Comparison

Dotly vs Contextli

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

Head to head
About

Dotly

Features
Read full description

Dotly — capture to Workflowy in seconds. A fleeting thought. A sudden idea. A task you can't afford to forget. Dotly helps you capture it instantly and send it straight to Workflowy. Whether you're offline or on the move, Dotly keeps your thoughts safe until you're ready to sync. Designed for speed and calm, it brings the art of writing and the beauty of structure together — in one elegant flow. Features: - Instant Capture: Add notes, ideas, or reminders to Workflowy in seconds. No friction, no fuss. - Offline Outbox: Write anytime, anywhere. Dotly queues your notes and syncs automatically when you're back online. - Minimal Design: A clean, fluid interface that keeps you focused on what matters: your thoughts. - Smart Shortcuts: Capture with a single tap from widgets or keyboard shortcuts. Send instantly, stay in the flow. - History: Review everything you've sent. Your capture timeline, always accessible. - Custom Settings: Choose how and where your dots land inside Workflowy. - Cross-Platform: Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. One purchase unlocks all platforms. Dotly is for thinkers, creators, and builders — for anyone who believes that every great project begins with a single thought. Download Dotly and start capturing.

About

Contextli

Effortlessly convert your spoken words into polished text for emails, messages, and notes. Choose between raw transcripts or AI-formatted content tailored to specific contexts like Slack or instant messaging. Dictate hands-free with Siri and instantly copy your text to the clipboard.

Highlights
  • Polished and raw transcription options
  • Context-specific formatting (Email, Slack, etc.)
  • Customizable contexts with instructions
  • Hands-free dictation with Siri
  • Instant copy to clipboard
  • Personalized dictionary for substitutions
Features
Read full description

Talk, and Contextli writes it up. Speak an email, a chat reply or a quick note and get clean, ready-to-send text on your clipboard in seconds. Contextli is AI voice dictation for people who think faster than they type. It removes the ums and repeats, fixes grammar and punctuation, and shapes your words for where they are going: a professional email, a casual message or a tidy note. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Type by voice in any app. Turn on the Contextli keyboard, tap its mic, speak, and the finished text is typed right where your cursor was. - Reply to emails by voice. Say what you mean in your own words and get a polished email back. - Answer messages faster. Short, casual text that is ready for Slack, WhatsApp or Teams. - Capture notes and ideas. Every dictation is saved, searchable and ready to copy again. - Dictate in the language you speak. Set a spoken language for each context. - Get a word-for-word transcript when you want one. Raw Transcription gives you plain speech to text with no AI rewrite. WHY IT FEELS DIFFERENT - Contexts. Pick Email, Slack or Instant Messaging, or write your own rules in plain English, like "warm, under five sentences, sign off with my name". Contextli follows them every time. - Hands free. Say "Hey Siri, dictate with Contextli", or set up Back Tap and double-tap the back of your iPhone. - Your dictionary. Teach it names, acronyms and phrases once and they come out right. - Instant copy. The text is on your clipboard the moment it is ready. Switch apps and paste. - One account everywhere. Use the same contexts and notes in the Contextli desktop app and browser extension. HOW IT WORKS 1. Tap the mic in the app or on the Contextli keyboard, or ask Siri. 2. Speak naturally. 3. Paste polished text anywhere. QUESTIONS Does it work with my email and chat apps? Yes. Contextli copies the finished text, so you can paste it into Mail, Gmail, Outlook, Slack, WhatsApp, Notes or any text field. Can I keep my exact words? Yes. Choose Raw Transcription for a verbatim transcript. SUBSCRIPTIONS Contextli offers auto-renewable subscriptions: Starter, Pro and Pro Plus, each monthly or annual. Plan details and prices are shown in the app and may vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel subscriptions in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://contextli.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://contextli.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Dotly4 screens
Contextli4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Contextli at weekly against Dotly's every 5 weeks. Contextli also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). Dotly's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Dotly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Contextli sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dotly ships an update every 5 weeks, Contextli weekly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Dotly versus Contextli: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDotlyContextli
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndriy BezemchukErtiqah LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Dotly

One-time1
  • Dotly Pro (Lifetime)$2.99
7 purchases

Contextli

Subscriptions6
  • Starter Monthly7 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$28.991 Month
  • Starter Annual7 Days trial$44.951 Year
Show 3 more
  • Pro Plus Monthly7 Days trial$48.991 Month
  • Pro Annual7 Days trial$144.991 Year
  • Pro Plus Annual7 Days trial$244.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$149.99

Questions

Is Dotly free?
Dotly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Contextli free?
Contextli is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Dotly or Contextli have ads?
Neither Dotly nor Contextli shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dotly or Contextli?
Dotly ships an update every 5 weeks, and Contextli weekly. Most recently, Dotly was updated on October 28, 2026 and Contextli on October 28, 2026.

Other comparisons