Braina vs Windows Voice Access (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Braina if

• Fits if you're on Windows and want to dictate and also control the PC by voice
• Works for medical, legal or technical writing, since you can teach it custom vocabulary

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want free dictation, because the Lite edition leaves dictation out
• Pricey if you're on a Mac, since macOS support starts at Pro Plus, $199 for 2 years
• Not for you if you want to dictate on your phone, as the mobile apps are just microphones for the desktop
• Watch out: licenses run for fixed terms of 1, 2 or 3 years, so you pay again when the term ends
• Watch out: refunds must be asked for within 7 days and have 12% deducted, and the Pro Plus offer always ends tomorrow

Pick Windows Voice Access if

• Fits if you run Windows 11 and want to control it by voice at no cost
• Works for people who need hands-free use of the PC

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you use a Mac, iPhone or Android phone, as it is Windows only
• Skip it if you are on Windows 10 or older, as it needs Windows 11 22H2 or later
• Too light for transcribing meetings or long audio, as it has no transcription features
• Watch out: it replaced Windows Speech Recognition from September 2024, so old habits may need relearning

Braina

• The free Lite edition does not include dictation; that starts with Pro at $99 for one year.
• Licenses run for fixed terms of 1, 2 or 3 years, and Pro is Windows only: macOS support, on Apple Silicon, needs Pro Plus or Pro Ultra.
• Refunds must be requested within 7 days, apply only to a first purchase of up to 3 licenses, and have 12% deducted.
• The Android and iOS apps are remote microphones for the desktop program, not standalone dictation apps.

Windows Voice Access

• Needs Windows 11 version 22H2 or later; it is not available on macOS, mobile or older Windows versions.
• Replaced Windows Speech Recognition on Windows 11 22H2 and later starting in September 2024.
• Built around controlling the PC and accessibility, so it has no document or meeting transcription features.

Braina

Dictation in any program

With dictation mode on, speech is typed into whichever field has focus, in Word, Outlook, Gmail, Google Docs or other software. No voice training or user profiles are needed. Paid editions only.

Spoken editing commands

Commands such as "new paragraph", "delete that", "undo" and "change language to German" edit and navigate while dictating, alongside a list of spoken punctuation marks.

Custom vocabulary and templates

Teach Braina uncommon names, addresses and technical jargon, and set up dictation templates and canned answers. The vendor says it already recognizes most medical, legal and scientific terms.

Voice assistant and automation

Built-in voice commands open apps, files and websites, control windows, play media and set alarms. Custom commands, hotkeys and keyboard macros automate repetitive steps.

AI chat and local language models

Chat by voice or text with cloud models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others using Advanced AI Credits, or run open models such as Llama, Qwen and Gemma on the computer.

File transcription and phone microphone

Audio files, and video files in Pro, are transcribed on the computer without an internet connection. Android and iOS apps turn a phone into a wireless microphone over Wi-Fi.

Windows Voice Access

Hands-free PC control

Open and switch between apps, browse the web, and interact with items on screen, plus keyboard and mouse actions, all by voice.

Dictation and fluid dictation

Speak to write text in most text fields. Microsoft's help pages also describe a fluid dictation mode.

Select, edit and correct text

Separate help pages cover selecting, navigating, editing and correcting text by voice, so a document can be revised without the keyboard.

Custom voice shortcuts

Create your own voice shortcuts, and use voice on a multi-display setup or to set up and log in to the PC.

On-device recognition

Microsoft says voice access uses on-device speech recognition and works even without an internet connection.

Braina

• Braina Lite$0

  For 1 Windows or macOS computer: voice commands in 90 languages, AI chat with 300 Advanced AI Credits, local language models and offline audio transcription. No dictation.

• Braina Pro$99

  for 1 year, 1 Windows PC

  Adds unlimited dictation in any software or website, custom vocabulary, dictation templates, offline video transcription and 10,000 Advanced AI Credits. Windows only.

• Braina Pro Plus$199

  for 2 years, up to 2 computers

  Everything in Pro plus macOS support, 20,000 Advanced AI Credits and priority support. The page calls $199 a limited-time offer and always shows the next day as its end date.

• Braina Pro Ultra$299

  for 3 years, up to 3 computers

  Everything in Pro plus macOS support, 50,000 Advanced AI Credits, priority support, onboarding and training.

Windows Voice Access

• Voice access$0

  Part of Windows 11 version 22H2 and later at no extra charge; there is no separate paid tier.

Braina

• Other savings

  Volume discounts on request

  The pricing page says discounts are available for volume purchases and asks buyers to contact Brainasoft for a quote. No amounts are published.

Windows Voice Access

No public discounts listed.