Which dictation apps compare best on price, platforms and languages?
Checked on 31 Oct 2026 from each company's own pricing, privacy and download pages (Willow's platforms and the free built-ins on 30 Oct 2026); links are at the bottom. Zefmi made this page and Zefmi is on the list, so we say plainly when another app is the better pick. Prices are in US dollars and can change.
| App | Price model | Free plan | Platforms | Cantonese / Mandarin | Mixed languages | Offline | Audio stored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zefmi | Subscription: US$5 a month | Trial only: 14 days | Windows. Mac, iPhone, Android coming | Yes | Not promised yet | No | Not stored by Zefmi |
| Wispr Flow | Subscription: Pro $15 a user a month | Yes: 2,000 words a week on desktop | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | Not named on its pages | Not checked | Not stated | Deleted once transcribed, unless cloud storage is on |
| Superwhisper | Subscription or $249.99 once | Yes: local models | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | Not named on its pages | Not checked | Yes, local models | On your device with local models |
| Typeless | Subscription: Pro $12 yearly, $30 monthly | Yes, word limit | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android | Not named on its pricing page | Not checked | Not stated | Its data page says not stored |
| Aqua Voice | Subscription: Pro $10 yearly, $12 monthly | 1,000 free words | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | Not named on its pages | Not checked | Not stated | Not checked |
| Willow | Subscription: Pro $15, or $12 yearly | Yes: lighter model | Mac, Windows, iPhone. Android coming | Not named on its pages | Not checked | Lists an offline mode | Zero retention on Business |
| Dragon Professional | Not listed on its page | No | Windows | Not named on its page | Not checked | Not stated | Not checked |
| Windows voice typing / Apple Dictation / Gboard | Free, built in | Free | Windows / Mac and iPhone / Android and iPhone | Depends on installed languages | Not checked | Some Macs | See each company's policy |
What is the best dictation app for my situation?
- Windows, low price: Zefmi (US$5 a month).
- Mac or phone today: Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, Typeless or Aqua Voice. Zefmi has no Mac or phone app yet.
- Offline: Superwhisper or VoiceInk (Mac).
- Cantonese or Mandarin: Zefmi. Several rivals list 100+ languages without naming Cantonese; check before you buy.
- Word for word, no rewriting: Zefmi has a Word for word chip on its bar; see what the clean-up changes.
- Writers and long documents: any of them; the free built-ins are enough for short drafts. We have not tested them for writing quality.
- ADHD or RSI: see dictation for accessibility. If you need to control the computer by voice, you need Dragon, not a typing app.
- Free: Wispr Flow's free plan, Superwhisper's local models, or the built-ins.
Zefmi
A dictation app for Windows (Mac, iPhone and Android coming). Hold a key, speak, and clean text is typed into any app. US$5 a month, with a 14-day free trial.
Good: US$5 a month. AI clean-up removes fillers, or Word for word keeps everything. Cantonese and Mandarin on the one plan.
Less good: Windows only today, no free plan, needs an internet connection, and a monthly word allowance of 40,000.
Pick it if you want a low price and you dictate in English, Cantonese or Mandarin on Windows. See pricing.
Wispr Flow
A cloud dictation app for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android that lists more than 100 languages. Free plan with 2,000 words a week on desktop; Pro is $15 a user a month. It lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.
Good: Free plan, phone apps, many languages, team plans, security papers.
Less good: A subscription: $288 to $360 over two years on Pro.
Pick it if you want a free plan, a phone app now or a HIPAA agreement. Wispr Flow alternative.
Superwhisper
Dictation for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android on one licence. Free with local models; Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once.
Good: Works offline with local models. Lifetime licence. Meeting recording on Mac and file transcription on Pro.
Less good: More settings to learn than a one-key app.
Pick it if you want offline dictation or a lifetime licence with phone apps. Superwhisper alternative.
Typeless
A dictation app for Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, with 100+ languages. Free plan with a word limit; Pro is $12 per member a month paid yearly or $30 monthly, with unlimited words.
Good: Unlimited words on Pro, Linux support, enterprise features like SSO.
Less good: A subscription, the monthly price is high, and its on-screen context handling drew a privacy debate in 2026.
Pick it if you need unlimited words or Linux. Typeless alternative.
Aqua Voice
A dictation app that says it reads your screen to shape the text. 1,000 free words; Pro is $10 a month paid yearly or $12 monthly; 70% off for students.
Good: Screen-aware formatting, a student discount, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 listed.
Less good: A subscription, and 49 languages rather than 100+.
Pick it if you want text that adapts to the app on your screen. Aqua Voice pricing and alternatives.
Willow
A dictation app for Mac, Windows and iPhone, with Android listed as coming. Free plan with a lighter model; Pro is $15 a month or $12 paid yearly.
Good: Free plan with unlimited use of the lighter model, 100+ languages, an offline mode.
Less good: No Android app yet, and a subscription for the better model.
Pick it if you want a generous free plan on Mac, Windows or iPhone. Wispr Flow vs Willow.
VoiceInk
A Mac dictation app that runs local AI models on your computer. It is open source.
Good: Private by design, works without sending audio away, open source.
Less good: Mac only.
Pick it if you want open source, local dictation on a Mac.
MacWhisper
A Mac app built on Whisper models for transcribing audio, with a system-wide dictation mode. There is a free version and a paid Pro licence.
Good: Strong at transcribing recordings on your Mac, plus dictation.
Less good: Mac only, and more of a transcription tool than a typing tool.
Pick it if you mostly transcribe audio files on a Mac.
Dragon
Long-standing professional speech software. Dragon Professional runs on Windows, with voice commands, macros and file transcription; there are legal and medical versions. Its page lists no price.
Good: Voice commands, macros, specialist vocabularies.
Less good: Windows only on the desktop, no listed price, and heavier to set up than a one-key app.
Pick it if you need to control your computer by voice or need legal or medical vocabulary. Dragon alternative.
Otter
A meeting tool, not a typing tool: it joins Zoom, Teams and Google Meet, transcribes and writes notes. The Basic plan is free with 300 transcription minutes a month.
Good: Meeting notes and summaries, phone apps.
Less good: It does not type into your apps as you speak.
Pick it if you want meetings recorded and summarised. Otter alternative.
Windows voice typing, Apple Dictation and Gboard
Free dictation that comes with Windows (Windows key + H), Mac (the Microphone key or your Dictation shortcut) and Android and iPhone keyboards.
Good: Free, already installed, fine for short notes.
Less good: No clean-up of fillers, and a different experience on each device.
Pick it if you dictate short notes and want to pay nothing. Paid dictation app vs built-in dictation.
Which head-to-head comparisons are there?
- Wispr Flow vs Superwhisper
- Typeless vs Wispr Flow
- Wispr Flow vs Willow
- Wispr Flow vs Aqua Voice
- Wispr Flow pricing and Wispr Flow review
- Paid dictation app vs built-in dictation
Which dictation app works on my computer?
On Windows, read dictation for Windows. On a Mac, read dictation for Mac: Zefmi has no Mac app yet, so the other apps above are your options.
Questions
What is the best dictation app?
There is no single best one. Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and Typeless are strong if you want a free plan or a phone app. Superwhisper is best for offline use. Zefmi is the pick if you use Windows and want US$5 a month, with Cantonese and Mandarin.
What is the best free dictation app?
Wispr Flow's free plan (2,000 words a week on desktop), Superwhisper's free local models, and the built-ins: Windows voice typing, Apple Dictation and Gboard.
Which dictation app supports Cantonese?
Zefmi does, on its one plan. Wispr Flow, Typeless, Aqua Voice and Superwhisper list many languages, but their pages we read do not name Cantonese, so check before you buy.
Does the built-in dictation on Windows and Mac do the job?
For short notes, yes. See paid dictation app vs built-in dictation.
Superwhisper plans, Typeless pricing, Typeless data controls (last updated 13 Oct 2026), Aqua Voice pricing, Willow pricing, Dragon Professional. Read on 30 Oct 2026: VoiceInk, MacWhisper, Otter pricing, Windows voice typing, Apple Dictation, Gboard voice typing.
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