Superwhisper is a local-first dictation app for macOS, Windows, and iOS, with a free tier of small models and optional cloud models. MacWhisper is a Mac-only transcription app for files, meetings, and system audio, with dictation as a secondary feature. WhisperJot, our app, is dictation-first across Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Facts come from each vendor's public pages, linked in Sources. The date above is the earlier of the two registry checks.
| Feature | Superwhisper | MacWhisper | WhisperJot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where audio is processed | On-device with local models or through optional cloud models. Pro users can use their own AI API keys, with separate provider token costs. | On the Mac by default. Users who enable an optional cloud provider with their own API key send content to that provider. | On your device by default with Jot Local or Jot Local Pro. Jot Cloud is optional and opt-in behind explicit consent, used only while selected, and audio is never stored on our servers. |
| Works fully offline | Yes, with local models on Apple Silicon. The vendor says Intel Macs work best with cloud models and that offline models only run really well on Apple Silicon. | Yes, for local transcription. Cloud transcription and AI features require a connection when an optional provider is enabled. | Yes, with Jot Local or Jot Local Pro on every supported platform after a one-time model download (about 500 MB on Mac, around 600 MB on Windows and Linux). |
| Platforms | macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel, Windows 10/11 on x64 and arm64, and iOS; no Linux or Android app. | macOS only. There are no Windows, Linux, or Android versions. | macOS 14+ on Apple Silicon and Windows 10+ x64 are stable; Debian/Ubuntu Linux on x64 and arm64 is beta. |
| Price | $8.49/month, $84.99/year, or $249.99 once for Lifetime. The annual plan costs less than WhisperJot. Enterprise pricing is custom. | Free tier, or €64 once for Pro with lifetime updates through the direct-purchase version. | $99/year flat; no free tier. |
| Free trial or tier | A 15-minute Pro trial, followed by a free tier forever with unlimited use of small AI models. | A perpetual free tier with unlimited local transcriptions using smaller Whisper models. | No free tier; a 30-second browser demo is available. |
Usage limits. Unlimited use on the free and paid plans; the free tier is limited to small AI models, while Pro adds larger local and cloud models.
Models and file transcription. Larger local models, cloud models, and audio or video file transcription require Pro. Pro also adds translate-to-English and support for own API keys.
Dictation vs file transcription. Transcription-first: built primarily for audio and video files, meetings, and system audio. System-wide dictation is a secondary feature.
Dictation tools. Shortcut-based dictation works in any text field in the direct-purchase app. AI grammar and tone post-processing requires Pro and the user's own OpenAI API key.
You want dictation with local models and a forever free tier.
You need Windows or iOS, not a Mac-only app.
You want Pro file transcription, translate-to-English, or your own API keys.
Your main job is local file, meeting, and system-audio transcription on a Mac.
You want a €64 one-time Pro license with lifetime updates.
You want batch processing, speaker recognition, automations, and a CLI.
You want one $99/year plan that includes local engines on every supported platform.
You need a Linux beta, which neither Superwhisper nor MacWhisper offers.
You want custom vocabulary and per-app tone without a third-party API key.
Superwhisper has a genuinely free tier with unlimited use of small models and an annual plan that costs less than WhisperJot. It also offers a lifetime license, an iOS app, and audio and video file transcription with Pro. Its privacy policy says it does not collect audio, transcripts, personally identifiable information, or usage data, train on user data, or retain data on servers. The policy does not separately describe data flows for optional cloud models or user-supplied API keys.
MacWhisper is an excellent fit for Mac users whose main job is local file and meeting transcription. It offers a generous perpetual free tier, a €64 one-time Pro license with lifetime updates, and strong privacy defaults. Its transcription toolkit includes batch processing, speaker recognition, meeting and system-audio recording without bots, many export formats, automations, and a command-line interface.
Superwhisper works fully offline with local models on Apple Silicon; its vendor says Intel Macs work best with cloud models. MacWhisper works fully offline for local transcription; cloud transcription and AI features need a connection when an optional provider is enabled. WhisperJot's local engines work fully offline on supported Mac, Windows, and Linux systems after the first model download.
MacWhisper is the more specialized choice, with drag-and-drop audio and video, batch processing, speaker recognition, many export formats, automations, and a command-line interface. Superwhisper adds audio or video file transcription on Pro, alongside translate-to-English. WhisperJot includes meetings transcription, but its primary workflow is dictating into the focused desktop app.
Superwhisper supports macOS, Windows 10/11, and iOS, with no Linux or Android app. MacWhisper is macOS only, with no Windows, Linux, or Android version. WhisperJot, our app, has stable macOS 14+ Apple Silicon and Windows 10+ x64 builds, plus beta Debian and Ubuntu Linux builds for x64 and arm64. It does not offer an iOS app.
Superwhisper costs $8.49 per month, $84.99 per year, or $249.99 once for Lifetime, plus a free tier with small models. MacWhisper has a perpetual free tier and a €64 one-time Pro license with lifetime updates. WhisperJot costs $99 per year with no free tier or lifetime option; its one plan includes unlimited dictation.
See the full WhisperJot comparison with Superwhisper or MacWhisper. For a three-way table, visit the dictation app comparison.
Sources, checked August 24, 2026: Superwhisper, Superwhisper pricing, Superwhisper privacy policy, Superwhisper for Windows, MacWhisper, MacWhisper dictation docs, MacWhisper privacy policy. Pricing and features change — check each vendor's site for the current numbers.
Use local transcription by default, or explicitly opt in to Jot Cloud when you select it.
