| --- |
| license: cc-by-4.0 |
| language: |
| - en |
| pretty_name: Mac Dictation Privacy Matrix |
| size_categories: |
| - n<1K |
| tags: |
| - dictation |
| - speech-to-text |
| - macos |
| - privacy |
| - on-device-ai |
| configs: |
| - config_name: default |
| data_files: |
| - split: train |
| path: data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv |
| --- |
| |
| # 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)](https://iravoice.com/research/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix)** |
|
|
| ## Data |
|
|
| | File | Use | |
| |---|---| |
| | [`data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv`](data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv) | Flat rows for spreadsheets and analysis | |
| | [`data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.json`](data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.json) | Structured metadata, methodology, product rows, caveats, and source records | |
| | [`DATA_DICTIONARY.md`](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 |
|
|
| 1. Review current first-party product, help, security, and privacy pages. |
| 2. Separate speech transcription from later cleanup, formatting, assistant, |
| sync, or destination processing. |
| 3. Describe configurable modes explicitly instead of transferring a local or |
| retention claim from one mode to every mode. |
| 4. State what the reviewed documentation does not establish. |
| 5. 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: |
|
|
| ```text |
| ff47165c59fd92996df2dd4a0578bebd8885dd4985e925d7693d69b986e272ec data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.csv |
| fb1112bfb9fac171a91e98eb9e31422ec054ca8c2a64d1153832cb9e5d89952d data/mac-dictation-privacy-matrix.json |
| ``` |
|
|
| ## Corrections |
|
|
| Open an issue with: |
|
|
| 1. the product and field that needs correction; |
| 2. the exact first-party URL; |
| 3. the relevant dated language; and |
| 4. 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`](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](LICENSE). |
|
|
