Guide
Free dictation apps for Mac
Almost every Mac dictation app calls itself free. What you get for nothing varies a lot. Here is what each free option really includes, and where it stops.
Short answer: Apple Dictation is free forever and built into your Mac. Superwhisper's free plan adds unlimited local Whisper models. Wispr Flow's free plan stops at 2,000 words a week. Precis, VoiceInk and MacWhisper Pro are one-time purchases after a free trial or a free version.
| App | What's free | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Dictation | Free and built in. On Apple silicon it can run on your Mac for supported languages. | No clean-up or rewriting, and no custom vocabulary documented |
| Superwhisper | A free plan, including unlimited local Whisper models | Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once |
| Wispr Flow | A free plan of up to 2,000 words a week | Needs a connection and an account, since transcription happens in the cloud. Pro is $12 a month billed yearly, or $15 monthly. |
| MacWhisper | A free version | Built around transcribing files and meetings. Pro is €64 once. |
| VoiceInk | Open source, with a free trial | $25 once for one Mac to keep using it |
| Precis | A 7-day free trial, no card and no account | Then $19 once for 2 Macs. Not free forever. |
Read on each app's own site: Wispr Flow, VoiceInk and Apple on 4 October 2026, Superwhisper on 1 October 2026 (plans rechecked 4 October), MacWhisper on 5 October 2026. Plans change; check before you rely on a limit.
What "free" usually means
Most free dictation apps are one of three things: built into your Mac (Apple Dictation), a free plan with a limit (a word cap, or fewer features), or a free trial that ends. The table above says which each one is, so you aren't surprised in week two.
Which free option fits
- You want the simplest free option: Apple Dictation. It's already on your Mac. Turn it on in System Settings, then Keyboard, then Dictation.
- You want free and local, with more control: Superwhisper's free plan runs Whisper models on your Mac with no cap.
- You mainly transcribe recordings: MacWhisper's free version.
- You want to try a paid app first: Precis and VoiceInk both have a free trial before you pay once.
Where Precis fits
Precis isn't free forever, and I'd rather say so. It's a one-time purchase after a 7-day trial that needs no card and no account. If "free forever" is your requirement, Apple Dictation and Superwhisper's free plan are the two on this list that meet it. If you'll pay once for text that is cleaned up and shaped for each app, with nothing leaving your Mac, try Precis free for 7 days.
Questions
What is the best free dictation app for Mac?
The simplest is Apple Dictation: it's free, built into every Mac, and on Apple silicon it can run on your Mac for supported languages. Superwhisper's free plan adds unlimited local Whisper models.
Is Apple Dictation free?
Yes. It's built into macOS. Turn it on in System Settings, Keyboard, Dictation. It has no clean-up or rewriting.
Does Wispr Flow have a free plan?
Yes, up to 2,000 words a week as of 4 October 2026, according to its site. It needs a connection because it transcribes in the cloud.
Is Precis free?
Precis has a 7-day free trial with no card and no account. After that it's a one-time purchase with no subscription.
Try Precis free for 7 days
Hold ⌥ Space in any app and talk. No card and no account, then $19 once for 2 Macs.
Free for 7 days, no card. Needs macOS 26.5 on Apple silicon.