Two popular voice-to-text Chrome extensions. One clear winner for anyone who wants more than just transcription.
⭐ Write by Voice: 4.7 / 5⭐ Voice In: 4.5 / 5Updated March 2026
If you spend hours every day typing emails, filling out web forms, writing LinkedIn posts, or composing messages in Slack, you’ve probably wondered: is there a better way?
Voice dictation Chrome extensions promise exactly that. But not all of them are created equal. Voice In is one of the oldest and most popular speech-to-text extensions. Write by Voice is the newer, AI-powered challenger that fundamentally rethinks what a dictation tool should do.
In this comparison, we break down features, pricing, accuracy, AI capabilities, and real-world use so you can make an informed choice.
A Quick Look at Each Extension
Write by Voice
Write by Voice mic button active inside Gmail, AI reads the email thread and composes a reply from your voice.
Voice In
Voice In’s minimal popup interface, click the mic, speak, and your words appear in any text field.
Side-by-Side Overview
| Feature | Write by Voice | Voice In |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | AI voice dictation + smart email composition | Pure voice-to-text transcription |
| Chrome Web Store rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Works on any website | 20,000+ sites | 10,000+ sites |
| AI-powered writing | Yes — AI refines and composes | No — transcription only |
| Contextual email replies | Reads full thread, composes reply | Not available |
| Auto grammar and punctuation | AI-polished output | Basic via voice commands |
| Languages supported | 50+ | 50+ |
| Custom voice shortcuts | Limited | Yes (Plus plan) |
| Multi-tab dictation | Yes | Plus plan only |
| Privacy (audio stored?) | No storage, no tracking | In-browser only |
| Gmail deep integration | AI replies from voice | Basic dictation only |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Write by Voice — Deep Dive
Write by Voice is built around a simple but powerful insight: most voice dictation tools just transcribe what you say, word for word. That’s useful, but it means you still have to speak in perfectly structured sentences. If you mumble, ramble, or think out loud, the output is a mess.
Write by Voice adds an AI layer that takes your rough spoken words and turns them into polished, professional text. Nowhere is this more powerful than in email.
The Killer Feature: Context-Aware Email Replies
When you open an email in Gmail and click the Write by Voice mic, something genuinely different happens. The extension reads the entire email thread, understands the context, and then listens to your rough intent. It composes a full, professional reply that matches the tone of the conversation.
You don’t need to dictate a perfect email. You just say what you mean, and Write by Voice turns it into what you’d want to send.
This is miles ahead of basic dictation. You can literally say “tell them yes, I’m available Thursday afternoon, and ask them to send me the agenda” and get back a polished, professional reply. No awkward transcription artifacts. No going back to edit.
Universal Voice Typing
Beyond email, Write by Voice puts a mic button on every text field across 20,000+ websites — LinkedIn posts, Notion pages, Slack messages, web forms, CRMs, everything. The AI polishing works everywhere, not just Gmail.
Pros
- AI composes full, contextual email replies from rough voice input
- Output is polished, no editing needed
- Works on 20,000+ websites seamlessly
- Highest Chrome Web Store rating (4.7/5)
- 50+ languages supported
- Strong privacy — no audio or text stored
- Excellent for LinkedIn, Gmail, Slack, and more
Cons
- AI features require premium plan
- Fewer custom voice shortcuts than Voice In Plus
- Newer product, smaller user community
Voice In — Deep Dive
Voice In (by Dictanote) is the veteran of the two. It’s been around since 2015 and has earned a massive, loyal user base by doing one thing really well: accurate, fast speech-to-text on any website.
Where Voice In Shines
Voice In is particularly strong for power users who want fine-grained control. Its custom voice commands feature (Plus plan) lets you program shortcuts, say a phrase and it inserts a pre-written block of text. Great for repetitive content like email signatures, templates, or common responses.
The Limitation
What Voice In doesn’t do is think. It transcribes your exact words. Speak naturally or in fragments, and you’ll spend time cleaning up the transcript. There’s no AI layer polishing your output or understanding the context of what you’re replying to.
Pros
- Extremely accurate real-time transcription
- Works on 10,000+ websites
- Powerful custom voice commands (Plus)
- Long track record, trusted since 2015
- In-browser processing, great privacy
- Good free tier to try before paying
Cons
- No AI layer, transcribes literally, no polishing
- No context-aware email composition
- Multi-tab dictation locked behind paid plan
- Output quality depends on how clearly you speak
- Customer support can be slow to respond
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Write by Voice | Voice In |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Voice typing on all sites, basic AI | Dictation on Gmail and limited sites |
| Paid plan | Premium, full AI email replies, advanced polishing | Voice In Plus, custom commands, multi-tab, extended timeout |
| Free trial | Yes | 5-day free trial for Plus |
Which Tool Is Right for Your Use Case?
| Use Case | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Answering emails in Gmail | Write by Voice | Reads the thread, composes a full reply from your rough intent |
| Writing LinkedIn posts | Write by Voice | AI polishes spoken thoughts into clean, professional posts |
| Filling CRM or web forms | Voice In (Plus) | Custom voice shortcuts insert template content instantly |
| Medical or legal dictation | Voice In | Precise word-for-word transcription without AI interpretation |
| Slack and messaging apps | Write by Voice | AI turns casual fragments into natural, readable messages |
| Long-form drafting | Write by Voice | AI polishing saves editing time after dictation |
| Multilingual teams | Both equally | Both support 50+ languages |
| Overall daily productivity | Write by Voice | AI handles quality, not just transcription |
The Verdict
Voice In is a genuinely good tool. Reliable, accurate, well-maintained, and trusted by hundreds of thousands of users. For strict word-for-word transcription needs, medical notes, legal dictation, structured data entry, it earns its place.
But for the vast majority of people who want to communicate faster and better, write emails, post on LinkedIn, reply to messages, Write by Voice is the smarter choice. The AI layer changes everything. You don’t need to speak in perfect sentences. You don’t need to proofread the output. You just talk, and the extension does the work of making it sound professional.
Voice In transcribes your voice. Write by Voice writes for you. That difference is everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Write by Voice free?
Yes, Write by Voice has a free tier that gives you voice typing across all websites. The premium plan unlocks full AI email composition and advanced polishing features.
Does Voice In work on Gmail?
Yes, Voice In works in Gmail, but it only transcribes your words, it doesn’t read the email thread or compose a contextual reply. Write by Voice does all of that automatically.
Which extension is better for LinkedIn?
Both work on LinkedIn, but Write by Voice is the better choice because the AI polishing turns your spoken fragments into clean, professional-sounding posts without any editing needed.
Are both extensions private and secure?
Yes. Neither stores your audio recordings on external servers. Voice In processes audio in-browser via the Web Speech API. Write by Voice also does not collect or retain voice data.
This article is based on publicly available information from the Chrome Web Store, official extension websites, and user reviews as of March 2026.
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