Voice Type price
Voice Type costs US $19.99 after a 7-day free trial. Pay once and keep the app forever.
The trial gives you full access to every feature so you can validate accuracy, workflow fit, and performance before purchasing.
What's included
- On-device macOS dictation—your audio never leaves your computer.
- System-wide support so you can dictate in any application.
- Apple notarisation and sandboxing through the Mac App Store.
- Optional bring-your-own-key rewrite flows for AI formatting.
- Regular model and app updates at no additional cost.
At a glance
| Price | US $19.99 one-time |
|---|---|
| Free trial | 7 days, full functionality |
| Platform | macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) |
| Privacy | On-device processing; no audio uploads |
| Distribution | Mac App Store, notarised and sandboxed |
Why Voice Type is different
Most "Whisper apps" just wrap the model and call it a day. Voice Type does the hard work that makes dictation actually usable:
- Audio preprocessing
Noise reduction, gain normalization, and voice activity detection before transcription. Cleaner audio = better accuracy.
- Streaming chunks
Process audio in ~30s windows while you speak. When you stop, only the last chunk needs finishing—~2 second finalization.
- Neural Engine optimized
Uses Apple Silicon's Neural Engine for inference, not just CPU. Fast transcription without draining battery.
- Custom vocabulary
Add names, jargon, and technical terms. The model uses context to get them right without extensive training.
Performance comparison
Numbers that matter for daily dictation. Tested on M1 MacBook Air with typical office audio.
| Metric | Voice Type | Superwhisper | Wispr Flow | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to text (30s audio) | ~2 seconds | 3-5 seconds | 2-4s + network | 5-10 seconds |
| Works offline | Always | Some models | Never | Always |
| Audio preprocessing | Noise reduction + VAD + gain | Basic | Server-side | Basic |
| Accuracy on technical terms | Custom vocab + context | Custom vocab | AI formatting | No custom vocab |
| System-wide hotkey | Hold-to-dictate | Toggle or hold | Toggle | Limited |
One-time purchase apps
Pay once, use forever. No recurring fees eating into your budget.
| App | Price | Latency | Accuracy | Audio Processing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Type | $19.99 | ~2s finalization | 99%+ (Whisper large-v3) | Noise reduction, gain normalization, VAD | Optimized audio pipeline, not a raw Whisper wrapper |
| MacWhisper | $79.99 | Varies by model | 98%+ (Whisper models) | Basic | Designed for file transcription, limited live dictation |
| Apple Dictation | Free | Variable | ~95% general speech | System default | 60-second timeout, no custom vocabulary |
Subscription apps
Monthly or annual fees. Some offer lifetime options at premium prices.
| App | Price | Latency | Accuracy | Privacy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wispr Flow | $15/mo ($144/yr) | Network-dependent | 95%+ (cloud models) | Audio uploaded | Cross-platform, team features, requires internet |
| Superwhisper | $8.49/mo ($250 lifetime) | Model-dependent | 97%+ (varies by model) | Mixed (model choice) | Most customizable, complex UI, slower support |
| Willow | $15/mo | Network-dependent | ~95% | Audio uploaded | LLM text generation, privacy-focused marketing |
Feature comparison
Different apps excel at different things. Here's a feature-by-feature breakdown.
| Feature | Voice Type | Wispr Flow | Superwhisper | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-time purchase | ✓ $19.99 | ✗ | $250 | ✓ $79.99 |
| Fully offline | ✓ | ✗ | Partial | ✓ |
| Audio preprocessing | Advanced | Server | Basic | Basic |
| Custom vocabulary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| System-wide dictation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited |
| No audio uploads | ✓ | ✗ | Optional | ✓ |
| LLM formatting | BYOK | Built-in | Built-in | BYOK |
| File transcription | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
BYOK = Bring Your Own Key (use your own OpenAI/Anthropic API key for LLM features)
Total cost over time
Subscription costs add up. Here's what you'd pay over time with each app.
| Period | Voice Type | Wispr Flow | Superwhisper | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $19.99 | $15 | $8.49 | $79.99 |
| 6 months | $19.99 | $90 | $50.94 | $79.99 |
| 1 year | $19.99 | $144–180 | $84.99–101.88 | $79.99 |
| 2 years | $19.99 | $288–360 | $169.98–203.76 | $79.99 |
Which app should you choose?
Choose Voice Type if:
- You want a one-time purchase with no recurring fees
- Privacy matters—you don't want audio leaving your Mac
- You need to dictate offline (planes, cafes, remote areas)
- You want the simplest possible workflow
Choose Wispr Flow if:
- You need cross-platform support (Windows, iOS)
- Your team needs shared dictionaries and billing
- You want built-in AI formatting without API keys
- You're always on reliable internet
Choose Superwhisper if:
- You're a power user who wants deep customization
- You need both local and cloud AI model options
- You want to transcribe audio/video files too
- You don't mind a subscription or high lifetime cost
Choose MacWhisper if:
- Your main use case is transcribing audio files
- You record podcasts, interviews, or meetings
- You need speaker separation and batch processing
- Real-time dictation is secondary
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dictation app for Mac in 2025?
It depends on your priorities. For privacy and one-time pricing: Voice Type ($19.99). For teams and cross-platform: Wispr Flow ($15/month). For file transcription: MacWhisper ($79.99). For power users: Superwhisper ($8.49/month or $250 lifetime). According to TechCrunch's 2025 roundup, the market has expanded significantly with Whisper-based apps.
Is Voice Type better than Superwhisper?
Voice Type is simpler, cheaper ($19.99 once vs $8.49/month), and fully offline. Superwhisper offers more customization and cloud AI but requires ongoing payments or a $250 lifetime license. User feedback notes that Superwhisper has more glitches and slower support response times.
Why is Voice Type cheaper than competitors?
Voice Type runs entirely on your Mac—no server costs to pass on to you. Cloud-based apps like Wispr Flow pay for processing and storage on every dictation. Subscription pricing also reflects venture capital expectations for recurring revenue.
Does Voice Type work offline?
Yes, 100%. Voice Type uses on-device Whisper models and Apple's Neural Engine. No internet required. Your audio never leaves your Mac. This is unlike Wispr Flow, which requires cloud processing for all dictation.
Volume and teams
Need to deploy Voice Type across a team or organisation? Contact sales@carelesswhisper.app for App Store volume pricing and enterprise billing options.