A free Wispr Flow alternative for Mac
WhisperWrite works the way Wispr Flow does: hold a key, speak, and your words are typed into whatever app you're using. It's free, with no weekly word limit, no subscription and no account. By default, your speech is turned into text on your Mac, so it stays private and works offline.
WhisperWrite and Wispr Flow side by side
Prices and limits as published on each company's website on 8 October 2026.
| WhisperWrite | Wispr Flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free plan, or Pro at $15 a month ($12 a month billed yearly) |
| Words on the free plan | No limit | 2,000 a week on desktop, 1,000 a week on mobile |
| Account | Not needed | Required |
| Works in any app | Yes | Yes |
| Where speech becomes text | On your Mac by default, so it works offline. Optional OpenAI engine with your own key | In the cloud (Wispr Flow's data controls page) |
| AI clean-up | Filler words removed on your Mac. Optional AI Edit with Claude, using your own Anthropic key | Included |
| Rewrite selected text by voice | Command Mode, with your Anthropic key | Yes, Command Mode |
| Devices | Mac with Apple Silicon | Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android |
| Languages | English for now | 100+ languages |
Which one should you choose?
Choose WhisperWrite if
- You use a Mac with Apple Silicon and dictate in English.
- You dictate more than a free weekly limit allows and don't want a subscription.
- You want your speech turned into text on your Mac, even offline.
- You're happy to add your own Claude key if you want AI editing.
Choose Wispr Flow if
- You need dictation on Windows, iPhone or Android as well.
- You dictate in languages other than English.
- You want AI editing included, without managing an API key.
What WhisperWrite does
- Types in any app. Mail, Gmail, Slack, Google Docs, ChatGPT, VS Code, your browser: if there's a cursor, WhisperWrite can type there.
- Fast. Text appears about 0.1 seconds after you let go, using an open speech model from NVIDIA's Parakeet family.
- Cleans up as you go. Removes "um" and "uh", adds punctuation, and understands "new line" and "new paragraph".
- Learns your words. Add names and jargon to the dictionary, and snippets like "my email" for text you type often.
- Hands-free when you want it. Tap the key to start and tap again to finish. Esc cancels.
- AI Edit and Command Mode, optional. Claude can fix grammar, format lists and match the tone of the app you're in, or rewrite selected text when you say "make this friendlier".
Other Wispr Flow alternatives
If WhisperWrite isn't the right fit, these are the other options people compare most often. Details from each company's website on 8 October 2026.
- 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.
- Spokenly. Free on-device transcription with no account, plus a Pro plan at $9.99 a month for managed cloud models. Mac, Windows, Linux and iPhone.
- Superwhisper. A free plan with on-device Whisper models, and paid Pro plans that add cloud models and more. Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
- MacWhisper. Best known for transcribing audio and video files. System-wide dictation is part of Pro, a one-time purchase of €64.
- Apple Dictation. Built into every Mac and free. You start it with a shortcut or the Microphone key, and it stops after 30 seconds without speech. Our guide to dictating on a Mac shows how to set it up.
Switch in a few minutes
- Download WhisperWrite and drag it to your Applications folder.
- Open it and allow Microphone and Accessibility. Accessibility lets it see your shortcut and paste for you.
- Let the speech model download. It's about 610 MB and only happens once.
- Hold Right Option (or the shortcut you choose), speak, and let go. Your words appear where your cursor is.
Need help? The support page covers setup, shortcuts and troubleshooting.
Questions
Is WhisperWrite really free?
Yes. WhisperWrite is free to download and use, with no word limits, no subscription and no account. AI Edit and the OpenAI speech engine are optional and use your own API keys, so Anthropic or OpenAI bill you directly if you turn them on.
Can I use the same shortcut I used in Wispr Flow?
Very likely. The download from whisperwrite.co accepts a single modifier key such as Fn, Right Option or Right Command, or a key combination such as Control-Option-Space. The default is to hold Right Option. You can change it in Settings at any time.
Does WhisperWrite work offline?
Yes. The speech model downloads once, the first time you open WhisperWrite (about 610 MB). After that, dictation works with no internet connection. AI Edit, the optional OpenAI engine and update checks need a connection.
Is there a Windows, iPhone or Android version?
Not yet. WhisperWrite is for Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) running macOS 14 or later. If you need dictation on other devices too, Wispr Flow covers Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android.
Which languages does WhisperWrite support?
English for now.
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