Comparison
Dictation apps side by side
Diktat is not the only dictation app, and not every one of them fits you. Each page puts Diktat next to one vendor. You see prices, free tiers, and where recognition runs.
All figures come directly from the vendors' own sites and carry a checked date. We do not hand out scores or stars. Where another app is the better fit, it says so.
Which app fits you.
Seven cases where the answer is clear. In three of them it is not Diktat.
- You work on Windows or Android.
- Then Diktat does not fit. Diktat runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac only. Several apps in the table below cover Windows.
- You dictate rarely and do not want to pay.
- Use the dictation built into your device. It is there, it costs nothing, and for short messages it is often enough. That is not an understatement.
- You need voice commands, macros or menu control by voice.
- Diktat cannot do that. Diktat writes what you say and controls nothing. If you want to operate your computer by voice, you need voice control software.
- Your recordings must not leave your device.
- Then only apps that recognise on the device qualify. The column “Where recognition runs” tells you which ones those are.
- You want to pay once instead of every month.
- Then the subscriptions drop out. What remains in the table are the one-time purchases. Check how long updates are included.
- You dictate on more than one Mac.
- Check how many devices each licence covers. Some vendors tier the price by that. With Diktat, three Macs are included in one purchase.
- You want to turn long audio files into text.
- That is a different job from dictating. Diktat records while you speak and does not convert existing files. Look for file transcription software.
Every app we checked.
Every number comes from that vendor's own page, with the date we checked. Prices change, so the date stays with them.
| App | Pricing model | Price | Where recognition runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diktat | One-time purchase | €19.99 at launch, later €39.99. One-time purchase for Mac, three Macs included. iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch as a separate app: from €9.99, later €19.99. | On the device |
| superwhisper | Subscription, lifetime optional | $8.49/month, $84.99/year, or $249.99 one-time (as of 5 August 2026) | On the device, cloud models optional |
| MacWhisper | One-time purchase | €64 one-time, with lifetime updates per the vendor (as of 5 August 2026; amount may vary by region) | On the device |
| VoiceInk | One-time purchase | $29 / $49 / $69 for 1, 2, or 3 devices (as of 5 August 2026) | On the device |
| SpeakMac | One-time purchase | $29 for 1 Mac, $39 for 2 Macs. For 3 or more Macs, only "Enterprise" on request (as of 6 August 2026). | On the device |
| Dragon | License purchase for Windows, separate from the subscription product Dragon Professional Anywhere (their distinction) | No public price on the vendor's site, available by request only (as of 6 August 2026) | Installed on the PC. Per the data sheet, internet is only needed for download and activation |
| Wispr Flow | Subscription | $15/month, $12/month billed annually (as of 5 August 2026) | On the vendor's servers |
| Whisper Notes | One-time purchase | $6.99 on the App Store (iPhone, iPad, Mac App Store version); the full Mac download version separately $6.99 (as of 5 August 2026) | On the device |
| Monologue | Subscription | $15/month, $12/month billed annually ($144/year) (as of 5 August 2026) | Local models as an option (“no connection required”, their wording, as of 5 August 2026) |
| Aqua Voice | Subscription | Pro $8/month, Max $24/month, Team $12/user/month (as of 5 August 2026) | Processing through the vendor's service |
| Typeless | Subscription | $12/month billed annually, $30/month billed monthly (as of 5 August 2026) | Processing through the vendor's service |
| Willow Voice | Subscription, with a permanent free tier | Pro $15/month, $12/month billed yearly, per user. Business $35/month, $28/month billed yearly, per user (as of 6 August 2026). | Primarily on the vendor's servers. An optional mode recognizes locally on the device. |
| Apple Dictation | Included in the operating system, no separate purchase | Free, part of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS (as of 6 August 2026) | Many languages on the device. Other languages and dictation in search fields go to Siri servers per Apple |
For your Mac.
Diktat vs. superwhisper
Both recognize locally. A toolkit with AI modes and a subscription. Or one purpose, one purchase.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. MacWhisper
Files and whole batches to text and subtitles. Or one key and the text in the field.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. VoiceInk
Open source for the Mac. Or the Apple family with Watch and automatic clipboard.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. SpeakMac
One-time purchase for the Mac like Diktat, including Intel. Updates for 12 months instead of forever.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Dragon
Voice commands and macros for Windows, with a trained voice profile. Or one flow with no training, on every Apple device.
See the comparison
For your iPhone.
Diktat vs. Wispr Flow
Subscription with AI formatting on servers. Or a one-time purchase with unchanged words on the device.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Whisper Notes
Local, a one-time purchase, cheaper than Diktat. But no free tier on the App Store.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Monologue
An Apple Watch app on a subscription with a trial. Or the Watch via your iPhone, in one purchase.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Aqua Voice
Dictate and edit by voice, on a subscription. Or speak, stop, finished text on your device, paid once.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Typeless
A clean rewrite via AI on a subscription. Or your words unchanged, paid once.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Willow Voice
Subscription with cloud recognition and a permanent free tier. Or a one-time purchase, always local, with Apple Watch.
See the comparison
Diktat vs. Apple Dictation
Free on the device, with no history and no clipboard. Or a purchase with both.
See the comparison