Dictum vs DeepScribe: AI Medical Scribe Comparison

Quick comparison

Primary use case

DeepScribe focuses on ambient documentation with a human-in-the-loop review process. The platform listens during the encounter and produces note drafts that go through a quality assurance step before reaching the clinician. Dictum is a fully AI-driven tool that produces drafts for clinician self-review — there is no intermediate human review layer. Both approaches aim to reduce documentation time, but the workflow mechanics differ. DeepScribe's model adds a review step between recording and final note delivery, while Dictum delivers drafts directly for the clinician to accept, edit, or regenerate.

Documentation and templates

Dictum offers specialty-adapted templates and full custom template creation. You can define section headings, reorder fields, and build layouts that match your documentation preferences across different encounter types. DeepScribe provides structured notes through its platform, but the degree of template customization available to individual clinicians is more limited. If your practice requires different note formats for different visit types, test both tools against your actual requirements. See custom clinical templates for how Dictum handles template creation.

Input flexibility

Dictum supports both ambient capture during patient encounters and post-visit dictation for documenting after the appointment. This is useful when you see patients back-to-back and prefer to batch your documentation, or when you need to add notes for phone consultations and brief follow-ups. DeepScribe is primarily ambient-focused — it is designed around listening during the encounter rather than accepting separate dictation input. If post-visit documentation is part of your workflow, this distinction matters. Learn more about post-visit dictation.

Pricing

Dictum offers transparent self-serve pricing starting at $29.99 per month, with a free tier that includes five sessions per month. You can sign up, evaluate the tool, and upgrade without speaking to a sales team. DeepScribe typically uses contact-sales or enterprise pricing models. The exact cost depends on practice size, contract terms, and the specific features included. If predictable monthly costs and the ability to start without a sales process matter to you, the pricing models differ significantly. See Dictum pricing for current plans.

Security

Both Dictum and DeepScribe offer Business Associate Agreements for HIPAA-covered entities. Dictum enforces zero audio retention — recordings are deleted after processing — and does not use patient data for model training. For DeepScribe's current security documentation, data handling practices, and retention policies, check deepscribe.ai directly. If your compliance requirements include specific data residency or deletion guarantees, compare both vendors' documentation against those requirements. See Dictum HIPAA compliance for details on Dictum's security posture.

Where Dictum may be a better fit

Clinicians who want immediate self-serve access without a sales process will find Dictum more accessible. The post-visit dictation option accommodates workflows where documentation happens after the encounter rather than during it. Offline support matters for clinicians in rural settings or facilities with unreliable connectivity. Extensive template customization gives control over note structure without relying on vendor defaults. The free tier allows evaluation across real patient encounters before committing to a paid plan.

Where DeepScribe may be a better fit

Practices that prefer an ambient-only workflow with built-in human review may value DeepScribe's QA layer. Direct EHR integrations can reduce friction for clinicians who want notes pushed directly into their medical record system rather than copying or exporting. Organizations comfortable with contact-sales pricing and that prioritize tight EHR coupling over self-serve access may find DeepScribe's model aligns with their procurement process.

Methodology

This page was last updated May 2026. Feature availability and pricing were verified against publicly available product documentation and vendor websites. Product features, pricing, and compliance information can change. Always verify current details with each vendor before making a purchasing decision. Dictum is not affiliated with DeepScribe.