On-device transcription. Works offline. Saves as Markdown to iCloud/Obsidian.
Free download • Works offline • No account
Free forever: Voice capture, on-device transcription, iCloud storage, Markdown export, Siri integration, offline/Airplane Mode.
Optional subscription: AI rewrite, summary, and action-item extraction (requires internet — uses server-side AI). Available as weekly, monthly, or yearly plans with a 7-day free trial.
No ads. No account required. No lock-in — your notes are standard Markdown files in your iCloud.
Leave it running while you read, walk, or think. Smart silence detection (VAD) only captures when you speak—battery optimized for long sessions.
Speech-to-text happens locally using Apple's neural engine. Your audio never leaves your iPhone. Works offline, even in Airplane Mode.
Smart silence filtering only transcribes when you speak. Leave it running in background—battery optimized. Pauses, noise, and silence are filtered out.
Notes live in your iCloud Drive, not our servers. Standard Markdown format. Delete the app and keep every note you ever made.
Say "Hey Siri, Brain Dump" to start a note. Say "Hey Siri, continue my note" to append. Capture thoughts while driving, cooking, or walking.
Teach Brain Dump your names, jargon, and vocabulary. Get perfect transcription for specialized terms and inside jokes.
Built-in templates for daily reflection, decision logs, gratitude, and brainstorming. Overcome the blank page.
Markdown files work with Obsidian, Notion, Bear, iA Writer, Logseq, or any text editor. Export to Git, Dropbox, or anywhere.
Voice capture, on-device transcription, iCloud storage, Siri, and offline mode are free. Optional AI subscription for rewrite and summary. No ads.
Capture thoughts during walks, commutes, or 3 AM worries. Voice removes the friction that makes people quit journaling.
Get thoughts out before they disappear. Your brain has 47 ideas before you can type one. Voice catches them all.
Speak your reactions and insights without breaking flow. Leave it running—VAD only captures when you talk.
Point Brain Dump at your vault in iCloud. Voice capture appears as Markdown, ready to link. No plugins required.
Baby in arms, dog on leash, hands in dough. Capture moments you'd otherwise forget because typing wasn't an option.
Say "Hey Siri, meeting debrief" right after a call. Capture what matters while it's fresh, not three emails later.
“It’s one of the smoothest note‑taking experiences I’ve had — I just talk it out and it does the rest.” — No_vegetable (App Store, May 30, 2025)
Rating is the App Store aggregate across all countries (including ratings without a written review). Counts can differ by storefront due to Apple’s regional review filtering. See reviews on the App Store.
Brain Dump: Voice to Markdown is a voice journaling app for iPhone and iPad that transcribes your speech to text instantly using on-device transcription. Notes are saved as standard Markdown files in your iCloud Drive—no cloud upload, no account required, and no vendor lock-in.
Brain Dump focuses on privacy with on-device transcription; Otter.ai uploads audio to the cloud. Brain Dump saves to Markdown in iCloud; Otter locks notes in their platform. Brain Dump works offline; Otter requires internet. Brain Dump is for personal voice capture; Otter is optimized for meeting transcription with multiple speakers.
Yes! Brain Dump is the perfect voice capture companion for Obsidian. Simply point Brain Dump at your Obsidian vault in iCloud Drive. When you record a voice note, it appears as a Markdown file directly in your vault—no import needed. Speak your thoughts and find them in Obsidian moments later.
Yes. Brain Dump uses Apple's on-device speech recognition, which means transcription happens entirely on your iPhone or iPad. You can record and transcribe voice memos even in Airplane Mode with no internet connection. Your audio never leaves your device.
Brain Dump has a generous free tier that includes full voice capture, on-device transcription, iCloud storage, and Markdown export. No subscription is required for core features. Optional paid upgrades include extended recording length and AI polish features.
Brain Dump saves all notes as standard Markdown (.md) files with UTF-8 encoding. These files work with Obsidian, Notion, Bear, iA Writer, Logseq, VS Code, or any text editor. You can sync them with Git, Dropbox, or any file system. No proprietary format—no lock-in.
Apple Voice Memos only records audio—you get an audio file. Brain Dump transcribes your speech to searchable text instantly. Brain Dump auto-titles and formats your notes as Markdown, integrates with Obsidian and PKM systems, and lets you review your thoughts as text rather than listening back to recordings.
Brain Dump is designed for quick brain dumps—getting thoughts out of your head before they disappear. Many users with ADHD find it helpful because you can capture ideas in seconds without the friction of typing. Just tap, speak, and your words become organized text. Perfect for minds that think faster than they type.
Yes! Brain Dump uses Voice Activity Detection (VAD) to filter silence automatically. Leave it running while you read a book, take a walk, or work—it only transcribes when you actually speak. Battery optimized for long sessions. Pauses, background noise, and silence are filtered out so your notes stay clean.
Yes! Say "Hey Siri, Brain Dump" to start a new voice note hands-free. Say "Hey Siri, continue my note" to append to your last entry. Perfect for capturing thoughts while driving, cooking, or when your hands are full. Works from Lock Screen.
Notes on voice, flow, and privacy.
The best free way to transcribe Voice Memos depends on your phone and your output needs. This guide compares Voice Memos, Notes, Live Captions, and Brain Dump's free path with current April 2026 context.
The best iPhone voice-to-text app depends on the job. This guide compares Apple Voice Memos, Notes, Brain Dump, Just Press Record, and Otter with current April 2026 context.
![Share iPhone Voice Memos to Text: Complete Guide [2026]](/og.png)
4 ways to convert Voice Memos to text on iPhone — iOS 18 built-in transcription, Share Sheet, Shortcuts, and Live Captions compared with timing tests.
In that time you could have
simply by talking.
That is Brain Dump.
