product stringlengths 5 23 | processing stringlengths 53 176 | configurable_cloud_path stringlengths 73 212 | offline stringlengths 41 143 | retention stringlengths 55 389 | account stringlengths 63 209 | platform stringlengths 20 79 | caveat stringlengths 112 311 | source_urls stringlengths 17 170 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IraVoice | On IraVoice Local, speech recognition runs on the computer with NVIDIA Parakeet after a one-time model download. | Optional IraVoice Cloud plan, coming soon and not yet on sale: Cloud recognition and AI polish will send audio and text to IraVoice Cloud, where Groq and Anthropic process them. Both features can be switched off. | Dictation, including the trial, works offline after the model download. A license checks in weekly and keeps working offline for 30 days. | IraVoice says Local sends no audio or text anywhere. For Cloud (coming soon), IraVoice’s servers never store audio or text, Groq does not retain inference data (its temporary abuse logging is switched off), Anthropic deletes API inputs and outputs within 30 days, and neither trains on them. A local History keeps the la... | No account, email, or card for the 3-day trial. Purchases use Stripe Checkout; trial and license check-ins to api.iravoice.com send a salted hash of a hardware ID, never the raw ID. | macOS 13+ on Apple silicon, Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), and Linux (beta). | IraVoice publishes this matrix. This row was updated for IraVoice 1.0 on October 1, 2026, with IraVoice Cloud marked coming soon; the other rows reflect the July 26, 2026 review. 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: 1.5.0
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:
ff47165c59fd92996df2dd4a0578bebd8885dd4985e925d7693d69b986e272ec data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv
fb1112bfb9fac171a91e98eb9e31422ec054ca8c2a64d1153832cb9e5d89952d 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. Mac Dictation Privacy Matrix: Local vs Cloud. Version 1.5.0, reviewed 2026-07-26; IraVoice row updated 2026-10-01. 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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