superwhisper is the more powerful app, and this page says so plainly. VocoSafe AI is the smaller, cheaper one that never talks to a server at all.
Free to download. Manual dictation and file transcription have no time limit.
The short version. superwhisper does more: custom modes that switch by app, cloud models when you want them, an iPhone app, a Windows build. If you want the most capable dictation tool on the Mac and the price is not the issue, buy it.
VocoSafe AI is for the narrower case: you want dictation that has no cloud path to turn on by accident, you would rather not pay a subscription, and you would rather use the app in your own language.
| VocoSafe AI | superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud processing | None at all. There is no cloud model to select and no server to send audio to. The only network use is downloading your chosen model once, plus Apple’s receipt check. | Optional. Local models run on-device, cloud models (and BYOK LLMs) are available and need a connection |
| Speech engines | OpenAI Whisper, NVIDIA Parakeet, SenseVoice. All local | Whisper and Parakeet locally, plus cloud engines |
| Starts and stops on its own | Yes. On-device voice activation | Push-to-talk and per-mode shortcuts |
| Per-app modes and rules | No. One mode, one shortcut | Yes. Custom modes that switch by app or website, with their own prompts |
| Interface languages | 18. Including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian | English |
| Dictation languages | 100+, auto-detected | 100+ |
| Transcribing files | Yes, one audio file at a time today: WAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG, AIFF. Batch transcription, .txt export, video and M4A are submitted to Apple for review, not live yet. | Yes, plus speaker labeling |
| Where recordings are kept | Deleted right after transcription by default; keeping them is an explicit setting. Transcripts live in a local database. | Saved to local History by default; check where that folder is if you use iCloud Drive |
| Other platforms | macOS only. Windows is in progress, no iOS. | macOS, Windows and iOS on one license |
| Where you buy it | Mac App Store. Sandboxed, reviewed by Apple, refunded by Apple, family sharing | Direct from the developer |
| Requirements | Apple Silicon (M1-M5), macOS 15+. No Intel Macs. | macOS 13.3+; Intel Macs are best served by the cloud models |
| Free tier | Manual dictation, file transcription, history and basic grammar. No time limit | Unlimited use of the smaller local models |
A mode for email, another for Slack, another for code, switching by itself depending on what is in front of you. VocoSafe AI has one mode and one shortcut. This is superwhisper’s strongest feature, and VocoSafe AI has no answer to it.
iPhone, iPad and Windows on the same license. VocoSafe AI is macOS only today; the Windows version is being worked on and there is no iOS app.
VocoSafe AI needs Apple Silicon and there is no workaround. The models are built for the neural engine.
Sometimes a cloud model is simply more accurate, or you want an LLM in the loop. VocoSafe AI cannot do that, deliberately.
An app that can use the cloud has a setting that can be switched on, by you, by an update default, or by someone else using your Mac. VocoSafe AI has no such setting because it has no server. Block it in a firewall like LuLu and it keeps working.
The whole interface is translated into 18 languages, not just the speech recognition. Every alternative on this page ships an English-only interface.
superwhisper is priced as a professional tool and is worth it to professionals. VocoSafe AI costs a fraction of that, and its free tier is genuinely unlimited for dictation and file transcription. Compare the current figures yourself.
Bought on the Mac App Store: refunds handled by Apple, family sharing, a sandbox the OS enforces, and a review before every update. Some people care about that a great deal; if you do not, it is not an argument.
VocoSafe AI is free to download. Manual dictation, audio file transcription, history and basic grammar checking stay free with no time limit. PRO adds voice activation and the local AI grammar pass, as a monthly or yearly subscription or a one-time Lifetime purchase, with a one-month free trial. Current prices are on the pricing page.
superwhisper’s prices have changed more than once and differ by plan, so rather than quote a number that may already be stale, check their site.
The free tier is not a trial with a timer. Dictate with it for a week and see whether the extra features you would be paying for elsewhere are ones you use.
Download from Mac App StoreComparing something else? vs MacWhisper · vs VoiceInk
Comparison last verified August 2026 against publicly published information. superwhisper is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, VocoSafe AI. Features change, so check their site before you buy. Spotted something inaccurate here? Write to support@vocosafeai.com and it will be corrected.
