Gobbl
The full comparison
| Feature | Notch, dictation, memoryGobbl | Notch appDroppy | Notch appNotchNook | Notch appBoring Notch | Notch appAlcove | DictationWispr Flow | DictationSuperwhisper | MemoryGoldfish | MemoryScreenpipe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. AI features free during the beta | About $10 one-time | Paid; sources vary | Free | $14.99 one-time | Free tier; Pro $15/month | Free tier; Pro $8.49/month | Free during beta | Free for 1 device; paid from $21/month |
| Open source | Yes, MIT | Source-available (GPL-3.0 with Commons Clause) | No | Yes, GPL-3.0 | No | No | No | Varies | Source-available |
| Platforms | macOS 14+ | macOS 14+, iPhone companion | macOS | macOS 14+ | macOS 15+ | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | macOS, Windows, iOS | macOS (Apple silicon), Windows | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| On-device dictation | Yes, Whisper on your Mac (Apple silicon) | Yes, on-device | Not listed | No | Not listed | Cloud only | Yes, local models (cloud optional) | Not listed | Transcribes audio (not dictation) |
| Free-tier word cap | None | Paid app | Paid app | No dictation | Paid app | 2,000 words a week on desktop | Unlimited on small local models | No dictation | No dictation |
| Screen memory and to-dos | Yes, opt-in beta, with auto-ticking to-dos | Not listed | Not listed | No | Not listed | No | Not listed | Screen memory; to-dos not listed | Screen memory; to-dos not listed |
| MCP connector | Yes, one switch for 9 AI apps (Memory beta) | Developer kit only | Not listed | No | Not listed | Yes, for its notes | Not listed | Yes, Claude Desktop | Yes |
| AI coding agents in the notch | Claude Code and Codex status, Allow/Deny for Claude Code | Status only (Claude Code, Codex, more) | Not listed | No | Not listed | No notch | No notch | Not listed | No notch |
| Pet | Yes, Gob | No | No | No | No | No | No | Fish theme, no pet | No |
| Privacy | Local first; AI via a provider that keeps no data; log of every request | Local first | Varies | Local app | Varies | Cloud; optional zero-retention mode | Works offline | Local storage; AI via a zero-retention provider | Local by default |
YesPartly, or with a catchNoNot listed on their site
Checked against each product's own website and public sources on 14 September 2026. Prices are in US dollars where the maker lists them; NotchNook's price differs between sources, so we don't quote one. Rewind isn't in the table because it stopped recording on 19 December 2025, after Meta acquired Limitless. Products change quickly: if something here is out of date, open an issue and we'll fix it.
Head-to-head comparisons
Gobbl vs Wispr Flow
Free on-device dictation versus a polished cloud service.
Gobbl vs Droppy
Two notch apps with shelves, clipboards and agent status.
Gobbl vs NotchNook
A free, open-source NotchNook alternative with a pet.
Gobbl vs Goldfish
Two approaches to giving your Mac a memory.
Which should you pick?
- Just want a notch shelf and music? Boring Notch is free and open source too, and Alcove is a polished paid option. Gobbl adds the pet, the Gobbl key, dictation and Memory.
- Dictation on several devices? Wispr Flow and Superwhisper cover Windows and phones; Gobbl is Mac-only.
- Screen memory on Windows or Linux? Screenpipe runs on all three; Goldfish runs on Mac and Windows.
- All of it in one free Mac app? That's what Gobbl is for.