Speech to Text for Computer: Dictation Apps for Mac, Windows and Linux
On a computer, a dictation app turns speech into text in whatever window you are working in: email, documents, chat, code review. Hold a key, talk, release, and polished text appears where the cursor is. Two free tools already ship with Windows and macOS. This page starts with those, then compares the four apps worth paying for and what each one is actually better at.
Try the built-in one for a week first. Windows dictates on Win + H and macOS dictates from keyboard settings, both free. If your dictation is occasional, that is the end of the story.
Then pay for what the built-ins do not do: punctuation and clean-up on long sessions. Wispr Flow is the polished default on Mac and Windows, Voicy is the one that also runs on Linux, and VoiceInk is the one that keeps the audio on your Mac.
The four apps at a glance
Prices read off each vendor's own site on 27 August 2026. The last column is what three years actually cost, because a $9 subscription and a $29 purchase are not comparable any other way.
| App | Runs on | Free to try | Price | Three years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wispr Flow | Mac, Windows (plus iPhone and Android) | 2,000 words a week, forever | $15/mo, or $12/mo billed yearly | about $432 |
| Voicy | Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome | 30 minutes of recording | $8.49/mo, $82 a year, or $260 once | $246, or $260 once |
| Voibe | Mac, Windows | 7-day trial, no card | $7.50/mo, $59 a year, or $149 once | $177, or $149 once |
| VoiceInk | Mac only, Apple Silicon | Free trial, 14-day refund | $29 once for one Mac | $29 |
Try the built-ins first
Windows has system dictation on Win + H, and macOS has built-in dictation in keyboard settings. Both are free, both work in any text field, and both are reasonable for short bursts. Like phone keyboards, they transcribe literally: you get the words, but punctuation and clean-up stay with you, and long sessions tend to drift. They may already cover occasional use. The paid tools below matter when dictation becomes part of your daily writing, and when the editing pass afterwards starts costing more than the typing would have. Linux is the exception: it ships no dictation of its own, which our Linux dictation guide covers in detail, including why recognition is rarely the hard part there.
Wispr Flow: the polished default
Wispr Flow is the best-known dictation app right now. It runs on Mac and Windows, with mobile apps for iPhone and Android on the same account, supports 100+ languages with automatic detection, removes filler words, punctuates properly, and learns names and jargon you use. The output reads like something you typed, not a transcript. The free plan gives 2,000 words a week on a computer; unlimited use is a Pro subscription at $15 a month, or $12 billed yearly. Recognition happens on their servers, so it needs a connection. If you dictate daily and want the least friction, start your comparison here, and read our Wispr Flow review for the real prices and the free plan's second limit.
Voicy: the only one with Linux support
Voicy covers Windows, Mac and, unusually for this niche, Linux (DEB, RPM and AppImage builds), plus a Chrome extension and mobile apps. It supports 50 languages, punctuates automatically, and types wherever the cursor is, which is why it also works in terminals and editors. Pricing is $8.49 a month, $82 a year, or $260 once for a lifetime licence, with a free 30-minute trial and no card required. It also publishes a 20% discount for students and for people with a disability. If you work on Linux, this is effectively the category.
Voibe: push-to-talk simplicity
Voibe keeps the model minimal: hold a key, speak, release, text appears. It runs on Mac (with an on-device mode on Apple Silicon) and Windows, with a custom dictionary and a spoken-punctuation option. Pricing is $7.50 a month, $59 a year, or $149 once, with a 7-day trial and a 30-day refund window. A good fit if you want dictation as a simple utility rather than a platform, and the cheapest lifetime licence of the four.
VoiceInk: local and private, Mac only
VoiceInk takes the privacy-first path: it runs AI models locally on your Mac, so audio does not have to leave the machine, and it works offline. It requires an Apple Silicon Mac, and it is a one-time purchase, $29 for one Mac and $49 or $69 for two or three, with no subscription. It is also open source under GPL-3.0. Accuracy depends on the local model rather than a big cloud engine, which is the honest trade-off for keeping everything on-device. Our VoiceInk review covers what $29 buys and the two open bugs worth testing inside the refund window.
How to choose
Dictating daily in many languages? Wispr Flow. On Linux? Voicy. Hate subscriptions? Voibe or VoiceInk, both sold outright. Confidential material? VoiceInk's local mode is the only one here where the audio can stay on the machine entirely. If you want the full field for your platform rather than the four picks, we have it by system: Mac, Windows and Linux. And if you are choosing on price alone, Wispr Flow alternatives sorts the field by the reason people leave.