Swift Dictate vs Superwhisper
Superwhisper runs Whisper locally on your Mac. Swift Dictate streams to the cloud for real-time feedback. The trade-off is privacy and offline use versus speed and simplicity.
The core difference: streaming vs on-device
Superwhisper downloads and runs Whisper models locally on your Mac using Apple Silicon. Your audio never leaves your device — a genuine privacy advantage. The trade-off is that on-device models can't stream partials in real time the way a cloud model can.
Swift Dictate uses Deepgram Nova-3 for streaming transcription — words appear on screen within 300ms as you speak. When you release the key, the final text (with AI cleanup) lands at your cursor in under 500ms. The experience feels instant rather than like waiting for a model to process.
Where Swift Dictate wins
Real-time feedback while speaking makes dictation feel natural — you can hear yourself and self-correct before releasing. Swift Dictate also has a free tier (2,000 words/week), making it a no-risk way to start. Custom dictionary lets you add proper nouns and acronyms that Whisper models consistently get wrong.
Where Superwhisper wins
If your audio can never leave your device — legal, medical, or sensitive business content — Superwhisper's local processing is a hard requirement Swift Dictate can't meet. Superwhisper also works offline, which matters if you dictate on planes or in areas with unreliable internet. It also runs on Windows and iOS if you need cross-platform coverage.
Who should use which
Choose Swift Dictate if you want:
- • Live words on screen while you speak
- • Zero setup — no models to download
- • A free tier to start without committing
- • Custom dictionary for names and jargon
Choose Superwhisper if you need:
- • Audio that never leaves your device
- • Fully offline dictation
- • Windows or iOS support
- • On-device model flexibility
Try the real-time experience. Free.
2,000 words/week free. No setup, no model downloads. macOS 13+.
Download Swift Dictate — Free