A free, open-source alternative to Superwhisper

Updated 3 October 2026

Superwhisper is a capable dictation app with a deep set of AI features. JustScribe is a smaller, simpler tool for people who mainly want the first part: press a key, speak, get accurate text in whatever app is in front of them, without paying or signing up.

How they compare

Superwhisper details are from superwhisper.com as of October 2026; check there for current plans and prices.

When JustScribe is the better fit

• You want dictation, not a toolkit. JustScribe works with sensible defaults once you have picked a shortcut and a model. Clean-up modes per app, a vocabulary and voice commands are there when you want them.
• You do not want to pay for dictation. Nothing in JustScribe is behind a licence.
• You want everything local, with no way to turn that off. JustScribe has no cloud models and no API-key settings, so audio cannot leave your Mac by mistake.
• You value open source. You can read, build and change the code.

When Superwhisper is the better fit

• You want a larger choice of ready-made modes to build on.
• You want to use cloud models, or your own API keys, for the best possible accuracy on difficult audio.
• You need subtitle files or other export formats from a recording; JustScribe saves plain text with timestamps.
• You use Windows or a phone, or an Intel Mac.

What you get with JustScribe

• A global shortcut that records while you hold it or toggles with a press, including modifier-only shortcuts.
• Text that appears while you speak, then a second pass over the whole recording when you release the key (or press it again in press-to-toggle mode).
• A choice of on-device models, from 75 MB to 3 GB.
• Transcription of audio and video files, with timestamps and optional speaker labels.
• Optional grammar correction through Apple Intelligence or a local Llama model.
• Microphone priority order, a notch or floating recording indicator, launch at login, and automatic updates.

Questions

Is JustScribe a free alternative to Superwhisper?

Yes. JustScribe is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 licence, and every feature is included: there is no Pro tier. It covers system-wide dictation on a Mac with on-device models and optional grammar correction.

What does Superwhisper do that JustScribe does not?

Superwhisper has customisable AI modes that rewrite your speech with large language models, can use cloud models and your own API keys, and is available on Windows, iOS and Android as well. JustScribe runs only on your Mac, with no cloud: it has per-app clean-up modes you write yourself, rather than a library of ready-made ones.

Do both work offline?

Both can run speech models locally on Apple silicon Macs. JustScribe is local only; Superwhisper offers local and cloud models.