Superwhisper vs Willow Voice: the honest comparison.
Superwhisper and Willow Voice both cover system-wide dictation across Mac, Windows, and iOS. Superwhisper is the better private power-user tool, while Willow Voice is cleaner for team dictation. Ottex is our product, and it fits when you want dictation, meetings, and finished work in one Mac/iOS-first tool.
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.
Superwhisper is a strong pick if you want private, system-wide dictation with local processing, 100+ languages, and a reasonably priced Pro plan, but it is less convincing as a full meeting-workflow system because calendar capture, shared w
Choose if
You want system-wide voice-to-text in native macOS, Windows, or iOS apps rather than a browser-first workflow.
You care about privacy: local transcription, no Superwhisper server retention, no AI training on user data, and BYO API keys are all publicly claimed.
You want dictation plus basic meeting recording in one personal tool, with Pro at $8.49/month, $84.99/year, or $249.99 once.
Look elsewhere if
You need a mature team meeting hub with calendar integration, shared workspaces, cross-meeting search, CRM updates, or automatic follow-up drafts.
You need Android, Linux, or a browser extension as a primary platform; those are not publicly claimed in the dossier.
Willow Voice
Mac, Windows, iOS · Limited free · $12/mo
Willow Voice looks strong if you want polished, system-wide AI dictation across Mac, Windows, and iPhone, but it is not a file transcription or meeting-notes tool, and its free tier is only about 15 minutes of speech a week.
Choose if
You want system-wide dictation that inserts text into whatever field your cursor is in.
You dictate across Mac, Windows, and iPhone and care about 100+ languages, custom vocabulary, and tone/style cleanup.
You need team dictation controls like a shared dictionary, shared shortcuts, centralized billing, and a 3-seat minimum is fine.
Look elsewhere if
You need meeting recording, summaries, action items, speaker identification, or follow-up drafts.
You need audio/video file transcription, batch processing, timestamps, or speaker labels from uploaded media files.You need a genuinely usable free plan; 2,000
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
Superwhisper has the strongest paid-value spread: $8.49/mo, $84.99/yr, or $249.99 one-time for unlimited Cloud and Local AI models. Willow Voice starts higher for individuals at $15/mo, while its free 2,000 words/week is only about 15 minutes of dictation a week. Ottex wins the real free path with free local AI or your own key, plus PAYG at $0.2/hour and Pro at $14/mo.
See the evidence — 13 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Superwhisper
Willow Voice
Free tier
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers.
PartialSource: superwhisper.com — checked Jun 2026Pro features for 15 minutes of recording for free; free tier available forever
PartialSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 20262,000 free words per week
Subscription
$14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
$7/moSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Annual Pro is listed as $84.99/year.
$12/moSource: help.willowvoice.com/en — checked Jun 2026Pricing page shows $10/month billed annually; help center says $12 per user/month with 20% off 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).
$249.99 one-timeSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026All Pro billing options include the same features and work on all platforms.
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.
YesSource: superwhisper.com — checked Jun 2026Pro includes use of your own AI API keys.
No public claim
Education discount
NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Same pricing for everyone.
YesSource: superwhisper.com — checked Jun 2026The pricing section advertises 40% off for students.
No public claim
Platforms
Superwhisper and Willow Voice both cover the same 3 platforms: Mac, Windows, and iOS. Superwhisper is the clearer app-quality pick because native Mac, Windows, and iOS apps are stated, while Willow Voice is still a strong system-wide dictation option across Mac, Windows, and iPhone. Ottex loses platform breadth because it is Mac and iOS only.
See the evidence — 6 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Superwhisper
Willow Voice
Platforms
Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
Mac, Windows, iOSSource: superwhisper.com/download — checked Jun 2026
Mac, Windows, iOSSource: willowvoice.com/download — checked Jun 2026Some platforms in beta/waitlist
Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM.
YesSource: superwhisper.com/download — checked Jun 2026Vendor distributes platform-specific macOS, Windows, and iOS apps.
PartialSource: willowvoice.com/download — checked Jun 2026Mac download appears native; Windows download URL references Electron builds.
Meetings & team memory
Ottex wins meeting capture because it combines meetings with dictation and file transcription. Superwhisper is the useful middle option with meetings, file transcription, local processing, and 15 minutes of free recording before Pro. Willow Voice is the wrong pick here because it does not claim meetings, file transcription, speaker identification, or summaries, and Individual recording sessions are capped at 8-minute
See the evidence — 15 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Superwhisper
Willow Voice
Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026With speaker separation.
YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Meeting Mode records meeting audio and produces summaries with action items.
NoSource: willowvoice.com/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.
YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Docs describe local recording by starting Superwhisper rather than adding a meeting bot.
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Speaker separation
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Speaker separation can be enabled in Advanced Settings.
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Calendar detection
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Calendar-based meeting detection.
No public claim
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Cross-meeting search
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
No public claim
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Shared team memory
PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace.
No public claim
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
From meeting to finished work
Ottex wins meeting intelligence because it is built to turn dictation and meetings into follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, docs, and notes. Superwhisper can record and transcribe, but its own fit stops short of a mature team meeting hub with calendar capture, shared workspaces, CRM updates, or follow-up drafts. Willow Voice is not a meeting-notes tool at all, even at $15/mo Individual or $12/seat/mo
See the evidence — 9 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Superwhisper
Willow Voice
Decisions, owners, action itemsLeave the meeting with next steps clear
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Decisions with owners extracted.
YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Meeting Mode highlights key decisions.
NoSource: willowvoice.com/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.
No public claim
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
CRM update / ticket draft
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Structured for the target app.
No public claim
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Your rough notes steer the result
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result.
No public claim
NoSource: willowvoice.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Dictation & transcription AI
Superwhisper and Ottex are the strongest AI-dictation choices for control because both support BYOK, local options, file transcription, and 100+ languages. Willow Voice also supports 100+ languages and polished dictation across Mac, Windows, and iOS, but it has no BYOK, no local option, and no file transcription. Ottex adds per-app output rules and mixed-language speech, while Superwhisper wins if Windows support is.
See the evidence — 12 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Superwhisper
Willow Voice
Engines
Cloud: Whisper, Gemini 3 Flash, Voxtral. Local: Whisper, Parakeet v3.Source: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted routing, BYOK, or fully local.
Local voice models, cloud voice models, Anthropic, OpenAI, Groq, and user-connected API tokensSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Docs describe local and cloud voice models and cloud language models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Groq.
cloud-based AI modelsSource: help.willowvoice.com/en — checked Jun 2026Vendor describes the recognition stack as cloud-based AI models without naming providers.
Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device.
YesSource: superwhisper.com/offline-transcription — checked Jun 2026Vendor says offline speech recognition runs on Mac, Windows, and iOS with no upload.
PartialSource: help.willowvoice.com/en — checked Jun 2026Help center lists offline dictation on Individual Pro, while privacy docs say cloud models are used for the main experience.
Model selection per task
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Choose the model per task and per provider.
YesSource: superwhisper.com/docs — checked Jun 2026Users can pick voice models and select cloud or local AI models during setup.
No public claim
Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching.
No public claim
YesSource: apps.apple.com/us — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · App Store listing says users can switch languages on the fly.
Per-app output rules
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email.
No public claim
PartialSource: apps.apple.com/us — checked Jun 2026App Store listing says style matching adapts tone by context; TechCrunch reports styles across app categories.
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.
Willow VoiceTeam+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$283/yr$115 + $168Pricing page shows $10/month billed annually; help center says $12 per user/month with 20% off annually. · Unlimited words; minimum 3 seats
Willow VoiceIndividual+ Granola for meetings — $168/yr$312/yr$144 + $168Pricing page shows $12/month billed annually; help center says $15/month with 20% off annual billing. · Unlimited words to dictate; up to 8 minutes of recording per session
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.
Superwhisper vs Willow Voice: which should I pick?
Pick Superwhisper if you want private, system-wide dictation with local processing, BYOK, file transcription, basic meeting recording, and a $84.99/yr plan. Pick Willow Voice if you mainly want polished dictation across Mac, Windows, and iPhone with team features like shared dictionaries and centralized billing. Pick Ottex if you use Mac or iOS and want dictation, meetings, and finished outputs like emails, tickets,.
Is Superwhisper free?
Superwhisper has a free tier, but the stated free recording allowance is 15 minutes. That is a trial-sized way to test the product, not a serious weekly workflow. For a genuinely free option, consider Ottex — unlimited with local AI or your own key.
Is Willow Voice free?
Willow Voice has a free tier with 2,000 words per week, which is about 15 minutes of dictation a week at 130 words per minute. That is enough to sample the product, not enough to run regular dictation. For a genuinely free option, consider Ottex — unlimited with local AI or your own key.
How much does Superwhisper cost compared with Willow Voice?
Superwhisper Pro is $8.49/mo, $84.99/yr, or $249.99 one-time for unlimited Cloud and Local AI models. Willow Voice Individual is $15/mo, and Team is $12/seat/mo with a 3-seat minimum. Superwhisper is the cheaper individual subscription and the only one here with a one-time purchase path.
Is Superwhisper safer than Willow Voice?
Superwhisper is the safer pick if privacy is the main concern because it claims local transcription, no Superwhisper server retention, no AI training on user data, and BYO API keys. Willow Voice does not claim BYOK or a local option in the input. Ottex is also strong for privacy because it supports local AI and your own key.
Is it worth switching from Superwhisper to Willow Voice?
Switch from Superwhisper to Willow Voice only if your main need is polished cursor-based dictation and team controls like shared vocabulary, shared shortcuts, and centralized billing. Stay with Superwhisper if you care about local processing, BYOK, file transcription, meeting recording, or the $249.99 one-time plan.
Does Superwhisper or Willow Voice work on Windows or Android?
Superwhisper and Willow Voice both work on Windows, Mac, and iOS. Neither digest claims Android, Linux, web access, or a browser extension. Ottex is not the answer for Windows or Android either, because it is Mac and iOS only.
