Lives on your Mac
Audio is processed right on your device by default. It never leaves your Mac unless you choose to use a cloud provider.
BetterTranscribe
Type with your voice.
A voice-to-text companion that lives in your menu bar.
How it works
- Press a hotkey (e.g. Shift + Option + Space) and start speaking.
- Press the hotkey again to stop.
- The text drops into whatever app you're focused on.
Download on the
Mac App Store
Free to download - 7-day free trial
BetterTranscribe
ggml-large-v3-turbo
Transcription
Paste to focused field
Words spoken
Tap to record
Recording 0:00 Transcribing…
Try it — tap the record button to see what happens
Save hours of typing.
Speaking is up to 3× faster than typing.
Research suggests we speak around 130 words per minute and type around 40. The time adds up faster than you'd expect.
Example: a 100-word reply
- Typing them takes
- 2 min 30 sec
- Speaking them takes
- only 46 sec
Same 100 words, ~104 seconds saved. Repeat that across your day.
Features
Cloud, only if you want it
Optionally plug in your own OpenAI or Gemini API key for cloud transcription when you want a different model.
Wide language coverage
29 curated languages plus an Auto option that detects the language for you.
Custom vocabulary
Bias the transcription toward your jargon, product names, and code symbols. Cuts down on the errors that matter most.
File transcription
Drag any audio or video file onto the app and get the text out. mp3, m4a, wav, mp4 and friends all just work.
Stats panel
Optional panel that shows how many transcriptions you've done and how many hours of typing you've saved over time.
Why BetterTranscribe is better than the others.
Most Mac transcription tools are subscriptions that ship your audio to a vendor cloud. BetterTranscribe is free to try, bought once, and stays local unless you choose otherwise.
Most other apps
Subscription, vendor cloud
- Typically a monthly subscription
- Audio sent to the vendor's cloud servers
- Tied to the company's pricing roadmap
A different shape
One-time, local-first
- Free 7-day trial, then a one-time purchase
- Audio stays on your Mac by default
- Optionally use your own cloud provider key
See it in action.
A short walkthrough of how BetterTranscribe actually feels day-to-day.
Quick walkthrough
See how voice typing on your Mac actually feels, end to end.
Pricing
Free to download, with a 7-day free trial. Then pay once, use it forever.
One-time purchase. Not a subscription.
Download it free and try every feature for 7 days. After that, a single one-time purchase unlocks BetterTranscribe forever - no monthly bill, no usage cap for local models, no surprise renewals.
- Free to download
- 7-day free trial - every feature
- One-time purchase to unlock
- Not a subscription
- Free updates
Already bought BetterTranscribe? You keep full access automatically - nothing to do.
FAQ
By default, nowhere. The transcription happens on your Mac and your audio never leaves the device. If you switch to a cloud option, your audio is sent only to the provider whose API key you supplied (OpenAI or Gemini), under your account.
Yes. BetterTranscribe is free to download, and every feature is unlocked for a 7-day free trial. No commitment - try it on your real work first.
Transcription pauses until you unlock the app with a single one-time purchase. Your settings and preferences stay exactly where you left them.
No. After the free trial, BetterTranscribe is a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store. You buy it once, get free updates, and never see a subscription.
No. Existing buyers keep full access automatically - there is nothing to do. If access ever doesn't carry over, use Restore Purchases in the app.
macOS 13 or later. Apple Silicon (M1 / M2 / M3 / M4) is recommended for the smoothest transcription speed.
Apple processes all purchases, so refund requests also go through Apple. Use Apple Support and reference your purchase receipt.