DictaVoice to Text App
Most voice to text apps send your audio to the cloud, rewrite your words with AI, and charge $12-20/month. Dicta does the opposite: local processing, verbatim output, $5.90/month.
What makes a good voice to text app
There are dozens of voice to text apps. The differences that matter come down to three questions:
Where does your audio go?
Cloud apps send audio to servers for processing. Local apps keep everything on your device. For private content — client calls, legal notes, medical records — this matters.
Do you get your exact words?
Some apps rewrite what you said using AI. For AI prompts, code comments, and technical writing, you need the text to match what you actually said.
Does it fit your workflow?
The best voice to text app is the one you actually use. Global shortcuts, paste-at-cursor, works in any app — or it'll collect dust.
Cloud apps vs local processing
Built for AI builders
Dicta is used by developers and AI power users who dictate into Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, and other tools daily.
- Dictate AI prompts — speak full context into Cursor or Claude instead of typing fragments
- Bug reports with detail — describe what happened while it's fresh
- Architecture decisions — think out loud and capture the reasoning
- PR descriptions — explain the "why" in 30 seconds of talking instead of 5 minutes of typing
- Meeting follow-ups — record key takeaways right after a call
Questions
What is the best voice to text app?
It depends on your platform and needs. On Mac, Dicta offers private, on-device voice to text with verbatim output and no timeout. Cloud-based apps offer AI rewriting but send your audio to servers. Apple's built-in dictation is free but limited to ~60 seconds.
Is there a free voice to text app for Mac?
macOS includes free built-in dictation (System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation). It has a ~60-second limit and sends audio to Apple servers. Dicta offers a free 7-day trial with no card required, then costs $5.90/month or $29/year.
Can a voice to text app work offline?
Yes. Dicta processes all audio on your Mac's hardware and works fully offline. Most cloud-based voice to text apps require an internet connection to function.
How accurate are voice to text apps?
Modern speech models are highly accurate for clear speech in supported languages. Dicta uses a local model optimized for macOS that handles technical terms, product names, and conversational speech. The key difference is whether the app gives you verbatim output or AI-rewritten text.
Mac-specific guides: Voice to text on Mac · Speech to text on Mac · Dictation software
Voice to text that respects your privacy.
Local processing. Verbatim output. Works in any app on your Mac.
Download free for macOS