The best AI dictation apps, tested and ranked
For years they were slow and inaccurate — unless you spoke with a particular accent and enunciated clearly.
Advances in large language models (LLMs) and speech-to-text models have changed that, producing systems that can decipher speech more accurately while retaining enough context to format the text correctly. Developers have also built in features to automatically remove filler words, fix stumbles, and handle punctuation — outputting text that needs far fewer edits.
With dozens of such apps now on the market, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best and most useful dictation apps available right now.
Wispr Flow
Wispr Flow is a well-funded AI dictation app that lets you add custom words and instructions for dictation. It has native apps for macOS, Windows, and iOS; an Android version is in the works.
The app lets you customize how it transcribes your text by choosing from “formal,” “casual,” and “very casual” styles for different kinds of writing, such as personal messaging, work, and email. And if you use it with vibe-coding tools like Cursor, you can turn on a feature to automatically recognize variables or tag files in the chat.
The app lets you transcribe up to 2,000 words per week for free on desktop, and 1,000 words per month on iOS. Paid subscription plans offer unlimited transcription and start at $15 per month.
Image Credits:Wispr Flow
Willow
Willow advertises itself as a big time-saver for those who don’t like to type. Alongside common features like automatic editing and formatting, the app uses large language models to generate a full passage of text from just a few dictated words.
Willow also takes a more privacy-focused approach by storing all transcripts locally on your device and lets you opt out of model training entirely. It also lets you add custom vocabulary to help it adapt to your industry’s terminology, or your local dialect.
Image Credits:Willow
Willow lets you dictate 2,000 words per month on its desktop app for free. Individual subscription plans start at $15 per month, unlocking unlimited dictation and enabling the app to remember your writing style.
Monologue
If privacy if your priority, Monologue lets you download its AI model directly to your device for transcriptions, keeping your data off the cloud entirely.
What’s more, the app lets you customize its tone depending on the app you use it with.
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