What Mac dictation apps cost
By petersindex, who makes Inkbie · Updated 5 October 2026
Short answer: you can dictate on a Mac for free with Mac Dictation, Inkbie, Spokenly's local models, Handy, OpenWhispr or Superwhisper's free plan. Wispr Flow's free plan is 2,000 words a week, and Pro is $15 a month or $12 billed yearly. To pay once, VoiceInk is $25, MacWhisper Pro €64 and Superwhisper's lifetime licence $249.99.
| App | Free | Paid | Where speech is processed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac Dictation | Mac DictationFree, built into macOS | None | On your Mac or Apple's servers, depending on settings |
| Inkbie | InkbieVoice typing, free for good with no word limit | None for voice typing (a circle is $24 once) | On your Mac |
| Spokenly | SpokenlyUnlimited with local Whisper and Parakeet models, no account | Pro is $99.99 a year (cloud models, AI cleanup) | On your Mac with local models, or the cloud on Pro |
| Handy | HandyFree and open source | None | On your computer (Whisper or Parakeet) |
| OpenWhispr | OpenWhisprUnlimited local dictation, plus 2,000 cloud words a week | Pro is $80 a year | On your Mac with local models, or the cloud |
| Superwhisper | SuperwhisperUnlimited dictation with local Whisper models | $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once | On your device, or cloud models on Pro |
| VoiceInk | VoiceInkA free trial; its source code is public | $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three, paid once | On your Mac (Apple silicon only) |
| MacWhisper | MacWhisperA free version with basic system-wide dictation | €64 once, with lifetime updates | On your Mac |
| Wispr Flow | Wispr Flow2,000 words a week on a computer, 1,000 on a phone | $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly | In the cloud |
| Aqua Voice | Aqua Voice1,000 free words | Pro is $10 a month, or $8 billed yearly | In the cloud |
| Willow | WillowUnlimited on its lighter model | Pro is $15 a month, or $12 billed yearly | In the cloud, with an offline mode on your device |
| Typeless | TypelessA limited number of words each week | Pro is $30 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly | In the cloud (it says audio isn't stored) |
From each app's own site, 5 October 2026: Apple, Handy, Spokenly, OpenWhispr, Superwhisper, VoiceInk, MacWhisper, Wispr Flow, Aqua Voice, Willow, Typeless. Prices in US dollars except MacWhisper, which charges in euros. Prices change, so check before you buy.
What the paid plans cost over time
Mac Dictation, Inkbie's voice typing, Handy and the free plans cost nothing in any year. For the rest, here's one year and three, the cheapest way each app lists.
| App | Plan | 1 year | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wispr Flow | Wispr FlowPro, billed yearly | $144 | $432 |
| Willow | WillowPro, billed yearly | $144 | $432 |
| Typeless | TypelessPro, billed yearly | $144 | $432 |
| Spokenly | SpokenlyPro, yearly | $99.99 | $299.97 |
| Aqua Voice | Aqua VoicePro, billed yearly | $96 | $288 |
| Superwhisper | SuperwhisperPro yearly, or the lifetime licence over three years | $84.99 | $249.99 |
| OpenWhispr | OpenWhisprPro, yearly | $80 | $240 |
| MacWhisper | MacWhisperPro, paid once | €64 | €64 |
| VoiceInk | VoiceInkOne Mac, paid once | $25 | $25 |
Worked out from the prices above, for one person on one Mac, before tax or discounts: yearly billing where it's offered, and Superwhisper's lifetime licence where it costs less than three years of its yearly plan. MacWhisper in euros, as it charges. Prices can change over three years.
Free can be enough
If you type by voice on a Mac, you may not need to pay at all: several apps now turn speech into text on your Mac for free. Inkbie is the one that lives in the corner of your screen as a little ink drop, listens for as long as you hold fn, and lets you drop a friend a line by saying their name. You pay for the others when you want what they add: every platform and meeting notes (Wispr Flow), cloud models and AI modes (Superwhisper, Spokenly Pro), or deep file transcription (MacWhisper).
Questions
- Is Wispr Flow free?
- Wispr Flow has a free plan with 2,000 words a week on a computer and 1,000 on a phone. Unlimited dictation is part of Pro: $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly. Its Growth plan for teams is $23 a month, or $18 billed yearly.
- Is Superwhisper free?
- Superwhisper's free plan includes unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, custom vocabulary and text replacements. Pro, at $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once, adds cloud models, the Parakeet model and AI modes.
- Is MacWhisper free?
- MacWhisper has a free version that records from your microphone, transcribes files in 100 languages and includes basic system-wide dictation. Pro is €64, paid once, and adds higher-quality dictation, speaker recognition and more.
- What's the cheapest way to dictate on a Mac?
- Free. Mac Dictation is built in. Inkbie's voice typing is free for good with no word limit and runs on your Mac. Spokenly's local models, Handy and OpenWhispr's local dictation are free too, and Superwhisper's and MacWhisper's free versions cover dictation.
- Which free dictation apps are open source?
- Handy and OpenWhispr are free and open source, according to their own sites. VoiceInk publishes its source code and sells a licence from $25. Inkbie is free but not open source.
- Which dictation app costs least over three years?
- The free ones: Mac Dictation, Inkbie's voice typing, Handy and the free plans cost nothing in any year. Of the paid plans, VoiceInk is $25 once for one Mac, and MacWhisper Pro is €64 once. A subscription at $144 a year, like Wispr Flow Pro billed yearly, comes to $432 over three years.
- Which apps can I buy once instead of subscribing?
- VoiceInk costs $25 for one Mac, paid once, MacWhisper Pro is €64 once, and Superwhisper sells a lifetime licence for $249.99. Inkbie's voice typing costs nothing, and its circle is $24 once.