Wispr Flow transcribes in the cloud on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android, with a word-capped free plan. Dragon Professional v16 runs recognition locally on a Windows PC, with a one-time perpetual license and a deep command and correction workflow. WhisperJot, our app, is local by default across Mac, Windows, and Linux for $99/year.
Facts come from each vendor's public pages, linked in Sources. The date above is the earlier of the two registry checks.
| Feature | Wispr Flow | Dragon Professional v16 | WhisperJot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where audio is processed | In the cloud. Wispr Flow states that transcription always occurs in the cloud. | Locally on the PC in Dragon Professional v16. Related Dragon Professional Anywhere and Dragon Medical One products are cloud-hosted. | 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 | No. All dictation requires an internet connection. | Yes. Desktop v16 recognition works offline; internet is used for download, activation, and updates. | Yes, with the local engines. |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android; no Linux app. | Windows only, optimized for Windows 11 and backwards-compatible with Windows 10. Dragon for Mac was discontinued in 2018, and Dragon Anywhere Mobile was discontinued in July 2026. | macOS 14+ on Apple Silicon and Windows 10+ x64 are stable; Debian/Ubuntu Linux on x64 and arm64 is beta. |
| Price | Free at $0 with word caps; Pro is $12/user/month billed annually or $15/user/month billed monthly; Enterprise pricing is custom. No one-time option. | From $699.99 one-time through authorized resellers; Nuance does not publish direct pricing. | $99/year flat; no free tier. |
| Trial and free access | The free plan needs no card. The default Pro trial is two weeks, while qualifying new desktop users start on the free plan instead. | No free version. The software permits five launches in trial mode before activation. | No free tier; a 30-second browser demo is available. |
Usage limits. Free: 2,000 words/week on desktop, 1,000/week on iPhone, and unlimited on Android. Pro includes unlimited dictation.
Dictation tools. Filler-word removal and formatting, a personal dictionary and snippets, per-app tone, 100+ languages, and Command Mode voice editing on Mac and Windows with Pro.
One-time or subscription. One-time perpetual license for Dragon Professional v16.
Voice workflow. Dictation into applications, custom voice commands and macros, a deep correction workflow, and an Auto Transcribe Folder Agent.
You need Mac, iPhone, or Android apps, not Windows-only software.
You want a free plan with no card before paying for Pro.
You want cloud formatting, snippets, and 100+ languages.
You want local Windows recognition with a mature command and macro workflow.
You prefer a one-time perpetual license over an annual subscription.
You work on Windows 11 or Windows 10 and do not need Mac or Linux.
You want local, offline dictation on Mac, Windows, and Linux, not Windows-only.
You want $99/year with unlimited dictation instead of a large upfront license.
You want custom vocabulary, voice commands, and per-app tone in one plan.
Wispr Flow has the widest platform coverage here, with Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android apps. It offers a genuinely free tier with no card, polished AI formatting and Command Mode, and support for more than 100 languages. The tradeoffs are that audio must leave the device for cloud transcription, there is no offline mode or Linux build, and unlimited desktop and iPhone use requires an ongoing Pro subscription.
Dragon Professional reflects decades of development and has a strong accuracy reputation. Its deep voice-command, macro, and correction workflow suits people who want extensive control over Windows applications, and desktop v16 processes speech locally. A one-time perpetual license may also appeal to buyers who prefer ownership over an annual subscription.
Wispr Flow states that transcription always occurs in the cloud, so dictation requires an internet connection. Dragon Professional v16 runs speech recognition locally on a Windows PC, so dictation works offline; internet is used for download, activation, and updates. WhisperJot's local engines work fully offline after a one-time model download (about 500 MB on Mac, around 600 MB on Windows and Linux).
Dragon Professional v16 starts at $699.99 as a one-time perpetual license through authorized resellers; Nuance does not publish direct pricing. Wispr Flow Pro is $12 per user per month billed annually. WhisperJot, our app, costs $99 per year with unlimited dictation. The better model depends on whether you prefer a lower annual cost or a larger upfront purchase.
Wispr Flow supports macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, with no Linux app. Dragon Professional v16 is Windows-only; Nuance discontinued Dragon for Mac in October 2018. WhisperJot, our app, supports macOS 14+ Apple Silicon and Windows 10+ x64, with Debian and Ubuntu Linux builds in beta.
Wispr Flow has a free plan with no card and a default Pro trial of two weeks, though qualifying new desktop users start on the free plan instead. Dragon Professional v16 has no free version; it allows five launches in trial mode before activation. WhisperJot has no free tier, but it offers a 30-second browser demo.
See the full WhisperJot comparison with Wispr Flow or Dragon Professional v16. For a three-way table, visit the dictation app comparison.
Sources, checked August 24, 2026: Wispr Flow pricing, Wispr Flow data controls, Wispr Flow plans (help center), Dragon Professional, Dragon Professional v16 reseller pricing, Dragon for Mac discontinuation notice. 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.
