Dragon Professional vs Superwhisper

Dragon Professional

• Professionals who dictate long documents on a Windows PC
• People who need to control a computer entirely by voice
• Organizations that want central control of dictation licenses

Superwhisper

• People who want dictation that runs on-device and offline
• Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
• Users who want to choose their own voice and language models

Dragon Professional

• Windows only: it runs on Windows 10 and 11 and Windows Server 2016, 2019 and 2022. There is no Mac version.
• The Dragon site publishes no price and directs orders to a sales phone line; the figure recorded here is one reseller's advertised price.
• File transcription is built for one speaker's voice at a time, not for recordings with several speakers.
• An internet connection is required to download and activate the product, and moving a voice profile between PCs also needs one.

Superwhisper

• AI-powered modes, cloud voice models, file transcription and speaker separation all need Pro.
• The Free plan is limited to 2 modes, and those run without AI processing.
• Cloud voice models send audio to hosted servers; only the local models keep audio on the device.
• A Linux version is listed as coming soon and is not yet available.

Dragon Professional

Dictation into Windows applications

Types what you say into documents, spreadsheets, presentations and form-based reports. The speech engine adapts to the speaker's voice, accent and surroundings while dictating.

Custom voice commands and macros

Step-by-Step and Auto-text commands launch applications or insert boilerplate text and signatures, and a Macro Recorder captures keystrokes and mouse clicks to replay by voice.

Audio file transcription

Transcribes recorded notes or audio files from a single speaker into text, and the Auto Transcribe Folder Agent works through batches of recordings.

Vocabulary management

Add custom words and word lists, import or export industry terminology, edit word properties and share the results with other users.

Hands-free computer control

Accessibility commands open applications, navigate menus and position the cursor by voice using a mouse grid that works across multiple monitors.

Nuance Management Center

In group deployments, administrators track usage, reassign licenses and distribute custom words, commands and auto-texts from one console.

Superwhisper

Dictation in any app

Speak and have the text typed into whatever app is in front of you, such as Slack, Gmail, Notion or a code editor. More than 100 languages and dialects are supported.

Local models that work offline

Whisper models run entirely on your device and are free to use without limits, so dictation works with no connection and audio is not uploaded.

Cloud voice models on Pro

Pro adds hosted voice models such as S1-Voice, Nova and Scribe, along with real-time transcription. With these models audio is sent to hosted servers.

Modes

A mode sets how speech is processed, from plain transcription to AI modes that rewrite it for a context such as email. Free allows 2 modes without AI; Pro is unlimited.

Meetings and file transcription

Records meetings and produces notes, and Pro adds system audio recording, speaker separation and transcription of audio or video files.

Custom vocabulary

Add names and terms the models tend to get wrong, plus text replacements. Both are included on the Free plan.

Dragon Professional

• Dragon Professional v16 (1 user)$685.99

  per 1-user download license, as advertised by reseller CDW

  Single-user Windows license, not a subscription. The Dragon site lists no price and sends buyers to its sales line, so this is a reseller's figure.

• Volume licensingCustom

  Group deployments managed through the Nuance Management Center, which assigns licenses and shares custom words and commands. Quoted by the Dragon sales team.

Superwhisper

• Free$0

  Unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, custom vocabulary, text replacements and up to 2 modes.

• Pro$8.49

  per month, or $84.99 per year

  Cloud voice models, AI-powered modes, unlimited modes, file transcription, system audio recording and speaker separation.

• Pro Lifetime$249.99

  one-time payment

  The same Pro features as the subscription, paid once. One license covers Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Seat-based licensing with SSO and centralized deployment for teams.

Dragon Professional

• Education

  Education volume license programs

  Qualified K-12 and higher-education organizations can buy through the Open License Program, which carries education discounts. A K-12 School License covers up to 250 school computers at one site.

Superwhisper

• Annual discount

  About 17% less with the yearly plan

  Pro costs $84.99 a year against $8.49 a month, which Superwhisper describes as a saving of about 17%.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Pro license for $249.99

  A one-time payment of $249.99 buys Pro for life, with the same features as the subscription. All individual plans have a 30-day refund window.

• Education

  40% off for students and educators

  Verified students, faculty and academic institutions get 40% off list price. The discount is requested by email from an institutional address before purchasing.

• Nonprofit

  40% off for nonprofits

  Verified non-profit and charitable organizations get 40% off list price, requested by email before purchasing.