Dictano

A SuperWhisper alternative that keeps the engine and drops the subscription

SuperWhisper deserves credit: it proved Mac users would rather run Whisper on their own machine than stream their voice to a server. If you are here, you probably agree with that premise and dislike something else about it. Usually one of three things: the $8.49/month subscription (or the $249.99 lifetime), the settings maze, or the subscription lapsing mid-sentence.

Dictano keeps the part that matters, local Whisper large-v3-turbo transcription, and removes the rest. One hotkey. Auto language detection. Text typed at your cursor. $29 once, with a 30-day refund.

SuperWhisper's homepage with downloads for Mac, Windows and iOS

A green check marks the winner of each row:

DictanoSuperWhisper
TranscriptionWhisper large-v3-turbo, on-deviceWhisper family + Parakeet + cloud models, on-device or cloud
Privacy✓ Always local, no accountLocal if you pick local models
Price✓ $29 one-time (30-day refund)$8.49/mo or $249.99 lifetime
Setup✓ Install, grant mic, dictateChoose models, modes, settings
AI text rewritingNo, on purpose✓ Yes, via modes
File transcriptionNo✓ Yes
App size✓ 3 MBHundreds of MB
RequirementsApple Silicon, macOS 13+✓ Mac (Intel via cloud models), Windows, iOS

When SuperWhisper is still the right call

Honesty over conversion: if you rely on custom modes (say, dictation that auto-formats into email replies), transcribe audio files regularly, or want the companion iOS app, stay on SuperWhisper. Those are real features and Dictano does not clone them. Our bet is narrower: that most dictation users press one hotkey, talk, and paste, and should not pay a subscription or navigate model menus for that. If that describes your usage, the switch costs you nothing to test.

What you switch to: Dictano's entire interface in one menu bar menu, hotkey and history included

Switching takes two minutes

Still comparing the field? The full ranking is in our best dictation software for Mac guide, including the cloud apps like Wispr Flow.

Same engine, paid once

  • ✓ $29 once, no subscription
  • ✓ Works offline, audio never leaves your Mac
  • ✓ One hotkey, zero setup, no account
  • ✓ 30-day money-back guarantee

Get Dictano

Dictano in action

SuperWhisper alternative questions

Is Dictano really the same engine as SuperWhisper? +
Both run models from the Whisper family on your Mac. Dictano ships with large-v3-turbo, which SuperWhisper offers as one of its model options. For plain dictation accuracy they are equivalent; SuperWhisper differentiates on modes and configurability, not on a better engine.
What does SuperWhisper have that Dictano doesn't? +
Custom modes that post-process your text per context, a choice of several models including cloud ones, file transcription, and an iOS app. If you use those daily, SuperWhisper earns its price. If you do not, you are paying for features you skip.
Can I try Dictano without paying? +
No. There is no free trial: Dictano is a $29 one-time payment, never a subscription, and no account is needed. If it does not suit you, you have 30 days to ask for the money back.
Does SuperWhisper work without Apple Silicon? +
These days yes: SuperWhisper added Windows support and runs on Intel Macs using cloud models (their own site notes offline models only run well on Apple Silicon). Dictano is Apple Silicon only, because it is exclusively on-device.