Pepys Dictate and Willow Voice
A Willow Voice alternative that runs on your Mac
Willow Voice is a subscription with cloud processing by default and compliance for teams. Pepys Dictate is a one-time Mac app that recognizes speech on the machine.
Is Pepys Dictate a good Willow Voice alternative?
Choose Pepys Dictate if you want dictation that runs on your Mac for $9.99 once, with no subscription and no account. Choose Willow Voice if you need Windows or iPhone support, SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA support (BAA on higher tiers), or team administration. Willow processes in the cloud by default.
Willow Voice turns speech into formatted text in any text field, and it adds Scribe, a mode where you describe what you want written. Its help center says it uses cloud-based AI models, and its security page says it runs on cloud infrastructure in the United States. It also advertises an Offline mode for Mac and iOS.
Pepys Dictate takes the opposite default. Speech recognition and formatting run on your Mac, there is no account, and the price is one payment. The trade is reach: Dictate is Mac only and has no team or compliance features, which is where Willow is the stronger choice. The sections below set out both sides.
Pepys Dictate and Willow Voice, side by side
Willow Voice 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 | Willow Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 once, plus tax where applicable, up to 3 Macs. Not a subscription. | Subscription that renews automatically. Pro shows $15 and $12 per user per month on its pricing page, which does not label monthly versus annual; its help center says $15 monthly with 20% off annual billing. Business shows $35 and $28 a month, also unlabeled, with no matching help-center figure. Enterprise is custom. |
| Free plan | 2,000 words a week, smart formatting and all 25 languages, on 1 Mac. After that, one free dictation a day until Monday. | Per its pricing page, Basic (Free): unlimited use of a weaker model (Frontier Mini), limited personalization and 20 Scribe uses a week. No card needed. |
| Where speech is processed | On the Mac. No cloud transcription, and audio and text are not uploaded by default. | Cloud by default: its help center says cloud-based AI models, and its security FAQ says cloud infrastructure in the United States. |
| Works offline | Runs on the Mac. It goes online only to download models once, activate a licence key and check for updates. | An Offline mode is advertised for Mac and iOS, and its help center lists offline dictation under the paid plan. How it works is not documented on the pages we read. |
| Platforms | Mac only: Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later. No Windows, iPhone, iPad or Android. | Mac, Windows and iPhone. Android is listed as coming soon. Minimum macOS version is not stated on the pages we read. |
| Languages | 25: English plus 24 other European languages. Smart formatting covers English, German, French and Spanish. | 100+ languages, with switching between them. |
| Text cleanup and writing help | Spoken corrections, lists, numbers and filler-word removal, formatted by our own on-device model. | Removes filler words, fixes punctuation, formats, and learns your writing style. Scribe drafts or rewrites text from a spoken instruction. |
| Customization | Personal dictionary (10 words free, unlimited in Pro), per-app styles, polished mode and tones. | Auto-learning dictionary, saved text shortcuts, and different writing styles per app. |
| Team and admin | No team or admin features. | Business and Team plans: centralized billing, shared team dictionary and shortcuts, a management dashboard, and Billing Admin, Admin and Member roles. |
| Compliance | No SSO or compliance certifications. | SOC 2 Type II, audited by an independent firm, with the report under NDA. HIPAA support with a BAA on higher tiers. SAML SSO, SCIM, MSA and DPA on Enterprise. |
| Data-training policy | Audio and text are not uploaded by default. An opt-in usage event with no content is off until you turn it on. | States voice and text are not used to improve AI models without consent. Privacy Mode is on by default, and an opt-in setting lets it retain anonymized recognized text, not audio. |
Where Pepys Dictate is different
Speech is recognized on your Mac
Dictate runs speech recognition and formatting on the Mac, with no cloud transcription, and audio and text are not uploaded by default. Willow processes in the cloud by default, per its help center. Its Offline mode exists, but how it works is not documented on the pages we read.
One payment, no account
Dictate is $9.99 once for up to 3 Macs, with no account and no renewal date. Willow is a subscription priced per user per month that renews automatically unless you cancel.
Two different free plans
Dictate's free plan is a stated word allowance: 2,000 words a week, with smart formatting and all 25 languages. Willow's free plan, per its pricing page, is unlimited use of a weaker model with Scribe capped at 20 uses a week.
Where Willow Voice is the better choice
Windows, iPhone and one account
Willow works on Mac, Windows and iPhone with a shared account, and lists Android as coming soon. Dictate is Mac only, so a mixed-device team or a Windows desktop rules it out.
Compliance, privacy and team controls
Willow offers SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA support with a BAA on higher tiers, SAML SSO and SCIM on Enterprise, and MSA and DPA paperwork. It also states Privacy Mode is on by default and that voice and text are not used to improve AI models without consent. Its team tiers add centralized billing, a shared dictionary and shortcuts, roles and a management dashboard. Dictate has no team features or compliance certifications, so it may not meet a procurement checklist. One Pro licence covers up to 3 Macs.
Prompts into coding tools and a learning dictionary
Willow lets you dictate prompts into Cursor, Claude Code or Codex and reads code context so identifiers come through correctly. It also has an auto-learning dictionary and saved text shortcuts. Dictate has a personal dictionary and per-app styles.
Scribe, style matching and 100+ languages
Willow can draft or rewrite text from a spoken instruction, learns your writing style, and covers more than 100 languages. Dictate formats what you say in 25 languages.
Choose Pepys Dictate if
- Speech recognition and formatting should run on your Mac, with no cloud transcription.
- Paying $9.99 once beats a monthly subscription for you.
- Your devices are up to 3 Apple silicon Macs, and you need no Windows, iPhone or team features.
- A free plan with 2,000 words a week and smart formatting is enough to start.
Choose Willow Voice if
- Windows or iPhone has to work alongside your Mac, on one shared account.
- Compliance or a stated privacy policy is a requirement: SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA with a BAA, SSO or SCIM, or Privacy Mode on by default.
- Shared team dictionaries, admin roles and centralized billing are on your list.
- Scribe drafting and rewriting from a spoken instruction, dictating prompts into Cursor, Claude Code or Codex, or 100+ languages would help.
Common questions about Willow Voice and Pepys Dictate
Is Pepys Dictate a good Willow Voice alternative?
Choose Pepys Dictate if you want dictation that runs on your Mac for $9.99 once, with no subscription and no account. Choose Willow Voice if you need Windows or iPhone support, SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA support (BAA on higher tiers), or team administration. Willow processes in the cloud by default.
How much does Willow Voice cost?
Its pricing page shows Pro at $15 and $12 per user per month, and Business at $35 and $28 a month, without labeling monthly versus annual. Its help center says Pro is $15 monthly with 20% off annual billing, and has no matching figure for Business. Enterprise is custom, and plans change. Pepys Dictate Pro is $9.99 once, plus tax where applicable.
Does Willow Voice have a free plan?
Yes. Per its pricing page, Basic (Free) gives unlimited use of a weaker model, limited personalization and 20 Scribe uses a week, with no card needed. Its help center describes different plan names and limits, so check the pricing page. Pepys Dictate's free plan is 2,000 words a week.
Does Willow Voice process my voice in the cloud?
By default, yes. Its help center says it uses cloud-based AI models, and its security FAQ says cloud infrastructure in the United States. It advertises an Offline mode for Mac and iOS, but how that works is not documented on the pages we read. Pepys Dictate has no cloud transcription.
Is Willow Voice HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 certified?
Willow states SOC 2 Type II, audited by an independent third party, with the report available under NDA. It states HIPAA support with Business Associate Agreements on higher tiers. Wording on which tier varies across its pages, so confirm with Willow. Pepys Dictate has no compliance features.
Does Willow Voice work on Windows?
Yes. Willow lists Mac, Windows and iPhone, with Android coming soon on its pricing page. Pepys Dictate is Mac only: Apple silicon and macOS 13 or later.
Does Willow Voice train on my data?
Willow states your voice and text are not used to improve AI models without your consent, and Privacy Mode is on by default. An optional opt-in setting lets it retain anonymized recognized text, not audio. Pepys Dictate does not upload audio or text by default.
Where these facts came from
- Willow Voice pricing (read October 5, 2026)
- Willow pricing plans overview (help center) (read October 5, 2026)
- Willow security (read October 5, 2026)
- How Willow protects your data (help center) (read October 5, 2026)
- Willow dictation features (read October 5, 2026)
- Willow for developers (read October 5, 2026)
- Willow Enterprise (read October 5, 2026)
- Willow privacy policy (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