Speakmac Lab
Speakmac vs Voibe: Which Offline Dictation App Fits Your Workflow?
Voibe is a Mac dictation application that performs transcription entirely on-device, offering workflow-oriented capabilities such as developer mode and custom vocabulary. Speakmac delivers real-time dictation through a single-purchase license, prioritizing minimal latency and setup.
The decisive factor when comparing them is not relative quality; it is which workflow each tool is engineered to optimize.
Updated February 2026: Pricing and workflow details were re-checked against publicly available product information.
At a Glance
| Decision factor | Speakmac | Voibe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19 one-time | $4.90/month, $44.10/year, or $99 lifetime |
| Free tier limits | No free tier | Trial period available before paid plans |
| Offline support | Core workflow | Core workflow (on-device transcription) |
| Cloud processing | None required | None required |
| Best for | Fast, minimal live dictation with low setup overhead | Users who want deeper workflow customization (developer mode, vocab, formatting rules) |
Speakmac: The Fast, Minimal Option
Core objective and behaviour
- Commence dictation by pressing the assigned global hotkey.
- Dictated text is injected directly into the frontmost application as you speak; visible feedback is displayed only when the app window has keyboard focus.
- No user profiles, cloud toggles, or separate dictation windows, resulting in a near-zero configuration footprint.
Typical use-cases
- Composing messages or notes in Notion, Slack, Gmail, VS Code, Figma, or any other macOS app with native text input fields.
- Situations where the principal requirement is speed and reliability, not subsequent AI editing or formatting.
- Environments—remote, offline, or regulated—where data must remain on primary hardware and subscription traceability is discouraged.
Operational pattern
Because the codebase is purposely limited, updates are infrequent; the only active state to maintain is the global hotkey combination. Users who value “install once, forget forever” efficiency are the intended audience.
Voibe: The Feature-Forward Option
Design goals
Voibe extends raw dictation into a configurable environment, preserving local-processing guarantees while adding optional layers for users who need them.
Key layers provided
- Developer mode: inserts formatted code blocks (braces, indentation, camel-casing) according to the user’s specified patterns.
- Custom vocabulary: lets users preload technical terms, product names, or acronyms that would otherwise be misrecognised.
- App-aware formatting (coming soon) and voice snippets (coming soon): announced enhancements intended to further reduce manual editing.
Implementation notes
On first launch, Voibe presents a configuration checklist similar to a local assistant setup: language, hotkeys, snippet triggers, and user-specific vocabulary list. A one-time review of these settings is necessary; subsequent launches remain hands-off after the optional “remember context” toggle is enabled.
Trade-off
Greater breadth of controls necessarily raises initial friction. Users inclined to experiment with optimisation will find the toolbox valuable; those seeking immediate output may find the added menu depth distracting.
Pricing Reality
Purchase structure
- Speakmac is a single $19 charge.
- Voibe adopts a subscription-first model: monthly or annual tiers, with a lifetime option at $99.
Risk easing
Voibe includes a short free trial and a money-back guarantee. This allows experimentation without locking into a subscription until the user is convinced the features justify recurring cost.
Two-year ownership cost
- Speakmac: $19
- Voibe annual (two cycles): $88.20
- Voibe lifetime: $99
A lifetime purchase places the total cost at roughly five times Speakmac. The incremental expense is justifiable only if the additional customisation and workflow modules are utilised on a regular basis.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Speakmac when:
- Speed and absolute simplicity are paramount.
- A single under-$20 payment without future billing is preferred.
- Dictation environments change frequently (multiple apps, minimal context switching time).
- You want zero onboarding—install, assign hotkey, start using.
Choose Voibe when:
- Customising output (coding syntax, jargon, formatting rules) is part of your usual routine.
- You expect to evaluate the extended features on a month-to-month basis, then lock in a lifetime license if adoption is high.
- Slight extra setup time per project is acceptable in exchange for reduced post-dictation cleanup.
Bottom Line
Both applications are privacy-first, entirely offline, and favour local models. They diverge on design scope: Speakmac executes a single function extremely well, while Voibe adopts a platform approach—transcription plus modular customisation.
If the goal is to dictate and immediately move to the next task, Speakmac is the matched choice. If the goal is to mould dictation to fit advanced, often technical workflows, Voibe merits consideration.
Related comparisons
Speakmac
Write faster with your voice
On-device dictation for Mac. Instant, private, and pause-friendly—no subscriptions.
Authors
