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Voibe vs SpeechBee

Voibe and SpeechBee both sell themselves on private dictation for the Mac, and both have a lifetime option. The details differ: when your audio really stays on the Mac, what else goes online, what each costs, and what you get besides dictation.

By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Prices checked on 15 October 2026

  • SpeechBee
On this page
  1. Side by side
  2. What "local" means in each app
  3. Price
  4. What SpeechBee does that Voibe does not
  5. What Voibe does that SpeechBee does not
  6. Questions
  7. Keep comparing
  8. Sources

Side by side

VoibeSpeechBee
Dictation price$9.90/mo, $99/yr, or $199 once$9/mo, $79/yr, or $99 once
With meetingsWork: $19/mo, $149/yr, or $399 onceNo meeting transcription
Free optionFree plan with limited dictation, one device; 7-day trial of paid plans7 days free with every feature
Refund30 days30 days
Where speech is processedOn device on M1 or newer with On-Device mode; cloud on Windows and Intel MacsOn your device, always
AI formattingSends your text to a cloud serviceOptional, on your Mac with Apple Intelligence (macOS 26)
PlatformsMac, WindowsMac, iPhone, iPad
Read text aloudNoYes, with natural local voices
Translation as you speakNot listedYes, 20 languages, on your Mac (macOS 26)

What "local" means in each app

Voibe is upfront about this, which we appreciate. Its privacy overview says dictation is fully local only on an M1 or newer Mac, with On-Device selected and AI text formatting turned off. Turn AI formatting on and the finished text, not the audio, goes to a cloud service. On Windows and Intel Macs, cloud transcription is the default, and audio goes to providers that Voibe says delete it right after transcription.

Even in on-device mode, Voibe still goes online for license checks, usage analytics, crash reports and update checks. Its security page also says it does not have SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification yet.

SpeechBee transcribes on the device in every setup, because it only runs on Apple silicon Macs, iPhones and iPads. Audio stays in memory and is never uploaded or recorded. The optional writing modes run with Apple Intelligence on your Mac, and translation uses Apple's on-device translation. SpeechBee has no usage analytics or crash reporting. It does go online to check your plan and look for updates, and its privacy policy lists every connection it makes.

Price

For dictation alone, Voibe is $99 a year or $199 for a lifetime license. SpeechBee is $79 a year or $99 once, and that one purchase also covers your iPhone and iPad.

Lifetime price, in US dollars
  • Voibe Work, lifetime$399
  • Voibe Dictation, lifetime$199
  • SpeechBee Lifetime$99

Voibe's Work plan adds meeting transcripts, summaries, PDF export and a chat with your meetings. If you need those, compare Work with SpeechBee plus a meeting tool you already have.

What SpeechBee does that Voibe does not

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.
  • Read Aloud. Select text in any Mac app and press your reading key, and a natural voice reads it. Handy for proofreading what you just said.
  • iPhone and iPad apps and a voice keyboard, in the same purchase.
  • Writing modes such as Email, Notes and Prompt for AI, set per app, that run on your Mac.
  • Translation as you speak, between 20 languages, on the Mac.
  • Snippets, so a short phrase types a long block of text.

What Voibe does that SpeechBee does not

A Windows app, and meeting transcription with summaries on the Work plan. Teams of more than 10 seats get Enterprise pricing.

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 Voibe fully offline?

Only in some setups. Voibe says transcription is fully local on M1 or newer Macs with On-Device mode selected and AI formatting turned off. License checks, analytics, crash reports and update checks still use the internet.

How much does Voibe cost?

Voibe Dictation is $9.90 a month, $99 a year, or $199 for a lifetime license. Work, with meeting features, is $19 a month, $149 a year, or $399 once. There is a free plan and a 7-day trial.

Is SpeechBee cheaper than Voibe?

Yes. SpeechBee is $79 a year or $99 once, against $99 a year or $199 once for Voibe Dictation.

Does SpeechBee work on Intel Macs?

No. SpeechBee needs an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or newer) with macOS 14 or later. Voibe runs on Intel Macs, with cloud transcription.

Keep comparing

Sources

Checked on 15 October 2026.