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The best voice dictation apps in 2026

Five dictation apps that turn speech into text in any app, from free on-device models to a one-time purchase for the Mac. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.

Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 5 tools · How we pick

All five apps here do the same basic thing: you speak, and text appears in whatever app you are typing in. What separates them is where the speech is processed, what happens to your words afterwards and how you pay. Superwhisper and MacWhisper are built around models that run on your own device. Wispr Flow, Typeless and Willow concentrate on cleaning up what you said: removing filler words, tidying punctuation and formatting, and adapting to the words you use.

A few facts sort the field. All five have a free plan, but the limits differ: a weekly word count on Wispr Flow and Typeless, a lighter speech model on Willow and local models only on Superwhisper. Three charge $12 a month on annual billing for their Pro plan, while Superwhisper and MacWhisper can be bought once. All five run on Mac. MacWhisper has no Windows version, only three have an Android app, and Typeless alone lists Linux.

The order below runs from the app that fits the most people to the ones that fit a narrower need very well. Prices are the vendors' own, read on the date shown on each tool's page. MacWhisper is priced in euros and is quoted that way.

The shortlist

  1. 1Wispr FlowBest all-rounder
  2. 2SuperwhisperBest for offline, on-device dictation
  3. 3TypelessBest for editing text by voice
  4. 4WillowBest for matching your writing style
  5. 5MacWhisperBest for transcribing files on a Mac

The picks in detail

  1. 01

    Wispr Flow

    Best all-rounderVoice dictation that cleans up your speech in any app

    Wispr Flow fits the most common case: dictation wherever you can type, on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, in 100+ languages with automatic language detection. It removes filler words and mid-sentence corrections, adds punctuation, learns the names and jargon you use and stores snippets of text you reuse. A Notetaker for meetings is included on desktop. Pro is $12 per user a month billed annually, or $15 billed monthly.

    Worth knowing: Free dictation is capped at 2,000 words a week on desktop and 1,000 on mobile, and the Notetaker runs on Mac and Windows only.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $12 per user / month, billed annually
    Runs on
    macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
    Wispr Flow pricing and detailswisprflow.ai
  2. 02

    Superwhisper

    Best for offline, on-device dictationVoice-to-text app with offline models and custom AI modes

    Superwhisper's Free plan gives unlimited dictation with local Whisper models that run entirely on your device, so it works with no connection and audio is not uploaded. It runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. Pro adds cloud voice models, AI modes and file transcription for $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year, below the $12 a month that Wispr Flow, Willow and Typeless charge on annual billing, and a lifetime license is $249.99.

    Worth knowing: The Free plan is limited to 2 modes with no AI processing, and Pro's cloud voice models send audio to hosted servers. A Linux version is listed as coming soon.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $8.49 per month, billed monthly ($84.99 billed yearly)
    Runs on
    macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
    Superwhisper pricing and detailssuperwhisper.com
  3. 03

    Typeless

    Best for editing text by voiceAI voice dictation that edits and formats as you speak

    Typeless does more than dictate new text: select any text and say what you want done to it, such as making it shorter or changing its tone, or ask by voice for a summary or a translation. It removes filler words and lays out spoken lists and steps as formatted text. It is the only app here with a Linux version, alongside Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Pro is $12 per member a month billed yearly.

    Worth knowing: The Free plan has a weekly word limit that the vendor does not publish, and paying monthly costs $30 per member against $12 a month on the yearly plan.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $12 per member / month, billed yearly
    Runs on
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
    Typeless pricing and detailstypeless.com
  4. 04

    Willow

    Best for matching your writing styleAI voice dictation that formats text and matches your style

    Willow is for people who want dictated text to sound like their own writing. It learns how you write, adapts the tone of its output and lets you pick different writing styles for different apps. Scribe goes a step further: describe what you want to say and it drafts the text in your style. The free Basic plan has unlimited dictation on a lighter speech model, and Pro is $12 per user a month billed annually.

    Worth knowing: Basic runs a weaker speech model with limited personalization and 20 Scribe uses a week. There is no Android app yet, and offline dictation is listed as a Pro feature.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $12 per user / month, billed annually
    Runs on
    macOS, Windows, iOS
    Willow pricing and detailswillowvoice.com
  5. 05

    MacWhisper

    Best for transcribing files on a MacMac transcription and dictation app that runs models locally

    MacWhisper is as much a transcription tool as a dictation app. It transcribes audio and video files with models that run on the Mac, so recordings do not leave the computer, and it can record Zoom, Teams and other calls in the background and transcribe them. System-wide dictation is included in the free version. Pro is a one-time €65 license that adds speaker recognition, batch transcription and more export formats.

    Worth knowing: It is Mac only on the desktop and needs macOS 14 or later. License keys work only in the direct-download version; the App Store edition is sold by subscription.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from €65 one-time, per license
    Runs on
    macOS
    MacWhisper pricing and detailsmacwhisper.com

How to choose

Start with your devices

All five run on Mac and have an iPhone app, though MacWhisper's is a separate App Store product called Whisper Transcription. For Windows, look at Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, Typeless or Willow. Android narrows it to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and Typeless; Willow lists Android as coming soon. Typeless is the only one with a Linux app, and Superwhisper lists Linux as coming soon.

Decide where your audio should go

Superwhisper's local models and MacWhisper process speech on your own device, so audio is not uploaded. Superwhisper's cloud voice models, a Pro feature, do send audio to hosted servers. Typeless says audio is processed in real time and never stored. Willow lists offline dictation as a Pro feature and enforces zero data retention across a team on its Business plan. Wispr Flow states SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA and ISO 27001 certification.

Look at how the free plan is limited

Wispr Flow caps free dictation at 2,000 words a week on desktop and 1,000 on mobile. Typeless also has a weekly word limit but does not publish it. Willow Basic allows unlimited dictation on a lighter model, with 20 Scribe uses a week. Superwhisper Free is unlimited with local models but allows only 2 modes, without AI processing. MacWhisper Free covers dictation and file transcription and leaves speaker recognition and batch jobs to Pro.

Subscribe, or buy once

Wispr Flow, Willow and Typeless sell Pro as a subscription at $12 a month on annual billing; paying monthly is $15 on Wispr Flow and Willow and $30 on Typeless. Superwhisper Pro is $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once for a lifetime license. MacWhisper Pro is a one-time €65 license with lifetime updates.

Common questions

Which voice dictation apps are free?

All five have a free plan. Superwhisper's allows unlimited dictation with local models, Willow's allows unlimited dictation on a lighter speech model, and MacWhisper's free version includes system-wide dictation. Wispr Flow's is capped at 2,000 words a week on desktop and 1,000 on mobile, and Typeless has a weekly word limit it does not publish.

Which dictation apps work offline?

Superwhisper and MacWhisper run speech models on your own device. Superwhisper's local models work with no connection and are included on its Free plan. Willow's help center lists offline dictation as a Pro feature.

Which dictation apps work on Windows and Android?

Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and Typeless have both Windows and Android apps. Willow has a Windows app but no Android app yet. MacWhisper is Mac only on the desktop. Typeless is the only one that also lists Linux.

Can I buy a dictation app once instead of subscribing?

Yes. MacWhisper Pro is a one-time €65 license for personal use, and Superwhisper sells a Pro Lifetime license for $249.99 that covers Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. Wispr Flow, Willow and Typeless list only subscriptions.

Which dictation apps have a student discount?

All five. Wispr Flow and Typeless offer students 50% off Pro, Superwhisper 40% off list price and Willow 30% off Pro. MacWhisper gives students 25% off on request by email.