Early bird$39 now · $59 after launchGet it at $39
Talkloom.
Download for Mac
Compared

An Apple Dictation alternative worth paying for

Apple Dictation is free, built in, and on-device for most text on a modern Mac. So the only question worth answering is what $39 buys you that it does not.

If Apple Dictation already does what you need, keep it and spend the $39 on something else — we would rather say that than sell you a second copy of a free feature. What Talkloom buys is a larger speech model, punctuation that survives a long sentence, every language regardless of region, and the same behaviour in every app.

TalkloomApple Dictation
Where transcription runsOn your MacOn your Mac, for most text
Works with no connectionYesYes, for supported languages
Price$39 onceFree, built into macOS
If you stop payingNothing to stop. The version you bought keeps working.There is nothing to pay.
Free tierFirst 10 dictationsAll of it
Account requiredNoNo
PlatformsmacOS 13+, Apple siliconBuilt into macOS, iOS and iPadOS
Team and admin featuresNoNo
Meeting notetakerNoNo

Why people look for an alternative to Apple Dictation

  • It hears short sentences well and long ones less well. Technical words, names and run-on thoughts are where a small model gives up and a large one does not.
  • Apple is explicit about the limits: “Dictation is not available in all languages or regions, and features may vary.” Which languages you get depends on your region and your Mac. Talkloom carries more than 99 in one download, everywhere.
  • Punctuation has to be spoken, the shortcut is a function key rather than a gesture you can do mid-sentence, and what you get differs between apps.
  • What you get varies by app. A dictation key that behaves one way in Notes and another in a terminal is a key you stop trusting mid-sentence.

The rest of the field

Every Mac dictation app we have actually checked, with the figure each one advertises. The last column is the cheapest way in, not the top tier.

AppBest forPlatformsWhere it runsFrom
TalkloomDictating into any app, offline, without a subscriptionmacOS 13+, Apple siliconOn your device$39 once
Wispr FlowDictating across Mac, Windows and phones, with a meeting notetakerMac, Windows, iOS, AndroidTheir servers$12/month
SuperwhisperPower users who want modes, prompts and their own API keysMac, Windows, iOS and AndroidYour device, or theirs$8.49/month
MacWhisperTranscribing files, meetings and podcasts, not only dictatingmacOSYour device, or theirs€64 once
Aqua VoiceCloud dictation with custom instructions and a team planmacOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidTheir servers$8/month
VoiceInkPeople who want the source code and one small paymentmacOS, iOSOn your device$25 once
SpokenlyWindows and Linux users who want a free local optionMac, Windows, Linux, iPhoneYour device, or theirsFree
Apple DictationShort, casual dictation when you would rather install nothingBuilt into macOS, iOS and iPadOSOn your deviceFree

Talkloom is our app, which is why it is the first row. Here is who should buy one of the others instead.

When Apple Dictation is the better buy

  • It costs nothing and it is already installed. If it works for you, this is the end of the comparison.
  • You dictate a few short things a week — a message, a search box, a note. A larger model is not going to change that.
  • You have an Intel Mac. Apple Dictation runs on it; Talkloom needs Apple silicon, M1 or later.
  • You want dictation on your iPhone and iPad too, with nothing to install or buy.

When Talkloom is the better buy

  • You dictate paragraphs, not phrases, and you are tired of fixing the punctuation afterwards.
  • You switch languages, or the one you use is not well served where you live.
  • You want the same behaviour in every app — editor, terminal, browser, chat — with your clipboard put back the way you left it.
  • You want a gesture you can hit mid-thought: double-tap Ctrl, talk, double-tap again.

Switching from Apple Dictation takes about two minutes

  1. 1Download Talkloom and drag it to Applications. There is no account to create and no key to enter — the first ten dictations are free.
  2. 2Grant the microphone and accessibility permissions it asks for. Accessibility is the one that lets it type into the window you are already in.
  3. 3Pick your language in Settings, or leave it on automatic. Naming the language is worth a little accuracy if you always dictate in the same one.
  4. 4Leave Apple Dictation installed while you try both. Talkloom does not touch its settings, and dictation is a habit worth testing on your own work before you commit to anything.

Questions

Why pay when Apple Dictation is free?

Often you should not. If you dictate short things occasionally, Apple Dictation is the right answer and $39 is wasted. The case for paying is volume: long dictation, technical vocabulary, languages that are not well covered where you are, and wanting the same result in every app.

Is Talkloom really more accurate?

It runs a much larger speech model than a built-in feature can afford to keep resident, on your Mac’s GPU, and it punctuates a long sentence rather than a short one. The gap is small on “remind me to call Dave” and large on a paragraph of technical prose. Your microphone still matters more than either.

What about languages Apple Dictation does not cover?

Apple states it directly: “Dictation is not available in all languages or regions, and features may vary.” Talkloom carries more than 99 languages in one model download, detected automatically or pinned in Settings, and none of them depend on your region.

Do both work with no internet?

Broadly yes. Apple processes most text on device for supported languages. Talkloom needs a connection once, to download the model and activate the licence, and never again.

Is one more private than the other?

Both keep the audio on the Mac in normal use. Apple’s own note is worth reading in Keyboard settings, because what is processed on device depends on the language and where you are dictating. Talkloom has no server side at all, so the answer does not vary.

Is there a Windows version of Talkloom?

Not today. Talkloom is macOS 13 or newer on Apple silicon — M1 and later.

Do I have to turn Apple Dictation off?

No. They use different shortcuts and can sit side by side — the microphone key for Apple’s, a double-tap of Ctrl for Talkloom. Use both for a week and keep whichever you reach for.

Can I try Talkloom before paying?

The first ten dictations are free, with no key and no account. If it is not for you after buying, email support within 14 days and we refund in full.

Download for Mac

macOS 13+, Apple silicon · $39 one-time · first ten dictations free

Apple Dictation figures checked on September 23, 2026 against Dictate messages and documents on Mac. Prices change; if something here is out of date, email support@talkloom.app and we will fix it. Apple Dictation is a trademark of its owner and is not affiliated with Feelians.