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The best OpenWhispr alternatives

OpenWhispr is open source, free for local dictation, and growing into a meeting and notes platform. That is great if you want all of it. If you want a smaller tool, or one that reads text back, here are the alternatives.

By the SpeechBee team. Prices checked on 12 October 2026

  • SpeechBee
  • Spokenly
  • VoiceInk
  • superwhisper
  • MacWhisper
  • Wispr Flow
On this page
  1. What OpenWhispr does well
  2. OpenWhispr alternatives at a glance
  3. 1. SpeechBee
  4. 2. Spokenly
  5. 3. VoiceInk
  6. 4. superwhisper
  7. 5. MacWhisper
  8. 6. Wispr Flow
  9. Questions
  10. Keep comparing
  11. Sources

What OpenWhispr does well

OpenWhispr is MIT-licensed and runs on Mac, Windows, Linux and iOS. Local dictation with its offline models is unlimited and free. The free plan also includes 2,000 OpenWhispr Cloud words a week, 5 hours of meeting recordings a month, bring-your-own-key cloud transcription, a custom dictionary and speaker labels. Pro is $80 a year per user ($6.67 a month) for unlimited cloud transcription, Agent Mode, 20 hours of meetings, sync, API and MCP access and the iPhone and iPad app. Business is $160 a year with unlimited meetings and chat over your data. It lists HIPAA, ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II and GDPR on its homepage.

OpenWhispr alternatives at a glance

AppPriceProcessingMeetingsPlatforms
OpenWhisprFree, Pro $80/yrLocal, or cloudYesMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone
SpeechBee$9/mo, $79/yr, or $99 onceOn deviceNoMac, iPhone, iPad
SpokenlyFree, Pro $99.99/yrLocal, cloud optionalNoMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone
VoiceInk$25 once for 1 MacLocalNoApple silicon Mac, iPhone
superwhisper$8.49/mo, $84.99/yr, or $249.99 onceLocal or cloudYesMac, Windows, iPhone, Android
MacWhisperFree, Pro €64 onceLocalYesMac, iPhone, iPad
Wispr Flow$15/mo or $144/yrCloudNotetaker on Mac and WindowsMac, Windows, iPhone, Android

1. SpeechBee

Voice to text
New message

Hi Maya, I'll send the revised proposal tomorrow morning.

SpeechBee's listening indicator on Mac
Hold your key, talk, let go. The text lands at the cursor.
Text to speech
Article

Most people read faster than they speak. SpeechBee reads the sentence you selected out loud, while you keep working.

SpeechBee's Read Aloud player on Mac
Select text, press your reading key, listen.

SpeechBee is ours and deliberately narrow. Hold a key, talk, and your words appear at the cursor in any app with filler words removed. Select text and press another key, and a natural voice reads it aloud. Both run on your device, with no cloud mode to switch on, and dictation works offline after a one-time model download.

It has a dictionary and snippets, 25 languages by default or up to 99 on Mac with Whisper, and one plan for Mac, iPhone and iPad. 7 days free, then $9 a month, $79 a year, or $99 once.

2. Spokenly

Free local Whisper and Parakeet models with no cap and no account, free bring-your-own-key cloud models, and a local-only mode that blocks network requests, on Mac, Windows, Linux and iPhone. Pro is $99.99 a year.

3. VoiceInk

Open source like OpenWhispr, but Mac-focused and paid once: $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three. Local models, custom words, replacements and voice editing of selected text. Needs Apple silicon and macOS 14.4 or later.

4. superwhisper

superwhisper matches OpenWhispr's breadth, with dictation, meetings and file transcription, and adds deep custom modes with your choice of AI model. Local Whisper models offline, cloud optional, one license on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. Free tier with unlimited local models, Pro $8.49 a month or $249.99 for life.

5. MacWhisper

If your use of OpenWhispr is mainly meetings and audio uploads, MacWhisper is the specialist. It records calls without a bot, labels speakers, exports subtitles and documents, and transcribes locally. Free version, Pro €64 once, on Mac, iPhone and iPad.

6. Wispr Flow

Cloud dictation with polished cleanup and a meeting Notetaker on Mac and Windows. Free plan with 2,000 words a week on desktop, Pro $15 a month or $144 a year. See our Wispr Flow review.

Try SpeechBee 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.

Download for MacGet it for iPhone & iPad

Questions

Is OpenWhispr free?

Local dictation is free and unlimited. The free plan also includes 2,000 cloud words a week and 5 hours of meeting recordings a month. Pro is $80 a year per user.

Is OpenWhispr open source?

Yes. OpenWhispr lists its license as MIT on its pricing page.

What is the best OpenWhispr alternative for Mac only?

For local dictation plus Read Aloud, SpeechBee. For open source and a one-time price, VoiceInk.

Keep comparing

Sources

All checked on 12 October 2026.