SpeechTexter vs Voice Notebook (2026): which should you pick?

Pick SpeechTexter if

• Fits if you want to dictate in many languages without installing anything
• Works for students writing notes and short documents in a browser

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to dictate into other apps, as dictation happens in its own page
• Not for you if you use an iPhone or iPad, which the page says aren't supported
• Watch out: it relies on Google's service, and the page warns recognition can stop after a few words in some languages
• Not for you if you want ads gone, as the page shows them
• Watch out: the old Android app is no longer supported

Pick Voice Notebook if

• Fits if you want free voice typing on a phone as well as in Chrome
• Works for people transcribing audio or video files without paying

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you don't use Chrome, as the web version works there only
• Watch out: the footer copyright reads 2011-2016, so it looks lightly maintained
• Not for you if you want offline dictation on anything but Android
• Tight if you want to save: saving texts and commands needs a registration
• Watch out: the iOS app shows ads, and iOS Premium is $5.99 with no period stated

SpeechTexter

• The page names Google Chrome on desktop as the supported browser, and some browsers on Android.
• The old Android app is no longer supported.
• It relies on Google's speech-to-text service, and the page warns that recognition can stop after a few words in some languages.
• Dictation happens inside its own page, not in other apps.

Voice Notebook

• The web version works only in Chrome.
• Saving texts, voice commands and custom languages needs a free registration.
• Offline dictation is described only for the Android app, with lower accuracy, and needs language packs.
• The site's footer copyright line reads 2011 to 2016, so it looks lightly maintained.

SpeechTexter

Real-time dictation

Speech is converted to text as you talk, with a confidence percentage and a preview box that can be turned off.

Custom voice commands

A voice command list inserts punctuation, saved phrases and actions such as undo, redo and new paragraph, and you can edit it.

More than 70 languages

The page says over 70 languages are supported, with a keyboard shortcut to switch language.

Capitalization options

Settings cover proper nouns, the first letter of a sentence or paragraph, and adding a period at the end of a sentence.

Download and copy

A note can be downloaded as a .doc or .txt file, or copied as plain text.

Autosave

Notes can be saved automatically in the browser's cache, which the page says is unsuitable for shared computers.

Voice Notebook

Voice typing in Chrome

Press Start recording and speak; buttons insert punctuation, change letter case and undo the last sentence.

Audio and video transcription

It can transcribe a file from your computer, an HTML5 audio or video URL, or a YouTube clip.

Dictate into any site or app

A Chrome extension types into text fields on any site, and integration modules do the same in applications on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Voice commands and custom terms

Registered users can set voice commands, add custom languages and keep a table that maps spoken phrases to replacement text.

Phone apps

Android and iOS apps handle dictation and file transcription; the Android app can work offline once language packs are installed.

About 50 languages

The language menu lists roughly 50 speech languages, from Afrikaans to Vietnamese.

SpeechTexter

• Free$0

  The full web app, supported by advertising.

Voice Notebook

• Free$0

  Web dictation and audio transcription, plus the free phone apps. The iOS app shows ads and caps transcribed file length.

• iOS Premium$5.99

  in-app purchase; the listing does not show a billing period

  Removes ads, adds a no-sleep switch and Bluetooth support, lifts the transcribed file length limit and unlocks the dictionary Open button.