DownloadSpeakey vs Superwhisper: two local dictation apps
Both turn speech into text on your own device, so the choice comes down to price, platforms and what each does beyond typing.
Side by side
| Name |  Speakey |  Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | FreePaid onceFree, or Pro $4.99 once (early adopter price, normally $9.99) | FreeMonthlyPaid onceFree; Pro $8.49/month, $84.99/year, or $249.99 lifetime |
| Free plan | 2,000 words and 5 minutes of Live Listen a week, unlimited for the first 3 days | Unlimited dictation with local Whisper models; up to two modes, no AI processing |
| Where speech becomes text | On your Mac’s Neural Engine; audio never leaves the Mac | On your device with local models; Pro also offers cloud models |
| Local models | Parakeet, Qwen3-ASR, Whisper Large v3 Turbo and Apple Speech, all on the free plan | Whisper on free; Parakeet and Cohere Transcribe on Pro |
| Platforms | Mac with Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android |
| Languages | About 99, mixed in one sentence | 100+ |
| AI modes | Rewrite rules, using your own Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini sign-in | AI modes and context awareness on Pro; bring your own API keys |
| Runs your Mac by voice | Agent opens apps, arranges windows, clicks through sites, answers from your calendar, Gmail and the web | Not listed |
| File and meeting transcription | No | Yes, on Pro |
| Refund | 7 days, self-serve | Not listed on its plans page |
Where Superwhisper is better
- One Pro license covers unlimited Macs and Windows PCs plus your iPhone and Android phone
- Free plan has unlimited local dictation with no word cap
- File transcription, system audio recording, speaker separation and meetings on macOS (Pro)
- Bring your own AI API keys
Choose Speakey if
- You want every local model, Parakeet included, without a subscription.
- $4.99 once fits better than $84.99 a year or $249.99 up front.
- You want your voice to control the Mac too: apps, windows, tabs, websites, calendar.
- You often mix two languages in one sentence.
Choose Superwhisper if
- You also dictate on Windows, iPhone or Android.
- You want unlimited free dictation and can live with the smaller local models.
- You transcribe recordings and meetings, not just live speech.
- You want to plug in your own AI API keys.
Questions
Is Speakey a good Superwhisper alternative?
If you only use a Mac, yes. Both transcribe on the device. Speakey costs $4.99 once and adds an agent that runs your Mac; Superwhisper runs on more platforms and does file and meeting transcription.
Do both work offline?
Yes for dictation. Superwhisper’s local models and Speakey’s on-device models both turn speech into text without a connection. AI features in either app need one.
Which is cheaper?
Superwhisper’s free plan has no word cap but limits you to local Whisper models. Speakey’s free plan has every model but caps you at 2,000 words a week after the first 3 days. For paid plans, Speakey Pro is $4.99 once; Superwhisper Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 lifetime.
Does Speakey use Parakeet like Superwhisper Pro?
Yes. Speakey runs NVIDIA’s Parakeet on the Neural Engine on the free plan. On an M5 Max it takes about 40 ms per take.
Sources
Facts about other apps come from their own pages, checked when this page was updated. Prices and plans change, so check before you buy.
Read next
- Speakey vs Wispr Flow: on-device or in the cloudBoth let you hold a key and talk into any text box. The real differences are where your voice is processed, what it costs, and which devices you need.
- Speakey vs macOS Dictation: when the built-in one is enoughApple’s dictation is free and already on your Mac. Here is where it holds up, and where people start looking for something else.
- Best dictation apps for Mac (2026)Seven Mac dictation apps ranked on privacy, speed on Apple silicon, cost over time and what they do beyond typing.
