Checked 28 October 2026 · Sources linked below
Quiet Dictation vs Superwhisper
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TL;DR
- Both apps can transcribe on your own computer and work offline. On privacy, they are the two safest picks in this market.
- Choose Quiet Dictation for the lower price: $5 a month, $39 a year, or $79 lifetime at launch.
- Choose Superwhisper if you want to pick between local and cloud models per recording, or want its free tier to test accuracy first.
- Lifetime math: Superwhisper's lifetime plan is $249.99. Quiet Dictation's launch lifetime deal is $79.
The short answer
Superwhisper is the closest competitor to Quiet Dictation on the thing that matters most: it can transcribe with local models on your machine, so your audio does not have to leave it. If privacy is your reason for shopping, both belong on your shortlist. The differences are price and philosophy. Superwhisper lets you switch between local and cloud models per recording, which is flexible but means you need to pay attention to which mode you are in. Quiet Dictation is local only, always, and costs less on every plan: monthly, annual and lifetime.
Best for
| Use case | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Private, offline dictation | Tie | Both transcribe locally. Superwhisper only when you select a local model; Quiet Dictation always. |
| Lowest subscription price | Quiet Dictation | $5 a month or $39 a year, versus $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year. |
| Lowest lifetime price | Quiet Dictation | $79 launch deal versus $249.99. |
| Choosing local or cloud per recording | Superwhisper | Superwhisper lets you switch models. Quiet Dictation is local only by design. |
| A free tier to test accuracy | Superwhisper | Superwhisper has a free tier with limits. Quiet Dictation has a 14-day full trial instead. |
| Meeting transcription | Quiet Dictation | Quiet Dictation records and transcribes meetings locally as a built-in feature. |
Privacy: the honest picture
We will not pretend Superwhisper is a cloud app. It is not. With a local model selected, your audio stays on your machine and it works offline, and their site documents this clearly. The nuance is that Superwhisper also offers cloud models, and the choice is yours per recording. Quiet Dictation removes the choice entirely: there is no cloud mode, so there is nothing to misconfigure before a sensitive dictation.
Price
| Plan | Quiet Dictation | Superwhisper Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $5/month | $8.49/month |
| Annual | $39/year | $84.99/year |
| One-time | $79 launch lifetime | $249.99 lifetime |
| Free option | 14-day trial, no card | Free tier with limits |
On annual billing Quiet Dictation saves you about $46 a year. On lifetime, the gap is about $171.
Where Superwhisper is genuinely better
- A free tier, so you can check accuracy on your own voice before paying anything.
- A choice of local and cloud models per recording, useful if you sometimes want a bigger cloud model for a hard recording.
- A longer track record and a larger user community.
Where Quiet Dictation is genuinely better
- Price on every plan: monthly, annual and lifetime.
- Local only, always. No mode to check before you dictate something confidential.
- Built-in meeting recording and transcription.
- A personal dictionary that learns names and preferred spellings as you correct them.
Both apps respect your voice. The question is whether Superwhisper's flexibility is worth roughly double the subscription price to you. Quiet Dictation's 14-day free trial, no card needed, is the easy way to compare them on your own laptop.
Sources
Checked 28 October 2026. Prices in USD; taxes and regional prices may vary.
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