9 Dictation Apps for Windows Compared
1. Spokenly
Free offline dictation with cleanup
Price: Free with no word cap on local models; Local+ $29 one-time (settings sync, priority support); Pro $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr (managed cloud models, hosted AI)
Runs on: Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) or Windows 11, x64
Offline: Yes, Parakeet and Whisper models
Spokenly types into any Windows app with a global shortcut, Ctrl+Win by default. Local models run on the PC without a GPU, and cloud models work with your own OpenAI, Deepgram, or Groq key, billed by the provider.
- Free on-device cleanup of filler words and punctuation, best in English
- Audio and video file transcription with TXT, SRT, or VTT export
- Local Only Mode that admins can enforce with Group Policy or Intune
- No native ARM64 build
- Closed source
- AI rewriting needs your own API key or Pro
2. Windows Voice Typing
Dictation from Microsoft
Price: Free, built into Windows
Runs on: Windows 10 or 11
Offline: No, needs an internet connection
Press Win+H in any text field and speak. Windows 11 adds a voice typing launcher and automatic punctuation. On Copilot+ PCs, fluid dictation removes filler words and fixes grammar on the device, in English.
- Nothing to install
- 46 language variants on Windows 11
- Audio goes to Microsoft's online speech service
3. Voice Access
Hands-free PC control
Price: Free, built into Windows
Runs on: Windows 11 version 22H2 or later
Offline: Yes, after a language download
Voice Access controls the whole PC by voice: click buttons by name, use number and grid overlays, switch apps, and dictate text.
- Part of the Windows accessibility features
- Only 15 language variants
4. Wispr Flow
Cloud AI dictation subscription
Price: Free with a weekly word allowance; Pro $15/mo or $144/yr
Runs on: Windows 10 or 11, x64
Offline: No
Wispr Flow turns speech into cleaned-up text with cloud AI. Its apps run on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android.
- HIPAA business associate agreement (BAA) available for dictation
- The free plan slows down after 2,000 words a week
5. Superwhisper
Local models with a lifetime license
Price: Free; Pro $8.49/mo, $84.99/yr, or $249.99 lifetime
Runs on: Windows 10 or later, x64 and ARM64
Offline: Yes, local models
The free plan has no word cap on local Whisper models. Pro adds AI modes, cloud models, and more local models, and one license works on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android.
- Native ARM64 build
- AI cleanup and Parakeet models need Pro
- Some local models do not run on ARM64 yet
6. Handy
Free, open source, and offline
Price: Free (MIT license)
Runs on: Windows x64 and ARM64
Offline: Yes, local only
Handy offers push-to-talk dictation with Whisper and Parakeet models that keep audio on the PC.
- No account, subscription, or word cap
- Native ARM64 build
- No AI rewriting unless you add your own API key
- No phone app
7. OpenWhispr
Open source with an optional cloud plan
Price: Free; Pro $8/mo or $80/yr
Runs on: Windows 10 or later, x64
Offline: Yes, Whisper and Parakeet
The free plan includes unlimited local dictation and 2,000 cloud words a week. The app also creates meeting notes.
- MIT license
- GPU acceleration through CUDA or Vulkan
- Sync and the iPhone app need Pro
8. Dragon Professional
Dictation with voice commands and macros
Price: No public price; contact Nuance sales
Runs on: Windows 10 or 11
Offline: Yes, desktop software
Dragon Professional v16 combines dictation with voice commands, custom vocabularies, and macros for document-heavy work.
- Transcribes recorded audio files as well as live speech
9. Talon Voice
Voice coding and scripting
Price: Free; optional support on Patreon
Runs on: Windows (Talon 1.0 released September 2026)
Offline: Yes, local speech engines
Talon controls the computer hands-free and is built for voice coding.
- Custom commands written in Python
- Setup requires scripting
- Closed source
Other Windows Dictation Options
Aqua Voice
Cloud dictation for Windows 10 and 11. The first 1,000 words are free, then Pro costs $8 a month billed yearly or $10 monthly.
Willow Voice
Dictation with an offline mode. The free plan has no word cap but uses the smaller Frontier Mini model; Pro costs $12 a month billed yearly or $15 monthly.
Typeless
Cloud dictation. The free plan has a weekly word limit; Pro costs $12 a month billed yearly or $30 monthly.
Microsoft 365 Dictate
A Dictate button in Word and Outlook, included with a Microsoft 365 subscription. It works online in 15 language variants, and more are in preview.
Google Docs voice typing
Free in Chrome and Edge, but it types only into Google Docs and Slides.
Windows 10 or Windows 11
Windows Voice Typing works on both versions, but Voice Access and fluid dictation need Windows 11. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Spokenly, Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and OpenWhispr still run on Windows 10.
Set Up Spokenly on Windows
- 1Open spokenly.app/windows and click the download button to install Spokenly from the Microsoft Store. If the Store is blocked on your PC, the download page also offers a direct installer.
- 2Download a local model, or add your own API key to use a cloud model. Start with Parakeet V3, which supports 25 European languages.
- 3Click any text field, hold
Ctrl+Win, speak, and release the keys to insert the text. Or tapCtrl+Winonce to start dictation and again to stop it. - 4Turn on Local Model Cleanup in Settings, under Text Handling. It needs a processor with AVX2, such as an Intel Core from the 4th generation on or any AMD Ryzen, and about 650 MB of memory while you dictate.
Spokenly publishes this comparison. Sources: Microsoft Support: Use voice typing, Microsoft Support: Set up voice access, Wispr Flow plans, Superwhisper for Windows. Prices and requirements checked October 19, 2026.
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Free to use with local models. No account required.
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