01 · Our app
SayWriteOurs
Best for: Everyday English dictation across Mac apps, with optional local AI rewriting
We make SayWrite. Hold Fn in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Slack or Mail, talk, and let go. SayWrite removes filler words, adds punctuation and uses your personal dictionary. Dictation runs on your Mac, with no word limit. Optional AI Polish rewrites a ramble into clear writing, using Apple's on-device model or a model running on your Mac. SayWrite has a 7-day free trial that starts in the app, with no card and no account. After that it costs $5 a month or $30 a year, charged when you buy, with unlimited use. Cancel anytime; full refund within 14 days of any payment.
English only, Apple silicon Macs with macOS 15 or later, no Windows or phone app, and no team admin features. AI Polish needs macOS 26 with Apple Intelligence turned on, or your own Ollama or LM Studio model.
Pricing · How it stays private · Download and install
02 · Alternative
Superwhisper
Best for: Local dictation plus optional cloud models and custom modes
Superwhisper's free plan gives unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, custom vocabulary and up to two modes without AI processing, and its documentation says nothing you dictate leaves your device. Pro adds cloud voice models, Parakeet and Cohere Transcribe local models, AI-powered modes, context awareness, file transcription, meetings on macOS and bring-your-own API keys. (Source: Superwhisper docs: Superwhisper Pro)
It supports more than 100 languages and dialects, on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. (Source: superwhisper.com)
SayWrite vs Superwhisper: the full comparison →
03 · Alternative
VoiceInk
Best for: Open-source code you can read and build yourself
VoiceInk says voice transcription runs on your Mac, so audio never leaves it, and its optional Cloud Enhancement processes only the transcribed text. It has a personal dictionary and text replacements, and licenses are one-time purchases by number of Macs. (Source: tryvoiceink.com)
It's the pick if open source matters to you: the code is on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license. SayWrite is not open source. (Source: VoiceInk on GitHub (GPL-3.0 license))
04 · Alternative
Monologue
Best for: Dictation, voice notes and bot-free meeting notes across Apple devices
Monologue offers local transcription models on Mac that work without an internet connection; its smart formatting and syncing still need one, and it says its AI providers process dictation with zero data retention. (Source: monologue.to)
It formats text to suit the app you're in and supports 100+ languages on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Pro is $15 a month or $144 a year, and it's also included in Every's bundle. (Source: Monologue pricing)
05 · Alternative
MacWhisper
Best for: Transcribing recordings, meetings and interviews
MacWhisper is best known for file transcription: drag in audio or video, batch-transcribe, record meetings without a bot joining, and transcribe YouTube links, with speaker recognition, 100+ languages and exports including .srt, .vtt, .docx and .pdf. It includes system-wide dictation, and Pro adds AI prompts through cloud providers or local models in Ollama and LM Studio. (Source: macwhisper.com)
SayWrite vs MacWhisper: the full comparison →
06 · Alternative
Spokenly
Best for: A free local mode with cloud options on many platforms
Spokenly offers unlimited on-device transcription for free with no account, a mode that uses your own API keys, and a Pro plan with managed cloud models. Its Local Only Mode restricts network access so audio stays on the device. (Source: spokenly.app)
07 · Alternative
Apple Dictation
Best for: Occasional dictation in many languages, with nothing to install