Roundups

Best dictation apps for Mac

Each list is ranked for one need, so the order means something. Pepys Dictate is ours, and each page says so.

Best one-time purchase dictation apps for Mac
Seven dictation apps with a pay-once option, ranked by what the one payment gets you.
Best free dictation apps for Mac
Seven apps with a free way in, ranked by how much free dictation you actually get.
Best private dictation apps for Mac
Where each app processes your speech, in the vendor's own words, so you can match it to your risk.

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