superwhisper vs Apple Dictation: what the built-in tool does free, and what superwhisper adds
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
Apple Dictation is already on your Mac and costs nothing. superwhisper is an app you install, free for local dictation and paid for its AI modes. The honest comparison is short: Apple's is fine for a sentence or two, and superwhisper is for people who dictate enough to want their own words, longer takes and cleanup. The table has the details.
I built YapToText, a free dictation app for the Mac, so read this knowing I make a rival to superwhisper. Each fact comes from the maker's own pages, on the dates in the table notes.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Side by side
Apple checked October 3, 2026 on support.apple.com. superwhisper checked October 5, 2026 on superwhisper.com. YapToText from its own settings.
| Apple Dictation | superwhisper | YapToText | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Built into macOS, free | Free for local Whisper dictation. Pro $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once | Free, no paid tier |
| Getting started | System Settings, Keyboard | Download, set a shortcut | Download, allow the microphone and Accessibility |
| Where speech is processed | On the Mac for supported languages on Apple silicon, otherwise sent to Apple | On the Mac with local models. Cloud models are a Pro choice | On the Mac |
| Cleanup | Commas, periods and question marks in supported languages | AI modes, with Pro | Clean Up and other modes, built in |
| When it stops | When you stop it, or after 30 seconds without speech | No limit stated on the pages I read | When you tap the key again. A safety stop at 30 minutes still saves the text |
| Your own words | None | Vocabulary and replacements, free | Dictionaries, free |
| Files | No | Pro | Plain text, free |
| Other devices | Every Apple device has its own Dictation | One Pro license covers Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android | Mac only |
When Apple Dictation is enough
Short messages, a search, a quick reply. It needs no install, and on Apple silicon it runs on the Mac for supported languages. Its limits show up in longer writing: it stops after a pause, it has no list of your names and terms, and it does not rewrite. The Mac dictation guide gets the most out of it.
What superwhisper adds
- Free. Unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, custom vocabulary, text replacements and up to two modes without AI processing.
- Pro. AI modes, Super Mode, file transcription, cloud models, more local models, unlimited modes and speaker separation.
- Modes. Different behavior per app or task. The modes page explains them.
The superwhisper pricing page has the full plan table.
The free middle ground
If Apple Dictation is too little and you would rather not pay for cleanup, YapToText sits between them: dictation with cleanup, dictionaries and modes, on the Mac, free. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later and has no Windows or phone version, which superwhisper does. The superwhisper alternative page compares those two directly.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The short version
- Apple Dictation. Built in, free, good for short bursts.
- superwhisper Free. Local dictation with your own vocabulary.
- superwhisper Pro. AI modes, files and every device.
- YapToText. Free cleanup and dictionaries on one Mac.
If a price or feature here has changed, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Related
Sources
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/14.0/mac/14.0 (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/commands-for-dictating-text-on-mac-mh40695/mac (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/if-dictation-on-mac-doesnt-work-as-expected-mchlc480652b/mac (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-voice-control-commands-mh40719/mac (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-a-custom-vocabulary-mchl3eb7b79a/mac (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://wisprflow.ai/pricing (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://wisprflow.ai/privacy (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://wisprflow.ai/data-controls (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://wisprflow.ai/flow-vs-apple-dictation (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://docs.wisprflow.ai/articles/2772472373-what-is-flow (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://docs.wisprflow.ai/articles/1036674442-supported-devices-and-system-requirements (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-11)
Questions
Is superwhisper better than Apple Dictation?
For long or frequent dictation, yes: it adds custom vocabulary, modes and, with Pro, AI cleanup. For a sentence or two, Apple Dictation is free and already there.
Is superwhisper free?
Its Free plan gives unlimited local Whisper dictation, vocabulary, replacements and two modes without AI. Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once, checked October 5, 2026.
Does Apple Dictation work offline?
On Apple silicon it runs on the Mac for supported languages. Otherwise speech is sent to Apple.
Is there a free app between the two?
YapToText: free dictation with cleanup and dictionaries, processed on the Mac.