Comparison

Private AI Note Taker vs EchoCaption

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

Head to head
About

Private AI Note Taker

This app provides private, on-device AI for meeting notes and transcriptions without cloud reliance. It securely records live meetings or processes uploaded audio/video files, offering AI-generated summaries and searchable notes. Your conversations remain offline and private, never shared or used for model training.

Highlights
  • On-device secure and private note-taking
  • Offline meeting recording and transcription
  • Automatic AI-generated summaries
  • Searchable transcripts and export options
  • Hands-free recording with Siri Shortcuts
  • Support for over 60 languages
  • Choice of transcription models (Apple/WhisperKit)
Features
Read full description

Basil is a private AI note taker for meetings. Recording, transcription and summaries all run on your device. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no server holding your conversations. WHY ON-DEVICE MATTERS Most AI note takers send your audio to a cloud service to be transcribed and summarized. Basil doesn't. Transcription runs on the Neural Engine, and summaries are generated locally by Apple Intelligence. There is no account to create, no subprocessor list, and no server to subpoena. RECORD ANY MEETING • In Person — capture the room with your microphone. • Computer (Mac) — capture both sides of a Zoom, Teams or Meet call without putting a bot in the meeting. Nothing joins your call, and nothing leaves your Mac. • Import existing audio or video files. Basil extracts the audio locally. TRANSCRIPTS AND SUMMARIES • A fast live transcript while you record, then a refined, higher-accuracy pass right after the session. • Transcripts include speakers names and are fully exportable. • Summaries, action items, decisions and follow-ups, generated on device. • 60+ languages. • Full-text search across everything you have recorded. BASIL FOR LAW A legal edition for attorneys and firms: • Privilege attestation — an on-device provenance record documenting that a recording was captured and processed locally. • Consent log — a timestamped attestation, built to the strictest all-party-consent standard so one workflow works in every state. • Matters and clients — organize by matter rather than by date. • Privileged & Confidential labeling on recordings, transcripts and exports. These are record-keeping tools for legal professionals. They are not legal services or legal advice, and no software can guarantee a privilege outcome. Basil's contribution is architectural: your client conversations never leave your device. ACROSS YOUR DEVICES A universal app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Your library syncs through your own iCloud account — your iCloud, not our servers. EXPORT Send notes to Apple Notes, Calendar, Reminders and Files. SUBSCRIPTIONS Basil Pro unlocks unlimited recording. Basil for Law adds the legal feature set above. Free trials are available on both. Current pricing and trial length are shown on the subscription screen in the app. - [Privacy Policy](https://basilai.app/privacy) - [Terms of Use](https://basilai.app/terms)

About

EchoCaption

Features
Read full description

EchoCaption helps you generate accurate captions from audio and video—then play them back with perfectly synced subtitles. Whether you're studying, creating content, or saving meeting notes, EchoCaption keeps everything private with on-device transcription and fast subtitle tools. Key Features On-device Speech-to-Text: Fast transcription powered by a Whisper-based model Video Playback + Captions: Watch videos with synced subtitles Export Subtitles: Save results as SRT / VTT or plain text Share Extension Import: Send files from Photos, Files, or other apps straight into EchoCaption Clean & Simple UI: Focus on your content, not complicated settings Perfect for Captioning videos for social media Language learners practicing listening Students transcribing lectures Creators turning clips into subtitle-ready files Privacy EchoCaption runs transcription on device. Your media stays on your iPhone/iPad.

Screenshots

Private AI Note Taker4 screens
EchoCaption3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Private AI Note Taker at Free against EchoCaption's $1.99. EchoCaption's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On 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

Private AI Note Taker is free to download; EchoCaption costs $1.99 up front. Private AI Note Taker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. EchoCaption asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Private AI Note Taker versus EchoCaption: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate AI Note TakerEchoCaption
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating5.0 (24 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews92.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings24 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB796 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael StajerKai Chen

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Private AI Note Taker

Subscriptions5
  • Basil AI Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Basil AI Pro Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Basil for Law Monthly3 Days trial$19.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Basil AI Pro Yearly (Save 17%)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Basil for Law Yearly7 Days trial$199.991 Year
One-time1
  • Basil AI Pro Lifetime$199.00
None

EchoCaption

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private AI Note Taker free?
Private AI Note Taker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is EchoCaption free?
EchoCaption costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Private AI Note Taker or EchoCaption have ads?
Neither Private AI Note Taker nor EchoCaption shows ads.

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