1Our pick · The all-in-one local AI assistant
Typilot.
The only entry on this list that does voice plus typing, polish, meetings, notes, and 27 inline AI commands - all locally, on macOS, Windows, and Linux. No cloud round-trip. Lifetime license option. Disclosure: we built it - that is why it is at the top.
2
Superwhisper
Best pure local-Whisper dictation app for macOS, Windows, and iOS.
Pros
- +Fully local Whisper transcription - audio never leaves the device
- +Excellent iOS app for on-the-go dictation, syncs with the Mac
- +Mature support for the largest Whisper variants (large-v3)
- +Free tier plus $8.49/mo subscription or $249 lifetime
Cons
- −Voice-only - no inline AI commands, polish, meetings, or notes
- −No Linux support
- −No multi-feature ecosystem beyond dictation
3
MacWhisper
Beloved Mac-only Whisper front-end, cheap lifetime, great for batch audio files.
Pros
- +Local Whisper inference, one-time price
- +Excellent batch transcription of audio files (drag and drop folders)
- +Tiny install footprint
- +Mature support for large-v3 and distil-large-v3 models
Cons
- −Mac-only
- −Voice/transcription-only - no inline AI commands beyond dictation
4
Aiko
Local Whisper for macOS and iOS, one-time price, 14-day free TestFlight trial.
Pros
- +Runs Whisper fully locally - audio never leaves the device
- +macOS + iOS in one app
- +One-time purchase - no subscription
- +Privacy-first design from Sindre Sorhus
Cons
- −Apple ecosystem only
- −Audio file transcription focus - less for live dictation in apps
- −No commands, polish, or wider AI surface
5
Whisper Memos
iOS-first voice note app with on-device Whisper.
Pros
- +Native iOS UX optimised for memos and voice notes
- +On-device transcription - no upload required
- +Apple Watch integration for capture without the phone
Cons
- −iOS-only - no desktop
- −Memo/note framing, not in-app dictation
6
macOS Dictation (built-in)
Apple shipped a local dictation engine in macOS Sonoma+ that runs entirely on-device.
Pros
- +Free - already on your Mac
- +Runs locally on Apple Silicon Macs
- +Works in every text field at the OS level
Cons
- −Mac-only
- −No inline AI commands, polish, or post-processing
- −Punctuation and capitalisation lag pro tools
Free with macOS
7
Windows Voice Access (built-in)
Free Windows 11 voice typing with on-device speech recognition.
Pros
- +Free - built into Windows 11
- +Local speech model
- +Works system-wide
Cons
- −Windows-only
- −No AI commands or post-processing layer
- −Voice typing only
Free with Windows 11
8
Deepgram (API)
Pay-as-you-go cloud transcription API for developers building their own dictation tools.
Pros
- +High-quality streaming transcription via API
- +Pay per minute - cheaper than per-seat subscriptions at scale
- +Strong language coverage and accuracy
Cons
- −Not a desktop app - you build the UX yourself
- −Cloud - audio leaves your machine
- −For developers, not end-users
Pay-as-you-go (~$0.0043/min)