Prices checked 2026-10-08 · by Jesse Meria, who makes Halopen
The best dictation app for Mac:
ten apps, priced and sourced.
The short answer: Apple Dictation if you dictate now and then, because it is free and already on your Mac. MacWhisper or VoiceInk if your audio must stay on the Mac and you would rather pay once. Wispr Flow, Superwhisper or Halopen if you dictate all day and a subscription is fine.
Every price and every quoted sentence below was read on that product’s own page on 2026-10-08, and is re-read on a schedule. This is Halopen’s guide, so it also says where Halopen loses.
01 / The short version
Three answers.
Pick the one that is you.
You dictate occasionally → Apple Dictation, $0
Already on your Mac, nothing to install, nothing to pay. Apple documents an on-device path for general text dictation. Worth a week before you buy anything, to find out whether you need more.
Your audio must stay on the Mac, and you’d rather pay once → MacWhisper, €65, or VoiceInk, $25
Both are one-time licences, and both say on their own pages that transcription stays on the Mac. Spokenly’s local models and Superwhisper Free are the $0 versions of the same idea.
You dictate all day, in every app → a subscription, ours included
A subscription buys one shortcut that behaves the same in your editor, your terminal, your browser and your messages — but not only a subscription does: Wispr Flow's free plan covers 2,000 words a week on the desktop, across apps, at no cost. Halopen is $19/month or $179/year after a 14-day trial with no card; Superwhisper is $8.49/month.
02 / The field
Ten apps, then ours. For each: what it costs, where your speech becomes text, and its own sentence about that, with the page it was read on.
Apple Dictation
Apple Dictation costs nothing: it is included with macOS. It transcribes on the Mac for general text dictation, where your Keyboard settings say so.
“You can check Keyboard settings to see whether your voice inputs and transcripts for general text Dictation (for example, composing messages and notes, but not dictating in a search box) are processed on your device and not sent to Siri servers.”
Apple, Use Dictation on Mac
Start here if you dictate now and then. It is already installed, and a week with it tells you whether you need anything more.
Runs on macOS. Read on 2026-10-08: support.apple.com
Wispr Flow
Wispr Flow costs $15 a month for Pro, or $12 a month billed annually; the free plan covers 2,000 words a week on desktop. It transcribes in the cloud, always.
“Transcription always occurs on the cloud. This is the best way for us to provide accurate, low latency transcription.”
Wispr Flow, Data controls
Subscription only: its pricing page lists no one-time licence. It runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android, and its page states “SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified. HIPAA-ready dictation with a signed BAA.”, certifications Halopen does not hold. Not the one if your audio has to stay on the Mac.
Runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. Read on 2026-10-08: wisprflow.ai/pricing · wisprflow.ai/data-controls
Superwhisper
Superwhisper costs $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once; there is also a free plan. It transcribes on the Mac on the free plan; Pro adds the cloud models.
“On the Free plan you get unlimited dictation with any local Whisper model, custom vocabulary, text replacements, and up to two modes without AI processing. Nothing you dictate leaves your device.”
Superwhisper, Plans
“Superwhisper works offline, so you can transcribe anytime.”
superwhisper.com
The one app here that sells all three ways: monthly, yearly and once. Its discount: 40% off list price for verified students, faculty, academic institutions and non-profits.
Runs on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Read on 2026-10-08: superwhisper.com/docs · superwhisper.com
MacWhisper
MacWhisper costs €65 once for Pro on Gumroad (about $72 when we checked); there is also a MacWhisper Free. It transcribes on the Mac.
“All transcription is done on your device, no data leaves your machine.”
MacWhisper, licence page
Its own site lists Pro at €64, “Pay Once”. A one-time licence with a 7-day refund, for someone whose audio must stay on the Mac. Its discount: 25% off for journalists, students and non-profits who email the developer.
Runs on macOS. Read on 2026-10-08: gumroad.com · macwhisper.com
VoiceInk
VoiceInk costs $25 once for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three. It transcribes on the Mac.
“VoiceInk processes all voice transcription locally on your device. Your voice data never leaves your Mac, ensuring complete privacy.”
tryvoiceink.com
The lowest one-time price in dollars on this page for dictation at the cursor, with the licence counted per Mac.
Runs on macOS. Read on 2026-10-08: tryvoiceink.com/pricing · tryvoiceink.com
Voibe
Voibe costs $7.50 a month, $75 a year, or $149 once, per seat, after a 7-day trial with no card. It transcribes on the Mac or in the cloud, whichever you choose.
“On-device on Apple Silicon Macs, or in zero-retention cloud mode”
getvoibe.com
Sells monthly, yearly and once. The on-device mode is for Apple Silicon Macs.
Runs on Mac and Windows. Read on 2026-10-08: getvoibe.com/pricing · getvoibe.com
Spokenly
Spokenly costs $0 with local models; Pro, which adds the cloud models, is $99.99 a year. It transcribes on the Mac at no cost, or in the cloud with Pro or your own API keys.
“With local models, your voice never leaves your Mac. For cloud models, audio is processed and immediately deleted, never stored.”
spokenly.app
The local models are free with no word cap, so it costs nothing to find out whether on-device dictation is enough for you. Its paid plan is a subscription.
Runs on macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS. Read on 2026-10-08: spokenly.app/pricing · spokenly.app
Dictato
Dictato costs 19.99 € once, after a 7-day trial of the complete app. It transcribes on the Mac.
“Nothing uploaded, even for the cleanup step”
dicta.to
“macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon (M1+). Intel Macs are not supported.”
dicta.to
The lowest one-time price on this page. Apple Silicon only, by its own statement.
Runs on Apple Silicon Macs. Read on 2026-10-08: dicta.to
Willow Voice
Willow Voice costs nothing on the Basic plan; Pro is $15 a month, or $143.99 a year on the App Store. It transcribes in the cloud, with an offline mode.
“Willow uses cloud-based AI models so you can get the most accurate and responsive dictation experience.”
help.willowvoice.com
“Dictate without an internet connection, powered entirely by your device.”
willowvoice.com
Subscription only: its pricing page lists no one-time licence. The free Basic plan uses what its page calls a weaker model.
Runs on Mac, Windows and iPhone. Read on 2026-10-08: willowvoice.com/pricing · App Store listing · help.willowvoice.com · willowvoice.com
Aiko
Aiko costs $24 once. It transcribes on the device.
“The transcription is done locally on your device. Nothing leaves your device.”
App Store listing
“The app does not yet support live transcription”
sindresorhus.com/aiko
A transcriber for recordings rather than dictation at the cursor: you give it audio and it returns the text. Listed here because it is often named beside the dictation apps.
Runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad. Read on 2026-10-08: sindresorhus.com/aiko · App Store listing
Halopen
Halopen costs $19 a month, $179 a year, or $499 once, after a 14-day trial with no card. It transcribes in the cloud or on the Mac, whichever you choose.
On-device transcription processes speech on an Apple Silicon Mac after the model is downloaded. It does not send that recording to the cloud transcription service. Account, licensing, and update checks have separate network behavior. Usage reporting and enabled diagnostics can also use the network outside a local dictation.
This one is ours, so weigh it accordingly. It is the most expensive app on this page, monthly and once. It is for someone who dictates all day, in every app, and wants their words written down as they said them. It is a Mac app only.
Runs on macOS 14.0 and later. Our pricing · Our privacy page
03 / At a glance
The whole field
in one table.
| App | What it costs | Where it transcribes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Dictation | Nothing: it is included with macOS | On the Mac for general text dictation, where your Keyboard settings say so | support.apple.com |
| Wispr Flow | $15 a month for Pro, or $12 a month billed annually; the free plan covers 2,000 words a week on desktop | In the cloud, always | wisprflow.ai/pricing |
| Superwhisper | $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once; there is also a free plan | On the Mac on the free plan; Pro adds the cloud models | superwhisper.com/docs |
| MacWhisper | €65 once for Pro on Gumroad (about $72 when we checked); there is also a MacWhisper Free | On the Mac | gumroad.com |
| VoiceInk | $25 once for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three | On the Mac | tryvoiceink.com/pricing |
| Voibe | $7.50 a month, $75 a year, or $149 once, per seat, after a 7-day trial with no card | On the Mac or in the cloud, whichever you choose | getvoibe.com/pricing |
| Spokenly | $0 with local models; Pro, which adds the cloud models, is $99.99 a year | On the Mac at no cost, or in the cloud with Pro or your own API keys | spokenly.app/pricing |
| Dictato | 19.99 € once, after a 7-day trial of the complete app | On the Mac | dicta.to |
| Willow Voice | Nothing on the Basic plan; Pro is $15 a month, or $143.99 a year on the App Store | In the cloud, with an offline mode | willowvoice.com/pricing |
| Aiko | $24 once | On the device | sindresorhus.com/aiko |
| Halopen | $19 a month, $179 a year, or $499 once, after a 14-day trial with no card | In the cloud or on the Mac, whichever you choose | Our pricing |
Read from each product’s own page on 2026-10-08. MacWhisper and Dictato are priced in euros. A dollar figure for MacWhisper is Gumroad’s conversion and moves daily.
04 / Before you spend anything
Do you actually need
to buy a dictation app?
Often, no. macOS includes Dictation, and Apple’s own guide describes how to check where it is processed:
“You can check Keyboard settings to see whether your voice inputs and transcripts for general text Dictation (for example, composing messages and notes, but not dictating in a search box) are processed on your device and not sent to Siri servers.”
Apple, Use Dictation on Mac
If you have never switched it on, or it is on and you are not sure which key starts it — Apple ships no fixed dictation shortcut, so that is a real question rather than a silly one.
Spend a week with it before you spend money. You will learn more about what you actually need from seven days of real use than from any list, this one included.
05 / The money
Pay once, or pay monthly?
A one-time licence beats a subscription on cost alone, and for plenty of people that settles it. The one-time licences on this page, cheapest first: Dictato 19.99 €, Aiko $24, VoiceInk $25, MacWhisper Pro €65, Voibe $149, Superwhisper $249.99, and Halopen $499.
There is a pattern in that list worth knowing. Wispr Flow and Willow Voice sell subscriptions only, and both say they transcribe in the cloud. Every app here that sells a one-time licence says it can transcribe on the Mac. Spokenly sits between the two: its local models are free, and the subscription adds the cloud. If your audio has to stay on your Mac, you are mostly shopping in the pay-once column.
| Option | Price as listed | Over three years | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Dictation | Included with macOS | $0 | Apple |
| Superwhisper Free | Free plan, local models only | $0 | Plans |
| VoiceInk | One-time $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three. | $25 (one Mac) | Pricing |
| MacWhisper Pro | MacWhisper Pro, one-time (€65, about $72) | €65, about $72 | Licence |
| Superwhisper | Monthly $8.49, annual $84.99, or $249.99 once for Lifetime. The Free plan runs local models only. | $254.97 annually, or $249.99 once | Plans |
| Halopen Pro | $19/month, $179/year, or $499 once | $537 annually, or $499 once | Our pricing |
Listed prices read from each product’s own page on 2026-10-08. MacWhisper is priced in euros; the dollar figure is an approximate conversion and moves daily. Student and non-profit discounts exist for Superwhisper (40% off list price for verified students, faculty, academic institutions and non-profits) and MacWhisper (25% off for journalists, students and non-profits who email the developer).
What $499 buys that 19.99 € does not
Halopen’s lifetime licence is the highest one-time price on this page, about twice the next one. That is deliberate: a lifetime is a long commitment from us, and it is priced as one. Here is what it pays for, so you can decide whether you want it.
- A measurement you can check. We published a test of how often dictation writes what was actually said, with the script, the raw output and the first run we threw away. Read the method and the files.
- A record on your Mac. The audit log shows which route each dictation took. A “(local)” dictation entry identifies the transcription route. The audit log is not a monitor of every network request made by your Mac or the app.
- A refund that includes Lifetime. Full refund if you ask within 14 days of paying for any plan, Lifetime included, or within 14 days of an annual renewal. Monthly renewals aren’t refunded; cancel any time and Pro stays on until the end of the month you’ve paid for.
06 / The question the lists skip
Where does your voice go?
One sentence, three separate privacy answers
- 1
Speech becomes text
On your Mac, or on someone’s server.
- 2
A model tidies it
Optional. This is where wording can change.
- 3
It lands somewhere
Your editor, notes or chat — which may sync.
A local setting at stage 1 says nothing about stages 2 and 3. Most “private” claims describe only one box. The dashed stage is optional, and off unless you choose it.
“On-device”, “private” and “secure” are used loosely across this category. The only thing worth trusting is what each product says on its own page, which is why every app above carries its own sentence, verbatim, with the link.
Three separate choices hide inside “is it private?” — where speech becomes text, whether you ask for the transcript to be polished by a model, and where the destination app stores what you wrote. One local setting does not make the other two local. That is true of Halopen as well, which is why our own entry links to the detail rather than a slogan.
07 / Three questions
Find yours.
What that points to
Eight of its twelve routes answer with something that is not Halopen. Prices as listed on 2026-10-08.
08 / The part nobody lists
What the AI changes
after you stop speaking.
Most of these apps do two separate things: turn speech into text, then hand that text to a language model to tidy it. The second step is where a dictation app can quietly put words in your mouth — a filler word removed is fine, a number or a name “corrected” is not. Almost no buying guide separates the two, and the setting is usually on by default.
Questions worth asking of any app you try, ours included: is the cleanup optional, which model gets your text, does the audio go too, and can you see afterwards what was changed?
Halopen's answers, stated plainly: Polish and Editorial are optional Pro modes. When you choose one, the text of that dictation (never the audio) goes to Anthropic: Claude Haiku 4.5 for Polish, Claude Sonnet 5.5 for Editorial. It is off unless you pick it, and the audit log records which route a dictation took. That log has a limit worth knowing: A “(local)” dictation entry identifies the transcription route. The audit log is not a monitor of every network request made by your Mac or the app.
What the AI changed in your dictation · Why dictation rewrites what you said
09 / Before you commit
How to test one
in a week.
Get one sentence working
Install it, grant Microphone and Accessibility access, set the shortcut, and dictate one sentence into Apple Notes. If this part is a fight, that is data.
Use your own vocabulary
Say a project name, a client name, a number and a technical term you use daily. Count the corrections in your examples, not in a vendor's accuracy figure — including ours.
Try the three places you actually write
Your editor, your messages, and one long-form document. Insertion behaves differently in custom controls, secure fields and terminals; that is where apps diverge.
Turn the cleanup off, then on
Read the raw transcript once. You cannot judge what the model is changing until you have seen what it was given.
Then compare the effort, not the demo
Corrections, context switches, interruptions. Keep whichever tool made your real week easier.
10 / The honest part
When Halopen is
the wrong choice.
Halopen earns its place in one situation: you dictate enough, in enough different apps, that one shortcut behaving identically everywhere is worth $19 a month to you — and you want the choice of keeping speech recognition on your Mac while you do it.
If that is you, the 14-day trial takes no card, and Full refund if you ask within 14 days of paying for any plan, Lifetime included, or within 14 days of an annual renewal. Monthly renewals aren’t refunded; cancel any time and Pro stays on until the end of the month you’ve paid for.
11 / Useful answers
Before you download.
What is the best dictation app for Mac?
It depends on how much you dictate and where the audio may go. If you dictate now and then, Apple Dictation is already on your Mac and costs nothing. If the audio must stay on the Mac and you would rather pay once, MacWhisper Pro is €65 and VoiceInk is $25. If you dictate all day and a subscription is fine, Wispr Flow is $15 a month, Superwhisper is $8.49 a month and Halopen is $19 a month. Prices were read from each product’s own page on 2026-10-08. This is Halopen’s guide, not an independent ranking, so it also says where Halopen loses.
Is the dictation built into macOS good enough?
For plenty of people, yes — it is free, already installed, and Apple documents an on-device path for general dictation. It tends to run out when you need consistent behaviour across every app, your own vocabulary (project names, identifiers, technical terms) recognised reliably, or a clear way to recover when a transcript goes wrong. Try it for a week before you buy anything.
Which Mac dictation apps keep audio on the device?
By their own pages, quoted on this page: Apple Dictation (for general text dictation, where your Keyboard settings say so), Superwhisper Free, MacWhisper, VoiceInk, Dictato and Aiko. Voibe and Spokenly offer an on-device mode beside a cloud one, and so does Halopen. Wispr Flow states that transcription always happens in the cloud. Read each product’s own wording rather than a summary — including ours.
Which Mac dictation apps can you buy once instead of subscribing?
On 2026-10-08, cheapest first: Dictato 19.99 €, Aiko $24, VoiceInk $25, MacWhisper Pro €65, Voibe $149, Superwhisper $249.99, and Halopen $499. Wispr Flow and Willow Voice list no one-time licence on their pricing pages.
Is speech to text the same as dictation?
Speech to text describes converting speech into written words. Live dictation puts those words into your current writing task. Transcribing an existing recording, recording a meeting, and controlling a computer by voice are different workflows; check that a tool supports the one you need.
Can I use Halopen offline?
On-device transcription processes speech on an Apple Silicon Mac after the model is downloaded. It does not send that recording to the cloud transcription service. Account, licensing, and update checks have separate network behavior. Usage reporting and enabled diagnostics can also use the network outside a local dictation. Choose on-device transcription after downloading the model; do not treat the app as entirely network-free.
Which Macs does Halopen support?
Halopen supports macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) and later on Apple Silicon and Intel. On-device speech recognition requires Apple Silicon and a downloaded model. Intel users use cloud transcription.
What does Halopen cost?
Halopen has a 14-day trial with no credit card. It is not a permanent free tier. Pro continues at $19/month, $179/year, or $499 once for Lifetime.
Find out in your own words
Give your next paragraph
a voice.
No credit card. A Mac app for macOS 14.0 and later.