SaypadMacWhisper vs Superwhisper
Both run Whisper on your Mac, and the names sound alike, but they lean in different directions. MacWhisper is built around transcribing recordings and costs €64 once for Pro. Superwhisper is built around dictating into any app and has a subscription or a $249.99 lifetime license. We make Saypad, a third option, and we haven't run these two head to head. This comparison comes from their own pages.
At a glance
| MacWhisper | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | Transcribing files, meetings, podcasts, YouTube | Dictating into any app |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes: unlimited dictation with local Whisper models, up to 2 modes |
| Paid | Pro €64 once, with lifetime updates | Pro $8.49/month, $84.99/year or $249.99 once |
| File transcription | Core feature | Pro only |
| Speaker recognition | Listed as a feature | Speaker separation on Pro |
| Subtitles (.srt, .vtt) | Listed as a feature | Not on its plans page |
| AI rewriting while dictating | Dictate with AI prompts listed | AI modes on Pro |
| Platforms | Mac | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android |
From macwhisper.com and superwhisper.com/docs/billing/plans, checked 6 November 2026. MacWhisper notes that its App Store version differs from the direct download.
Pick MacWhisper if
- Most of your audio already exists: interviews, lectures, calls, podcasts.
- You need speaker labels, subtitles or batch jobs.
- You prefer paying once and not thinking about it again.
Pick Superwhisper if
- Most of your use is talking into Slack, Mail or a chat box.
- You want AI modes that turn speech into an email or change its tone.
- You also need Windows, iPhone or Android, since one license covers all of them.
You can run both
They do different jobs, so keeping one for recordings and another for dictation is reasonable. Just don't assign both to the same key.
A third option for plain dictation
If you only need live dictation on a Mac, Saypad is free and has no paid tier. Hold fn, talk and let go, and the words appear in whatever app you're in. It doesn't transcribe files and has no AI modes. See Saypad vs MacWhisper and Superwhisper pricing for more detail.
Questions
Which one is better for dictation?
Superwhisper is the one designed around it, with modes and AI processing. MacWhisper has system-wide dictation too, but its focus is files, and some dictation features need Pro.
Which is better for transcribing recordings?
MacWhisper. File transcription, speaker recognition, subtitles and batch jobs are the core of the app. Superwhisper's file transcription needs Pro.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on how long you keep it. MacWhisper Pro is €64 once, and Superwhisper Pro is $84.99 a year or $249.99 once. Both have free plans, so you may not need to pay at all.
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