Volna and superwhisper side by side
| Volna | superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Recognition on your Mac | Always | With its local models; cloud models too |
| Price | Free while in beta | Free tier with unlimited local Whisper models; Pro by the month, the year or for life |
| Devices | Mac (Apple Silicon, macOS 26 or later) | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android |
| Setup | Allow the Microphone, tap a key | Choose models and modes |
superwhisper's details are from its own website (superwhisper.com), checked October 23, 2026. Prices and plans change; check there for the current ones. superwhisper is a trademark of its owner; Volna is not affiliated with it.
Why people look for a superwhisper alternative
- Simplicity. Volna has one job: you speak, the text appears where your cursor is. The defaults are chosen for you.
- Price. Volna is free while in beta, everything included.
- Your words, learned. Teach Volna the names and terms of your work, and it can remember the corrections you make.
What Volna does
- One key in any app: the right ⌘, or ⌥Space. Text about a second after you stop speaking.
- Everything on your Mac: your audio and your text are never sent anywhere.
- English, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish first, nearly a hundred languages in all, English terms inside a sentence.
- A history of your dictations, on your Mac.
When superwhisper is the better choice
- You also dictate on Windows, an iPhone or an Android phone: Volna is Mac only for now.
- You want to pick between many models, including cloud AI models with your own API keys, and build your own modes and prompts.
- You also want to transcribe audio and video files.
- Your Mac has an Intel processor or runs a macOS older than 26: Volna needs Apple Silicon and macOS 26.