Vocado vs Apple Dictation
Updated
I'm Zam, I make Vocado. Every Mac already has dictation built in, and it's free. So the honest question is: when is it worth paying for something else? For a lot of people, it isn't. Here's how to tell.
Apple Dictation facts come from Apple's Mac User Guide for macOS 27 and Apple's macOS feature availability page, checked 3 November 2026.
Quick answer
- Stick with Apple Dictation if you dictate now and then, short messages and notes, and it gets your words right. It's free, built in and already works everywhere on your Mac.
- Try Vocado if you dictate a lot every day, want history so nothing gets lost, a shortcut to paste your last transcription, or a custom dictionary for names and jargon.
Side by side
| Vocado | Apple Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr | Free |
| Setup | Download and install | Built in, turn it on in Keyboard settings |
| Where transcription runs | Cloud (Groq Whisper) | On your Mac or Apple's servers, depending on your Mac and language. Keyboard settings tells you which |
| Offline | No | Can be, when processed on-device |
| How you start it | Press a global hotkey to start, press again to insert | Press the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut, or Edit > Start Dictation |
| Stops when | You press the key again | You stop it, or after 30 seconds with no speech |
| History | Searchable history | Not offered |
| Paste last transcription | Yes, with a shortcut | Not offered |
| Custom dictionary | Yes, words and replacements | Not in standard Dictation (Voice Control, a separate accessibility feature, has a custom vocabulary) |
| Languages | 86 to pick from, plus auto-detect (tuned for English) | Many; set up several and switch next to the cursor while you dictate |
| Voice commands (new line, emoji) | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Mac only | Mac, iPhone and iPad |
Where Apple Dictation is better
It's free and already there. Nothing to install, nothing to pay, works anywhere you can type.
Offline and private, sometimes. Depending on your Mac and language, dictation can run on-device. Keyboard settings tell you whether it's processed on your Mac or needs Apple's servers. Vocado always needs the internet.
Voice commands. You can say "new line", "new paragraph", punctuation names or "heart emoji". Vocado doesn't have voice commands.
Switching languages. If you set up more than one language, you can switch mid-session by clicking the language next to your cursor. In Vocado, auto-detect works best for English, so if you dictate in another language you pick it in Settings.
Every Apple device. Same feature on your iPhone and iPad. Vocado is Mac only.
It's getting better. In macOS 27, an on-device model improves spelling, punctuation and capitalisation for English on M3 or later Macs with at least 12 GB of memory.
Where Vocado is better
You decide when it stops. Press a hotkey, speak, press it again, and the text appears at your cursor. Apple's stops on its own after 30 seconds with no speech. Vocado keeps going until you press the key again, however long you stop to think.
Nothing gets lost. Every transcription goes into searchable history, and a shortcut pastes your last one anywhere. If you clicked into the wrong window, it's still there.
Custom dictionary. Teach it your names, product terms and jargon, and set replacements for words it keeps getting wrong.
Whisper-class accuracy. Vocado uses Whisper via Groq, which handles long, rambly, real-world speech well. A 30-second note comes back in under 2 seconds.
Still tiny. A 5.7 MB download, about 12 MB installed, native Swift in the menu bar.
Privacy, plainly
Apple Dictation can be the more private choice when it runs on-device. Vocado sends audio to a cloud transcription provider, where it's processed and deleted, not stored. No account needed, and your history stays on your Mac.
Why I built Vocado
Apple Dictation was fine for the odd text, but I dictate hours a day, mostly into Claude Code and work messages. I needed history, a dictionary and a hotkey I controlled, and I tried the paid apps first. Each had a dealbreaker for how I work, the biggest being speed that got worse over time. So I built Vocado, and it's been my daily driver for months.
Try it
If built-in dictation isn't cutting it, try Vocado free for 14 days. No credit card. If it doesn't beat what you have, you've lost nothing.
FAQ
Is Apple's built-in dictation good enough?
For occasional, short dictation, often yes. If you dictate a lot and want history, a custom dictionary or a paste-last shortcut, a dedicated app like Vocado is worth trying.
Is Mac Dictation free?
Yes. It's built into macOS at no cost.
Does Mac Dictation work offline?
It can. Depending on your Mac and language, dictation is processed on-device or sent to Apple's servers. You can check which in Keyboard settings.
Why does Mac Dictation stop on its own?
According to Apple, there's no length limit, but Dictation stops automatically when no speech is detected for 30 seconds. With Vocado, recording keeps going until you press the hotkey again.
Does Vocado work offline?
No. Vocado needs an internet connection because transcription happens in the cloud.
Try Vocado free for 14 days
Native Mac app, 5.7 MB download. No credit card. $4.99/month after that, or $39.99/year.
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