Swift Dictate vs Whisper
Whisper is open-source and runs locally. Swift Dictate streams in real time with AI cleanup. Different trade-offs — here's how to choose.
The core difference: streaming vs batch
Whisper (the base OpenAI model) processes audio in batches — you record a clip, it transcribes the whole thing at once. That introduces 2–10 seconds of latency before you see any output. Tools like WhisperKit and mlx-whisper can run faster on Apple Silicon, but still can't stream partials in real time.
Swift Dictate uses Deepgram Nova-3, a streaming model that shows live partial transcripts as you speak — under 300ms. When you release the key, the final text (plus AI cleanup) arrives in under 500ms. For push-to-talk dictation, the feel is completely different.
Privacy: what actually happens to your audio
With Whisper running locally, your audio never leaves your device. That's a genuine privacy advantage for sensitive content.
Swift Dictate streams audio to Deepgram for transcription. Deepgram does not retain audio beyond the session — the stream is processed and discarded. The transcript is then sent to Anthropic for cleanup (also not retained for training). If this data flow is a concern for your use case, Whisper may be the better fit.
Who should use which
Choose Swift Dictate if you want:
- • Real-time feedback while speaking
- • AI cleanup with no extra steps
- • A polished push-to-talk app with zero setup
- • Tone rewrite for email and messages
Choose Whisper if you need:
- • Fully offline transcription
- • Audio that never leaves your device
- • No subscription cost
- • Batch transcription of audio files
Try the real-time experience.
2,000 words/week free. No setup. macOS 13+.
Download Swift Dictate — Free