Dictation apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head

Wispr Flow vs MacWhisper

Wispr Flow ranks #1 and MacWhisper ranks #4 in our guide to the best dictation apps for Mac and iPhone. Wispr Flow is our pick for most people.

The Useful TechResearched and written with AI under our rulesUpdated 14 Oct 2026

Our pickWispr Flow app iconWispr FlowPick Wispr Flow if you dictate long emails and Slack replies every day on both your Mac and iPhone.Free to start#4 in the guideMacWhisper app iconMacWhisperPick MacWhisper if you need transcripts of recorded interviews or lectures rather than typing by voice.Free to start

What decides it

  • On price: Wispr Flow is free for 2,000 words a week on the Mac. Pro is $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly. MacWhisper is free. Pro is a one-time €65 license with lifetime updates.
  • Both run on Mac. Only Wispr Flow runs on iPhone and iPad.

Side by side

Prices are checked every day.

At a glanceWispr Flow app iconWispr FlowMacWhisper app iconMacWhisper
PriceFree for 2,000 words a week on the Mac. Pro is $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearlyFree. Pro is a one-time €65 license with lifetime updates
How you payFree, with paid upgradesFree, with paid upgrades
3 years of use$432 Yearly planDepends on the plan
Free trialFree to startFree to start
Runs onMac, iPhone, iPadMac
Where to buyDeveloper, App StoreDeveloper
Rating4.8 19K ratingsToo few ratings
Made byWispr AI, Inc.Not listed
Last updated31 Oct 202630 Oct 2026

Who should get which

Get Wispr Flow if

You write long emails and Slack replies every day and can say them faster than you type them.

Get MacWhisper if

You record interviews, lectures or client calls and want a transcript without sending the audio to a cloud service.

Skip Wispr Flow if

You dictate the odd text message, and the dictation built into macOS and iOS is free for that.

Skip MacWhisper if

You just want to talk instead of type now and then; the Mac's built-in dictation handles that free.

Our verdicts

Wispr Flow app iconWispr Flow

Talk into any text field on your Mac or iPhone and get clean, punctuated text back, with filler words dropped and your mid-sentence corrections fixed. It learns names and jargon, adjusts tone for email versus chat and hears you even at a whisper. The free 2,000 words a week runs out fast for heavy writers, and Superwhisper is the better pick if you want dictation on free local models.

MacWhisper app iconMacWhisper

Apple's built-in dictation types what you say, but it can't turn a 2-hour interview file or a Zoom call into a transcript; MacWhisper does both on your Mac without uploading the audio. The free version already handles files, call recordings and subtitle exports. Pro is a one-time €65, charged in euros, and it is worth it mainly for automatic speaker labels and batch transcription.

What each one helps you do

Wispr Flow app iconWispr Flow

  • Write emails by talking instead of typing
  • Dictate into Slack, Notes or any text field
  • Strip filler words from what you say
  • Expand saved snippets by speaking a shortcut

MacWhisper app iconMacWhisper

  • Transcribe hours of audio without uploading it
  • Record and transcribe Zoom and Teams calls
  • Make subtitle files for your videos
  • Dictate into any app on your Mac

Where to get them

Wispr Flow

Free for 2,000 words a week on the Mac. Pro is $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly

  • From the developerSeparate downloads for Apple silicon and Intel Macs
    Free downloadGet it
  • App Store, iPhone and iPadWith in-app purchases
    Free downloadApp Store

MacWhisper

Free. Pro is a one-time €65 license with lifetime updates

  • From the developerPro is a one-time €65 license, charged in euros
    Free downloadGet it

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Neither one quite right?

The other picks in our guide to the best dictation apps for Mac and iPhone.

Read the full guideAll Wispr Flow alternativesAll MacWhisper alternatives

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