Dictation, recordings, and what comes next.
Both apps turn speech and recordings into text. Compare their costs, AI cleanup, and the workflows around the transcript.
| Feature | EnviousWispr | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free Dictation, file transcription and local AI polish. | Free + Pro Pro €64, one-time purchase on the official site. |
| Getting started | No account Install the app and download your models. | Download the app Activate a license for Pro features. |
| Where audio goes | Stays on your Mac Transcription always runs on-device. | Local available Choose local models to keep audio on your Mac. |
| Works offline | Yes After setup, with local transcription and polish models. | With local models Cloud services need an internet connection. |
| AI text cleanup | Local AI included Cloud polish also available with your own provider.¹ | Local or cloud AI Pro supports AI prompts and grammar improvement. |
| Workflow | Dictate & transcribe files Dictation into your apps, plus recordings you import. | Files, meetings & dictation Includes subtitle and batch workflows. |
| Languages | 99+ with WhisperKit Parakeet covers 25 European languages. | 100+ Model-dependent language support. |
| On Apple Silicon | M1 or later macOS 14+. Intel Macs are not supported. | Supported Local transcription uses your Mac. |
| App source code | Open source GPLv3. AI models have their own licenses. | Proprietary |
¹ EnviousWispr cloud polish sends selected text and cleanup context directly to your provider. Provider fees may apply. Apple Intelligence polish requires macOS 26+ and availability. Prices use the currencies shown; regional pricing and taxes may vary.
Sources: MacWhisper plans and features, official download listing, EnviousWispr features, requirements, and language support. MacWhisper facts are source-verified, not firsthand test results.
Free dictation and local AI cleanup.
Dictation, file transcription and local AI polish are free. Download your models once, then use them offline.
Hold a shortcut, speak, and release to insert text. Hands-free mode lets you start and stop with a tap. See dictation features.
Import an audio or video file, compare the original and cleaned transcript, then copy or save the result. See file transcription.
Check the audio and the text separately.
Audio transcription always runs on your Mac. Local polish keeps text processing there too. If you choose cloud polish, selected text and cleanup context go directly to your provider. Envious Labs does not receive your audio, transcripts or prompts.
Local speech models keep transcription on your Mac. MacWhisper also offers cloud services and supports local AI through tools such as Ollama and LM Studio. Check your selected models and providers before working with sensitive recordings.
Look at the work around your transcript.
Both apps import recordings. MacWhisper offers additional workflows that can matter more than the dictation itself.
MacWhisper offers timed subtitle export and speaker identification. EnviousWispr’s current file workflow produces a text transcript without individual speaker labels.
MacWhisper includes batch transcription, watched folders and meeting recording. Check its free and Pro feature lists for the workflow you need.
Accuracy and waiting time depend on your Mac, language, recording and models. Compare the same sample in both apps. This page does not present a head-to-head speed benchmark.
Common questions
Yes. Both offer dictation and file transcription. EnviousWispr includes free local AI polish on Apple Silicon Macs. MacWhisper offers additional subtitle, batch and meeting workflows.
Dictation, file transcription and local AI polish are free. No EnviousWispr account or subscription is required. Cloud providers may charge if you choose to use them. The app is open source under GPLv3; models have separate licenses.
Yes, after downloading your speech and local polish models. Your audio stays on your Mac. Cloud polish needs internet and sends selected text and cleanup context directly to your chosen provider.
Yes. MacWhisper supports system-wide dictation. Pro also offers grammar improvement and AI prompts.
EnviousWispr requires macOS 14 or later and Apple Silicon (M1 or later). Intel Macs are not supported. Apple Intelligence polish requires macOS 26 or later and availability.
EnviousWispr imports audio and video recordings and lets you copy or save the result as text. It does not export timed SRT or VTT subtitles. MacWhisper supports those subtitle formats.
Yes. EnviousWispr provides free on-device dictation and local AI cleanup on supported Macs. MacWhisper also has a free tier, with additional features in Pro.
Envious Labs does not receive your audio or transcripts. Audio transcription runs on your Mac. If you choose a cloud provider for text polish, that provider handles the selected text under its own terms.
You can choose a tool for each workflow: for example, EnviousWispr for everyday dictation and MacWhisper for subtitle or batch-transcription work. Both apps also support importing recordings.
The current EnviousWispr file-transcription workflow does not label individual speakers. MacWhisper offers speaker identification for recordings.
When clipboard restoration is on (the default), EnviousWispr saves your clipboard contents before a clipboard-based paste and restores them afterward, unless another app changes the clipboard in between. Direct text insertion never touches your clipboard at all.
Put your voice and recordings to work.
Free dictation and file transcription. macOS 14+, Apple Silicon. No account required.