The best dictation apps for Mac
Seven ways to type with your voice on a Mac, free and paid, and who each one suits.
We make WhisperWrite, one of the apps below. Every other app's details come from its own website, checked on 8 October 2026, and we say where another app is the better pick.
At a glance
| App | Price | Speech becomes text | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WhisperWrite | Free | On your Mac | Free, private dictation into any app, in English |
| Apple Dictation | Free, built in | On your Mac or Apple's servers (see Keyboard settings) | Quick, occasional dictation in many languages |
| Wispr Flow | Free plan (2,000 words/week) or $15/month | In the cloud | AI dictation on every device you own |
| Superwhisper | Free plan, paid Pro | On device or in the cloud | Power users who want modes and model choice |
| VoiceInk | From $25, one time | On your Mac | Paying once, with source on GitHub |
| Spokenly | Free on-device; Pro $9.99/month | On device or in the cloud | Many languages, Windows and Linux |
| MacWhisper | Free; Pro €64, one time | On your Mac (cloud optional) | Transcribing recordings and meetings |
The apps
WhisperWrite
Free to use, with no word limits, no subscription and no account. Hold a key, speak, and your words are typed in any app about 0.1 seconds after you let go. Speech recognition runs on your Mac, so it works offline. AI Edit and Command Mode with Claude are optional and use your own key. Mac with Apple Silicon only, English only for now.
Apple Dictation
Built into macOS and free. Turn it on in System Settings › Keyboard, then start it with the Microphone key, a shortcut or Edit › Start Dictation. Supports many languages and auto-punctuation. Stops after 30 seconds without speech.
Wispr Flow
Polished AI dictation on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, in 100+ languages. The free plan allows 2,000 words a week on desktop; Pro is $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly. Transcription happens in the cloud.
Superwhisper
Dictation with custom modes, a choice of on-device Whisper models or cloud models, meeting notes and translation. Free plan, with a paid Pro plan. Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
VoiceInk
A Mac dictation app that transcribes on your Mac, built in public on GitHub. A one-time purchase from $25 for one Mac. Needs macOS 14.4 or later on Apple Silicon. There's also an iOS version.
Spokenly
Free on-device transcription with no account, plus bring-your-own-key cloud models. Pro is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for managed cloud models. Mac, Windows, Linux and iPhone, 100+ languages.
MacWhisper
Best known for transcribing audio, video and meetings on your Mac, with subtitles and speaker labels. System-wide dictation is part of Pro, a one-time purchase of €64. There's also a free version.
How to choose
- Free with no limits, on a Mac: WhisperWrite, Spokenly's on-device models or Apple Dictation.
- The same app on Windows or your phone: Wispr Flow, Superwhisper or Spokenly.
- Nothing leaves your Mac: WhisperWrite, VoiceInk or MacWhisper, or the on-device models in Spokenly and Superwhisper.
- Transcribing recordings, not live typing: MacWhisper.
- Pay once instead of a subscription: VoiceInk or MacWhisper Pro.
New to dictation? Start with how to dictate on a Mac.
Questions
What is the best free dictation app for Mac?
For dictating into any app with no word limits, WhisperWrite is free and runs on your Mac. Apple Dictation is built in and free, and Spokenly's on-device models are free too. Wispr Flow and Superwhisper have free plans with limits or fewer features than their paid plans.
Is the Mac's built-in dictation good enough?
For short messages, often yes. It's free and works in most apps. It stops after 30 seconds without speech, and you start it each time with a shortcut or the Microphone key. Dedicated apps add hold-to-talk, filler-word removal, custom vocabulary and AI editing.
Which dictation apps for Mac work offline?
WhisperWrite, VoiceInk and MacWhisper transcribe on your Mac. Spokenly and Superwhisper offer on-device models alongside cloud ones. Wispr Flow says its transcription always happens in the cloud.
Which dictation app works on Mac and Windows?
Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and Spokenly have Windows versions. WhisperWrite, VoiceInk and MacWhisper are for the Mac.
Write by talking, free.
Hold a key, speak, and your words appear in any app. No word limits, no subscription, no account. Speech recognition runs on your Mac.
Download WhisperWrite