Choose Spokenly if you want local dictation for $0 with no time limit, an app on Windows, Linux and iPhone too, and one switch that blocks the app's network access. Choose VoiceInk if you want source code you can read under GPL v3 and are happy to pay $25 once for a ready-made Mac app, with lifetime updates and no subscription. Both transcribe on your Mac with local models, both let you add your own cloud keys, and neither forces you into the cloud. The real difference is the business model: VoiceInk charges once for the app, Spokenly gives the local app away and charges a subscription for its cloud features.
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.
Who should pick which?
- You want to pay nothing, ever: Spokenly's local models. VoiceInk is free only if you build it from source.
- You want to read or build the code: VoiceInk. Spokenly says it is not open source.
- You hate subscriptions but want a ready-made app: VoiceInk, $25 once for one Mac.
- You want managed cloud models without your own keys: Spokenly Pro.
- You also use Windows, Linux or an iPhone: Spokenly covers all three; VoiceInk lists an iOS app but no Windows or Linux app.
- You have an Intel Mac: VoiceInk says it works only on Apple Silicon. Check Spokenly's download page for your Mac.
How do VoiceInk and Spokenly compare?
As of 3 October 2026. VoiceInk details are from its pricing page, site, privacy policy and GitHub README. Spokenly details are from its pricing page, Local Only Mode documentation, privacy policy and open-source statement.
| VoiceInk | Spokenly | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | One-time: $25 (1 Mac), $39 (2), $49 (3), "Lifetime of updates" | Local models and your own keys: "$0 forever". Pro: $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month |
| Free route | Free trial of the compiled app, or build it yourself under GPL v3 | Local Whisper and Parakeet models, unlimited, no account |
| Source code | GPL v3 on GitHub; not accepting pull requests | "Not open source and does not have a public GitHub repository" |
| Local models | Whisper and Parakeet, among others listed in the README | Whisper and Parakeet |
| Cloud transcription | Optional, with your own provider; audio goes to that provider | Your own keys free, or Pro's managed cloud models |
| AI cleanup | Optional AI enhancement: "Only the transcribed text (never audio) is sent to your selected provider" | Apple Intelligence on the free plan, your own LLM key, or Pro's hosted cleanup |
| Network block | No single switch described | Local Only Mode blocks all network activity except model downloads and localhost |
| Platforms | Apple Silicon Mac; an iOS app | macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux |
| Mac requirement | Pricing page: macOS 14.4 or later. README: macOS 15.0 or later | Not stated on the pages we read |
| Extras | Personal dictionary, app-aware Modes, screen context, AI assistant | Agent Mode; sync across devices on Pro |
| Refund | "14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked" | 14-day money-back guarantee on Pro bought on spokenly.app |
The two VoiceInk pages disagree on the minimum macOS version. If your Mac runs macOS 14, use the trial before you pay.
How do their privacy controls differ?
Both keep speech on the Mac when you use a local model.
VoiceInk's privacy policy, updated 27 September 2026, says "By default, all transcription processing happens entirely on your device using local AI models", and that VoiceInk does not store your transcriptions or audio on its servers. If you turn on cloud transcription, audio goes to that provider. If you turn on AI enhancement, only the text goes. Because the source is public, a developer can check how this works, though a download is only proven to match the code if you build it yourself. Is VoiceInk safe? covers licence activation and updates.
Spokenly's privacy policy says that with local models your audio recordings and transcriptions "never leave your device". Its Local Only Mode disables "all network activity except local model downloads", allows localhost, and blocks the "anonymous analytics" the app otherwise sends. If you pick an online model with it on, "transcription fails because network requests are blocked", which makes a wrong setting obvious. Spokenly is proprietary, so you rely on its description. Is Spokenly safe? goes further.
We have not audited either app's network traffic.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Spokenly local models | $0 | $0 |
| VoiceInk built from source | $0 | $0 |
| VoiceInk Solo, 1 Mac | $25 | $25 |
| VoiceInk Extended, 3 Macs | $49 | $49 |
| Spokenly Pro, yearly | $99.99 | $299.97 |
| Spokenly Pro, monthly | $119.88 | $359.64 |
Your own API keys cost nothing to either app, but the provider bills you. Spokenly Pro buys something VoiceInk does not sell, managed cloud models and sync, so VoiceInk's $25 against Spokenly's free tier is the like-for-like test. VoiceInk pricing and Spokenly pricing cover discounts and refunds.
Choose VoiceInk if…
- You want open-source code and a ready-made app for a small one-time price.
- You only use Apple Silicon Macs.
- You want a personal dictionary and app-aware modes without a subscription.
- You are comfortable adding your own keys for any cloud step.
Choose Spokenly if…
- You want unlimited local dictation that costs nothing.
- You want one switch that blocks network access.
- You also use Windows, Linux or an iPhone.
- You want cloud models without managing keys, and accept a subscription for them.
How do you test both in 15 minutes?
VoiceInk's trial and Spokenly's free tier are enough. Use made-up content.
- Install both (4 minutes). Grant Microphone and Accessibility. Download one local model in each and note its name. Give the two apps different shortcuts.
- Keep it local. In VoiceInk, confirm the model is local and AI enhancement is off. In Spokenly, turn on Local Only Mode.
- Dictate in your mail app (3 minutes). "Hi Teodora, the invoice is 2,815 dollars, not 2,518. Order 6402 ships Friday the 19th, sorry, Monday the 22nd. Copy Ms. Abernathy-Osei."
- Check both names, both amounts, the order number and the corrected date.
- Turn Wi-Fi off and repeat (3 minutes). Both should keep working.
- Try your jargon (5 minutes). Add misses to each app's dictionary or vocabulary and retry.
If they tie, the free one wins unless you want the source code.
A third option
Both already give you local dictation for $25 or less, so most readers do not need anything else. 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 and no trial. It is the wrong choice if you want the lowest price or source code (VoiceInk), a free tier, a network switch, or Windows, Linux or phone apps (Spokenly). SuprFlow vs VoiceInk and SuprFlow vs Spokenly compare them.
Questions people ask
Is Spokenly a free VoiceInk alternative?
Yes for local dictation. Spokenly's pricing page lists local Whisper and Parakeet models at "$0 forever" with unlimited use. VoiceInk costs $25 once unless you build it yourself.
Is VoiceInk or Spokenly more private?
Both keep speech on the Mac with local models. VoiceInk lets you read and build the code. Spokenly offers Local Only Mode, which blocks network access including its analytics.
Does either app have a subscription?
VoiceInk does not; its licences are one-time. Spokenly's local use is free, and Pro is a subscription at $99.99 a year as of 3 October 2026.
Can I use my own OpenAI or Groq key in both?
Yes. Both describe optional cloud processing with a provider you choose. Spokenly charges nothing for using your keys; the provider bills you.
Related guides
- VoiceInk pricing
- Spokenly pricing
- VoiceInk alternatives
- Spokenly alternatives
- VoiceInk vs Superwhisper
- Superwhisper vs Spokenly