The Aqua Voice Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Aqua Voice in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Aqua Voice
The Insider’s Guide
Cloud voice dictation that formats text for the app you are in
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among voice dictation apps, read from Aqua Voice’s own pages.
Made by Aqua Voice, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Aqua Voice’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Aqua Voice’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 2 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade
Aqua Voice is a dictation app for Mac, Windows and iPhone: hold a key, speak, and cleaned-up text is inserted at the cursor in whatever app is open. It runs on Avalon, the company's own speech-recognition model, and an optional Deep Context setting reads the screen to get names and code terms right. Audio is processed in the cloud, and the free allowance is a one-time 1,000 words before a paid plan is needed.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Aqua Voice, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, but nothing needs setting up: hold Fn on a Mac or Alt on Windows, talk, let go.
- 1
Best for cloud dictation that tidies as it types
Aqua Voice is hold-a-key dictation for Mac, Windows and iPhone that cleans up what you said and formats it for the app you're in.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
1,000 free words with the Avalon model, no credit card required. A paid plan is needed once the allowance is used.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and iOS.
- 5
Dictation in any text field
Hold Fn on Mac or Alt on Windows, speak, and release to insert text at the cursor system-wide, with no per-app setup or browser extension. 49 dictation languages, with auto-detect.
- 6
Avalon speech model
Dictation runs on Avalon, a speech-recognition model the company trained on how people talk to computers: prompts, code and email. A language model then cleans up and formats the output.
- 7
Deep Context
An optional setting, off by default, that reads what is on screen so names, code identifiers and technical terms are transcribed correctly.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 2 of 27
That is against the other voice dictation apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Aqua Voice you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Aqua Voice at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $8 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 1,000 free words with the Avalon model, no credit card required. A paid plan is needed once the allowance is used.
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS
- Made by
- Aqua Voice, Inc., since 2023
- Category
- Voice Dictation
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for cloud dictation that tidies as it types
Aqua Voice is hold-a-key dictation for Mac, Windows and iPhone that cleans up what you said and formats it for the app you're in. Pro is $8 a month billed yearly for unlimited words. But the free part is 1,000 words, once, your audio always goes to the cloud with no offline mode, Realtime needs Max at $24, Android is waitlist-only, and the iPhone app charges more.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $8 a month billed yearly, $10 by the month, for unlimited words. That's the ordinary middle of this category, which runs from $7 to $12. Seeing words appear as you speak means Max at $24. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan to settle on: 1,000 words once, no card needed, then it's pay or stop. A trial without a clock, really, and 1,000 words is an afternoon's dictating. |
| Features | C | The dictation job is done fully, in 49 languages, with Deep Context reading the screen for names and code, Edit Mode rewriting selected text by voice, a dictionary and spoken shortcuts. But there's no offline mode at all, and Realtime waits for Max. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but nothing needs setting up: hold Fn on a Mac or Alt on Windows, talk, let go. No per-app configuration and no browser extension. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, Windows and iPhone, so computer and phone, with Cursor and Windsurf listed and a public API. There's no Android app, only a waitlist, and no web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Aqua Voice is for
- Fits if you dictate prompts into Cursor, Claude Code or a terminal and need code terms spelled right
- Works for students, who get 70% off Pro and Max with a school email address
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want your voice kept on your own computer, because audio is processed in the cloud
- Tight if you're never paying, since the free allowance is 1,000 words and it doesn't refill
- Pricey if you subscribe inside the iPhone app, where Pro is $12.99 a month or $119 a year
- Watch out: Realtime Mode needs Max at $24 a month billed yearly, and Business, with SSO, has a 2-seat minimum
- Not for you if you're on Android or want a web version, as Android is waitlist-only and there's no web app
Good to know
Good for
- Developers dictating prompts into Cursor, Claude Code or a terminal
- Writing long messages and documents by voice on Mac or Windows
- Teams that need SSO, SCIM and Zero Data Retention
Worth knowing
- The free allowance is a one-time 1,000 words; continued use needs a paid plan.
- Audio is processed in the cloud, and cloud dictation needs an internet connection.
- Realtime Mode and the Send It command need Max or Business, and Android is waitlist-only.
- Subscribing inside the iPhone app costs more: the App Store lists Pro at $12.99 a month or $119 a year.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start
Aqua Voice is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $8 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
Free
$0
A one-time allowance of 1,000 words with the Avalon transcription model. No credit card required.
Pro
$8
per month, billed annually ($96), or $10 billed monthly
Unlimited words, Custom Instructions and an expanded custom dictionary.
Max
$24
per month, billed annually, or $30 billed monthly
Everything in Pro, plus Realtime Mode that shows words as you speak, the "Send it" voice command and early access to new features.
Business
$19
per seat / month, billed annually ($228), or $24 billed monthly
Everything in Max, plus centralized billing, SSO/SAML and SCIM, advanced reporting, Zero Data Retention and team dictionaries. 2-seat minimum.
Trying it first
1,000 free words with the Avalon model, no credit card required. A paid plan is needed once the allowance is used.
Read from aquavoice.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 20% less with annual billing
Pro is $8 a month billed annually against $10 month-to-month, and Max is $24 against $30. Business is $19 a seat against $24.
Stated on aquavoice.comEducation
70% off Pro and Max for students
Signing up with a school email address (.edu or academic domains such as .ac.uk) gives 70% off: Pro from $2.40 a month and Max from $7.20 a month, both billed annually.
Stated on aquavoice.comOther savings
Volume discounts above 20 users
The pricing page invites teams with more than 20 users to contact Aqua for volume discounts and billing by active user.
Stated on aquavoice.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Aqua Voice Pro”, against $12.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $17.99 | $12.65 | about the same |
| Philippines | ₱ 799.00 | $12.72 | about the same |
| Indonesia | Rp 229ribu | $12.81 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 1,299 | $13.43 | about the same |
| Brazil | R$ 79,90 | $15.96 | 23% more |
| Mexico | $299.00 | $16.43 | 26% more |
| Germany | 14,99 € | $16.80 | 29% more |
| United Kingdom | £12.99 | $17.17 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and iOS
Cloud voice dictation that formats text for the app you are in. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, dictation, text expansion.
But there's no offline mode at all, and Realtime waits for Max.
- Dictation in any text field
- Hold Fn on Mac or Alt on Windows, speak, and release to insert text at the cursor system-wide, with no per-app setup or browser extension. 49 dictation languages, with auto-detect.
- Avalon speech model
- Dictation runs on Avalon, a speech-recognition model the company trained on how people talk to computers: prompts, code and email. A language model then cleans up and formats the output.
- Deep Context
- An optional setting, off by default, that reads what is on screen so names, code identifiers and technical terms are transcribed correctly.
- Edit Mode
- Select text in any Mac or Windows app, hold the Aqua key and say the change, and the selection is rewritten in place. It is included for every desktop user.
- Realtime Mode and Send It
- On Max, words appear as you speak, and ending a hands-free dictation with "send it" inserts the message and presses Return for you.
- Dictionary, Replacements and instructions
- Teach it names and technical terms, expand short spoken phrases into longer text, and set plain-language style rules with Custom Instructions, which start on Pro.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
What it works with
- Cursor
- Windsurf
Aqua Voice is made by Aqua Voice, Inc., and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/27
Other voice dictation apps it is graded above
Aqua Voice's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 2 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 18 of 27) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 8 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 28 voice dictation apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Aqua Voice’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 6 of 27
- CFree plan and trialAbove 2 of 27
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 27
- BEase of useAbove 7 of 27
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 18 of 27
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 22 voice dictation apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Aqua Voice is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Aqua Voice you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 20 of the 27 other voice dictation apps grade higher. It costs $96 a year.
What you could not
- Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
- Text expansion that works in every app.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Cursor and Windsurf among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Aqua Voice’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Wispr Flow, Willow, Superwhisper, Typeless and Monologue
The 5 tools Aqua Voice is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Wispr Flow
Free plan · from $12/mo
Voice dictation that cleans up your speech in any app.
- Wispr Flow has a free plan. Aqua Voice does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Wispr Flow lists an Android app.
- Wispr Flow also covers meeting notes and transcription.
- 2.6GPA
Willow
Free plan · from $12/mo
AI voice dictation that formats text and matches your style.
- Willow has a free plan. Aqua Voice does not, though it has a free trial.
- Aqua Voice also covers text expansion.
- 2.8GPA
Superwhisper
Free plan · from $8.49/mo
Voice-to-text app with offline models and custom AI modes.
- Superwhisper has a free plan. Aqua Voice does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Superwhisper lists an Android app.
- Superwhisper can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Typeless
Free plan · from $12/mo
AI voice dictation that edits and formats as you speak.
- Typeless has a free plan. Aqua Voice does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Typeless lists Linux and Android apps.
- Aqua Voice also covers text expansion.
- 2.2GPA
Monologue
Free trial · from $12/mo
Dictation, voice notes and bot-free meeting notes for Apple devices.
- Only Aqua Voice lists a Windows app.
- Aqua Voice also covers text expansion.
- Monologue also covers meeting notes and transcription.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Aqua Voice free?
No, Aqua Voice is a paid product, but you can try it first. 1,000 free words with the Avalon model, no credit card required.
How much does Aqua Voice cost?
Aqua Voice lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Aqua Voice work on?
Aqua Voice is available on macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does Aqua Voice offer any discounts?
Aqua Voice publicly lists the following: About 20% less with annual billing; 70% off Pro and Max for students; Volume discounts above 20 users.
Does Aqua Voice have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Aqua Voice is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does Aqua Voice have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Aqua Voice is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Is Aqua Voice open source?
Aqua Voice is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Aqua Voice have an API?
Yes. Aqua Voice offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Aqua Voice integrate with?
Aqua Voice's listing names Cursor and Windsurf. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Aqua Voice have a student discount?
70% off Pro and Max for students. Signing up with a school email address (.edu or academic domains such as .ac.uk) gives 70% off: Pro from $2.40 a month and Max from $7.20 a month, both billed annually.
Who makes Aqua Voice?
Aqua Voice is made by Aqua Voice, Inc. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Aqua Voice?
The closest alternatives to Aqua Voice in our directory are Wispr Flow, Willow, Superwhisper, Typeless and Monologue.
How does Aqua Voice compare with other voice dictation apps?
Aqua Voice's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 2 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is Aqua Voice good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Aqua Voice C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 8 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Aqua Voice?
To replace Aqua Voice you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Aqua Voice’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Aqua Voice's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-28.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Aqua Voice, Inc. Prices change, so check aquavoice.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Aqua Voice, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/aqua-voice
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Aqua Voice: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/aqua-voice
Know someone choosing between voice dictation apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/aqua-voice/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded voice dictation apps after Aqua Voice, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Voice Dictation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 28 voice dictation apps we grade, compared
- OpenWhispr Insider's GuideOpen-source dictation with free local models and meeting notes3.2 GPA
- TypeWhisper Insider's GuideOpen-source dictation with local engines for Mac, Windows and iOS3.2 GPA
- FluidVoice Insider's GuideFree, open-source on-device dictation for macOS3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Aqua Voice’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Aqua Voice is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Aqua Voice, Inc. Prices and plans change: check aquavoice.com before you buy.