Ottex AI vs Dragon
Ottex winsThe legacy dictation leader vs modern AI-powered alternatives.
Last updated: 2025
The verdict
Dragon was the gold standard for decades, but Nuance discontinued Dragon for Mac in 2018. Modern AI dictation apps like Ottex now offer better accuracy at a fraction of the cost.
Choose Ottex if you want:
Mac users, cost-conscious users, those who want modern AI
Choose Dragon NaturallySpeaking if you want:
Windows users with existing Dragon licenses, specialized medical/legal workflows
Feature comparison
Where Ottex wins
Key advantages of choosing Ottex AI over Dragon NaturallySpeaking.
Works on Mac
Dragon discontinued Mac support in 2018. Ottex is built natively for macOS with excellent performance.
Modern AI accuracy
Ottex uses state-of-the-art AI models that outperform Dragon's legacy speech recognition, especially without voice training.
Fraction of the cost
Dragon costs $200-700 upfront (or $1,500+ for medical). Ottex is free to download with typical API costs of $1-3/month.
No voice training required
Dragon requires creating a voice profile. Ottex works immediately with excellent accuracy for any voice.
Where Dragon NaturallySpeaking wins
Being honest: here's where Dragon NaturallySpeaking has the edge.
Extensive voice commands
Dragon has the most comprehensive voice command system for Windows application control and text formatting.
Offline capability
Dragon works without internet connection. Ottex requires connectivity for cloud AI processing.
Specialized versions
Dragon Medical and Dragon Legal have specialized vocabularies and workflows for those industries.
Windows integration
Deep Windows integration for power users who need voice control of their entire system.
Pricing comparison
Ottex AI
$1-3
BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)
Pay only for API usage through OpenRouter, OpenAI, or Google. Typical users spend $1-3/month. Heavy users might spend up to $5/month.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
$0 (after purchase)
One-time purchase + optional subscription
Dragon Home ~$200, Professional ~$500, Medical starts at $1,500. Some versions require annual subscriptions for updates.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to try Ottex?
Download free, add your API key, and start dictating in minutes. No credit card required.