Skip to content
ToolGPA

The Dragon Professional Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Dragon Professional 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.

Download the PDF
Pass it onEmailLinkedInXWhatsApp
ToolGPAOctober 2026

Dragon Professional

The Insider’s Guide

Windows speech recognition for dictation and voice commands

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among voice dictation apps, read from Dragon Professional’s own pages.

Made by Nuance Communications (Microsoft) · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

1.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Dragon Professional’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Dragon Professional’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

1.4

GPA, above 0 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade

Dragon Professional v16 is speech recognition software installed locally on a Windows PC, made by Nuance, which is now part of Microsoft. It types what you dictate into documents, spreadsheets and form-based reports, runs custom voice commands and macros, and can transcribe recorded audio from a single speaker. Organizations can manage licenses and shared vocabularies centrally through the Nuance Management Center.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Dragon Professional, taken from its own pages and our grades.

Setup takes vocabularies, commands and an internet connection to activate, and file transcription handles one speaker.
From our report card of Dragon Professional
  1. 1

    Best for running a Windows PC entirely by voice

    Dragon Professional types into Windows programs, runs your own voice commands and macros, and lets you work the PC without the mouse.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $685.99 per 1-user license (reseller CDW's advertised price).

  3. 3

    It runs on Windows

    Windows.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    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.

  6. 6

    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.

  7. 7

    A 1.4 GPA, above 0 of 27

    That is against the other voice dictation apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    To replace Dragon Professional 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.

Dragon Professional at a glance

Pricing
Paid, from $685.99 per 1-user license (reseller CDW's advertised price)
Free plan
No
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Windows
Made by
Nuance Communications (Microsoft)
Category
Voice Dictation
Our grade
1.4 GPA, weak

The report card

Best for running a Windows PC entirely by voice

Dragon Professional types into Windows programs, runs your own voice commands and macros, and lets you work the PC without the mouse. But it's Windows only, there's no free plan or trial, Dragon's own site publishes no price, and a reseller lists one license at $685.99. Setup takes vocabularies, commands and an internet connection to activate, and file transcription handles one speaker.

ToolGPA report cardDragon ProfessionalGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyDReseller CDW advertises one licence at $685.99. One-time prices in this category run from $7 to $39, and the middle subscription is $8.33 a month, so that's about seven years of renting something else. Dragon's own site publishes no price.
Free plan and trialFNothing free at all: no free plan and no trial in the listing, so you buy before you've said a word to it. At $685.99 that's a lot of faith.
FeaturesBDictation into documents, spreadsheets and forms, custom commands, a Macro Recorder, shareable vocabulary lists, single-speaker file transcription, and a mouse grid and spoken menus that drive the PC with no hands. No gap in the core job.
Ease of useCNo store rating on record, and this is software you set up: vocabularies and word lists to import, commands and macros to record, a voice profile to move between PCs, and an internet connection needed to activate it.
Platforms and integrationsDOne operating system: Windows 10, 11 and Windows Server, with no Mac version and no phone app. It does work with Microsoft Office, Citrix and Nuance's PowerMic 4.
Grade point averageWeak, out of 4.01.4

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 Dragon Professional is for

  • Fits if you need to control a Windows PC entirely by voice, menus and mouse included
  • Works for organizations that want licenses and shared vocabularies managed from one console

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you're on a Mac or a phone, because it's Windows only
  • Pricey if you only want to talk instead of type, at $685.99 from a reseller with no trial first
  • Not for you if your recordings have several speakers, since file transcription is built for one voice
  • Watch out: Dragon's own site lists no price and sends buyers to a sales line, so $685.99 is one reseller's figure
  • Watch out: you need an internet connection to activate it and to move a voice profile between PCs

Good to know

Good for

  • 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

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$685.99

To start

Dragon Professional is a paid product, starting at $685.99 per 1-user license (reseller CDW's advertised price).

Nothing free at all: no free plan and no trial in the listing, so you buy before you've said a word to it.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • 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 licensing

    Custom

    Group deployments managed through the Nuance Management Center, which assigns licenses and shares custom words and commands. Quoted by the Dragon sales team.

Read from cdw.com on Oct 5, 2026, where its own pages could not be read.

Ways to pay less

  • 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.

    Stated on dragon.nuance.com

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: Windows

Windows speech recognition for dictation and voice commands. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: transcription, dictation.

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.

Where it runs

  • Windows

What it works with

  • Microsoft Office
  • Citrix XenApp
  • Citrix XenDesktop
  • Nuance PowerMic 4

Dragon Professional is made by Nuance Communications (Microsoft).

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

0/27

Other voice dictation apps it is graded above

Dragon Professional's GPA of 1.4 is higher than 0 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade.

It stands best on features (B, above 11 of 27) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 28 voice dictation apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Dragon Professional’s own letter is outlined.

  • DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 27
  • FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 27
  • BFeaturesAbove 11 of 27
  • CEase of useAbove 2 of 27
  • DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 27

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 Dragon Professional 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: 27 of the 27 other voice dictation apps grade higher.

What you could not

  • Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
  • Speech turned into text you can trust.
  • A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Dragon Professional’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

Braina, Talon, Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and Voice In

The 5 tools Dragon Professional is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.4GPA

    Braina

    Free plan · from $99/yr

    Voice assistant and dictation software for Windows and macOS.

    • Braina has a free plan. Dragon Professional does not.
    • Only Braina lists a macOS app.
    • Braina also covers chat assistant and workflow automation.
    Dragon Professional and Braina compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Talon

    Free plan · from $5/mo

    Hands-free computer control by voice, eye tracking and noises.

    • Talon has a free plan. Dragon Professional does not.
    • Only Talon lists macOS and Linux apps.
    • Dragon Professional also covers transcription.
    Dragon Professional and Talon compared in full
  • 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. Dragon Professional does not.
    • Only Wispr Flow lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
    • Wispr Flow also covers meeting notes and text expansion.
    Dragon Professional and Wispr Flow compared in full
  • 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. Dragon Professional does not.
    • Only Superwhisper lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
    • Superwhisper can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Dragon Professional and Superwhisper compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    Voice In

    Free plan · from $5/mo

    Speech-to-text extension for typing on websites in Chrome and Edge.

    • Voice In has a free plan. Dragon Professional does not.
    • Only Dragon Professional lists a Windows app.
    • Only Voice In lists a browser extension.
    Dragon Professional and Voice In compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

13

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 Dragon Professional free?

No. Dragon Professional is a paid product, starting at $685.99 per 1-user license (reseller CDW's advertised price).

How much does Dragon Professional cost?

Dragon Professional lists 2 plans. Dragon Professional v16 (1 user): $685.99 per 1-user download license, as advertised by reseller CDW.

What platforms does Dragon Professional work on?

Dragon Professional is available on Windows.

Does Dragon Professional offer any discounts?

Dragon Professional publicly lists the following: Education volume license programs.

Does Dragon Professional have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Dragon Professional is listed for Windows.

Does Dragon Professional have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Dragon Professional is listed for Windows.

Is Dragon Professional open source?

Dragon Professional is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

What does Dragon Professional integrate with?

Dragon Professional's listing names Microsoft Office, Citrix XenApp, Citrix XenDesktop and Nuance PowerMic 4.

Does Dragon Professional have a student discount?

Education volume license programs. Qualified K-12 and higher-education organizations can buy through the Open License Program, which carries education discounts.

Who makes Dragon Professional?

Dragon Professional is made by Nuance Communications (Microsoft).

What are the alternatives to Dragon Professional?

The closest alternatives to Dragon Professional in our directory are Braina, Talon, Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and Voice In.

How does Dragon Professional compare with other voice dictation apps?

Dragon Professional's GPA of 1.4 is higher than 0 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade.

Could I make my own version of Dragon Professional?

To replace Dragon Professional 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 Dragon Professional’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 Nuance's own pages on 5 October 2026, except the price: Nuance publishes none, so $685.99 is reseller CDW's advertised figure. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-09.

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 Nuance Communications (Microsoft). Prices change, so check dragon.nuance.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

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, "Dragon Professional: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dragon-professional

Know someone choosing between voice dictation apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dragon-professional/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded voice dictation apps after Dragon Professional, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Dragon Professional’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. Dragon Professional is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Nuance Communications (Microsoft). Prices and plans change: check dragon.nuance.com before you buy.