TessFlo vs Apple Dictation
Dictation is already built into macOS. Here’s when that’s all you need, and when TessFlo is worth $13.
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The short answer
Stick with Apple Dictation if you dictate now and then, in one of its many languages, and you’re happy with how it handles your words.
Try TessFlo if you dictate in English for long stretches and want more control: a choice of speech models, custom vocabulary, word replacements, optional local cleanup and a searchable history on your Mac.
Side by side
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| TessFlo | Apple Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 7-day free trial, then $13 once | Included with macOS |
| Where speech is processed | On your Mac after a one-time model download | On your Mac for supported languages, after a speech-model download |
| Languages | English | Many; on-device dictation lists more than 20 |
| Pauses | Keeps listening until you press the shortcut again; can optionally stop after silence | Stops automatically after 30 seconds without speech |
| Speech model | Choose NVIDIA Parakeet v2, Whisper large-v3-turbo or Whisper small | Apple’s built-in model |
| Your words | Custom vocabulary and word replacements | Not covered in Apple’s Dictation guide |
| Cleanup | Optional Light Cleanup for grammar and punctuation, on your Mac | Not covered in Apple’s Dictation guide |
| History | Search, copy, export or delete past dictations on your Mac | Not covered in Apple’s Dictation guide |
| Requirements | macOS 14 or later on Apple Silicon (M1 or later) | Varies by language and region |
Why pay when dictation is free?
For quick notes, you may not need to. TessFlo is for people who dictate a lot of English: choose the speech model that suits you, teach it your names and terms, set spoken shortcuts for text you use often, and keep a history you can search. Your speech stays on your Mac, and TessFlo pastes the finished text where your cursor is.
Where Apple Dictation is the better fit
- You dictate in a language other than English.
- You use an Intel Mac or a macOS version earlier than 14.
- You only dictate occasionally and don’t want another app.
More options: compare the best dictation apps for Mac.
Sources
TessFlo details come from this website, the release notes and the Privacy Policy. Other apps, checked on 15 October 2026: