Compare
Plain-language privacy notice, standard German GDPR DPA available on request, self-serve export + delete.

GDPR isn't a checkbox - it's a posture. If you're moving off Apple Voice Memos because their AVV / DPA is opaque, Sprachmemo is what a clean alternative looks like: subprocessor list of two (Stripe + mail relay), self-serve export + delete from account settings, and a standard German GDPR DPA on request when your procurement team needs one.
Apple Voice Memos is great at recording. It's not a transcription tool, and even iOS 18's built-in 'Transcription' feature only runs in select languages, only on newer devices, and only for clips you keep on-device. Sprachmemo is what you need when you want the text back, searchable, exportable, and editable.
GDPR posture
Three things matter under GDPR for a tool like this: (1) lawful basis for processing, (2) data subject rights (export, delete, port), and (3) the auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag / DPA chain. Sprachmemo treats them as engineering invariants, not legal optics. Lawful basis is the contract you sign with us. Subject rights are self-serve from your account settings - no support ticket required. The subprocessor list has two entries (Stripe + mail relay). A standard German GDPR DPA is available on request from /sales whenever your procurement team needs one - we don't charge for it and don't gate it behind a plan tier. Where Apple Voice Memos sits on each of these is the rest of this page.
GDPR questions
Free plan, no credit card. We host in Germany. Export + delete are self-serve.

Written by
Co-Founder + CEO
Julia is one of the Co-Founders. She handles design, product direction, and most of the support replies that arrive in the morning.
Read next
Full Sprachmemo vs Apple Voice Memos
Recording is one thing. Searchable text is another. What you actually get with each.
Read
Sprachmemo vs Otter.ai
Privacy, hosting, integrations, accuracy. Where each one wins.
Read
Sprachmemo vs OpenAI Whisper API
Open-weights Whisper, the hosted API, and Vosk on your own servers - which is the right shape for what.
Read
Sprachmemo vs Rev
Per-minute pricing, turnaround time, the accuracy gap that used to matter and doesn't anymore.
Read
| Ours Sprachmemo | Theirs Apple Voice Memos | |
|---|---|---|
Privacy | EU hosted, no AI training | Local-only by default (good) |
Lives on which device | Any browser (phone, laptop, tablet) | iPhone / iPad / Mac only |
Automatic transcription | Limited (iOS 18+, select languages, on-device) | |
Searchable text | ||
Edit the transcript | ||
Sync across non-Apple devices | ||
Tag + group recordings into notes | ||
Markdown export |