The best Superwhisper alternatives for Mac, with lifetime prices
Looking for a Superwhisper alternative? 8 Mac dictation apps compared on price, lifetime licenses and 3-year cost, from free open source apps to pay-once.
The verdict
Koi or Superwhisper?
- Superwhisper is the better pick for most people who only want dictation: it has a free plan, costs less, runs on Windows, iPhone and Android, transcribes files and lets you build modes.
- Koi is the better pick on a Mac if you want local dictation on Intel Macs too, words as you speak without paying for realtime, calls recorded with a video, and an assistant that sees your screen.
- Both run Whisper on your Mac. The difference is everything around it.
Koi is our app, so we've put Superwhisper's wins first. Superwhisper facts are from its home page and plans page, checked October 16, 2026. No tests were run on either.
At a glance
Koi vs Superwhisper in one table
| Free plan | Pro | One-time | Platforms | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superwhisper | Unlimited local dictation | $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year | $249.99 | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | Dictation everywhere, tuned with modes |
| Koi | None; a 3-day trial with a card | $20 a month or $192 a year | $59, $99, $159, $199 as it sells | Mac | Dictation, calls and an assistant on one Mac |
Side by side
Feature by feature
| Koi | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech models | Whisper Small, Base, Large v3 Turbo, all local | Local Whisper on Free; Parakeet, Cohere Transcribe and cloud models on Pro |
| Intel Macs | Local dictation on Intel too | Says cloud models work best |
| Words as you speak | Every plan | Realtime on Pro |
| Cleanup | Ums and stammers out, on the Mac | AI modes on Pro |
| Modes | None | Message, Email, Formal, Casual, Legal, Chat, Custom |
| Custom words | Word list; fixes added by themselves; names on screen | Vocabulary and text replacements |
| File transcription | No | Pro |
| Meetings | Online calls with video, and in person; unlimited | Meetings on Free (Mac only); system audio and speakers on Pro |
| Assistant | Talk to Koi: sees the screen, points, edits, uses the Mac | Not listed |
| Languages | 57 | 100+ |
| Own API keys | No | Pro |
| Refund | Lifetime only, within 3 days | 30 days, all plans |
Superwhisper wins
Where Superwhisper is better
- Free. Unlimited local dictation costs nothing. Koi has no free plan.
- Cheaper. $8.49 a month to Koi's $20, and $84.99 a year to Koi's $192.
- Everywhere. One license covers unlimited Macs and PCs plus an iPhone and an Android phone.
- Files. Drop in audio or video on Pro. Koi can't transcribe files.
- Modes and your own keys. Shape the output per task, pick the model, bring your own API key.
- More languages, and translation into English on Pro.
Koi wins
Where Koi is better
- Intel Macs. Koi's dictation runs locally on Intel too. Superwhisper says its offline models only run really well on Apple silicon.
- Words while you speak, on every plan. On Superwhisper, realtime is Pro.
- Calls with video. Koi keeps your side and theirs apart, plus a video of the screen, on the Mac, unlimited on every plan. In person mode records a meeting or class in the room.
- An assistant. Ask about what's on your screen, and Koi circles the answer, draws, rewrites selected text or clicks for you.
- A cheaper lifetime license: Lifetime starts at $59 and tops out at $199, against $249.99.
Using Koi
What Koi feels like day to day
Tap Fn + ⌥ in any app and talk, and the words land at your cursor as you say them; go quiet and it stops. Tap Fn + ⌃ on a call and pick Online call, or In person for a room. Tap Fn + ⌘ to talk to Koi. The assistant and the notes Koi offers to write after a recording use cloud AI models; dictation and the transcripts stay on the Mac. Lifetime's credit for the assistant is limited, 20% of the price, while dictation and recordings are unlimited.
Not sure? See Superwhisper alternatives, Superwhisper vs MacWhisper, or Koi's pricing.
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Support
Frequently asked questions
On a Mac, for local dictation on Intel Macs, words as you speak without a Pro tier, call recording with video and an assistant, yes. For a free plan, price, other platforms, files and modes, Superwhisper is better.
Yes. Both run Whisper on your Mac. Superwhisper's Pro also offers Parakeet, Cohere Transcribe and cloud models.
Superwhisper: Pro is $8.49 a month against Koi's $20, and it has a free plan. Koi Lifetime, from $59 to $199, costs less than Superwhisper's $249.99 lifetime license.