Yes. Spokenly's local Whisper and Parakeet models are free with no word cap, no time limit and no account, and you can also connect your own API keys without paying Spokenly anything. What costs money is Spokenly Pro, which adds Spokenly's own cloud models, hosted AI cleanup, sync and priority support for $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, as of 3 October 2026. The app itself is proprietary, not open source.
Publisher note: SuprFlow publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Competitor details come from each company's own pages, checked on 3 October 2026. Prices and features change; confirm before you buy.
What does the free version of Spokenly include?
Spokenly's pricing page has two free options. Its FAQ answers "Is Spokenly really free?" with: "Yes. On-device Whisper and Parakeet models are free forever with no word caps, no trial clock, and no credit card."
As of 3 October 2026, from the plan comparison on that page:
| Feature | Local Models ($0) | Your API Keys ($0 to Spokenly) | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited offline dictation, 100+ languages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| High-accuracy cloud models | No | Through your keys | Included |
| Real-time cloud streaming | No | Through your keys | Included |
| AI text cleanup and Agent Mode | Apple Intelligence | Your LLM key | Included |
| Sync settings across devices | No | No | Yes |
| Priority support | No | No | Yes |
| Notch recording interface | No | No | Yes |
The page sums it up as "Everything local is free forever in every plan. Pro only adds the cloud." The local option is listed with "No account needed".
Where does free stop?
- Spokenly's own cloud models and hosted cleanup. These are Pro. The FAQ says Pro adds managed cloud transcription with models such as GPT-4o Transcribe, Deepgram Nova 3 and Soniox, plus hosted AI text processing.
- Your own keys are not free overall. Spokenly charges nothing on top, but the FAQ says "You pay the provider directly at their usage rates."
- Sync, priority support and the notch interface are Pro only.
- AI cleanup on the free local plan goes through Apple Intelligence, per the comparison table, so it depends on what your Mac supports.
If you want the free route to stay on your device, Spokenly documents a Local Only Mode; Is Spokenly safe? explains what it blocks.
Is there a trial or a refund for Pro?
There is no trial clock on the free side, so the local models are the way to try the app. For Pro bought on spokenly.app, the pricing FAQ says it "comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee": email [email protected] within 14 days for a full refund. App Store purchases are refunded by Apple. You can cancel from the billing portal or App Store settings and keep Pro to the end of the paid period; see How to cancel Spokenly Pro.
What do you pay next?
As of 3 October 2026, read from the pricing page with its billing toggle on each setting:
| Pro billing | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $9.99 a month |
| Yearly | $99.99 a year (shown as $8.33 a month, "2 months free") |
The FAQ says verified students get 50% off Pro, and a Team plan gives several seats a permanent 30% discount. Spokenly pricing has a three-year cost table.
What are the other free options?
- Apple Dictation. Built into macOS: choose Apple menu → System Settings → Keyboard, go to Dictation and turn it on, per Apple's Dictation guide (macOS 27; on older versions look for Dictation in Keyboard settings). Apple says there is no timeout on length, and it stops after 30 seconds without speech. How to use voice to text on a Mac has the steps.
- Superwhisper Free and Handy. Also free with local models; Handy is open source. See Best free dictation app for Mac and Handy vs Spokenly.
Where does SuprFlow fit?
SuprFlow, which publishes this page, is not free: $125 for lifetime access on up to five Macs you own, no subscription, and a 7-day refund on a first purchase, with no free tier or trial. Speech recognition runs on the Mac with an on-device model, and Default formatting is local cleanup of punctuation, capitalization and numbers. Since Spokenly already gives you local dictation for free, SuprFlow is the wrong choice unless you have tried Spokenly and prefer how SuprFlow works on your Mac. It is also wrong if you need Windows, Linux or iPhone. SuprFlow vs Spokenly compares them.
Questions people ask
Is Spokenly free forever?
Spokenly's pricing page lists the local models at "$0 forever" and says they have no trial clock. Any company can change its pricing, so check the page.
Do I need an account to use Spokenly for free?
Not for local models. The pricing page lists "No account needed" under Local Models.
Is Spokenly open source?
No. Spokenly's open source statement says it is not open source and is not available on GitHub.
Is Spokenly free on Windows and iPhone?
The comparison table lists apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS on the free Local Models plan as well as on Pro.
Related guides
- Spokenly pricing
- Is Spokenly worth it?
- Is Spokenly safe?
- What is Spokenly?
- Spokenly alternatives
- How to cancel Spokenly Pro