SuperWhisper: AI Voice Dictation That Runs Offline on Your Mac

Voice dictation has existed for decades, but most tools share a common problem: they send your voice to the cloud. For founders handling sensitive business communications, that’s a dealbreaker.

SuperWhisper takes a different approach. It runs entirely on your device using Apple Silicon’s neural engine, delivering accurate transcription without your words ever leaving your Mac.

This review covers how SuperWhisper works, whether it’s worth the subscription, and how it compares to cloud-based alternatives.

What Is SuperWhisper?

SuperWhisper is an AI-powered voice-to-text application for macOS and iOS built on OpenAI’s Whisper model (specifically whisper.cpp, an optimized local implementation).

The key differentiator: Everything runs locally. No internet connection required. No data sent to servers. Your dictation stays on your device.

Neil Chudleigh, an indie developer, built SuperWhisper after growing frustrated with existing voice tools that either lacked accuracy or required constant cloud connectivity. He bootstrapped the entire project without venture capital.

How It Works

The workflow is simple:

Press the hotkey (Option + Space by default)
Speak - a waveform appears showing SuperWhisper is listening
Release or click - transcription happens locally in seconds
Text appears wherever your cursor is

SuperWhisper works in any application: email clients, Slack, VS Code, browsers, native apps. If you can type there, you can dictate there.

The AI Models

SuperWhisper offers multiple transcription models with different speed/accuracy trade-offs:

Model	Speed	Accuracy	Use Case
Nano	Fastest	Good	Quick messages, casual notes
Fast	Very fast	Better	Most daily use
Pro	Moderate	High	Important documents
Ultra	Slower	Highest	Critical accuracy needs

Larger models require more processing time but catch nuances that smaller models miss. Most users find the Fast model hits the sweet spot for daily work.

Key Features

Offline Processing

This is SuperWhisper’s defining feature. The entire transcription pipeline runs on your Mac’s neural engine. You can dictate on an airplane, in a coffee shop with spotty wifi, or in a secure facility with no internet access.

Privacy-conscious founders appreciate that client names, financial figures, and strategic plans never touch external servers.

Multi-Language Support

SuperWhisper supports 100+ languages and dialects. It automatically detects the language you’re speaking, so you can switch between English and Spanish mid-sentence without changing settings.

Recording History

Recent updates added searchable recording history. Every dictation is saved locally, so you can:

Find that brilliant idea you dictated last week
Re-use transcriptions
Review and correct past entries

Claude Integration (BYOK)

The 2024-2025 updates introduced “Bring Your Own Key” support for Claude models (4.5 Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus). This enables:

Post-processing dictation with AI
Automatic formatting and cleanup
Custom prompts for specific use cases (emails, code comments, meeting notes)

You provide your own Anthropic API key, so you control costs and data handling.

Custom Modes

SuperWhisper lets you create modes for different contexts:

Email mode: Adds appropriate formatting and sign-offs
Code mode: Preserves technical terminology and syntax
Notes mode: Bullet points and quick capture
Custom: Whatever workflow you design

Pricing

SuperWhisper uses a freemium model:

Plan	Price	Features
Free	$0	15 minutes recording, Nano/Fast/Standard models
Pro	$8.49/month	Unlimited recording, all models, all features

The Pro license covers both macOS and iOS and can be activated on unlimited devices. For a single subscription, you get dictation on your Mac, MacBook, iPad, and iPhone.

Compared to cloud dictation services charging $15-30/month, SuperWhisper’s pricing is competitive—especially considering the privacy benefits.

Use Cases for Founders

Email and Communication

Dictating emails is 3-4x faster than typing for most people. Instead of context-switching to compose a response, speak your thoughts and let SuperWhisper transcribe.

With Claude integration, you can even have the AI clean up your stream-of-consciousness dictation into a polished email.

Meeting Transcription

Record meetings (with consent) and get local transcriptions without uploading audio to third-party services. Useful for:

Investor calls with sensitive financials
Customer discovery interviews
Team standups

Capturing Ideas

The best ideas arrive at inconvenient times. SuperWhisper’s hotkey activation means you can capture a thought in seconds without opening an app or navigating UI.

Walking to get coffee? Dictate into your phone. Driving? Use Siri to open SuperWhisper, then speak your idea.

Coding with Voice

Developers dealing with RSI or preferring voice input can dictate code comments, documentation, and even code itself. The technical accuracy of the Pro/Ultra models handles programming terminology well.

Pair SuperWhisper with Claude Code for voice-driven development: dictate what you want, have Claude implement it.

Comparison: SuperWhisper vs. Alternatives

vs. Apple Dictation

Apple’s built-in dictation is free and decent, but:

Accuracy is lower, especially for technical terms
No offline mode on older devices
Limited customization
No recording history

SuperWhisper wins on accuracy, features, and privacy.

vs. Otter.ai

Otter.ai excels at meeting transcription with speaker identification, but:

Requires internet connection
All audio sent to cloud servers
Subscription is more expensive ($16.99/month)
Focused on meetings, not general dictation

Choose Otter for collaborative meeting notes. Choose SuperWhisper for private, general-purpose dictation.

vs. Wispr Flow

Wispr Flow is SuperWhisper’s closest competitor:

Both offer high-quality AI dictation
Wispr is cloud-based (requires internet)
Wispr has better “auto-edit” features
SuperWhisper is offline-first with better privacy

If you prioritize privacy: SuperWhisper. If you want maximum AI cleanup: Wispr Flow.

Setup Guide

Installation

Download from the Mac App Store or superwhisper.com
Grant microphone permissions when prompted
Grant accessibility permissions for system-wide input

Choosing Your Model

Start with the Fast model. It balances speed and accuracy for most use cases. Switch to Pro or Ultra for:

Important documents
Technical content
Multiple speakers
Challenging audio conditions

Configuring the Hotkey

The default Option + Space works for most users. If it conflicts with other apps, customize it in Settings > Hotkey.

Creating Custom Modes

Navigate to Settings > Modes and create context-specific configurations:

Set default formatting
Add Claude processing prompts
Choose preferred AI model
Configure auto-punctuation settings

Limitations

macOS/iOS Only

No Windows or Android support. If you’re cross-platform, you’ll need a different solution for non-Apple devices.

Processing Time for Large Models

The Ultra model can take several seconds to process longer dictations. For rapid-fire messaging, stick with Nano or Fast.

Learning Curve for Advanced Features

Basic dictation is instant, but mastering custom modes, Claude integration, and workflows takes experimentation.

Bottom Line

SuperWhisper delivers on its core promise: accurate voice dictation that runs entirely on your device.

For founders handling sensitive information—client data, financials, strategy documents—the privacy benefits alone justify the $8.49/month subscription. The Claude integration adds AI-powered cleanup without compromising on data handling.

If you’re on Apple devices and value privacy, SuperWhisper is the best voice dictation tool available.

Best for: Privacy-conscious Mac users, founders handling sensitive data, anyone wanting offline-capable dictation.

Skip if: You need Windows/Android support, or you want AI features without bringing your own API key.