OpenWhispr vs VoiceInk

OpenWhispr

• Open-source dictation on Mac, Windows or Linux
• Unlimited free local transcription with a paid cloud option
• Teams that need SSO, audit logs and compliance documents

VoiceInk

• Mac users who want speech transcribed on their own machine
• Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
• People who want to pick their own transcription and AI providers

OpenWhispr

• The Free plan caps OpenWhispr Cloud at 2,000 words a week and meeting recordings at 5 hours a month.
• The iPhone and iPad app, device sync, Agent mode and API and MCP access all start on Pro.
• Chat over your data needs Business, and SSO, SCIM and audit logs are limited to Enterprise.
• Local model speed depends on your hardware, and cloud processing needs an internet connection.

VoiceInk

• A Mac license does not cover the iPhone and iPad app, which is licensed separately and is free while in beta.
• Vendor pages disagree on requirements: the pricing page says Apple Silicon and macOS 14.4 or later, the install docs say macOS 15 or later.
• AI enhancement and cloud transcription need your own provider API keys, and those requests leave the Mac.
• Licenses are capped by device count: 1, 2 or 3 Macs on the personal plans and 10 on the Startup License.

OpenWhispr

Dictation in any app

Press a hotkey, speak, and the text appears at the cursor in any application on macOS, Windows or Linux, in 100+ languages with auto-detection.

Local models or cloud

Whisper and NVIDIA Parakeet models run on the device for free and work offline. Cloud processing uses OpenWhispr Cloud or your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or Groq keys.

Bot-free meeting notes

Captures the computer's audio during a Zoom, Google Meet or Teams call without a bot joining, then turns your rough notes and the transcript into decisions and action items.

Audio file transcription

Drop in MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC and other audio files to get a transcript, processed on the device by default, then summarize it or extract action items.

Voice instructions and Agent mode

Spoken instructions such as "clean this up" or "draft an email to Mike" rewrite or generate text. Agent mode is included from the Pro plan.

Custom dictionary

Add names, jargon and technical terms the models tend to miss. The dictionary also learns new words from the corrections you make.

VoiceInk

Local transcription

Speech is transcribed by models that run on the Mac, including Parakeet and Whisper, so audio is processed on the device. Onboarding starts with the Parakeet V3 model.

Modes and triggers

A Mode sets the transcription model, language, AI enhancement and output, and can switch automatically by app, website, spoken trigger phrase or shortcut.

AI enhancement with your own keys

Optionally send the transcript to a provider you connect, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or Groq, to clean up, rewrite or draft a reply. VoiceInk Refine does cleanup locally.

Dictionary and Smart Replace

Add names and custom vocabulary, expand a short spoken phrase into exact text, and let Auto Learn pick up corrections you make.

File transcription and history

Queue existing audio and video files for transcription, and search, replay, export or retry earlier results in a history stored on the Mac.

Assistant Mode

Ask a question by voice and carry on the conversation inside the recorder window, using the AI provider you have connected.

OpenWhispr

• Free$0

  Unlimited local models and your own API keys, 2,000 OpenWhispr Cloud words a week, 5 hours of meeting recordings a month and a custom dictionary.

• Pro$6.67

  per user / month, billed annually ($80), or $8 billed monthly

  Unlimited cloud transcription, Agent mode, 20 hours of meeting recordings a month, device sync, API and MCP access, and the iPhone and iPad app.

• Business$13.33

  per user / month, billed annually ($160), or $16 billed monthly

  Everything in Pro plus unlimited meeting recordings, chat over your data, basic team management and priority support.

• EnterpriseCustom

  SSO and SAML, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, org-wide retention controls, custom data processing agreements and dedicated support.

VoiceInk

• Solo$25

  one-time payment, 1 Mac

  Lifetime access on 1 macOS device, with lifetime updates and a 14-day money-back guarantee.

• Personal$39

  one-time payment, up to 2 Macs

  The same lifetime license on up to 2 macOS devices, aimed at a desktop Mac plus a MacBook.

• Extended$49

  one-time payment, up to 3 Macs

  The same lifetime license on up to 3 macOS devices.

• Startup License$159

  one-time payment, up to 10 Macs

  A team license bought in one checkout that works on up to 10 Macs.

OpenWhispr

• Annual discount

  2 months free with annual billing

  Pro is $80 a year against $8 a month, and Business is $160 per user a year against $16 a month.

• Education

  40% off for 12 months for students and teachers

  People using OpenWhispr for their studies or classroom get 40% off for 12 months by emailing support with proof of status. The same offer covers military service and assistive use.

• Nonprofit

  40% off for 12 months for non-profits

  Non-profit work qualifies for 40% off for 12 months. Email support with proof of status to receive a personal code.

VoiceInk

• Lifetime license

  One-time license from $25

  Every plan is a single payment with lifetime updates and a 14-day money-back guarantee: $25 for 1 Mac, $39 for 2, $49 for 3 and $159 for 10.

• Education

  Student discount on request

  The site's FAQ says student discounts are available by contacting the developer with a student ID. The amount is not published.

• Other savings

  Creator Bonus: up to 100% back for sharing

  Public posts about VoiceInk earn 30% back at 1,000 total views, 50% at 2,000 and a full refund at 10,000. People who have not bought yet get a 30% discount instead.