Best dictation apps for macOS
32 tools match. 28 have a free tier and 23 work fully offline. The cheapest paid option is Yap, from $6.90.
All tools
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Apple Dictation
Built-in dictation on macOS, iOS and iPadOS with on-device processing in many languages and no extra cost.
- macOS
- iOS
Free
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Aqua Voice
Hold-to-talk AI dictation for Mac, Windows and iOS built on Aqua's own Avalon speech model, with screen-aware context.
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
Free From $96/yr
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Arion
Free open-source on-device voice input for macOS and Windows that works offline.
- macOS
- Windows
Free
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attunz
Mac dictation that keeps a memory of your names, terms and projects and reorganises it while you are away.
- macOS
Free
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Dropline
Fish Audio's AI dictation for Mac and Windows that types clean text in any app, free during the Preview.
- macOS
- Windows
Free
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Galt
Open-source voice input for Mac with offline support and AI polish.
- macOS
Free
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Handy
Free, open-source push-to-talk speech-to-text for Windows, macOS and Linux that runs entirely offline.
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
Free
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Koe
Open-source macOS voice input with no main window; config, prompts and dictionary are plain files under ~/.koe.
- macOS
Free
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LazyTyper
Free voice typing for Windows, macOS and Linux with twelve speech models, five of them on-device.
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Free
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MacWhisper
Offline Whisper transcription for Mac with a one-time price.
- macOS
Free From €64 (one-time)
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OpenLess
Open-source hold-to-talk voice input that streams AI-polished text to your cursor in any app.
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
Free
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OpenTypeless
Open-source BYOK voice typing for Windows, macOS and Linux with optional AI polish and a hosted cloud-words plan.
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Free From $4.99/mo
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SaySo
Chinese AI dictation app for Mac and Windows that cleans up filler words and formats speech into finished text.
- macOS
- Windows
Free From ¥248/yr
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Speakly
Genspark's hold-to-talk AI dictation for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android with filler-word cleanup and custom modes.
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Free From $239.88/yr
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SpeechBee
Local Mac and iPhone dictation, plus keyboard-driven Read Aloud.
- macOS
- iOS
From $79/yr
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Superwhisper
Local-first Whisper dictation with AI modes for any workflow.
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Free From $84.99/yr
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Typeflux
Open-source macOS menu bar voice input; hold Fn to dictate, double-press Fn to ask an AI agent.
- macOS
Free
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Typeless
Hotkey voice dictation for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android that inserts AI-cleaned text into any app.
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Free From $144/yr
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VoiceInk
One-time-purchase macOS dictation app that runs Whisper and Parakeet models on-device, with optional cloud AI cleanup.
- macOS
From $25 (one-time)
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Voilà Pro
Native 8 MB macOS dictation with five switchable speech engines, a live subtitle mode and a one-time licence.
- macOS
From €9.99 (one-time)
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Voxt
Free, local-first macOS voice input with live transcription, translation, and context-aware AI enhancement.
- macOS
Free
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Whispek
Hold a key to dictate polished text into any app, with cloud AI cleanup and voice translation.
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
Free From $99/yr
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Willow Voice
Hold-to-talk dictation for Mac, Windows and iPhone with smart formatting, offline mode and a free tier.
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
Free From $144/yr
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Wispr Flow
AI dictation that cleans up your speech as you talk, in any app.
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Free From $144/yr
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Yap
Local hold-to-talk dictation with NVIDIA Parakeet; 25 European languages, offline-capable for Mac and Windows.
- macOS
- Windows
From $69/yr
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微信输入法
Tencent's free WeChat input method with hold-to-talk voice typing, dialects and AI tidy-up on phone and desktop.
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- macOS
Free
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搜狗输入法
Tencent's free Chinese input method with voice typing, dialect support and voice translation on mobile and desktop.
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- macOS
Free
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智谱 AI 输入法
Zhipu AI's free hold-to-talk voice input for Mac and Windows, with switchable personas and a voice agent.
- macOS
- Windows
Free
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网易叭哥说
Free desktop AI voice input from NetEase Youdao for Mac and Windows with filler removal and speech translation.
- macOS
- Windows
Free
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讯飞输入法
iFlytek's free Chinese input method with cloud and offline voice typing on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Free
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豆包输入法
ByteDance's free Doubao input method built around large-model voice typing, with an offline pack and AI tidy-up.
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- macOS
Free
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闪电说
Chinese AI voice input for Windows and Mac with a local speech model and an agent mode for drafting replies.
- macOS
- Windows
Free From ¥238.80/yr
Common questions
Are there free macOS dictation apps?
Yes — Apple Dictation, Aqua Voice, Arion, attunz, Dropline, Galt, Handy, Koe, LazyTyper, MacWhisper, OpenLess, OpenTypeless, SaySo, Speakly, Superwhisper, Typeflux, Typeless, Voxt, Whispek, Willow Voice, Wispr Flow, 微信输入法, 搜狗输入法, 智谱 AI 输入法, 网易叭哥说, 讯飞输入法, 豆包输入法, 闪电说.
Which macOS dictation apps work offline?
Apple Dictation, Arion, attunz, Galt, Handy, Koe, LazyTyper, MacWhisper, OpenLess, OpenTypeless, SpeechBee, Superwhisper, Typeflux, VoiceInk, Voilà Pro, Voxt, Willow Voice, Yap, 微信输入法, 搜狗输入法, 讯飞输入法, 豆包输入法, 闪电说 transcribe on-device without an internet connection.