Aqua Voice is the cheaper dictation pick for Mac, Windows, and iOS. Wispr Flow adds Android and 100+ languages. Ottex is our tool, and it belongs here when you want dictation plus meetings, files, and finished work.
Ottex
Mac, iOS · Free tier · $14/mo · PAYG
Ottex is unusually broad for a young Mac/iOS-first tool: it turns dictation and meetings into emails, tickets, CRM updates, notes, and docs, but it is not the pick if you need Windows, Android, web, browser extension, or compliance paperwork.
Choose if
You want one tool for system-wide dictation, meeting recording, and finished written outcomes like follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and docs
You want a real free path: unlimited local dictation, file transcription, and meetings on Mac with Whisper/Parakeet, or BYOK instead of a forced subscription
You need multilingual dictation with 100+ languages, auto-detection, mixed-language speech, personal vocabulary, and per-app output rules
Look elsewhere if
You need Windows, Android, Linux, web access, or a browser extension
You need mature team infrastructure such as a shared workspace, API/webhooks, third-party note destinations, or assistant chat over transcripts today.
Aqua Voice
Mac, Windows, iOS · Limited free · $8/mo
Aqua Voice is a polished system-wide dictation app for Mac, Windows, and iOS, with 49 languages and strong formatting controls, but it is not a meeting recorder or file transcription tool and dictation is processed server-side.
Choose if
You want fast, system-wide voice dictation across Mac, Windows, or iOS for everyday writing.
You want dictated text cleaned up automatically with punctuation, paragraphs, filler-word removal, snippets, custom vocabulary, and tone rules.
You are comfortable paying $10/month or $96/year after the 1,000-word trial, which is only about 8 minutes of speech.
Look elsewhere if
You need meeting recording, summaries, action items, speaker identification, or calendar-based meeting workflows.
You need audio or video file transcription with timestamps, speaker labels, exports, batch processing, or watch folders.
Wispr Flow is a polished cross-platform dictation app for turning speech into formatted writing, but it is cloud-only and does not cover meeting recording, notes, or file transcription.
Choose if
You want system-wide voice dictation across Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android.
You want cloud dictation with formatting help, snippets, custom dictionary, command mode, and 100+ languages.
You are comfortable paying $15/user/month, or $12/user/month billed annually, for unlimited dictation.
Look elsewhere if
You need offline or local transcription; Flow says transcription always happens in the cloud.
You need meeting recording, summaries, action items, speaker identification, or meeting memory workflows.
The evidence
What actually differs, claim by claim.
Each section opens with the takeaway. The table underneath is the receipt — every cell carries its source and the date we checked it.
Pricing
Ottex wins pricing flexibility because it has free local AI, free BYOK, $0.20/hour PAYG, and a $14/month Pro plan. Aqua Voice is the cheaper flat subscription at $10/month or $96/year after a 1,000-word trial, which is only about 8 minutes of speech. Wispr Flow costs more at $15/seat/month or $12/seat/month annually, and its 2,000 words/week free cap is only about 15 minutes a week on Mac or Windows.
See the evidence — 14 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Aqua Voice
Wispr Flow
Free tier
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers.
PartialSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 20261,000 free words, no card required
PartialSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 20262,000 words per week on Mac or Windows; 1,000 words per week on Flow for iPhone; Unlimited words per week on Android (limited time only)
Subscription
$14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
$8/moSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026FAQ says Pro is $8/month billed annually after the free words.
$12/moSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Annual price is published as $12/user/mo billed annually.
Pay-as-you-go / one-timeEscape the flat subscription
$0.2/hourSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted models at cost: dictation ~$0.2/h, meetings ~$0.5/h (~$3/mo average).
NoSubscription only
NoSubscription only
Bring your own keyPay the model provider, not the middleman
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026OpenRouter, Google AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, and compatible providers.
No public claim
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/data-controls — checked Jun 2026No bring-your-own-key option is published; Flow uses its own model providers.
Education discount
NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Same pricing for everyone.
YesSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Students with a .edu email get 70% off annual plans.
YesSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Students get three months free and 50% off the Pro plan.
Platforms
Wispr Flow wins platform coverage with Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. Aqua Voice is close for desktop and Apple mobile with Mac, Windows, and iOS, but it misses Android. Ottex is Mac and iOS only, so it loses this section if Windows or Android is required.
See the evidence — 4 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Aqua Voice
Wispr Flow
Platforms
Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
Mac, Windows, iOSSource: aquavoice.com/download — checked Jun 2026
Mac, Windows, iOS, AndroidSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026
Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM.
No public claim
No public claim
Meetings & team memory
Ottex is the only one of the three with meeting capture because it supports meetings alongside dictation and file transcription. Aqua Voice and Wispr Flow do not offer meeting recording, speaker identification, summaries, action items, or meeting memory workflows. Choose Aqua Voice or Wispr Flow for live dictation, not for capturing calls.
See the evidence — 18 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Aqua Voice
Wispr Flow
Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026With speaker separation.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Bot-free captureNo "recording bot" joins your call
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026System-audio capture, no bot joins the call.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Speaker separation
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Calendar detection
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Calendar-based meeting detection.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Cross-meeting search
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Shared team memory
PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported for meetings.
From meeting to finished work
Ottex wins meeting intelligence because it can turn dictation and meetings into follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, notes, docs, and other finished written outcomes. Aqua Voice focuses on cleaned-up dictated text, punctuation, paragraphs, snippets, custom vocabulary, and tone rules. Wispr Flow offers formatting help, snippets, custom dictionary, and command mode, but it still does not handle meeting-
See the evidence — 12 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Aqua Voice
Wispr Flow
Decisions, owners, action itemsLeave the meeting with next steps clear
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Decisions with owners extracted.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Follow-up email draftedThe outcome is sent, not summarized
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Drafted from templates or your own.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
CRM update / ticket draft
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Structured for the target app.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Your rough notes steer the result
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Dictation & transcription AI
Wispr Flow and Ottex tie on language breadth at 100+ languages, while Aqua Voice lists 49 languages. Ottex wins control because it offers local AI and BYOK, while Aqua Voice is server-side and Wispr Flow says transcription always happens in the cloud. Wispr Flow has the widest dictation platform reach with Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android; Ottex is stronger when local models, file transcription, meetings, and per-
See the evidence — 12 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Aqua Voice
Wispr Flow
Engines
Cloud: Whisper, Gemini 3 Flash, Voxtral. Local: Whisper, Parakeet v3.Source: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted routing, BYOK, or fully local.
Avalon proprietary speech modelSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Aqua says it runs on its own Avalon speech model.
cloud transcription using open-source models and proprietary LLM providersSource: wisprflow.ai/data-controls — checked Jun 2026Data controls say transcription always occurs in the cloud and Flow uses LLAMA 3.1 plus providers such as OpenAI.
Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device.
NoSource: aquavoice.com/vs — checked Jun 2026Aqua requires an internet connection and processes audio server-side.
NoSource: wisprflow.ai/data-controls — checked Jun 2026Transcription always occurs on the cloud.
Model selection per task
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Choose the model per task and per provider.
No public claim
No public claim
Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching.
YesSource: aquavoice.com/guide — checked Jun 202649+ languages · Language guide says Aqua supports multilingual speakers.
No public claim
Per-app output rules
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email.
PartialSource: aquavoice.com/info — checked Jun 2026Aqua formats for the destination app, but no per-app rule editor is documented.
PartialSource: wisprflow.ai/data-controls — checked Jun 2026Flow uses the app name to format messages, but no user-configurable per-app rules are published.
Cost
What a year actually costs at your volume.
Personal or team — switch tabs. Subscriptions are flat; usage-based pricing depends on how much you speak and meet.
OttexSubscription - Pro$168/yr$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
Aqua VoicePro Annual+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$264/yr$96 + $168FAQ says Pro is $8/month billed annually after the free words. · Unlimited use
Aqua VoicePro Monthly+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$288/yr$120 + $168A vendor comparison page lists Pro at $10/month. · Unlimited use
Wispr FlowFlow Pro+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$312/yr$144 + $168Annual price is published as $12/user/mo billed annually. · Unlimited words per week on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android
Wispr FlowFlow Pro+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$348/yr$180 + $168Monthly price is published as $15/user/mo. · Unlimited words per week on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android
Estimates, not quotes. Striped bar segments are the cost of the second app you picked above to cover the gap — rankings use that combined total. PAYG uses hosted at-cost estimates ($0.2/h dictation, $0.5/h meetings); BYOK is estimated at about a third of that because you pay the model provider directly. Bring-your-own-key plans still pay the model provider per use. One-time licenses are amortized over 2 years. Subscriptions use published pricing, checked Jun 2026.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
Aqua Voice vs Wispr Flow: which should I pick?
Pick Wispr Flow if you need Android or the widest language coverage, because it supports Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and 100+ languages. Pick Aqua Voice if you only need Mac, Windows, or iOS and want the cheaper unlimited plan at $96/year instead of Wispr Flow's $12/seat/month annual plan.
Is Aqua Voice free?
Aqua Voice has a free trial with 1,000 free words and no card required. That is about 8 minutes of speech at 130 words per minute, so it is a test drive, not a real free plan. For a genuinely free option, consider Ottex — unlimited with local models or your own key.
Is Wispr Flow free?
Wispr Flow Basic is free, but the cap is 2,000 words/week on Mac or Windows, about 15 minutes of dictation a week, and 1,000 words/week on iPhone, about 8 minutes a week. Android has unlimited words for a limited time only, so the durable plan is still Flow Pro at $15/seat/month or $12/seat/month annually. For a genuinely free option, consider Ottex — unlimited with local models or your own key.
How much does Aqua Voice cost compared with Wispr Flow?
Aqua Voice costs $10/month or $96/year for unlimited use after the 1,000-word trial. Wispr Flow Pro costs $15/seat/month or $12/seat/month billed annually, which is $144/year. Aqua Voice is the cheaper subscription if its Mac, Windows, and iOS coverage is enough.
Is Aqua Voice or Wispr Flow better for privacy?
Neither is the privacy-first choice if you need local or offline transcription. Aqua Voice processes dictation server-side, and Wispr Flow says transcription always happens in the cloud. Ottex is the better privacy fit because it supports local AI and BYOK.
Does Aqua Voice or Wispr Flow work on Windows and Android?
Both Aqua Voice and Wispr Flow work on Windows. Wispr Flow also works on Android, while Aqua Voice covers Mac, Windows, and iOS only. Ottex does not fit this need because it is Mac and iOS only.
Does Aqua Voice or Wispr Flow work offline?
No, neither is positioned as an offline dictation tool. Aqua Voice is server-side, and Wispr Flow is cloud-only. Ottex supports local AI, so it is the better pick when offline or on-device control matters.
