Dragon was the gold standard for professional dictation. Doctors, lawyers, writers, and anyone who typed thousands of words daily relied on it. When Nuance pulled the Mac version, they left a real gap. This page covers what exists now and which option fits different workflows.
Why Dragon users are looking
If you're here, you probably know the story. Dragon Professional Individual 6.0 was the last Mac release. It doesn't run on modern macOS. Apple Silicon Macs won't even launch it. Nuance now focuses on enterprise healthcare and Windows.
The Windows version still exists, but running it through Parallels or Boot Camp adds friction most people don't want. And the things that made Dragon good - trained vocabularies, long sessions, offline processing - don't transfer cleanly to a VM.
Options at a glance
| Option | Processing | Privacy | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Type | On device | Audio stays on Mac | $19.99 once | Long dictation, custom vocabulary, privacy |
| Apple Dictation | Cloud | Uploads audio | Free | Short phrases, quick notes |
| Wispr Flow | Cloud | Uploads audio | Subscription | Cross-platform teams |
| MacWhisper | On device | Audio stays on Mac | $29.99 once | File transcription |
Feature comparison for Dragon users
The features that mattered to Dragon users don't exist in most alternatives. Here's how the main options compare on the things power users actually care about:
| Feature | Dragon (was) | Voice Type | Apple Dictation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long dictation sessions | Yes | Yes - no timeouts | 60 second limit |
| Custom vocabulary | Trained profiles | Add terms anytime | No |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes - fully local | Limited |
| macOS Sequoia | Not supported | Native support | Built-in |
Voice Type: closest to the Dragon workflow
- On-device processing - audio never leaves your Mac, same as Dragon
- No session timeouts - dictate for as long as you need
- Custom vocabulary - add names, jargon, and technical terms
- Works offline - use it on planes, in cafes, anywhere
- One-time purchase - no subscription, $19.99 on the Mac App Store
Voice Type won't import your Dragon profile, but it solves the same problems. Hold a hotkey, talk, release, text appears. Processing happens on your Mac using the Neural Engine. The model understands context well enough that most custom terms work without explicit training.
Apple Dictation: fine for casual use
- Free and built into macOS
- Works well for short phrases and quick notes
- Sends audio to Apple for processing
- 60-second timeout on long sessions
- No custom vocabulary training
If you dictated occasionally with Dragon, Apple's built-in option might be enough. Press Fn twice, talk, press again. It works. But if you're coming from Dragon because you typed thousands of words daily, the timeouts and accuracy on technical terms will frustrate you.
Other options
Wispr Flow - Cloud-based, subscription pricing. Good if your team needs shared workflows and you're always on solid internet. Different model than Dragon.
MacWhisper - On-device like Voice Type, but designed for transcribing audio files rather than live dictation. If you record meetings and transcribe later, it's solid. Not a Dragon replacement for real-time typing.
Otter - Cloud transcription focused on meetings. Good for teams that need searchable meeting archives. Not designed for composing documents.
FAQ
Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking available for Mac?
No. Nuance discontinued Dragon for Mac in 2018. The last version was Dragon Professional Individual 6.0, which doesn't run on modern macOS or Apple Silicon.
Can I use Dragon on Mac with Parallels?
Technically yes, but it requires a Windows license, adds latency, and audio routing is finicky. Most users find native Mac alternatives more practical for daily work.
What happened to my Dragon voice profile?
Dragon profiles don't transfer to other apps. Modern speech recognition uses different models. The good news: Voice Type and similar tools are accurate enough out of the box that extensive training isn't needed anymore.