OpenWhispr vs Voquill (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick OpenWhispr: it is third in our ranking of voice dictation apps, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
OpenWhispr grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
OpenWhispr
Open-source dictation with free local models and meeting notes
Voquill
Open-source AI dictation for desktop and mobile, free to run locally
Which one is for you
Pick OpenWhispr if
- Fits if you want unlimited dictation that runs on your own computer, Linux included
- Works for meeting notes without a bot joining, up to 5 hours a month on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free and rely on OpenWhispr's cloud, which stops at 2,000 words a week
- Not for you if you want it on your iPhone without paying, as the mobile app starts on Pro
- Skip it if your computer is old and you want everything local, since speed depends on your hardware
- Watch out: device sync, Agent mode and API access are Pro, chat over your data is Business at $13.33, and SSO is Enterprise
- Skip it if you're on Android or want a web app, as neither is offered
Pick Voquill if
- Fits if you want open-source dictation you can run offline or with your own key
- Works for people who dictate on both a desktop and a phone
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want cloud transcription or sync without paying, as both need Pro
- Tight if you want to know the free limit: the pricing page states no word cap
- Watch out: the company site mostly promotes a separate pathology lab product, so check the dictation pages
- Pricey if you pay monthly: $12 against $8 on yearly billing
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAOpenWhisprVery good | 2.6GPAVoquillGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $6.67 a month billed annually, so $80 a year, or $8 month to month. The cheapest quarter of dictation apps here starts at $7, so $6.67 sits just under that line rather than well below it. | CPro is $8 a month on yearly billing ($12 monthly), just under the category's middle of $8.49. That's $96 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | ALocal dictation is unlimited, and so is cloud transcription with your own API keys. There's no cap on the thing you actually came for. The weekly 2,000 words only applies to OpenWhispr's own cloud. | BThe free Personal plan covers dictation with your own API key, offline mode and basic agent mode. A word limit, if any, isn't stated. |
| Features | BDictation at the cursor in 100+ languages, Whisper and Parakeet locally or the cloud, a dictionary that learns from your corrections, and spoken instructions like "clean this up". That's the whole dictation job, with meeting notes and file transcription on top. | BSystem-wide dictation, local, own-key or cloud modes, AI cleanup and an agent mode. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo App Store rating on record, and nothing to set up: install it, press a hotkey, speak. How quick the local models feel depends on your hardware, mind. | CNo store rating on record. Free use means setting up a local model or your own API key. |
| Platforms and integrations | BmacOS, Windows and Linux plus an iPhone and iPad app, with an API and MCP. Computer and phone, but no web app and no Android, so it stops short of the full spread. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. No web app or integration list. |
| Best for | open-source dictation with a free local mode | open-source dictation across desktop and phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: OpenWhispr and Voquill. How we grade
Price against what you get
OpenWhispr starts at $6.67 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Voquill starts at $8 a month and scores 2.7.
OpenWhispr scores higher and starts $1.33 a month lower. Of the other voice dictation apps on the chart, 1 scores higher than OpenWhispr for less, and 2 score higher than Voquill for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- OpenWhispr also covers meeting notes and transcription.
At a glance
| OpenWhispr | Voquill | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $6.67 per user / month, billed annually at $80 ($8 billed monthly) | $8 per month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Unlimited local dictation and unlimited cloud transcription with your own API keys, plus 2,000 OpenWhispr Cloud words a week and 5 hours of meeting recordings a month. | Personal plan: AI dictation, bring your own API key, offline mode, smart autocorrect and basic agent mode. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Gizmo Labs Inc. | Voquill, Inc. |
| Price read from | openwhispr.com | voquill.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Voquill
- Cloud transcription and cross-device sync need the paid Pro plan.
- The Personal plan's word limit, if any, is not stated on the pricing page.
- Voquill's company site mainly promotes its separate pathology lab software, so check the dictation pages for the product you want.
- Pro is $8 a month billed annually ($96 a year), or $12 billed monthly.
Key features
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.
Voquill
- System-wide dictation
- Types into any text field in any app on macOS, Windows and Linux, with a mobile app on iOS and Android.
- Local, own-key or cloud
- Runs on the device, with your own API key, on the vendor's cloud, or deployed on-premise on the Enterprise plan.
- AI text cleanup
- Removes filler words, hesitations and false starts from the transcript, with smart autocorrect.
- Open source
- The code is public on GitHub, and the company runs a Discord for feedback and bug reports.
- Agent mode
- The Personal plan lists a basic agent mode in addition to dictation; the vendor's page gives no detail on what it does.
Plans
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.
Voquill
Personal$0
Local dictation with your own API key or offline mode; Pro lists unlimited words, so Personal likely has a cap.
Pro$8
per month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly)
Adds cloud transcription, cross-device sync, unlimited words per month and priority support.
EnterpriseCustom
Everything in Pro plus on-premise deployment, custom integrations and dedicated support.
Ways to pay less
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.
Voquill
- Annual discount
Save 33% with yearly billing
The pricing toggle shows Pro at $8 a month billed yearly ($96) against $12 a month billed monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OpenWhispr or Voquill?
As of Nov 12, 2026, OpenWhispr starts at $6.67 per user / month, billed annually at $80 ($8 billed monthly), and Voquill starts at $8 per month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, OpenWhispr or Voquill?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both OpenWhispr and Voquill have a free plan.
Which platforms do OpenWhispr and Voquill run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Voquill lists an Android app. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.