Ekkooo vs. Willow Voice: On-Device vs. Cloud, Despite Both Claiming Privacy

Willow Voice and Ekkooo both use privacy as part of their pitch, but they mean different things by it. Willow Voice is cloud-based and points to compliance certifications and a no-storage policy as its privacy story. Ekkooo doesn't send audio anywhere in the first place. If you're comparing the two, that architectural difference is the whole comparison.

At a glance

	Ekkooo	Willow Voice
Platforms	macOS (Apple Silicon) only	Mac, Windows, iPhone
Processing	100% on-device	Cloud (~200ms response time claimed)
Free tier	2,000 words/week	2,000 words/week, identical cap
Paid pricing	€9.99/month, or €39.99 one-time (lifetime)	Not published, "Contact Sales"
Privacy claim	Audio never leaves the device	No voice data storage, SOC 2 and HIPAA compliant, audio still transmitted
Claimed user base	Pre-launch	100,000+ professionals
Built for	Solo founders, creators, productivity hackers	Broad: knowledge workers, teams, communication-heavy roles

The free tier is a wash: both cap at 2,000 words/week, so that's not a reason to pick either one.

The privacy claim, examined closely

Willow Voice markets itself as "privacy-first," backed by SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA compliance and a policy against storing voice data. That's a legitimate privacy posture, and for many companies, compliance certifications matter more than architecture. But the audio still travels to a server to be processed, "we don't keep it" and "we don't send it" are different guarantees. Ekkooo makes the more literal version of the same claim: audio is transcribed entirely on the Mac, so there's nothing to store or not store, because it never leaves the device.

Neither approach is wrong. Compliance certifications matter for teams with formal security requirements, and Willow Voice has invested in that. On-device processing matters if the goal is zero transmission, not just retention policy.

Scale versus focus

Willow Voice claims 100,000+ professionals and is YC-backed, a much larger and better-funded operation than Ekkooo at this stage. It also works across Mac, Windows, and iPhone, where Ekkooo is Mac-only. If cross-platform reach or an established track record matters most, that's a real advantage Willow Voice has today.

What Willow Voice doesn't have is transparent, self-serve pricing. Its homepage CTA is "Contact Sales" rather than a checkout, which suggests a sales motion built more for teams than individuals, despite consumer-facing marketing copy. Ekkooo publishes both a monthly and lifetime price with no sales conversation required.

Don't choose Willow Voice if

• True zero-transmission privacy matters more to you than a no-storage policy. Willow Voice's audio still reaches a server.
• You want transparent, self-serve pricing before committing.
• You're specifically a solo founder or creator, not part of a team evaluating an enterprise tool.

Don't choose Ekkooo if

• You need dictation on Windows or iPhone. Ekkooo is Mac-only.
• You want the reassurance of an established, well-funded product with 100,000+ existing users.
• Your organization specifically requires SOC 2 or HIPAA certification as a purchasing requirement today.

For the broader landscape, including other on-device options like Superwhisper, VoiceInk, and Voibe, see speech to text on a Mac or the full comparison of every option.