product stringlengths 5 23 | processing stringlengths 53 176 | configurable_cloud_path stringlengths 73 162 | offline stringlengths 41 143 | retention stringlengths 55 200 | account stringlengths 63 209 | platform stringlengths 20 79 | caveat stringlengths 112 277 | source_urls stringlengths 17 170 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IraVoice | Speech recognition and supported formatting run on the Mac after model setup. | No cloud speech mode. Optional direct agent handoff sends the finished specification, not microphone audio. | Dictate works after the speech-model download; paid continuation works after one Gumroad key check. | IraVoice says its servers receive no audio, transcript, selected text, vocabulary, or repository context; the Mac app has no product telemetry or cloud transcript history. | No account or card for the full trial. Paid use relies on a Gumroad license key stored in Keychain. | macOS 26+ on Apple silicon. | IraVoice publishes this matrix. Verify its product claims against the linked privacy page and treat the dataset as documentation research, not an independent audit. | https://iravoice.com/privacy |
Apple Dictation | On-device or on Apple servers depending on language and the indicator shown in Keyboard Settings. | The processing path is configuration-dependent rather than a separate third-party provider selector. | Available without a connection only for configurations Apple marks as on-device. | Apple says server-processed Dictation is not stored unless Improve Siri & Dictation is enabled; request and transcript metadata have separate documented handling. | Included with supported macOS. Apple documents device-generated identifiers and separate Apple Account-related service boundaries. | Built into supported macOS versions. | Do not assume every language or Mac configuration uses the same processing path. Check the current Keyboard Settings disclosure on the actual Mac. | https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac | https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/ask-siri-dictation/ |
Google AI Edge Eloquent | Google’s reviewed Mac launch sources describe the current native macOS feature set as on-device, including dictation, Voice Edit, and local audio or video file transcription. | The current Mac product page says Google AI Edge Eloquent can optionally access Google Workspace data such as Gmail to generate a vocabulary list of unique words. | Google’s June 3, 2026 launch announcement says the current native macOS feature set is fully offline. | The reviewed Mac sources establish on-device processing and offline use, but do not publish a separate desktop retention or telemetry statement for every Mac feature. | The reviewed Mac sources document a direct Mac download and optional Workspace or Gmail vocabulary access, but do not clearly state whether a Google account is otherwise required for the core desktop workflow. | Native macOS app; the current FAQ says English only. | The current product-page FAQ still contains older desktop-evaluation wording that conflicts with the dated launch announcement and direct Mac DMG. Use the launch post and current Mac download as platform truth, and do not transfer iOS-only cloud-feature wording to the Mac app. | https://developers.googleblog.com/bringing-gemma-4-12b-to-your-laptop-unlocking-local-agentic-workflows-with-google-ai-edge/ | https://developers.google.com/edge/eloquent |
BetterDictation | Initial speech recognition uses local Whisper on a compatible Apple-silicon Mac. | Optional Pro sends the text transcript—but not audio—to OpenAI for cleanup and formatting. | Basic local transcription works offline. Pro cleanup requires a connection. | The privacy policy separates local audio processing from optional transcript transfer and also discloses performance and crash telemetry. | A paid license key is required; optional Pro is a separate recurring service. | Apple-silicon Mac; current help asks for macOS Sonoma 14.4 or later. | The local claim covers initial transcription. Enabling Pro changes the transcript path even though microphone audio remains local. | https://betterdictation.com/ | https://betterdictation.com/pro | https://betterdictation.com/privacy |
Spokenly | Local Whisper or Parakeet, user-key providers, or managed hosted models depending on the active mode. | Yes. Model, AI Instructions, provider, optional context, and output actions can change the data path. | Local models work offline. Local Only Mode blocks outbound access while permitting local and localhost models. | Retention depends on local, managed, or bring-your-own provider paths; Spokenly also documents history and optional audio replay. | Local and BYOK paths are available without a paid Pro plan; managed services and sync features can introduce account boundaries. | macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS, with features varying by platform. | “Spokenly” is not one fixed architecture. Record the active mode, provider, context sources, history setting, and output action. | https://spokenly.app/docs | https://spokenly.app/docs/modes | https://spokenly.app/privacy | https://spokenly.app/docs/local-only-mode |
Raycast Dictation | Raycast says recorded audio is sent to its speech-to-text partner for transcription. | Dictation is a connected Raycast AI feature; optional App Context and later AI actions can add separate data. | No documented offline speech-to-text path for Raycast Dictation. | Raycast says it does not retain recorded audio after the transcription request; Dictation history is stored locally on the Mac. | Raycast AI plan and account controls apply to the connected feature. | Raycast for macOS on supported Macs. | No post-request audio retention does not mean on-device transcription. Local history and any later AI action are separate boundaries. | https://manual.raycast.com/ai/dictation | https://manual.raycast.com/ai/raycast-ai-privacy-security |
Wispr Flow | Wispr says transcription always happens in the cloud. | The speech path is cloud-based. Privacy Mode and Private Cloud Sync settings change retention, not the location of transcription. | No documented offline transcription path. | Wispr says Privacy Mode with Private Cloud Sync disabled provides zero retention; other settings can retain data for history or sync. | A connected product account and plan participate in the service. | Current desktop and mobile platforms supported by Wispr Flow. | Zero retention is a storage policy for the cloud path, not a claim that microphone audio never leaves the device. | https://wisprflow.ai/privacy |
Superwhisper | Superwhisper documents offline, on-device transcription for its local speech path. | Optional cloud models and browser or assistant tools are separate connected paths. | The documented local transcription path works offline after required model setup. | For offline transcription, Superwhisper says audio is not uploaded. Connected features follow their selected service boundaries. | App licensing applies; optional connected providers or tools can introduce separate credentials and terms. | Mac, Windows, and iPhone support is currently advertised. | The offline claim belongs to local transcription. Do not transfer it to an optional cloud model, browser tool, or assistant feature. | https://superwhisper.com/offline-transcription | https://superwhisper.com/ |
MacWhisper | MacWhisper documents local transcription by default, including a local dictation path. | Optional cloud transcription, assistant, and third-party AI provider features can change the path. | Supported local models and dictation can work offline after model setup. | Local workflows keep transcription on the Mac; retention for optional providers depends on the chosen external service. | Free and paid app tiers exist; optional provider features can require separate keys or accounts. | macOS, with model performance depending on Mac hardware. | MacWhisper includes broader file, meeting, assistant, and provider workflows. The active model and feature determine the actual boundary. | https://www.macwhisper.com/ | https://www.macwhisper.com/dictation |
VoiceInk | Local models are the default; users can configure cloud transcription and enhancement providers. | Yes. The active mode can select cloud transcription, enhancement, context, auto-send, or a custom command. | Local model workflows can work offline; configured cloud providers require a connection. | Local defaults keep speech processing on the Mac. Optional provider retention follows the provider selected by the user. | GPLv3 source can be self-built; the compiled app uses a commercial license, and optional providers use user credentials. | macOS 14.4 or later. | The active model, provider, context source, mode, and output command determine the boundary; an open-source codebase does not make every configuration local. | https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/introduction | https://tryvoiceink.com/terms | https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/mode-settings |
Voice Type | Core dictation, custom vocabulary, formatting, and file transcription run on the Mac. | Optional rewrite providers require a connection and send selected text to the provider the user chooses. | Core dictation works offline after required app and model setup; optional rewrites do not. | The App Store listing describes on-device core processing. Apple may receive purchase and receipt-verification traffic. | Distributed through the Mac App Store, so Apple purchase and receipt boundaries apply. | macOS 13.4 or later. | The on-device claim covers core dictation. Enabling a rewrite provider changes the selected-text path, and App Store licensing still creates an Apple network boundary. | https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voice-type-offline-dictation/id6736525125?mt=12 |
Whryte | The publisher documents local Parakeet transcription and local smart formatting. | No cloud speech or formatting provider is disclosed for the documented workflow. | The documented speech path works offline after the model download. | History is stored locally; the publisher says audio and transcripts are not transmitted. | No product account is required. Purchase and license delivery use Gumroad. | macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon. | This is a review of publisher documentation. A “100% offline” statement does not independently verify the current binary or every licensing request. | https://whryte.com/ |
TypeVox | WhisperKit runs locally on Apple silicon; the publisher says audio is processed in memory. | No cloud speech or cleanup path is documented for the current core product. | The documented speech path works offline after model setup. | The publisher says audio is never saved or transmitted. | No product account is required; Pro uses an emailed license key. | macOS 15 or later on Apple silicon. | The product page does not establish an independent audit or guarantee that every future feature shares the same boundary. | https://typevox.app/ |
Dicta | Speech recognition runs locally using a model downloaded to the Mac. | The documented current product does not offer an AI rewrite or cloud speech path. | Dictation works offline after the roughly 3 GB model download. | The app does not upload audio or transcripts; the privacy policy separately discloses account, license, device, billing, and consented website-analytics data. | The website version uses an account and recurring license; Apple handles payment and account boundaries for the App Store version. | macOS 14 or later; Intel Macs are supported with slower documented performance. | The app-level no-analytics claim should not be transferred to the website, account, license, billing, or optional analytics boundaries. | https://www.appdicta.com/ | https://www.appdicta.com/privacy |
MacParakeet | Speech recognition runs locally using supported on-device engines. | Optional AI features can use local providers or send transcript text—not microphone audio—to a selected cloud provider. | Local speech recognition works offline after required model setup. | The publisher says it does not collect audio or transcript content; optional anonymous telemetry can be disabled, and meeting retention is controlled locally. | No product account is required for the documented app workflow. | macOS 14.2 or later on Apple silicon. | The local speech claim does not extend to a cloud AI provider the user selects or to externally downloaded source content. | https://macparakeet.com/ | https://github.com/moona3k/macparakeet |
Susurr | WhisperKit transcription runs locally on Apple silicon. | No cloud dependency is documented for the current transcription workflow. | Transcription works offline after required model setup. | The product page says transcription history is stored locally. | A one-time Polar license key can activate up to three Macs; no recurring core plan is advertised. | macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon. | The public product page does not document an independent audit or every licensing and network-metadata boundary. | https://susurr.app/ |
Sotto | Users can select local WhisperKit or Parakeet models, or optional OpenAI and Groq cloud transcription with their own key. | Yes. Cloud mode sends recordings directly to the selected provider; the publisher says no Sotto server sits in the middle. | Local models work offline after download. Cloud providers require a connection. | Local-mode audio stays on the Mac. Cloud-mode retention and processing follow the selected provider, while saved history remains a separate local setting. | Purchase uses an emailed license key for up to three Macs; optional cloud providers use the user’s credentials. | macOS 13 or later, with Apple silicon recommended. | The active local or cloud model determines the speech boundary. Cloud-provider retention and local history must be evaluated separately. | https://sotto.to/ |
Megaphone | Apple SpeechAnalyzer streams speech-to-text on the Mac; Smart Cleanup and “Hey Megaphone” use Apple’s on-device Foundation Models, with deterministic Basic cleanup as fallback. | No cloud speech, cleanup, assistant, or provider path is documented for the current product. | The documented core path works on-device after the required app and Apple speech-model setup; the selected speech model downloads on first use. | The official site and repository say recorded audio, transcripts, Dictionary data, memory, recent-text context, and active app or window-title context stay on the Mac; Megaphone has no product server. | No product account, subscription, transcription API, or API key is required. The app and source are free under the MIT license. | macOS 26 or later on Apple silicon. | This is documentation and source-repository research, not packet inspection or binary verification. Releases are signed but not notarized, and the publisher documents a quarantine-clearing or Open Anyway installation step. | https://megaphone.kuber.studio/ | https://github.com/Kuberwastaken/megaphone |
Mac Dictation Privacy Matrix
An open, source-reviewed dataset comparing the documented privacy boundaries of 18 Mac dictation products.
The matrix separates questions that are often collapsed into one label:
- where microphone audio becomes a transcript;
- whether an optional cloud, cleanup, assistant, or agent path exists;
- whether the documented speech path works offline after setup;
- what the publisher says it retains;
- which account, subscription, license, or provider boundary applies; and
- which platform requirements and caveats materially qualify the claim.
This repository is a distribution mirror for the canonical research page:
Private Mac Dictation Apps: Local vs Cloud (2026)
Data
| File | Use |
|---|---|
data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv |
Flat rows for spreadsheets and analysis |
data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.json |
Structured metadata, methodology, product rows, caveats, and source records |
DATA_DICTIONARY.md |
Field definitions and interpretation rules |
Current release: 1.4.0
Last reviewed: 2026-07-26
Products: 18
First-party sources: 33
Quantitative snapshot
The JSON edition now publishes named cohorts so every count can be recomputed without interpreting product prose or accepting a hidden score.
| Documentation cohort | Count | Named products |
|---|---|---|
| At least one documented local speech-to-text path | 16/18 | IraVoice, Apple Dictation, Google AI Edge Eloquent, BetterDictation, Spokenly, Superwhisper, MacWhisper, VoiceInk, Voice Type, Whryte, TypeVox, Dicta, MacParakeet, Susurr, Sotto, Megaphone |
| No documented local speech-to-text path in the reviewed sources | 2/18 | Raycast Dictation, Wispr Flow |
| Locally capable and also documents an optional connected path | 10/16 | IraVoice, Google AI Edge Eloquent, BetterDictation, Spokenly, Superwhisper, MacWhisper, VoiceInk, Voice Type, MacParakeet, Sotto |
| First-party sources reviewed | 33 | Product, help, security, privacy, launch, App Store, and repository pages |
The 16-product cohort includes configuration-dependent and optional local paths; it does not mean every mode or feature is local. The connected paths do not all send microphone audio: some send transcript text, selected text, vocabulary data, or a finished specification. These are documentation cohorts, not security certifications or product rankings.
Method
- Review current first-party product, help, security, and privacy pages.
- Separate speech transcription from later cleanup, formatting, assistant, sync, or destination processing.
- Describe configurable modes explicitly instead of transferring a local or retention claim from one mode to every mode.
- State what the reviewed documentation does not establish.
- Publish the same product order in the HTML, CSV, and JSON editions.
Important limitation
This is documentation research published by IraVoice, not an independent security audit, packet inspection, source-code review, or product ranking. IraVoice appears as one row and is identified as the publisher. Verify time-sensitive claims against the linked first-party sources and the active product configuration.
“Local,” “cloud,” “offline,” and “zero retention” are not interchangeable:
- local transcription does not prove that optional cleanup or the destination is local;
- zero retention does not mean audio was never transmitted;
- offline availability may depend on model, app, or license setup; and
- the destination app creates a separate privacy and retention boundary after text is inserted.
Integrity
SHA-256:
200e60511509d1bff995685926d44599465880a2d25266373a4692c2f6b86a24 data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv
6cca58ac5b67558d286958d346d824bd65bf698cb3c08faf2568a74cb5822b6a data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.json
Corrections
Open an issue with:
- the product and field that needs correction;
- the exact first-party URL;
- the relevant dated language; and
- the proposed replacement wording.
Unsupported marketing claims, affiliate roundups, and undated third-party summaries are not accepted as primary evidence.
Citation
Use the repository's CITATION.cff, or cite:
IraVoice for Mac. Mac Dictation Privacy Matrix: Local vs Cloud. Version 1.4.0, reviewed 2026-07-26. https://iravoice.com/research/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix
License
The dataset and documentation in this repository are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
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