Sotto vs Superwhisper (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Superwhisper: it is second in our ranking of voice dictation apps, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Sotto grades higher on value for money. Superwhisper grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Sotto
Mac dictation and voice assistant with local models, bought once
Superwhisper
Voice-to-text app with offline models and custom AI modes
Which one is for you
Pick Sotto if
- Fits if you want to pay once and dictate on up to 3 Macs
- Works for people who want to run dictation on local models and connect their own tools
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows, Linux or a phone, as it's Mac only
- Not for you if you run macOS 14 or earlier, since it needs macOS 15
- Tight if you want to test it first: no free tier or trial
- Watch out: cloud transcription and AI providers need your own API keys, billed by them
- Watch out: Apple Silicon gives the best performance
Pick Superwhisper if
- Fits if you want dictation that runs on your own device and works offline
- Works for people who'd rather choose their own voice and language models
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want AI rewriting for free, as AI-powered modes need Pro
- Not for you if you're on Linux or want a web app; Linux is listed as coming soon and there's no web version
- Tight if you're staying free and want more than 2 modes, because unlimited modes are Pro
- Watch out: cloud voice models send audio to hosted servers; only the local models keep it on your device
- Pricey if you buy lifetime, at $249.99, about two and a half years of the subscription
How we grade them
| 2.0GPASottoFair | 2.8GPASuperwhisperGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$49 once for up to 3 Macs, less than a year of the category's middle subscription ($8.49 a month). | CPro is $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year, which is the middle of the road for dictation apps, and one license covers Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. The $249.99 lifetime is an extra way to pay, not a cheaper one: it's about two and a half years of the subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free tier and no trial. The licence arrives by email as a key. | AUnlimited dictation with any local Whisper model, plus custom vocabulary and text replacements, free for good. There's no word cap on the thing you came for. New users also get 3,000 words of Pro before it drops back to Free. |
| Features | BSystem-wide dictation, local models, an assistant, a local REST API and CLI, and bring-your-own provider. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core job. | BDictation into whatever app is in front of you in more than 100 languages, local models offline, cloud models on Pro, modes that rewrite speech for a context such as email, meeting recording with speaker separation and file transcription. The full dictation job is here, but nothing a rival doesn't also do. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. There are models to choose and, for cloud use, API keys to connect. | C4.38 from 836 App Store ratings, which is middling. Speaking and having it typed is simple enough; choosing between voice models and setting up modes is where it asks more of you. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, and it needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. No other platform is listed. | BMac, Windows, iPhone and Android, with one license across all of them. No web app, and the listing has no integrations or API on record at all. Linux is still listed as coming soon. |
| Best for | a one-off Mac dictation app with local models | offline dictation on your own device |
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: Sotto and Superwhisper. How we grade
Where they differ
- Superwhisper also covers meeting notes.
At a glance
| Sotto | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | $49 one-time, for up to 3 Macs | $8.49 per month, billed monthly ($84.99 billed yearly) |
| Free plan | None | Unlimited dictation with any local Whisper model, custom vocabulary, text replacements and up to 2 modes without AI processing. |
| Free trial | None listed | New users get 3,000 words of access to all Pro features, then the app falls back to the Free plan. |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Kitze | SuperUltra, Inc. |
| Price read from | sotto.to | superwhisper.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Sotto
- Mac only; it needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later, and Apple Silicon gives the best performance.
- There is no free tier or trial listed; the license is $49 and arrives by email as a key.
- Cloud transcription and AI providers need your own API keys and are billed by those providers.
- The license covers up to 3 Macs.
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.
Key features
Sotto
- System-wide dictation
- Hold a key and speak; the text lands in the app you are using. The vendor lists 90+ languages with per-language hotkeys.
- Local models
- Whisper and NVIDIA Parakeet models run on the Mac, and after a one-time download dictation works with no internet connection.
- Sotto Assistant
- A voice assistant with 77 built-in Mac tools such as Calendar, Mail and Notes, which can also call your own MCP servers.
- Local REST API and CLI
- The Mac can serve transcription to scripts and other devices over Wi-Fi or Tailscale, with per-device tokens and a sotto command-line tool.
- Bring your own provider
- Optional cloud transcription and AI providers, including OpenAI, Groq and Deepgram, can be used with your own API keys.
- Meetings and automation
- Records system audio, transcribes watched folders, exposes Shortcuts actions and reads text aloud.
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.
Plans
Sotto
Sotto for macOS$49
one-time, for up to 3 Macs
Lifetime license with all future updates; includes the assistant, API server and every model option.
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.
Ways to pay less
Sotto
- Lifetime license
One-time license, no subscription
Sotto's pricing page says one payment covers use on up to 3 Macs with all future updates and no annual renewal.
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Sotto or Superwhisper?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Sotto starts at $49 one-time, for up to 3 Macs, and Superwhisper starts at $8.49 per month, billed monthly ($84.99 billed yearly).
Which has a free plan, Sotto or Superwhisper?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Superwhisper has a free plan. Sotto does not.
Which platforms do Sotto and Superwhisper run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Superwhisper lists Windows, iOS and Android apps. Both list a macOS app. 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.