Capture01
Speak naturally
Tap record, use a widget, or ask Siri. Pause, ramble, change direction: Brain Dump keeps up.
4.5 on the App Store
Voice journal app for iPhone
Turn scattered thoughts into clear notes.
Talk naturally. Brain Dump transcribes on-device and gives you an editable note you can keep, search, and use, without another cloud account.
- Free core features
- Works offline
- No account needed
34-second product walkthrough
4.5 / 5
App Store rating
On-device
Private transcription
No account
Start immediately
Plain text
No lock-in
From thought to note
Less friction between having a thought and doing something with it.
Transcribe02
Get editable text
Your voice becomes a searchable note on your device, even when you are offline.
Refine03
Make it useful
Keep the raw transcript or optionally turn it into a summary, journal entry, or action list.
Your roughest thoughts should still belong to you.
Most voice tools are built around uploading audio or keeping your notes inside their database. Brain Dump starts with a simpler promise: private processing and portable files.
See how offline transcription worksPrivate by default
Core transcription runs on your device. Your raw thinking does not need a trip through someone else’s cloud.
Files you can actually keep
Save standard Markdown files to iCloud or directly inside an Obsidian vault. Open them in any text editor.
Sync on your terms
Use iCloud when you want it. Keep working offline when you do not. Your notes remain accessible either way.
Built for real life
When typing is the thing stopping you.
Brain Dump is for the moments when the idea is ready but your hands, energy, or attention are not.
Ideas
The idea on your walk
Capture the thought before the next traffic light wipes it from memory.
Work
The post-meeting download
Debrief while the decisions, risks, and next steps are still sharp.
Journal
The 2 a.m. brain loop
Get it out of your head, save it, and give yourself a chance to sleep.
ADHD
The thoughts-too-fast day
Skip the blank page and talk at the speed your brain is already moving.
From the App Store
Less “I should write this down.” More actually writing it down.
4.5 / 5
★★★★★“One of the smoothest note-taking experiences I've had. I just talk it out and it does the rest.”
★★★★★“I went from overwhelmed to journaling without a second thought.”
★★★★★“Fantastic for meeting notes and executive summaries. It handles the part that usually gets dropped.”
Simple pricing
The useful part is free.
Record, transcribe, edit, export, and optionally sync with iCloud without paying. Subscribe only if you want unlimited AI refinement.
Compare free and ProFree
Start hereCore capture, no account
- On-device transcription
- Rich-text editing
- Markdown export
- Optional iCloud sync
Pro
Optional AI refinement
- Polished rewrites
- Summaries
- Reusable templates
- Weekly, monthly, or yearly
What does Brain Dump actually do?+
You speak and Brain Dump turns your voice into a clean, editable note. You can keep the transcript as-is, format it, share it, or optionally use AI to refine it.
Is the core app really free?+
Yes. Recording, on-device transcription, editing, export, and optional iCloud sync are free. A Pro subscription unlocks unlimited AI rewrite features such as polished notes and summaries.
Does it work without an internet connection?+
Yes, after the on-device speech model is downloaded. Recording and core transcription work offline. AI rewrite features require an internet connection.
Where are my notes stored?+
You can keep notes as standard Markdown files and optionally sync them with iCloud. You can also point Brain Dump at an Obsidian vault.
How is this different from Voice Memos?+
Voice Memos is built around audio playback. Brain Dump is built around the written result: searchable, editable text you can use immediately.
Do I need to know Markdown?+
No. Brain Dump includes a familiar rich-text editor. Markdown is simply the portable file format underneath, so your notes are not trapped in the app.
Your next useful note is probably easier to say than type.
Download Brain Dump and turn one messy thought into something you can use. No account, no setup maze.