Superwhisper vs MacWhisper: Dictation or File Transcription?

The Superwhisper vs MacWhisper choice comes down to the job you have, because the two apps do different things. Superwhisper is a dictation app: you talk, and the text appears in whatever app you're typing in. MacWhisper is mainly a transcription app: you give it audio or video files (or a meeting), and it turns them into text on your Mac.

• Pick Superwhisper if you want to speak instead of type, in any app, and you may also want it on Windows, iPhone or Android.
• Pick MacWhisper if you have recordings to transcribe (interviews, lectures, voice memos, video) and want subtitle or document exports for a one-time price.
• Use both if you do both jobs. Each has a free tier, so you can test before paying.

We make Gubb, a notes app that includes voice-to-text into its own notes. Neither app compared here is ours, but weigh our view accordingly; we've tried to be fair to both.

Superwhisper vs MacWhisper at a glance

Details are as of November 2026, from each app's site and published reviews.

What each app does

Superwhisper describes itself as AI voice to text for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. You dictate in any app, with a choice of offline or cloud transcription, 100+ languages and custom AI modes. One review also mentions per-app modes. On the Mac it includes a Meetings feature.

MacWhisper, from developer Jordi Bruin (Goodsnooze), transcribes audio and video on your own computer using Whisper and other speech models. It also does dictation and meeting transcription. Version 15 added real-time meeting transcripts with speaker identification (beta), folders, a share-menu option and Shortcuts support. Version 15.2, released around September 23, 2026, recognizes up to 8 speakers, adds the Qwen3-ASR model and works with Apple Intelligence, Siri and Spotlight on macOS 27.

If you're new to the speech model both names refer to, our explainer on what OpenAI Whisper is covers the basics.

Dictation: speaking into any app

This is Superwhisper's job. The product is built around talking into the app you're already using, such as an email, a chat window or a document, and its custom AI modes change how that output is handled.

MacWhisper does include dictation. Its free tier lists "basic dictation," and version 14.2 added a microphone picker in the menu bar. But dictation is a secondary feature there, and the reviews we have don't describe AI modes or per-app behavior for it.

If dictation is the main reason you're shopping, Superwhisper is the more focused tool of the two. Before paying for either, check whether Apple Dictation covers you: it's free, built into macOS, and on Apple silicon Macs it processes supported languages on your device without an internet connection. Our guide to using dictation on Mac shows how to set it up.

File and meeting transcription

This is MacWhisper's job. You give it an audio or video file and get a transcript back, processed on your Mac. What matters for this work:

• Exports: the free tier exports TXT, SRT and VTT (SRT and VTT are subtitle formats). Pro adds DOCX, PDF and Markdown, according to one review.
• Editing: version 14 added an Editor View for correcting transcripts.
• Batch work: Pro can transcribe several files in one go.
• Speakers: version 15.2 identifies up to 8 speakers, which helps with interviews and panel recordings. Speaker recognition needs Pro.
• Meetings: real-time meeting transcription arrived in version 15, labeled beta.

Superwhisper's official description and the reviews we checked focus on live dictation and its Meetings feature. We didn't find file transcription in those sources, so if you mainly have recordings to process, check Superwhisper's site before assuming it handles them. For files, MacWhisper is the safer pick.

For meetings, both apps now have something. Superwhisper's Meetings is Mac only, and our sources don't describe it in detail. MacWhisper's meeting transcription is still in beta and includes speaker identification, though speaker recognition needs Pro. If meetings are your main use, check what each free tier includes and test on a real call before you pay.

Platforms and Mac requirements

If you work across a Mac and a Windows PC, or want the same dictation tool on your phone, Superwhisper covers all four platforms. MacWhisper is a Mac app.

Hardware matters for Superwhisper's offline mode. Intel Macs work best with its cloud models, and its offline models only run really well on Apple silicon. Our sources give no equivalent guidance for MacWhisper, so test it with your own files on your own Mac using the free tier.

Privacy and offline use

Both apps can transcribe on your Mac without sending audio anywhere:

• Superwhisper works offline with local models. If you choose a cloud model, your audio is processed off your Mac. On an Intel Mac you may end up relying on cloud models for acceptable speed.
• MacWhisper transcribes on your device. Pro adds integrations with AI services; if you use those, check what gets sent where.

Pricing

We couldn't confirm either price on an official pricing page, so these figures come from several third-party sources that agree with each other. Check superwhisper.com and macwhisper.com before you buy. Prices are as of November 2026.

Superwhisper

• Free plan: small local Whisper models, 100+ languages, up to 3 custom modes and a 15-minute Pro trial (per one review).
• Pro: $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once for a lifetime license.
• Enterprise: custom pricing (per one review).

The lifetime license costs about the same as three years of the yearly plan. One review notes it went up from about $199.

MacWhisper

• Free tier: file transcription with local models, TXT/SRT/VTT export and basic dictation.
• Pro: €64 one-time with lifetime updates, bought directly (macwhisper.com or Gumroad).
• The Mac App Store version is a separate app called "Whisper Transcription" with its own pricing. One review puts its Pro Lifetime at $89.99 to $99.99, plus optional subscriptions.

Sources disagree on some MacWhisper figures: one says €65, older pages say $49 or $59, and one review mentions $8 and $24 monthly subscriptions.

What this means in practice: as a one-time purchase, MacWhisper Pro direct costs far less than Superwhisper's lifetime license. But they're priced for different jobs. If you dictate all day across several devices, Superwhisper's price buys cross-platform dictation that MacWhisper doesn't aim to replace. For a closer look at Superwhisper's plans, see Superwhisper pricing explained.

Where Gubb fits (and where it doesn't)

Gubb isn't a substitute for either app.

Gubb's Speech to Text records from your microphone and puts the transcript into the open Gubb note only. It does not type into other apps, it does not transcribe audio or video files, and it has no meeting transcription. Its local mode runs Whisper models you download in the app (Small at 480 MB, Medium at 1,500 MB, Large at 3,000 MB), is English only, and transcribes only the first 30 seconds of each recording.

Where it makes sense: you want short English voice notes captured into a scratchpad that also holds checklists, Kanban boards, clipboard history, timers and break reminders, for a one-time price ($59 lifetime as of November 2026, with a 7-day free trial of the direct Mac download). Our guide to dictating notes on Mac covers that narrower job. If you need dictation in every app or long transcripts, use Superwhisper, MacWhisper or Apple Dictation instead.

How to choose between Superwhisper and MacWhisper

• You want to talk instead of type in any app: Superwhisper. Try Apple Dictation first if basic dictation is enough and you're on Apple silicon.
• You have interviews, lectures or videos to transcribe: MacWhisper.
• You need subtitles (SRT or VTT): MacWhisper; those exports are in its free tier.
• You use Windows, Android or iPhone as well as a Mac: Superwhisper.
• You're on an Intel Mac and want fully offline dictation: test Superwhisper's free tier first, since its offline models run best on Apple silicon.
• You're on macOS 14 and don't plan to upgrade: current MacWhisper (15.x) needs macOS 15; Superwhisper needs macOS 14.
• You want a one-time price for transcription: MacWhisper Pro direct. For dictation with a one-time price, Superwhisper's lifetime license exists but costs more.

If you're still deciding on a dictation tool, our best dictation app for Mac roundup and Superwhisper alternatives cover more options, including free ones.

FAQ

Can I use Superwhisper and MacWhisper together?

Yes. They overlap only partly, so a sensible split is Superwhisper for everyday dictation and MacWhisper for recorded files. Both have free tiers, so you can try the combination before paying for either.

Do both apps work without internet?

Both can transcribe on your Mac with local models. Superwhisper also offers cloud models, which need a connection and process your audio off your Mac.

Which one supports more languages?

Superwhisper lists 100+ languages. Our sources don't give a language count for MacWhisper, so check its site if you work in a less common language.

Is MacWhisper on the Mac App Store the same as the direct version?

The App Store version is sold separately under the name "Whisper Transcription," with different pricing. Decide where you want to buy before paying.