Dragon Professional vs Talon

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

Talon

• People with limited or no use of their hands
• Programmers who want to write code by voice
• Users willing to customize commands with scripts

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.

Talon

• Talon recognizes no commands until scripts are added; the suggested start is cloning the talonhub/community repository.
• Eye-tracking mouse control needs a separate Tobii 4C, Tobii 5 or equivalent eye tracker.
• On Linux it requires an X11 session, and Wayland support is not planned.
• The app is closed-source freeware, and earlier access to new features is tied to the $25-a-month Talon+ tier on Patreon.

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.

Talon

Voice commands and dictation

Control apps, edit text and dictate by voice. Commands come from user scripts, and the talonhub/community repository supplies a ready-made command set.

Eye-tracking mouse control

Several algorithms move the pointer by gaze. This depends on a Tobii 4C, Tobii 5 or equivalent eye tracker.

Noise input

A noise recognition system reacts to mouth sounds: by default a pop clicks and a hiss scrolls.

Custom commands in .talon files

Short text files map a spoken phrase to typed text or key presses, such as saying "select all" to send Cmd-A.

Python scripting

Behavior can be extended in Python 3 through an embedded interpreter, so no separate Python installation is needed.

Built-in or Dragon speech engine

Talon comes with a free speech recognition engine, installed from its Speech Recognition menu, and also works with Dragon without extra setup.

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.

Talon

• Talon$0

  The public release for macOS, Windows and Linux with voice commands, dictation, eye tracking, noise input and Python scripting.

• VIP Slack Channel$5

  per month on Patreon, or $51 per year

  A supporter tier that adds access to the #vip channel on the Talon Slack.

• Talon+$25

  per month on Patreon, or $255 per year

  Earlier access to new features and higher-priority support, with invites to the #beta and #vip Slack channels.

• Professional$100

  per month on Patreon, or $1,020 per year

  For people who depend on Talon for their living and want to help fund it. Includes Talon+ access.

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.

Talon

• Annual discount

  15% less with annual Patreon billing

  Talon+ is $255 a year on Patreon against $25 a month, which is 15% less. The $5 and $100 tiers follow the same ratio at $51 and $1,020 a year.