Pepys Dictate and Superwhisper
A Superwhisper alternative for Mac, $9.99 once
Superwhisper is the deeper tool: custom modes, cloud AI models, meeting recording and four platforms. Pepys Dictate is the narrower one: Mac only, 25 languages, with recognition and formatting on the Mac.
Is Pepys Dictate a good Superwhisper alternative?
Choose Pepys Dictate if you want dictation on a Mac with speech recognition and formatting running on the device, for $9.99 once. Choose Superwhisper if you want custom AI modes, cloud model choice, 100+ languages, meeting recording, or Windows, iOS and Android.
Superwhisper can run fully locally. Its docs say that with local models nothing you say leaves your device, and local voice models transcribe without a connection. Its plans docs also list a one-time Lifetime licence at $249.99, alongside Pro at $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year.
Where the two differ is depth. Superwhisper is built around modes: each mode picks its own models, and custom modes add your own prompts. It can send audio to cloud models under a stated zero-data-retention policy. Pepys Dictate has a narrower job: speak, and get clean text at the cursor, with recognition and formatting on the Mac. Pro is $9.99 once.
Pepys Dictate and Superwhisper, side by side
Superwhisper facts come from its own pages, read on October 5, 2026. Where something is not publicly stated, the cell is a dash.
| Feature | Pepys Dictate | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Pro is $9.99 once, plus tax where applicable. | Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once as a Lifetime licence (per its plans docs). |
| Free plan | 2,000 words a week with smart formatting and all 25 languages. A 7-day trial of everything on each install. | Unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, up to two modes without AI processing. New users get 3,000 words of Pro features. |
| One-time purchase | Yes. $9.99 once, up to 3 Macs. | Its plans docs list a $249.99 Lifetime licence that covers all devices. The homepage price card is unclear. |
| Where speech recognition runs | On your Mac, with no cloud transcription. Audio and text are not uploaded by default. | Your choice per mode. Local models stay on-device; cloud models process audio on servers under a stated zero-data-retention policy. |
| Works offline | Yes. Recognition and formatting need no connection once the models are downloaded. | Yes with local voice models. Offline AI formatting needs the local S1-mini model; other AI processing needs internet. |
| Platforms | Mac only (Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later). | macOS 14 or later, Windows 10 or 11, iOS and Android. Apple silicon is not required, though offline models run best on it. |
| Languages | Dictation in 25 languages. Smart formatting in English, German, French and Spanish. | 100+ languages across S1-Voice and multilingual Whisper models. |
| Text cleanup and AI modes | A small on-device model removes fillers, applies spoken corrections and formats lists and numbers. | Modes such as Message, Mail and Super, plus custom prompts, using named models like GPT, Claude, Llama and Gemini. AI modes need Pro. |
| Customization | Personal dictionary, per-app styles, polished mode and tones. | Custom vocabulary, text replacements, unlimited custom modes and modes that activate for chosen apps. |
| Meetings and files | No meeting recording and no file transcription. | Meeting recorder captures system audio and writes a summary with action items. System audio recording is a Pro feature. File transcription: not covered on the pages we read. |
| Team and compliance | No team, admin, SSO or compliance features. | Enterprise adds SAML SSO, SCIM and usage analytics. SOC 2 report under NDA, signable DPA and BAA. |
Where Pepys Dictate is different
Dictation at the cursor, in any Mac app
With Pepys Dictate you hold or tap a shortcut, speak, and formatted text lands at the cursor in whatever app you are in. Superwhisper lets you choose models and modes, which gives it more control over how text is processed.
Local by design, not by setting
Superwhisper can be fully local, with cloud models available per mode. Pepys Dictate does speech recognition and formatting on the Mac, with no cloud transcription. An optional advanced setting can send a transcript to an AI provider you configure, and it is off by default.
A smaller one-time price
Pepys Dictate Pro is $9.99 once, far less than the Lifetime licence listed in Superwhisper's plans docs, with unlimited words, an unlimited dictionary and up to 3 Macs. You give up Windows, phones and the mode system.
Smart formatting built in
Dictate understands spoken corrections like "Friday, no wait, Monday", turns "forty two thousand dollars" into a dollar figure, and handles "new paragraph". It does this with its own formatting model, in about a tenth of a second on Apple silicon.
Where Superwhisper is the better choice
Depth and control
Superwhisper's custom modes let you pick the voice model, the AI model and your own prompt, and activate them for chosen apps. Pro also supports your own API keys, and cloud models such as GPT, Claude and Gemini are available. In Dictate, an AI provider is an optional setting that is off by default.
Languages, platforms and Intel Macs
Superwhisper supports 100+ languages and runs on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android under one licence. On a Mac it does not require Apple silicon, though offline models run best on it. Dictate is Mac only, needs Apple silicon and covers 25 languages.
A free plan with no word cap
Superwhisper's Free plan keeps unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, with up to two modes without AI processing. Dictate's free plan is 2,000 words a week, then one free dictation a day until Monday.
Meetings and coding agents
Its meeting recorder captures system audio from calls and produces a structured summary with decisions and action items. Its coding-agent integrations for Claude Code, Cursor and Codex let you answer agent prompts by voice. Dictate has neither.
Choose Pepys Dictate if
- You want speech recognition and formatting on your Mac, with cloud AI only if you turn on the optional AI-provider setting yourself.
- You want to pay $9.99 once rather than the $249.99 Lifetime licence listed in Superwhisper's plans docs.
- You want spoken corrections, lists and numbers formatted by an on-device model.
- You use an Apple silicon Mac and dictate in English or another European language.
Choose Superwhisper if
- You want custom AI modes with your own prompts, your own API keys and a choice of voice and language models.
- You dictate on Windows, iPhone or Android as well as a Mac, or you use an Intel Mac.
- You want unlimited local dictation on a free plan, 100+ languages, or meeting recording with summaries.
- Your organisation needs SAML SSO, a BAA or a SOC 2 report.
Common questions about Superwhisper and Pepys Dictate
Is Pepys Dictate a good Superwhisper alternative?
Choose Pepys Dictate if you want dictation on a Mac with speech recognition and formatting running on the device, for $9.99 once. Choose Superwhisper if you want custom AI modes, cloud model choice, 100+ languages, meeting recording, or Windows, iOS and Android.
How much does Superwhisper cost?
Per its plans docs, Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once as a Lifetime licence. Pro, Annual and Lifetime have the same features, and one licence covers all devices. Students and educators get 40% off, which must be requested before purchase and is not available on App Store purchases. Pepys Dictate Pro is $9.99 once, plus tax where applicable.
Is Superwhisper free?
Yes, with limits. Its Free plan gives unlimited dictation with local Whisper models and up to two modes without AI processing. New users also get 3,000 words of Pro features before it falls back to Free. Pepys Dictate's free plan is 2,000 words a week.
Does Superwhisper work offline, and is it private?
Yes with local voice models: its docs say nothing you say leaves your device in that case. Cloud models send audio to servers under a stated zero-data-retention policy, and Superwhisper says that data is not used to train AI models. Pepys Dictate processes on the Mac unless you turn on its optional AI-provider setting.
Is there a Superwhisper lifetime licence?
Yes. Its plans docs list a Lifetime licence at $249.99 once, alongside the $8.49 monthly and $84.99 annual plans. Its homepage price display is unclear, so check the docs before buying. Pepys Dictate Pro is $9.99 once, plus tax where applicable.
Does Pepys Dictate have modes like Superwhisper?
Not in the same sense. Dictate has per-app styles, a polished mode and tones, and a personal dictionary. It does not record meetings or transcribe files. Superwhisper's custom modes add your own prompts and a choice of models per mode.
Where these facts came from
- Superwhisper plans and billing docs (read October 5, 2026)
- Superwhisper introduction docs (read October 5, 2026)
- Superwhisper model guide (read October 5, 2026)
- Superwhisper quickstart and system requirements (read October 5, 2026)
- Superwhisper sensitive data policy (read October 5, 2026)
- Superwhisper coding-agent integrations (read October 5, 2026)
Products change. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
Compare more dictation apps
Try Pepys Dictate on your Mac
Free for 2,000 words a week, or $9.99 once, plus tax where applicable, for unlimited use on up to 3 Macs. Speech recognition and formatting run on your Mac.
Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later. More about Pepys Dictate