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VoiceCatalystand Apple Dictation.
The dictation built into macOS.
VoiceCatalyst
PriceFree: 10,000 words a month. Pro: $15 a month or $150 a year, unlimited.
Runs onmacOS 26 or later on Apple Silicon. An iPhone app is in beta.
Where recognition happensOn your Mac, on both plans.
Your vocabularyLearned from what you write and say, and re-ranked while you speak.
Choose VoiceCatalyst if the words that break dictation are your words: names, tools and jargon. It learns them on your Mac, and it gives you a faithful transcript, not a tidier paraphrase.
Apple Dictation
What it isBuilt into macOS: speak to enter text anywhere you can type. Source, read 2026-09-12
Where recognition happensGeneral dictation can run on your device; Keyboard settings say whether it does. Source, read 2026-09-12
Your vocabularyNo user-editable list for adding special words (TidBITS, May 2026). Source, read 2026-09-12
Choose Apple Dictation if your words are everyday ones. It is already on your Mac.
Get it
Account first,then the download.
The app is signed and notarized. Your account is where your vocabulary and your record accumulate — a card is not required to start.
Create your free account
Already have one? Download the app