HiNotes vs Omi (2026): which should you pick?

Pick HiNotes if

• Fits if you already own a HiDock and want its recordings turned into notes
• Works for people who prefer paying for minutes that never expire to a monthly plan

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you do not own a HiDock device, since the free tier comes with it
• Tight if you stay free: 300 Pro minutes a month and speaker identification use paid quota
• Watch out: it is a cloud service, and recordings are processed in the cloud rather than on the device
• Watch out: Pro and Unlimited prices are managed inside the account after sign-in
• Pricey if you want unlimited, at $24.99 a month or $599 for life

Pick Omi if

• Fits if you want to read or change the code of the thing that records you
• Works for walking-around days and in-person chats where no meeting bot can join

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you stay free: 5 hours of cloud recording and 30 Ask Omi questions a month
• Pricey if you want speaker identification and a live transcript, which are Pro features at $29.99 a month
• Watch out: the device is sold separately, and its price showed in Malaysian ringgit when we read the page
• Skip it if you want a Windows app, as only iPhone, Android, Mac and web are listed
• Not for you if you record people without their consent, as local law can require it

HiNotes

• The free tier is a perk of owning a HiDock device, which is bought separately.
• Speaker identification and translation use Pro quota, or need an Unlimited plan.
• It is a cloud service; recordings are processed in the cloud rather than on the device.
• Pro and Unlimited prices are managed inside the HiNotes account after sign-in.

Omi

• Cloud recording on the free plan stops at 5 hours a month; all-day recording needs Pro.
• Speaker identification and the live transcript are Pro features.
• The device is bought separately; the single-device price showed in Malaysian ringgit, and a 2-pack showed at $218.
• Recording other people can need their consent, depending on local law.

HiNotes

Transcription in 75 languages

Core transcription is unlimited for HiDock Member users and supports custom vocabulary and VoiceMark highlights.

Speaker identification

Separates up to 10 voices with color-coded labels you can rename. It uses Pro quota or an Unlimited plan.

Summary templates

8+ core templates are included; Pro and Unlimited add 39+ templates and custom ones, plus summary translation.

Export and sharing

Free members export TXT; paid plans add Word, PDF, CSV, SRT and Markdown, and send notes to Notion, Google Docs and OneNote.

Calendar and recorder sync

Google Calendar and Outlook connect on every plan, with fast transfer and auto record for HiDock devices.

Stated data handling

The site says recordings use AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS in transit, and are not used to train AI models.

Omi

Wearable recorder

Two microphones in a 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm device that clips to a chain, a band or sits on a desk, with a stated 2 to 3 day battery.

Recaps and to-dos

Each conversation produces a summary and a task list that can go to a task app, in more than 25 languages.

Offline recording

The device keeps recording without a connection and syncs to the phone once it is back online.

Ask Omi

Questions across past conversations: 30 a month on Free and 1,000 a month on Pro.

ChatGPT and Claude access

Conversations can be connected to ChatGPT and Claude on any plan; Pro keeps every conversation open to them.

Open source code

The software and hardware are open source, and the code is public on GitHub. The site also says it can run locally.

HiNotes

• Member (Free)$0

  Comes with a HiDock device; unlimited core transcription and summaries, VoiceMark and custom vocabulary.

• Pro$12.99

  for 1,200 minutes of quota, never expires ($99.99 for 12,000)

  Pay as you use: speaker identification, 39+ templates, Notion, Google Docs and OneNote, more export formats.

• Unlimited, 1 month$24.99

  per month

  All Pro features with no quota limit, priority support and Zoom support sessions.

• Unlimited, 1 year$199

  per year

  Same as Unlimited monthly, billed yearly.

• Unlimited, 3 years$399

  for 3 years

  Same as Unlimited, paid for a 3-year term; the page does not say whether it renews.

• Unlimited, lifetime$599

  one-time

  Same as Unlimited, paid once.

Omi

• Free$0

  Included with every Omi: 5 hours of cloud recording a month, recap and to-do list after each chat, 30 questions a month.

• Pro$29.99

  per month, or $269.91 per year

  Whole-day recording, speaker identification, live transcript, 1,000 Ask Omi questions a month and Telegram texting.

HiNotes

• Other savings

  10% off a HiDock device

  HiNotes lists 10% off a HiDock recorder as a perk, applied automatically at checkout.

Omi

• Annual discount

  Pro costs $269.91 a year

  Omi's pricing section lists Pro at $29.99 a month or $269.91 a year, which works out to about $22.49 a month.