Is Monologue safe? Remote processing, local mode and privacy

Monologue is a commercial dictation app from Every Media, Inc. that sends your audio to its processing service by default, which its docs call "the recommended default". On an Apple silicon Mac it also offers a local mode, but that covers only the speech-to-text step: Monologue's docs say "Smart formatting may still require a network connection." Its privacy policy makes clear promises, including no AI training on your audio or transcripts and no server storage unless you turn it on, and names Groq, Fireworks and OpenRouter as its AI providers. We found no published audit report, so for regulated work you would need to ask Monologue directly.

Publisher note: SuprFlow publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Competitor details come from each company's own pages, checked on 1 October 2026. Prices and features change; confirm before you buy.

This page reports what Monologue's own pages say. It is not a security audit, and we have not tested Monologue's network traffic.

What do Monologue's own pages say?

As of 1 October 2026. The privacy policy shown was effective 31 October 2025.

Does Monologue's local mode keep everything on the Mac?

No, only the speech-to-text step. Monologue's processing guide says local mode "can produce a raw transcript without a network connection", that "The speech-to-text step runs locally", and that "Smart formatting may still require a network connection." It also warns that local accuracy "may be lower than remote transcription", and its platform page says "Remote transcription remains the recommended option for most people."

In practice that gives you three situations:

Local transcription is Mac-only. The permissions page says remote transcription and iPhone or iPad dictation send audio to Monologue's servers.

What can Monologue see on your screen?

Only what you allow. Its permissions page lists Microphone, Accessibility (for shortcuts and inserting text) and an optional Screen capture permission on the Mac that "Lets Deep context use supported on-screen content to improve a result." Leave that permission off and Deep context cannot use your screen. The privacy policy says it will not allow screen capture or OCR unless you turn it on.

The same page gives advice worth following in any dictation app: "Do not dictate passwords, authentication codes, API keys, or other secrets."

What do Monologue's pages not say?

• How long its AI providers keep data, in their own terms. Monologue says they follow a zero-data-retention approach and links to their policies. Read those if your work requires it.
• How Voice Notes are stored. Its web app guide says you can open a note on the web "after the note syncs", with its transcript and recording. The privacy policy does not describe where synced notes are kept. Ask Monologue before recording sensitive notes.
• What smart formatting sends in local mode. The docs say it "may" need a connection but do not list exactly what text or context goes out.
• Audits and agreements. We found no SOC 2 report, DPA or BAA on the pages we read.

How can you check for yourself?

1. Download from monologue.to. How to check a signed Mac release shows how to see who signed the app you installed.
2. Review permissions in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Leave the screen capture permission off unless you want Deep context.
3. Switch to local under Settings → Dictation → Transcription source, choose Local and download the model, as the processing guide describes.
4. Check Data & Privacy settings. Monologue's permissions page says you can delete local transcripts there and choose whether to share transcripts for quality improvements. It notes that deleting local transcripts is different from deleting your account.
5. Run a network test with fictional text. Turn off Wi-Fi and dictate "Call Dana Whitlow about invoice 4471 for 2,950 dollars on Friday." In local mode you should get raw text. Repeat it online and compare, to see what smart formatting adds.

When is Monologue a reasonable choice, and when does something else fit better?

Monologue is a reasonable choice when cloud processing in the United States is allowed for your material, you want dictation plus Voice Notes across Mac, iPhone and iPad, and its written no-training and no-storage promises meet your needs. Its local mode is a useful fallback when you are offline.

Something else may fit better if:

• Audio and text must both stay on the Mac. Monologue's local mode keeps audio local, but formatting may go online.
• Your reviewer needs an audit report or a BAA. Wispr Flow's security overview lists a SOC 2 Type II report and a BAA, though it processes audio in the cloud. See Is Wispr Flow safe?.
• You need Windows or Android. Monologue lists Apple devices only.

SuprFlow is one Mac-only option where both speech recognition and Default formatting run on the Mac; Default is local cleanup of punctuation, capitalization and numbers. Optional Cloud API formatting sends transcript text, not audio, to a provider you configure. It still uses the network for licence checks, model downloads, updates and usage telemetry, has no iPhone app, Voice Notes or meeting notes, no audit report, and costs $125 once with no free tier. SuprFlow vs Monologue compares them.

Questions people ask

Is Monologue legit?

Yes. It is operated by Every Media, Inc., with a published privacy policy, public help documentation and a support address, [email protected].

Does Monologue train AI on my voice?

Its privacy policy says it will not train AI models on your PII, audio or transcripts, and uses transcripts to improve the service only if you turn that on.

Does Monologue work offline?

Partly. Local mode on an Apple silicon Mac can produce a raw transcript without a connection. Smart formatting may still need the internet.

Can I delete my Monologue data?

The permissions page says you can delete local transcripts in Data & Privacy settings. For account deletion, the privacy policy says to email [email protected] with "Delete Account" in the subject line.

Related guides

• Wispr Flow vs Monologue
• Monologue alternatives
• SuprFlow vs Monologue
• Local vs cloud formatting
• On-device dictation vs no internet
• Is Wispr Flow safe?

Sources

• Monologue — Privacy Policy (effective 31 October 2025)
• Monologue Docs — Languages and processing models
• Monologue Docs — Permissions and privacy
• Monologue Docs — Where Monologue is available
• Monologue Docs — Use Notes on the web
• Monologue Docs — Index
• Wispr Flow Help Center — Security and privacy overview