Spoke
Spoke: A free, open-source dictation app for private, offline transcription on Mac. Ranked #29 of 34 in Speech-to-Text Software by our editors (6.2/10); pricing: Free plan; best for mac users needing free private dictation.
At a glance
- Editor score6.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forMac users needing free private dictation
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Capture modesLive
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Processes speech on-device without cloud storage or an account
- Works offline and types transcription into the active cursor
- Supports live dictation in more than 99 languages
Where it doesn't
- Available only on macOS
- No verified speaker-labeling capability
- No listed integrations or API
Our verdict on Spoke
Spoke is an open-source speech-to-text dictation app for macOS. It is designed for people who want to speak into a desktop application and have the transcription appear directly at the active cursor. Voice processing happens locally on the device, so the app supports offline use without an account or cloud storage. Its focus is straightforward dictation rather than a broader transcription platform.
The Free plan costs $0 and includes on-device dictation, offline use, and open-source availability. Spoke supports live capture and more than 99 languages, giving Mac users a broad language range without requiring a paid tier. Because the app types into the active cursor in other applications, it fits workflows that already happen in desktop text fields. The plan structure is simple: there is one free offering and no paid tier to compare.
Privacy and local processing are the clearest reasons to choose Spoke. Audio is processed on the device, and the app works without an internet connection, which suits users who want to avoid cloud-based voice storage. The trade-off is a narrow platform and feature scope: Spoke is limited to macOS, with no verified speaker labels, integrations, or API. Choose it for private, accountless dictation on a Mac; choose another speech-to-text product if you need broader operating-system support, speaker separation, integrations, or developer access.
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Spoke pricing
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Spoke fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Capture modes | Live |
| Speaker labels | Not verified |
| Supported languages | 99 |
| API access | Not verified |
| Offline transcription | Yes |
| Mobile apps | Not verified |
| Desktop apps | Yes |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | macOS |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | spoke.so |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Spoke
- Google Cloud Speech-to-TextA flexible, low-cost cloud STT API with streaming, diarization, timestamps, and captions.9.4
- Amazon TranscribeA paid AWS service for batch, real-time transcription, and speech analytics.9.2
- AssemblyAIA developer-focused API with transcription, streaming, and speech intelligence at $0.15/hour.9.0
Also Ranked In
Spoke is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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