Pick Superwhisper if dictation is the whole job and you want a refined app with custom modes, cloud or local models, and text that lands straight in the field you're typing in. Pick Whisperer if you want on-device dictation and bot-free meeting notes in one Mac app, using the AI you already pay for, for $2.99 plus $14.99 once.
The short version#
Superwhisper is one of the best-known dictation apps on the Mac. You choose a mode, speak, and Superwhisper turns your words into text, with optional AI rewriting through local or cloud models. It's polished, and it has been refined over several years.
Whisperer starts with dictation too. Hold Fn, speak, release, and the words stream in as you talk, in your language, detected automatically. The text is copied, and you paste it with ⌘V. Everything is transcribed offline, with Whisper on the Metal GPU by default and Parakeet, Qwen3 ASR and WhisperKit as other engines.
The $14.99 Pro purchase adds meeting detection, calendar recording, speaker names, AI notes, Ask AI, your own AI plan, and an MCP server so Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT can read your meetings. Superwhisper Pro also records meetings on the Mac, with system audio and speaker separation, so the two overlap more than they used to. The differences are in calendar recording, the AI you can use, and MCP.
Feature comparison#
| Whisperer | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Live dictation on your Mac | Yes | Yes |
| Text goes straight into the field | No, paste with ⌘V | Yes |
| Offline transcription | Yes | Yes, with local models |
| Custom AI modes and prompts | Partial (Fast Polish, prompt words) | Yes |
| Personal dictionary that learns from corrections | Yes | Partial (custom vocabulary and replacements) |
| File transcription | Yes | Yes (Pro) |
| Meeting recording | Yes (Pro) | Yes (Pro, Mac only) |
| Speaker identification | Yes (Pro) | Yes (Pro, speaker separation) |
| AI meeting notes | Yes (Pro) | Yes (Pro) |
| Use your Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini plan | Yes (Pro) | No (your own API keys on Pro) |
| MCP server on your Mac | Yes (Pro) | Not listed |
| Windows, iPhone, Android | No | Yes, one Pro license covers them |
| Subscription required | No | Optional |
Pricing#
Public pricing, November 2026, one seat.
| Whisperer | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | No | Yes, unlimited local Whisper dictation |
| Dictation | $2.99 one-time | Pro, $8.49/month |
| Everything | $14.99 one-time Pro | $84.99/year or $249.99 lifetime |
| First year | $17.98 | $84.99 yearly, or $101.88 monthly |
| Three years | $17.98 | $249.99 lifetime, or $254.97 yearly |
Superwhisper's free tier is a fair way to test it. If you keep using it daily, the lifetime license is the cheapest path over a few years. Whisperer has no account and no minute limits. If you pick a cloud AI for meeting notes, it uses the plan you already pay for. The built-in model on your Mac is free. More on bringing your own AI.
Where Superwhisper wins#
- Modes. Superwhisper lets you build modes with your own prompts, so one shortcut writes an email and another writes a tidy note. Whisperer has Fast Polish for punctuation, fillers and paragraphs, and prompt words for names and terms, but not a library of custom modes.
- Text lands where you're typing. Superwhisper puts the result in the active field. In Whisperer's App Store version you press ⌘V to paste. It's one keystroke, but it is one more.
- Polish and track record. Superwhisper has been refined for years.
- More than the Mac. Superwhisper runs on Windows, iPhone and Android too, and one Pro license covers them all. Whisperer is a Mac app only, on Apple Silicon with macOS 26 Tahoe.
Where Whisperer wins#
- Meetings that start on their own. When Zoom or Teams opens the microphone, Whisperer asks "Zoom call started. Take notes?" It records the call audio and your mic, with no bot in the call. Meetings on your calendar can record on their own.
- Who said what. Speakers are separated on your Mac and numbered as they first speak. One click names them from the calendar invite.
- Notes you can act on. After the call you get an overview, key topics, decisions, action items with owners, open questions and the next meeting. Ask AI answers questions with timestamps you can click.
- Your own AI. Use the built-in Qwen3.5 4B model offline, or your Claude, ChatGPT, Codex or Gemini plan, or an API key. If that AI isn't available, the Mac takes over.
- MCP. Turn on the MCP server and Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex or ChatGPT can search your meetings and dictation history. It's off by default and only apps on your Mac can reach it.
- Dictation that steps in mid-call. Hold Fn during a meeting and the recording pauses while you dictate, then picks up again.
- Price. $17.98 in total, with no renewals.
Who should choose which#
Choose Superwhisper if you only need dictation, you want custom modes with your own prompts, you want text to appear in the field without a paste, or you also dictate on Windows, iPhone or Android.
Choose Whisperer if you're on a Mac and spend part of your week on calls, you want meeting notes and dictation in one app, you'd like to use the AI plan you already pay for, or you want your AI tools to read your meetings through MCP.
See also Whisperer vs Wispr Flow and all comparisons.
FAQ#
Is Whisperer a good Superwhisper alternative?#
Yes, if you work on a Mac and want on-device dictation plus bot-free meeting notes without a subscription. Whisperer costs $2.99 for dictation and $14.99 once for Pro. Superwhisper is the better pick if you want its custom modes, its polish, or the same app on Windows, iPhone or Android.
How much does Superwhisper cost compared with Whisperer?#
Superwhisper has a free tier with unlimited local Whisper dictation, and Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 for a lifetime license that covers all your devices (public pricing, November 2026). Whisperer is $2.99 one-time for dictation and $14.99 one-time for Pro.
Does Whisperer record meetings like a note taker?#
Yes, with Pro. It notices when Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Slack, Webex, FaceTime or a browser call opens the microphone, records both sides without a bot, separates speakers on your Mac, and writes notes with decisions and action items.
Does Whisperer type into my apps automatically?#
No. In the Mac App Store version, Whisperer copies your text and shows a short "Copied ⌘V" toast. You press ⌘V to paste it where you're typing.