Ottex
Mac, iOS
Choose if
You want dictated emails to follow your saved writing instructions.
Look elsewhere if
You need voice dictation on a Windows computer.
ComparisonEvery claim sourced · verified Oct 2026
Dragon NaturallySpeaking vs FluidVoice: the honest comparison.
Three tools. Different strengths. Find your fit.
Ottex
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
FluidVoiceAll comparisons
FAQ
At a glance
Which one fits your work?
Each tool takes a different approach. Here’s a quick side-by-side to help you choose based on your workflow, platforms, and goals.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Windows
Choose if
You want offline Windows dictation with custom vocabulary.
Look elsewhere if
You need desktop dictation on a Mac.
FluidVoice
Mac
Choose if
You want free offline dictation shaped by your instructions.
Look elsewhere if
You need meeting recording in a stable release.
The evidence
Pricing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking has custom pricing; FluidVoice is free without word limits. Ottex offers free app access through local models or BYOK, with possible provider charges, or Pro at $14/mo or $168/yr.
See the evidence — 13 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Dragon NaturallySpeaking | FluidVoice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers. | NoNo free plan | PartialSource: fluidvoice.org/download — checked Oct 2026no trial, word limit or paid tier |
| Subscription | $14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included. | NoNo subscription plan | NoNo subscription plan |
| One-time payment | Not applicableSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Application is free | NoNo one-time payment plan | Not applicableSource: fluidvoice.org/download — checked Oct 2026Application is free |
| Bring your own keyPay the model provider, not the middleman | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026OpenRouter, Google AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, and compatible providers. | No public claim | YesSource: fluidvoice.org/docs — checked Oct 2026Optional cloud cleanup uses the user's API key and separately billed provider account. |
| Education discount | NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Same pricing for everyone. | YesSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Qualified K–12 and higher-education organizations receive OLP discounts with unpublished prices, billing periods and percentages; the separate K–12 site program covers up to 250 computers. | No public claim |
The evidence
Platforms
Dragon NaturallySpeaking requires Windows; FluidVoice supports Mac and has a Windows pre-release testing build. Ottex supports Mac and iOS, making it the choice here for iPhone dictation.
See the evidence — 5 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Dragon NaturallySpeaking | FluidVoice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | WindowsSource: dragon.nuance.com/shared — checked Oct 2026 | MacSource: fluidvoice.org/download — checked Oct 2026Some platforms in beta/waitlist |
| Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM. | No public claim | PartialSource: raw.githubusercontent.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026The macOS application uses SwiftUI and AppKit; the Windows implementation was not verified. |
The evidence
Meetings & team memory
Dragon NaturallySpeaking cannot record meetings; FluidVoice records without a bot in its macOS beta, while Ottex supports bot-free capture. Ottex also offers an experimental, opt-in macOS camera recording watermark.
See the evidence — 20 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Dragon NaturallySpeaking | FluidVoice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026With speaker separation. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | PartialSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026FluidMeet records meetings locally in macOS v1.6.10-beta.7. |
| Bot-free captureNo "recording bot" joins your call | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026System-audio capture, no bot joins the call. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | PartialSource: raw.githubusercontent.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026The macOS beta captures meeting-application audio and microphone audio directly on the computer. |
| Camera recording watermarkShow recording in your camera video | PartialExperimental macOS virtual camera adds an Ottex icon to video; install/enable the extension, select it and turn video on. Guide covers Meet in Chrome and Zoom desktop; effects may obscure it. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | No public claim |
| Participant noticesRecording notices in chat or calendar | No public claim | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | No public claim |
| Speaker separation | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | PartialSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026FluidMeet includes speaker labels in the macOS beta; automatic identification of participants by real name is unverified. |
| Calendar detection | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Calendar-based meeting detection. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | PartialSource: raw.githubusercontent.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026The macOS beta optionally detects Zoom, Teams, Webex, and supported browser meetings, then offers user-started recording. |
| Cross-meeting search | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026 | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | PartialSource: github.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026The macOS beta's Global Search includes transcripts across the application. |
| Shared team memory | PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | No public claim |
The evidence
From meeting to finished work
Dragon NaturallySpeaking lacks meeting notes; FluidVoice creates on-device summaries in its macOS beta. Ottex creates summaries, structures transcripts into document templates, and drafts follow-ups, CRM updates and tickets.
See the evidence — 13 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Dragon NaturallySpeaking | FluidVoice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting template libraryTurn a transcript into a structured document | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Choose a ready-made document template to extract relevant information from a meeting transcript into a structured document, such as a product review or client-call report. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Document templates that extract and structure information from meeting transcripts are not supported. | No public claim |
| Transcript chat prompt libraryReady-made prompts for AI chat about meetings | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Use ready-made reusable prompts in AI chat to ask questions, analyze discussions and extract information from meeting transcripts. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Reusable AI chat prompts for analyzing meeting transcripts are not supported. | No public claim |
| Decisions, owners, action itemsLeave the meeting with next steps clear | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Decisions with owners extracted. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | PartialSource: raw.githubusercontent.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026The macOS beta offers a Key decisions output, while assignment of decision owners is unverified. |
| Follow-up email draftedThe outcome is sent, not summarized | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Drafted from templates or your own. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | No public claim |
| CRM update / ticket draft | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Structured for the target app. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | No public claim |
| Your rough notes steer the result | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result. | NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Oct 2026Not supported. | No public claim |
The evidence
Dictation & transcription AI
Dragon NaturallySpeaking has a custom dictionary and voice snippets; FluidVoice applies saved writing rules with AI cleanup enabled. Ottex applies saved rules after dictation, formats paragraphs and lists automatically, and has voice snippets.
See the evidence — 25 claims across 3 toolsverified Oct 2026Show tableHide table
| Feature | Ottex | Dragon NaturallySpeaking | FluidVoice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engines | Cloud: Whisper, Gemini 3 Flash, Voxtral. Local: Whisper, Parakeet v3.Source: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Hosted routing, BYOK, or fully local. | Nuance Dragon speech engineSource: dragon.nuance.com/shared — checked Oct 2026The desktop recognition engine uses Nuance Deep Learning technology. | Nemotron Speech 3.5, Nemotron 3.5 Multilingual, Parakeet Flash Beta, Parakeet TDT v3, Parakeet TDT v2, Cohere Transcribe, Apple Speech, WhisperSource: fluidvoice.org/models — checked Oct 2026The macOS model lineup varies by hardware and operating-system compatibility. |
| Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device. | YesSource: nuance.com/asset — checked Oct 2026Local recognition supports disconnected operation, subject to administrative configuration in managed deployments. | YesSource: fluidvoice.org — checked Oct 2026Local recognition and local cleanup work offline after their required assets are installed. |
| Model selection per task | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Choose the model per task and per provider. | No public claim | YesSource: fluidvoice.org/models — checked Oct 2026Users can download and switch speech models in the application. |
| Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching. | No public claim | PartialSource: fluidvoice.org/docs — checked Oct 202699+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching can produce errors and requires testing with the selected model. |
| Automatic formatting | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Dictation automatically fixes punctuation, groups ideas into paragraphs and formats enumerations as lists. Formatting toggles and profile rules customize output. | PartialSource: nuance.com/products — checked Oct 2026Configurable rules format numbers, dates and addresses and optionally insert commas and periods; automatic paragraph and list structuring was not verified. | PartialSource: raw.githubusercontent.com/altic-dev — checked Oct 2026Optional AI cleanup fixes punctuation and capitalization, while spoken directives create line breaks and list items. |
| Custom dictionary | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Add or delete names and specialist terms with preferred spellings; entries provide recognition context during transcription. | YesSource: nuance.com/products — checked Oct 2026The Vocabulary Editor adds and trains words and phrases with custom written forms, pronunciations and formatting properties. | YesSource: fluidvoice.org/features — checked Oct 2026Custom Dictionary accepts preferred spellings for names and jargon, with JSON import and export. |
| Voice snippetsSay a saved phrase to insert a link or text | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Save a voice trigger and expansion text; saying the trigger while dictating inserts the saved URL or text in place. | YesSource: nuance.com/products — checked Oct 2026Speaking a saved Auto-Text command inserts user-defined text or graphics, with global, application-specific or window-specific availability. | No public claim |
| Custom voice instructionsFree-form rules applied after dictation | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Saved profile instructions automatically process dictation before insertion; rules can include writing examples, personal phrasing and email signatures. | No public claim | YesSource: fluidvoice.org/docs — checked Oct 2026Saved user-written prompts automatically process dictation before insertion when AI cleanup is enabled. |
| Tone presetsChoose a predefined writing style | YesSelect built-in Messaging or Email profiles for casual or professional dictation; assigning apps or websites enables automatic profile activation. | No public claim | No public claim |
| Text transforms / AI ShortcutsApply an AI action to existing text | YesSource: ottex.ai/docs — checked Oct 2026Select or copy existing text, open Omnibar and run an AI Shortcut to rewrite, translate, summarize or apply a custom prompt; the result is copied/pasted. | No public claim | PartialSource: fluidvoice.org/features — checked Oct 2026Write Mode replaces selected text using spoken rewrite instructions in Accessibility-compatible fields, with AI-provider compatibility restrictions. |
| Per-app output rules | YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Oct 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email. | No public claim | YesSource: fluidvoice.org/docs — checked Oct 2026User-authored per-app instructions are selected automatically for the focused application. |
Questions people actually ask.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking vs FluidVoice: which should I choose?
Choose Dragon NaturallySpeaking for offline Windows dictation with trainable vocabulary; choose FluidVoice for free Mac dictation with saved writing rules. Choose Ottex for Mac or iOS dictation with saved instructions, automatic paragraph formatting and voice snippets.
Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking or FluidVoice free?
FluidVoice is free with no trial, word limit or paid tier. Dragon NaturallySpeaking lists custom pricing; Ottex offers free app access with local models or BYOK, but BYOK provider usage may incur charges.
How much do Dragon NaturallySpeaking and FluidVoice cost?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking has custom pricing with no published annual rate; FluidVoice is free with no paid tier. Ottex offers free local-model and BYOK app access, Pro at $14/month or $168/year, and Team at $24/seat/month or $288/seat/year; BYOK provider charges may apply.
Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking safe for private dictation?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking recognizes speech locally; FluidVoice can run recognition and cleanup offline; Ottex runs Whisper or Parakeet v3 on-device. All three qualify when local speech recognition is your privacy requirement.
Is it worth switching from Dragon NaturallySpeaking to FluidVoice?
Switch to FluidVoice for Mac dictation with saved writing rules and no app fee; stay with Dragon NaturallySpeaking for Windows dictation with trainable vocabulary and voice snippets. Ottex offers saved rules and voice snippets on Mac and iOS, but lacks Windows support.
Do Dragon NaturallySpeaking and FluidVoice work on Windows?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking works on Windows; FluidVoice offers an official 64-bit Windows pre-release testing build. Ottex supports Mac and iOS, so it is not an option for Windows.
Can Dragon NaturallySpeaking and FluidVoice work offline?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking supports offline recognition on Windows, subject to managed-deployment configuration; FluidVoice supports offline recognition and cleanup after installing the required assets. Ottex runs Whisper and Parakeet v3 on-device.