The best dictation apps for Mac in 2026

Press Fn + ⌥ in any app and talk. Words appear while you speak and tidy themselves up as you go. Speech is turned into text on your Mac with Whisper: Small is built in, and Base or Large v3 Turbo are a download away. So dictation works offline, handles 57 languages, works out which one you're speaking, and is unlimited on every plan, Free included. Music, a video or a loud room don't get written down. A small island grows out of the notch while the microphone is on, so you always know when it's listening.

The rest of Koi is why you might pay. Hold Fn + ⌘ and ask out loud: Koi can look at your screen if you let it, circle the button you need, rewrite selected text in any app and use the Mac for you. Those calls use cloud AI models, so your voice goes to the model provider while a call lasts. Koi also records online calls on the Mac with no bot joining: 2 a month on Free, 10 on Pro. Pro is $20 a month, or Lifetime is $99 once.

The catch: Koi is Mac only (macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel), needs an account (just an email), has no custom dictionary, and doesn't transcribe audio or video files. And 57 languages is fewer than the 100+ several apps below list.

Superwhisper gives you a lot of control. You build modes for different jobs, like a message, a document or another language. The free tier includes dictation in any app, meeting recording, 100+ languages, custom prompts and unlimited use of local Whisper models, which work offline. Pro adds cloud models, your own API keys, translation into English and transcription of audio and video files.

At the time of writing, Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once, on Superwhisper's pricing. A license can be activated on as many of your devices as you like, across Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, which Koi can't match. Its own FAQ says Intel Macs work best with the cloud models. Our Superwhisper alternatives page goes deeper.

Wispr Flow removes filler words, adds punctuation and formats as you talk. It learns your names and jargon, detects 100+ languages, and has a dictionary and snippets. It runs on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, and teams get shared dictionaries, usage analytics and, on higher plans, SSO and admin controls.

Wispr's privacy page says transcription always happens in the cloud, and its docs say an internet connection is required. Free is 2,000 words a week on desktop and 1,000 on mobile. Pro is $15 per user a month, or $12 billed yearly. See our Wispr Flow alternatives, or how it stacks up in Wispr Flow vs Superwhisper.

Where it beats Koi: more languages, apps for every major platform, and team features Koi doesn't have. Where it doesn't: it can't dictate without a connection, and the free tier runs out.

Typeless leans hard on cleanup. It removes filler words and repeats, keeps only your final version when you change your mind mid-sentence, and turns spoken lists into structured text. It also translates as you speak, edits selected text by voice, keeps a personal dictionary and changes tone per app. It supports 100+ languages on Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.

Typeless's data controls page says transcription is performed in the cloud, with zero data retention, and history stays on your device unless you turn on sync. Free gives a limited number of words each week. Pro is $12 per member a month billed yearly, or $30 billed monthly.

It beats Koi on reach, with Linux and Android apps, and on cleanup tricks like translating as you speak. Koi wins if you want dictation that never needs a server.

MacWhisper shines with files: drag in audio or video, from mp3 to mov, get text, export subtitles. It uses local models, so your files are transcribed on the Mac, supports 100 languages and does system-wide dictation too. Pro adds speaker recognition, batch transcription, more export formats and automatic meeting recording for Zoom, Teams and others.

Pro is a one-time license, listed at €64 on MacWhisper's site at the time of writing. Pick it if files are your main job and dictation is a bonus. Koi doesn't transcribe files at all, so this one is a clear MacWhisper win. More in MacWhisper alternatives.

VoiceInk transcribes with local models, and its site says your voice never leaves the Mac. It's open source, keeps a custom dictionary and can rewrite selected text. An optional cloud enhancement sees only the transcribed text, never your voice. There's an iOS app too.

It's a one-time purchase at the time of writing: $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three, with a free trial. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14.4 or later, so Intel owners should look elsewhere.

Spokenly's on-device Whisper and Parakeet models are free with no word cap, work completely offline and don't need an account. Its docs say cloud models are the default, so pick a local one first. A local-only mode then blocks every network request. It lists 100+ languages and can record your mic and the Mac's sound without a meeting bot.

You can plug in your own API keys from OpenAI, Deepgram, Groq and others at no charge from Spokenly, or pay for Pro's managed cloud models: $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year at the time of writing.

It beats Koi on platforms, with Windows, Linux and iPhone apps, and local dictation without an account. Koi adds an assistant that can see your screen and use the Mac for you.

FluidVoice is free and open source (GPLv3) and runs its speech models on your Mac: Parakeet, Nemotron, Whisper, Apple Speech and more. Its optional Fluid-1 model, about a 3.5 GB download, tidies formatting and matches the tone of the app you're in, also on the Mac. You can send cleanup to OpenAI, Groq or a custom provider instead, if you choose.

It needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Intel Macs work with the Whisper models only. Languages depend on the model, up to 99 with Whisper. iPhone and Windows versions are listed as coming soon.

Handy does one job: press a shortcut, speak, and it pastes what you said into the text field. It's free and open source, and every model runs on your computer. Its docs suggest Parakeet V3 for English and European languages, and Whisper for 99+ languages.

It runs on Apple silicon and Intel Macs, Windows and Linux. An experimental post-processing option sends your text to an AI provider you choose, with your own key. Expect fewer extras than the paid apps. That's the point.

Monologue, made by Every, puts dictation, voice notes and bot-free meeting notes in one app for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, in 100+ languages. Its local models on Mac work offline; smart formatting and syncing need a connection.

The free trial includes 1,000 dictation words. Pro is $15 a month or $144 a year at the time of writing, and comes with an Every subscription. If you want to catch a thought on your Watch and pick it up later on your Mac, it's built for exactly that.

Aqua Voice is built for technical writing and coding prompts, with its own Avalon speech model, a CLI and an MCP server. It runs on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android and understands 49 languages. Audio is processed in the cloud; with Privacy Mode on, transcripts aren't stored.

Free covers 1,000 words. Pro is $10 a month, or $8 a month billed yearly, and Max is $30, or $24 billed yearly, at the time of writing. If most of what you dictate goes into an AI coding tool, its CLI and MCP server are things Koi doesn't have.

Willow corrects and formats as you speak, lets you add dictionary terms and supports 100+ languages. Its offline mode, in Willow's words, is powered entirely by your device. It runs on Mac, Windows and iPhone.

The free plan gives unlimited use of a lighter model. Pro is $15 a month, or $12 billed yearly. Business, at $35 a month or $28 yearly, adds enforced zero data retention and team controls.

It's already on your Mac: press the Microphone key, use the Dictation shortcut, or choose Edit, Start Dictation. In supported languages it adds commas, periods and question marks for you. There's no time limit, though it stops after 30 seconds of silence.

On Apple silicon, Apple says dictation runs on the device for supported languages, with no internet needed, and Keyboard settings tell you which applies to your Mac. Fine for short replies. For long writing, see our Apple Dictation alternatives.