selection:   Speech recognition of the language corresponding to the locale of the terminal is possible immediately after startup it is. Tap the "Settings" button on the upper right to move to the setting screen. By selecting any language from the language picker, speech recognition of that language becomes possible. (2) Recognition mode selection: There are two recognition modes, live mode and shift mode.It works in live mode at first. Tap the mode change switch to change the recognition mode. (3) Live mode:    Tap the "Start microphone" button to perform recognition sequentially. What you say is instantly displayed as text. A recording file is created at the same time. You can adjust the microphone input volume with the Vol slider. (This may not be possible depending on the model.) Tap the "Finish" button to save the recording file and text file of recognition results.   Tap the "Play" button to play the recorded file. You can specify the recording start position with the slider. (4) Shift mode: By tapping the "Start Microphone" button, a divided recording file is created at intervals of about 1 minute, and the contents of the file are recognized with a 1-minute delay and sequentially displayed as text.  When you tap the "Finish" button, the recording file for each minute and the text file of the recognition results are saved. You can specify the file number and play the corresponding audio file from the speaker. (5) Folder:    Tap the folder button to display a list of dictations/minutes created in the past. Tap any of them to view the final result of the dictation/minutes. Recording playback is also possible. By tapping the "Share" button, you can share audio files and recognition result files by email, AirDrop, etc. (6) Erase:    Tap the "Clear" button to clear the displayed text. It also deletes all the files that were divided and recorded in shift mode. After erasing, audio cannot be played back even if the file number is specified.

Screenshots

SpamBlocker4 screens
DictationRec4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SpamBlocker at Free against DictationRec's $0.99. DictationRec's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SpamBlocker is free to download; DictationRec costs $0.99 up front. SpamBlocker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DictationRec asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on June 25, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SpamBlocker versus DictationRec: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpamBlockerDictationRec
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating2.8 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews13.9% of reviews14.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSeimitsusakufu LLCHIROFUMI MARUO

Customer experience

SpamBlocker

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews36 reviews
Positive13.9%
Neutral5.6%
Negative80.6%

DictationRec

Written reviews7 reviews
Positive14.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative85.7%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SpamBlocker

One-time1
  • Remove Ad&Limitation$0.99
None

DictationRec

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SpamBlocker free?
SpamBlocker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DictationRec free?
DictationRec costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do SpamBlocker or DictationRec have ads?
Neither SpamBlocker nor DictationRec shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SpamBlocker or DictationRec?
SpamBlocker ships an update every 3 months, and DictationRec every 3 months. Most recently, SpamBlocker was updated on June 25, 2026 and DictationRec on September 10, 2026.

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