Mac dictation · Head to head
THOHT vs Apple Dictation
Apple Dictation is free and built in, so the real question is whether THOHT is worth installing. The answer depends on how much you dictate and how much you care about accuracy, speed and formatting.
By the THOHT team · Updated June 2026
The short answer
Stick with Apple Dictation for occasional, casual voice input. Move to THOHT if you dictate often and want a faster, more accurate Whisper-class model, AI clean-up, and consistent on-device behaviour — while keeping a forever-free local tier.
Side by side
| THOHT | Apple Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (personal) | Free + $4.99/mo Pro | Free |
| Processing | On-device | On-device / cloud |
| Free tier | Unlimited, local | Built-in |
| Platforms | macOS (Apple Silicon) + iOS | macOS + iOS (built-in) |
| iOS app | Yes (Universal Purchase) | Yes (built-in) |
| Licence | Free + subscription | Free (OS feature) |
| Open source | No | No |
| Apple Silicon | Native | Yes |
Where each one wins
Where THOHT wins
- A modern, state-of-the-art voice model — independent reviews put Whisper-class apps ahead of Apple Dictation on accuracy and technical vocabulary.
- Consistent on-device transcription on Apple Silicon, rather than behaviour that varies by language and Mac.
- Pro adds AI polishing, translation, custom prompts and context-aware formatting Apple Dictation doesn't offer.
- Menu-bar workflow with a global hotkey, tuned for fast capture.
Where Apple Dictation wins
- Completely free and built into macOS and iOS — nothing to install.
- Works system-wide on the iPhone too, out of the box.
- Fine for short, casual dictation where accuracy isn't critical.
Our verdict
Apple Dictation is the right baseline to try first. If you dictate daily and the misses start to cost you time, THOHT is the natural upgrade — and its local tier is still free.
About Apple Dictation
Apple's built-in voice input works anywhere you can type and is free on every Mac and iPhone. On Apple Silicon many languages run on-device. It is the baseline everything else is measured against.
Frequently asked questions
Is THOHT better than Apple Dictation?+
Do both work offline?+
Is THOHT free like Apple Dictation?+
Try THOHT free on Mac and iPhone
Local dictation is free forever, with no usage caps. Pro is $4.99/month (US) after a 7-day free trial — one Universal Purchase covers both Mac and iPhone.
