Choose FluidVoice if you want a free, open-source Mac app with several local speech models, including Parakeet, and an optional local AI cleanup model, all at no cost and with no account. Choose Superwhisper if you want the same tool on Windows, iPhone and Android, meeting recording and file transcription, cloud models without managing API keys, or a vendor that offers a SOC 2 report and a BAA. Both can transcribe on your Mac. The deciding questions are which devices you use, which macOS version you run, and whether you will pay for Pro.
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.
We have not run a controlled benchmark of either app, so nothing here says which is more accurate or faster.
Who should pick which?
- You want open source: FluidVoice, under GPLv3. Superwhisper's pages do not describe it as open source.
- You want Parakeet or other non-Whisper local models for free: FluidVoice. In Superwhisper, Parakeet and Cohere Transcribe are Pro.
- You run macOS 14: Superwhisper. FluidVoice needs macOS 15 or later.
- You also use Windows, iPhone or Android: Superwhisper. FluidVoice's Windows build is a pre-release and its iOS app is on a waitlist.
- You record meetings or transcribe files: Superwhisper Pro.
- A reviewer wants audit documents: Superwhisper.
How do Superwhisper and FluidVoice compare?
As of 3 October 2026. FluidVoice details are from its download page and GitHub repository. Superwhisper details are from its plans page, introduction, quickstart, voice models page and compliance page.
| Superwhisper | FluidVoice | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan; Pro $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once | Free, with no paid tier; GitHub Sponsors for support |
| Source code | Not described as open source | GPLv3. The optional Fluid Intelligence cleanup runtime is "privately maintained" |
| Mac requirement | macOS 14 or later; "Intel Macs work best with Cloud models" | macOS 15.0 or later; Intel Macs through Whisper models from 1.5.1 |
| Other platforms | Windows 10 or 11, iOS, Android | Windows 0.0.10 pre-release; iOS on a waitlist |
| Free local speech models | Every Whisper model | Nemotron Speech 3.5, Parakeet Flash, Parakeet TDT v3 and v2, Cohere Transcribe, Apple Speech, Whisper |
| Pro-only local models | Parakeet and Cohere Transcribe | None; nothing is paid |
| AI cleanup | AI modes on Pro, with cloud or local models or your own keys | Optional local Fluid Intelligence, or OpenAI, Groq or a custom provider with your own key |
| Beyond dictation | Meeting recorder with speaker separation, file transcription (Pro) | Command Mode for controlling the Mac by voice, Write Mode for rewriting text |
| Analytics | Usage analytics, documented on its security pages | One anonymous activity signal per day sent weekly; detailed anonymous analytics on by default, can be turned off |
| Audit documents | SOC 2 report under NDA, DPA, BAA | None found |
| Refund | 30 days from purchase on superwhisper.com | Not applicable; it is free |
How do they handle privacy?
Both describe local transcription as the core. Superwhisper's introduction says "Local voice models transcribe without an internet connection", and its plans page says that on the Free plan "nothing you dictate leaves your device". Its cloud models and some AI processing do go online, so on Pro you check each mode's settings. Is Superwhisper safe? goes further.
FluidVoice's README says "Your voice, audio, and transcribed text never leave your machine unless you explicitly opt in to a cloud AI provider." It also lists what its analytics send: a random installation ID, the date, app version and platform each day, plus, with detailed analytics on, feature and model usage totals and onboarding progress. It says it never collects voice, audio, transcribed text, clipboard or typed content. You can switch off detailed analytics under Settings → Share Detailed Anonymous Analytics; the weekly activity batch still goes.
Superwhisper backs its claims with paperwork: its compliance page says its SOC 2 report is available "through the Trust Center under NDA", offers a DPA, and says healthcare organisations can sign its BAA. FluidVoice backs its claims with public source code, with one exception: Fluid Intelligence, the local cleanup model, is a separate runtime the project keeps private "so we can sustainably offer the core dictation experience for free". Does open-source dictation prove privacy? explains what each kind of evidence tells you.
What does each cost over three years?
List prices as of 3 October 2026, one person, USD, before tax.
| Option | Year 1 | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| FluidVoice | $0 | $0 |
| Superwhisper Free | $0 | $0 |
| Superwhisper Pro, annual | $84.99 | $254.97 |
| Superwhisper Pro, Lifetime | $249.99 | $249.99 |
Cloud AI with your own key in FluidVoice, or in Superwhisper Pro, is billed by the provider. Superwhisper's plans page says buying in the iPhone or Android app costs more than on its website. Superwhisper pricing covers refunds and discounts.
Choose Superwhisper if…
- You run macOS 14, or you need Windows, iPhone or Android apps today.
- You record meetings or transcribe audio files.
- You want cloud models and AI modes without opening accounts with providers.
- Your organisation needs a SOC 2 report, DPA or BAA.
Choose FluidVoice if…
- You want free, open-source dictation with no account.
- You want Parakeet, Nemotron or Cohere models without paying.
- You want AI cleanup that runs on the Mac at no cost.
- You want to control your Mac by voice with Command Mode.
How do you test both in 15 minutes?
Both are free to start. Use made-up content.
- Install both (4 minutes). Grant Microphone and Accessibility. Superwhisper's default shortcut is Option-Space; give FluidVoice a different one. Note which local model each uses. FluidVoice's download page currently offers a beta build; check the releases page if you prefer a stable one.
- Turn off anything cloud. In Superwhisper, confirm the mode's voice model is local. In FluidVoice, leave cloud AI providers unset.
- Dictate in your mail app (3 minutes). "Hi Annika, the delivery was 5,280 boxes, not 5,820. Invoice 3307 is due Tuesday the 14th, sorry, Wednesday the 15th. Copy Dr. Nwachukwu-Berg."
- Check both names, both numbers, the invoice number and the corrected date.
- Turn Wi-Fi off and repeat (3 minutes). Both should keep working with local models.
- Try your jargon (5 minutes). Add misses to each app's vocabulary and retry.
Fewer corrections in the apps you use decides it.
A third option
Both apps already offer free local dictation, so most readers do not need to pay anyone. SuprFlow is a paid, proprietary Mac app for Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later: hold Fn, speak, release, and text from an on-device model is pasted at the cursor, with local cleanup of punctuation, capitalization and numbers. It costs $125 once for up to five Macs you own, with a 7-day refund on a first purchase. It is the wrong choice if you want open source or a free tool (FluidVoice), phone or Windows apps, meeting recording or file transcription (Superwhisper), voice control of the Mac, or an Intel Mac. SuprFlow vs FluidVoice and SuprFlow vs Superwhisper compare them.
Questions people ask
Is FluidVoice really free?
Yes. Its download page says it is free under GPLv3, with "No sign-up, login or product account" before your first dictation. Only the optional Fluid Intelligence runtime is kept private, and it is still free to use.
Does FluidVoice work on an Intel Mac?
Yes, through Whisper models from version 1.5.1, on macOS 15 or later. Its faster models target Apple Silicon. Superwhisper says Intel Macs "work best with Cloud models".
Is FluidVoice a free Superwhisper alternative?
For dictation on a Mac running macOS 15 or later, it covers the core job and includes models Superwhisper charges for. It has no meeting recorder, file transcription or phone app, which Superwhisper does.
Do Superwhisper and FluidVoice work offline?
Yes, with local models after they are downloaded. Cloud models and cloud AI providers need a connection.
Related guides
- SuprFlow vs FluidVoice
- Superwhisper pricing
- Superwhisper alternatives for Mac
- Open-source Wispr Flow alternatives
- Is Superwhisper safe and local?
- Superwhisper vs Spokenly
Sources
- FluidVoice — Download
- FluidVoice — GitHub repository and README
- FluidVoice — Releases
- Superwhisper Docs — Plans and Pricing
- Superwhisper Docs — Introduction
- Superwhisper Docs — Quickstart
- Superwhisper Docs — Voice models
- Superwhisper Docs — Compliance and Trust
- Superwhisper — official site and FAQ
- Superwhisper — Refund Policy