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Dragon alternatives for Mac
If you used Dragon Dictate or Dragon for Mac, you have probably found that there is no current version to buy. Nuance's Dragon Professional is Windows software. The good news is that a Mac can now do most of what Dragon did, split across a few tools. Here is which one replaces which part.
By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Checked on 12 October 2026
Apple Dictation
SpeechBee
Wispr Flow
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Is there still a Dragon for Mac?
No current one. Nuance, now part of Microsoft, sells Dragon Professional (version 16) as Windows software. The Mac product, last released as Dragon Professional Individual for Mac version 6, survives only as old support documentation. If you still have a working copy, it is no longer sold, so don't count on it surviving future macOS upgrades. Plan your move before one breaks it.
Dragon combined two jobs that Mac tools now handle separately: turning speech into text, and controlling the computer by voice. Decide which one you really used, because that decides your replacement.
Dragon alternatives for Mac at a glance
| Tool | Replaces | Price | Where speech is processed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Control | Voice commands, plus dictation | Included with macOS | On your Mac |
| Talon | Scripted voice commands, dictation, mouse control | Free download, with paid extras via Patreon | Depends on the speech engine you choose |
| SpeechBee | Dictation into any app | $9/mo, $79/yr, or $99 once | On your Mac |
| Wispr Flow | Dictation into any app, AI-polished | $15/mo or $144/yr, free tier | Wispr's servers |
| Apple Dictation | Short dictation | Included with macOS | Varies by language and settings |
Voice Control, built into macOS
Voice Control is the closest thing to Dragon's command side, and it is free. You can open apps, click buttons by name or number, navigate menus, select and edit text, and dictate, all by speaking. It supports a custom vocabulary, so you can add words it does not know, and you can create your own commands. Turn it on in System Settings, Accessibility, Voice Control.
Note that while Voice Control is on, the standard Dictation feature is unavailable, because Voice Control handles dictation itself.
Talon
Talon is hands-free input for programmers and power users, available for macOS, Windows and Linux. It does commands and dictation, can move the mouse by eye tracking with supported hardware, and lets you write your own commands in simple script files. It has a strong community and a steep learning curve. Extra features and support come through its Patreon.
SpeechBee
Hi Maya, I'll send the revised proposal tomorrow morning.
Most people read faster than they speak. SpeechBee reads the sentence you selected out loud, while you keep working.
SpeechBee is our app, and it replaces Dragon's dictation side. Hold a shortcut in any app, talk, let go, and the text appears at your cursor. It removes filler words, understands "new paragraph" and spoken punctuation, and has a dictionary, so the names and technical terms Dragon users train for are fixed once. Snippets expand a short phrase like "my signature" into the full text.
Speech recognition runs on your Mac after a one-time model download, so it works offline and your audio is never uploaded. It understands 25 languages, or up to 99 with the optional Whisper model. It can also read selected text aloud, which helps for proofreading by ear. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later, and one plan covers Mac, iPhone and iPad.
SpeechBee does not control your Mac by voice. If you need that, pair it with Voice Control, or use Voice Control alone.
Wispr Flow
Wispr Flow is cloud dictation for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. It sends your audio to its servers and uses AI to polish what you said into cleaner writing. Pro is $15 a month or $144 a year, and the free plan covers 2,000 words a week on desktop. It suits people who move between Mac and Windows, which many former Dragon users do. Our Wispr Flow vs SpeechBee page goes into detail.
Apple Dictation
Every Mac has dictation built in. Turn it on in System Settings, Keyboard, Dictation, then press the Microphone key or your shortcut in any text field. It is free and fine for a few sentences. On Mac it has no custom dictionary, and it stops after 30 seconds of silence. See how to dictate on a Mac.
A setup that covers what Dragon did
- Use SpeechBee or another dictation app for long-form writing, and add your names and terms to its dictionary.
- Turn on Voice Control if you also need to click, scroll and open apps by voice.
- Try Talon if Voice Control's commands are not enough and you are willing to script.
A note for clinicians: Nuance's clinical product is Dragon Medical One, which this page does not cover. Check your organisation's rules before dictating patient information into any app.
Dictate into any Mac app, on your Mac. Free for 7 days.
Voice to text and Read Aloud on your Mac, iPhone and iPad. After the week, $9 a month, $79 a year, or $99 once. Every plan has every feature.
Questions
Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking available for Mac?
No. Nuance sells Dragon Professional for Windows. The Mac version, Dragon Professional Individual for Mac, is a legacy product with no current release.
What replaced Dragon Dictate on Mac?
No single app. Apple's Voice Control replaces the voice commands, and a dictation app such as SpeechBee or Wispr Flow replaces long-form dictation with a custom dictionary. Talon suits people who want scripted commands.
What is the best free Dragon alternative for Mac?
Voice Control, built into macOS, gives you voice commands and dictation with a custom vocabulary. Talon is a free download. Apple Dictation is free for short passages.
Does SpeechBee have voice commands like Dragon?
It understands formatting commands such as "new paragraph" and spoken punctuation, but it does not control your Mac. Use Voice Control for that.
Can I dictate on a Mac without the internet?
Yes. Voice Control and SpeechBee process speech on your Mac. SpeechBee works offline after its speech model downloads once.
Keep comparing
- The best dictation apps for Mac
- SpeechBee vs Apple Dictation
- Typing less when your hands hurt
- Dictation for developers
Sources
All checked on 12 October 2026.