Dictation App vs BlockLab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Dictation App
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Capture a thought before it disappears. Echo is a focused voice-notes app for recording ideas, dictating text, and turning longer conversations into clear notes. RECORD, THEN FIND IT Tap once to start. Speak naturally. Echo keeps the audio with its transcript, so you can play it back, edit the text, and search for the exact line later. FOR QUICK NOTES AND MEETINGS โข Dictate a thought, task, reminder, or idea โข Record longer meetings and keep the complete transcript โข Create structured meeting notes after transcription โข Pause and resume a recording when you need to โข Search notes and transcripts instead of scrolling โข Listen back to the original audio โข Export or share a note when you choose PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your recordings and notes stay on your device. Echo uses on-device speech recognition when it is available for your language. If you choose to share a note as a webpage, only that selected note and its date are sent to create a link; shared links expire after 30 days. MADE FOR THE MOMENTS YOU CANNOT TYPE Use Echo for a thought while walking, a quick voice memo between tasks, lecture notes, interview follow-ups, or meeting decisions and next steps. The Home Screen widget and Siri Shortcuts let you begin a recording quickly. Echo is built to feel calm: no ads, no account required, and no clutter between you and the thought you wanted to keep.
BlockLab
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Your phone is designed to distract you. BlockLab is designed to stop it. BlockLab uses Apple's Screen Time framework to block distracting apps during focus sessions and scheduled blocks โ the same system-level protection built into iOS, with a cleaner, more intentional interface built around how you actually work. Focus your way Create Focus Profiles with the exact apps you want blocked. Start a manual session when you need to lock in, or set a recurring schedule so blocking happens automatically โ no willpower required. Real blocking, not suggestions When a session is active, blocked apps are shielded at the system level. There's no sneaking past it. Grace Period Need a moment before a block kicks in? BlockLab gives you a grace period so you can wrap up what you're doing before focus mode takes over. Pay once. Use forever. No subscription. No monthly fee. No paywalled features. Buy BlockLab once and it's yours. BlockLab is for people who want a simple, honest tool โ not an app that gamifies your attention or monetizes your habits.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: BlockLab at 16.4 against Dictation App's 18.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Dictation App sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and BlockLab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dictation App | BlockLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 16.4 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Johanna Hoppe | Daniel Catinella |
In-app purchases
Dictation App
- Echo Pro$3.99
BlockLab
- BlockLab Premium$2.99









