Cleft

Cleft is an iOS and macOS app that turns spoken thoughts into notes with main points, actions, summaries, and transcripts. Its built-in formats are Structured, Structured Prose, and Clean Transcript; Plus users can save custom output styles. Cleft says it works offline and supports 99 languages, including switching languages mid-sentence. Transcription runs locally using Whisper, and Cleft says audio is not sent to its servers or third parties. Temporary audio is deleted after transcription unless Keep Audio is enabled. Optional cloud formatting sends transcript text, not audio, to OpenAI, with Groq as a backup. Basic is free and includes on-device transcription, tags, search, and export, with recordings limited to five minutes. Plus raises the limit to 30 minutes and adds attachments, custom instructions, Notion and Zapier integrations, and Family Sharing for up to five. Plus costs $6.99 per month or $39.99 per year through the App Store, with automatic renewal unless canceled. Cleft lists iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and CarPlay support, and describes notes as encrypted at rest and in transit.

Cleft centers on voice capture, with local transcription and several note formats. The Basic and Plus recording limits, along with optional cloud formatting, are useful details to weigh.

Cleft suits people who prefer capturing thoughts by speaking and organizing them afterward. It may appeal to users who want offline recording, multilingual transcription, or note-export workflows.

Overview

Cleft is an Apple-focused voice-note app that converts spoken ideas into organized notes, summaries, action points and searchable transcripts. It is best for people who think faster than they type and want to capture first, then organize or export later. Local processing, offline recording and broad language support are compelling; the free plan’s five-minute recording ceiling is the main constraint.

Its three built-in formats—Structured, Structured Prose and Clean Transcript—cover concise organization, readable prose and near-verbatim output. Plus users can save custom output styles, making the app more suitable for recurring workflows than for one-off recordings.

For broader comparisons, see our AI Voice Note Apps and Voice Note Apps lists.

Key features

Capture and transcription

Cleft transcribes with Whisper on the device, so audio is not sent to Cleft’s servers or third parties for transcription. It records offline and supports 99 languages, including switching languages mid-sentence. That combination suits travel, privacy-conscious users and multilingual speakers, although plan limits still apply when a thought runs long.

Tags, transcript search and export turn recordings into material you can retrieve later. Temporary audio is deleted after transcription unless Keep Audio is enabled. Optional cloud formatting sends transcript text—not audio—to OpenAI, with Groq as a backup; Cleft says provider agreements prohibit training on customer content.

Workflow and privacy

Plus connects notes to Notion and Zapier. Export and Local Sync support workflows involving Apple Notes, Obsidian, Bear, NotePlan, Drafts, Ulysses and Logseq, giving users practical ways to keep Cleft from becoming an isolated archive.

Cleft says notes are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM and in transit with TLS 1.2 or higher. Cloud data is hosted in Ireland under a zero-access architecture. Its Trust Center says users own notes, transcripts and audio, that content is neither sold nor used to train AI, and that the service addresses GDPR, CCPA and the EU AI Act. Plus also includes priority support; the founders say they personally read every email.

Pricing

Basic

Free. Basic permits five-minute recordings, on-device transcription, the three built-in styles, tags, search and export. It is a sensible way to capture short ideas and assess the local-first workflow, but not a fit for meetings, lectures or extended dictation.

Cleft Plus

$6.99/user/month monthly or $39.99/user/year annual, billed through the App Store and renewing automatically unless canceled. Both paid options raise the recording limit to 30 minutes and add attachments, Notion and Zapier integrations, Family Sharing for up to five people, custom AI instructions capped at 500 characters, and saved custom output styles. Annual billing lowers the effective monthly cost for committed users; monthly is the more flexible choice. Neither plan removes the 30-minute maximum, so unusually long recordings still need another approach.

Platforms

Cleft is available on iOS and macOS, with Apple device support listed for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and CarPlay. The download route is the Apple App Store, so it is a poor match for Android or Windows-first households.

Who it's for

Cleft fits neurodivergent users, writers, professionals and anyone who wants to speak ideas before arranging them. Basic works for brief capture and privacy-focused note taking. Plus is aimed at users who need longer recordings, attachments, automated destinations or repeatable custom formatting, and its Family Sharing can cover a small household. Look elsewhere if cross-platform access or recordings longer than 30 minutes is essential.

Pros and cons

• Pros: local Whisper transcription keeps audio off transcription servers; offline recording and 99-language support cover disconnected and multilingual use; structured formats, search, tags and exports make notes actionable; Plus integrations and Family Sharing extend the workflow; stated encryption and no-training policy address sensitive material.
• Cons: Basic recordings stop at five minutes; Plus still caps recordings at 30 minutes; custom AI instructions are limited to 500 characters; the app is confined to Apple platforms; cloud formatting introduces an optional third-party text-processing step.

Alternatives

Choose Afterword if you want an iOS freemium option with a free tier built around starter credits. Audionotes is the better fit for Android, web or extension access and offers one-minute unlimited voice notes plus 99+ languages on its free plan. AudioPen suits users wanting Android, Windows and web coverage, with free recordings up to three minutes and transcription-and-rewrite tools.

Memex is a free Android/iOS choice, though its AI requires a configured model service that may charge separately. Memoth offers extension, iOS and macOS access with short guest and monthly free allowances. VoiceJournal provides Android, iOS and web apps, a 10-note free tier and a two-minute recording limit. DailyVox is a free Android/iOS option with an MIT-licensed app. Dayheld is an iOS freemium alternative.

Verdict

Cleft is a strong choice for Apple users who want private, offline voice capture that becomes structured, searchable notes without sending audio away for transcription. Choose Plus when 30-minute recordings, custom formatting, attachments or Notion/Zapier destinations justify the subscription. Look elsewhere for Android or Windows support, longer recordings, or a workflow that avoids any optional cloud text processing.