AI dictation apps have come a long way in a short period of time. For years, they were slow and imprecise unless you spoke with a specific accent and enunciated clearly.
Advances in large-scale language models (LLMs) and speech-to-text models have changed the game, creating systems that can more accurately decode speech while preserving enough context to format text correctly. The developers have also built in features that automatically remove filler words, correct stumbles, and handle punctuation, outputting text that requires far less editing.
While there are many such apps on the market today, we have compiled a list of the best and most useful dictation apps available today.
Wisp flow
Wispr Flow is a deep-funded AI dictation app that lets you add custom words and instructions for dictation. We have native apps for macOS, Windows, and iOS. An Android version is currently in development.
The app allows you to customize how your text is transcribed by choosing from “Formal,” “Casual,” and “Very Casual” styles for different types of writing, including personal messaging, work, and email. Additionally, when used with a vibecoding tool like Cursor, you can turn on the ability to automatically recognize variables and tag files in your chats.
With this app, you can transcribe up to 2,000 words per week on desktop or 1,000 words per month on iOS for free. Paid subscription plans offer unlimited transcriptions and start at $15 per month.
willow
Willow touts it as a huge time saver for people who hate typing. In addition to common features like automatic editing and formatting, the app uses an extensive language model to generate entire text from just a few words dictated.
Willow also takes a more privacy-friendly approach by storing all transcripts locally on your device, allowing you to opt out of training the model entirely. You can also add custom vocabulary to adapt to industry terminology or regional dialects.
With Willow, you can dictate 2,000 words per month for free on our desktop app. Individual subscription plans start at $15 per month and unlock unlimited dictation, allowing the app to remember your writing style.
monologue
If privacy is a priority, Monologue allows you to download its AI models directly to your device for transcription, keeping your data completely off the cloud. Moreover, this app allows you to customize the tone depending on the app you use.
Monologue allows you to transcribe 1,000 words for free each month. Subscriptions cost $10 per month or $100 per year. The company also sends its most active users a physical shortcut device called a Monokey to use with the app.
super whisper
Superwisper is primarily a dictation app, but it can also transcribe from audio and video files. The app lets you select and download AI models, including Nvidia’s Parakeet speech recognition model, as well as your own models with varying speeds and accuracy levels.
The app also allows you to create custom prompts to control output, and allows you to view both processed and unprocessed transcripts directly from your system keyboard.
Basic speech-to-text features are free to use, and you can test Pro features like translation and transcription for 15 minutes. The paid tier allows you to use your own AI API key and connect cloud and local models with no usage caps.
You can also pay $8.49 per month for a monthly plan, $84.99 per month for an annual plan, or $249.99 for a lifetime subscription.
Voice Typr
The VoiceTypr app takes an offline-first, subscription-free approach and can use local models for transcription. There’s also a GitHub repository for those who want to host and run the open source version themselves. VoiceTypr supports over 99 languages and works on both Mac and Windows.
You can try the app for free for 3 days, after which you can purchase a permanent license. The app costs $35 for one device, $56 for two, and $98 for four.
aqua
Aqua is a Y Combinator-powered voice input app for Windows and macOS that claims to be one of the fastest tools in its category in terms of latency (the delay between speaking and text appearing on screen).
In addition to handling grammar and punctuation, Aqua can also autofill text by saying phrases. For example, you can say “My address” and have Aqua type it for you.
The app also provides its own speech-to-text API, allowing you to connect other apps to Aqua’s transcription engine.
With the free tier, you get 1,000 words per month. Paid plans start at $8 per month and unlock unlimited words and 800 custom dictionary values with annual billing.
handy
Handy is a free open source transcription tool that runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. This app is very basic and doesn’t offer much customization, but it’s a good option if you want to start using voice more and don’t want to pay for it.
The app has a preferences menu where you can toggle push-to-talk and change hotkeys to enable transcription.
typeless
Typeless stands out for its high free word count. The company claims it does not retain any data or use it to train AI models. Typeless can also rewrite sentences you may have fumbled with.
The app allows you to dictate up to 4,000 words per week (approximately 16,000 words per month) on the free tier. Pay $12 per month (billed annually) to unlock unlimited words and access new features. Typeless is available only on Windows and macOS.
voice ink
VoiceInk is an open source private dictation app for Mac. The app supports global shortcuts and push-to-talk mode to start/stop recording. Reads the on-screen context and adjusts the output accordingly.
The app automatically detects specific apps and URLs, and you can apply custom formatting and rules to each. There’s also an assistant mode to answer questions. Lifetime access to this app is $25 for one device, $39 for two devices, and $49 for three devices.
dictato
Dictato is a dictionary app for Mac that costs €9.99 (about $12) and comes with lifetime access and two years of feature updates. The app works with offline models like Parakeet, Whisper, and Apple Speech Analyzer, and uses Apple Intelligence for light reading and filler removal. Thanks to these local models, the app achieves ultra-fast 80ms latency. This means your text will appear almost instantly after you speak.
audio pen
AudioPen started as a web-based voice note app, but has evolved over the years. The Mac version now lets you dictate text and rewrite it in your preferred format and style, and you can switch between different styles at any time. In addition to live transcription, AudioPen lets you save audio notes across platforms, combine notes for summaries, upload audio files, and rewrite existing notes using AI. The app costs $33 for three months, $99 for one year, and $159 for two years.
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