Cofactor, side by side with the apps you’ve heard of.
28 plain questions about cost, privacy, offline use and editing. Every answer names the plan it needs and comes from that company’s own pages, so you can check it yourself.
Free dictation with no word limit, on your device, even with no signal.
Swipe the table sideways to see every app. The questions stay put.
| Question | Cofactor | Apple Dictation | Wispr Flow | Superwhisper | Willow Voice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where Cofactor stands alone | |||||
| Can I dictate as much as I want without paying? | Yes · FreeNo word cap or weekly limit, on iPhone and Mac. | Yes · FreeBuilt in, with no length cap. It stops after 30 seconds of silence. | No · Pro onlyFree is 2,000 words a week on a computer and 1,000 on a phone. Unlimited is Pro. | Yes · FreeLocal models only. Cloud and AI modes are Pro. | Partly · FreeUnlimited dictation on its lighter model. The smarter model is Pro. |
| Does it work with no signal (subway, plane, cabin)? | Yes · Free, iPhone and MacAfter a one-time model download, dictation and polish run on the device. | Yes · FreeIn many languages, processed on the iPhone with no internet. | No · Any planTranscription always happens in the cloud, and the iPhone keyboard shows “No Network.” | Yes · FreeLocal models work offline, on Mac and iPhone. Cloud models need internet. | Yes · Plan not statedWillow says its offline mode runs entirely on your device. |
| Does my voice stay on my phone or computer? | Yes · Every planAudio is never uploaded, on any plan. Text leaves the device only if you turn on sync, the Automation API or your own AI provider. | Mostly · FreeAudio is processed on the iPhone in many languages. Text typed into a search field may go to the search engine. | No · Any planAudio goes to Wispr's servers and is deleted after transcription unless cloud storage is on. A switch that lets Wispr use your dictations to improve its models is on by default. | Partly · FreeYes with its free local models, which run on your device. Cloud models send audio to the provider, and those are Pro. | Partly · Plan not statedTranscription runs in the cloud by default, and no audio is stored after transcription. Audio stays on the device only in offline mode. |
| Can I use it without creating an account? | Yes · FreeAn account is needed only for sync, Teams, the Automation API or buying outside the App Store. | Yes · FreeIt's built in, and Apple says requests aren't tied to your Apple Account. | No · Any planYou must sign in to dictate. | Partly · FreeFree local use isn't listed as needing an account. Pro and API keys do. | Not listed · Any plan |
| Can I mix Spanish and English in the same sentence? | Yes · Free, iPhoneAuto runs English and Spanish recognition together on each dictation. On Mac, Auto picks one language per dictation. | Not listed · Any planYou switch dictation language by switching keyboards. | No · Any plan“Flow detects one language per dictation, not per word.” | Partly · Plan not statedIt auto-detects, but its docs warn this can turn non-English speech into English and suggest one language per mode. | Not listed · Any planIt covers 100+ languages, but mixing them in one sentence isn't documented. |
| If a dictation fails, is the recording kept so I can try again? | Yes · Free, iPhone and MacAudio is saved before transcription, History has a Retry button, and Retry works offline. Recordings are kept 30 days by default, or until you delete them. | Not listed · Any plan | Partly · Plan not statedFailed takes of 5 seconds or more can be retried for 14 days. Retry needs internet. | Yes · Plan not statedEvery dictation's audio is saved and can be retried from History. | No · Any planWillow says no audio is stored after transcription, so there is nothing to retry. |
| After I dictate, can I redo it at a different polish level, or as bullets, a paragraph, shorter or more formal? | Yes · Free, iPhone keyboardA Redo chip after each dictation offers Light, Normal or Aggressive, or Bullets, Paragraph, Shorter or More formal. It also works on selected text. | No · Any planRewriting is Apple Intelligence Writing Tools, a separate feature. | Partly · Plan not statedTransforms (beta) rewrites highlighted text on desktop. In-place editing doesn't work on iPhone. | Partly · Plan not statedYou can rerun a past recording through a different mode from History. | Partly · Free, 20 a weekScribe lets you select text and say what to change. There is no redo of the last dictation at another level. Pro is unlimited. |
| Can I see exactly what the AI changed, and go back to my own words? | Yes · Free, iPhoneHistory shows Original next to Polished, and you can keep either. In the keyboard, say “undo AI edit.” | No · Any planPlain dictation doesn't rewrite your words, so there is no before and after. | Yes, on desktop · Plan not stated“Undo AI edit” in History shows your raw words. | Yes · Plan not statedHistory keeps both the transcription and the AI result. | Not listed · Any plan |
| Is it a full typing keyboard with dictation built in? (iPhone) | Yes · FreeLetters, autocorrect, next-word suggestions, an emoji panel, accents, and swipe typing (Beta, off by default). | Yes · FreeIt is Apple's own keyboard and stays open during dictation. | Partly · Plan not statedIt opens on a numbers-first layout, and the letter layout appears only when it's available for your account. | Not listed · Any planIts docs describe a dictation keyboard with a record button. | Not listed · Any planIts App Store listing describes a microphone-first keyboard. |
| Does a number pad appear for phone and number fields? (iPhone) | Yes · FreeIt opens on numbers for number, phone, postal, card and one-time-code fields. Email and web fields get @, “.” and “.com” keys. | Yes · FreeApps tell Apple's keyboard which layout each field needs. | Partly · Plan not statedIn number, phone and email fields, Flow switches to the system keyboard. | Not listed · Any plan | Not listed · Any plan |
| Can I send my dictations and notes to other apps automatically (API and webhooks)? | Yes · Free, iPhone and MacAPI tokens, plus webhooks for “dictation completed” and “note created.” Off until you turn it on, and it needs an account. | No · Any plan | Partly · Plan not statedA read-only connector covers meeting notes, not dictations. No public API is documented. | Partly · Plan not statedA Mac command-line tool, an MCP server and start and stop links. No webhooks listed. | Partly · Enterprise“Advanced usage dashboards and API” are Enterprise. No webhooks listed. |
| Everyday dictation quality | |||||
| If I correct myself mid-sentence, does it keep only the correction? | Yes · Free“Let's meet at 5, actually 6” becomes “Let's meet at 6.” Cues like “actually,” “I mean” and “no wait” swap a number, day or name, and the on-device model handles longer fixes. | No · Any planYou have to issue a command afterwards: “Change … to ….” | Yes · Plan not statedIts “Backtrack” turns “Let's meet at 2… actually 3” into the corrected time. | Not listed · Any plan | Not listed · Any plan |
| Can I say “numeral 2” to get the digit 2? | Yes · FreeIt works even when the recognizer already wrote “2.” Times, money, percentages and dates also become digits automatically. | No · Any planThere is no number command in Apple's list. | Partly · Plan not statedIt turns spoken numbers into numbered lists. Digits in ordinary sentences aren't documented. | Not listed · Any plan | Not listed · Any plan |
| Does it drop “um” and “uh”? | Yes · Free | Not listed · Any plan | Yes · Plan not stated | Yes · Plan not statedFiller words are removed automatically. | Yes · Plan not stated“Removes filler words.” |
| Does it add punctuation for me? | Yes · FreeA pause mid-sentence doesn't end the sentence. | Yes · FreeCommas, periods and question marks in supported languages. It can be turned off. | Yes · Plan not statedIt infers punctuation from pauses and tone, and you can also say “comma.” | Partly · ProMessage and Mail modes fix punctuation. Plain Voice to Text keeps the model's own. Those are AI modes, which are Pro. | Yes · Plan not stated“Fixes punctuation.” |
| Can I say “new line,” “new paragraph,” “bullet point” or “scratch that”? | Yes · Free | Yes · Free“New line,” “new paragraph,” punctuation, capitals and emoji. | Partly · Plan not statedSpoken punctuation such as “comma” and “question mark,” plus numbered lists. | Not listed · Any plan | Not listed · Any plan |
| Editing and your words | |||||
| Can I save text replacements or snippets (say or type a short phrase, get a longer text)? | Yes · Free, iPhone and MacSaved Phrases insert by tap, by a typed trigger, or by saying the phrase anywhere in a sentence. Organize them with tags. Team plans share them. They are separate from Apple's Text Replacement list. | Partly · FreeApple's Text Replacement works when typing. Expanding a shortcut while dictating isn't documented. | Yes · FreeA spoken cue inserts a block of text, rich text on desktop and plain text on phones. Sharing with a team is Pro. | Yes · FreeReplacements run after transcription and ignore capitalization. | Yes · Plan not stated“Save phrases you use often and insert them instantly with a simple command.” |
| Can I teach it names and jargon? | Yes · Free, iPhone and MacAdd a word plus its common misspellings and mispronunciations. The keyboard offers an “add to dictionary” chip. Team plans share the dictionary. | Not listed · Any plan | Yes · FreeIt learns from your corrections, and you can add words by hand. A shared dictionary is Pro. | Yes · Free | Yes · Plan not statedAn auto-learning dictionary remembers names, product terms and abbreviations. Business plans add a shared dictionary. |
| Does the writing style change to fit the app (email vs chat)? | Yes · FreeOn iPhone it recognizes Mail, Slack, Telegram and similar apps. Email gets a greeting, short paragraphs and a sign-off. Chat stays casual. On Mac, writing your own per-app rules is Pro. | No · Any plan | Partly · Plan not statedStyles are only available in English and on desktop. Since iOS 26.4, iPhone styles no longer auto-adjust by app. | Partly · ProAI modes use the current app as context. Switching modes automatically by app isn't listed. | Partly · Plan not statedScribe drafts are matched to the app. Per-app rules aren't listed. |
| Can I edit or rewrite text just by saying so? (“Make this more formal”) | Yes · FreeIn the iPhone keyboard, say “Change Tuesday to Thursday,” “Delete the last sentence,” “Make this a list,” “Make it more formal,” “Translate this to Spanish” or “Undo that.” On Mac, hold the Transform shortcut to rewrite your selection or draft new text. | Partly · Free“Change … to …,” “Select …,” “Delete …” and “Undo” work in U.S. English on iPhone 12 and later. It does no rewriting. | Partly · Pro or trialCommand Mode on Mac and Windows is off by default. On iPhone it only opens a web search. | Partly · ProSuper mode uses your selected text as context. | Yes · Free, 20 a weekScribe: “Select any text and say what to change.” Translation isn't listed. Pro is unlimited. Works on Mac, Windows and iPhone. |
| Everywhere you work | |||||
| Does it have notes and voice notes? | Yes · FreeNotes on iPhone and Mac with search and a 30-day restore. Voice notes on iPhone, where the title is a short summary. | No · Any plan | Yes · Plan not statedNotes on iPhone. Scratchpad (beta) on desktop. | Partly · Plan not stated“Note” mode organizes a dictation. | Not listed · Any plan |
| Can I transcribe an audio or video file? | Yes · Free, iPhoneShare the file to Cofactor. | No · Any plan | Not listed · Any planFile transcription isn't in its own pages. | Yes · Pro | Not listed · Any plan |
| Can I start it from Shortcuts, widgets, Control Center or the Lock Screen? (iPhone) | Yes · FreeShortcuts actions start a dictation, get the last dictation or create a note. Home and Lock Screen widgets, Control Center controls, and a Live Activity while recording. | Not listed · Any plan | Yes · Plan not statedAction Button and Shortcuts actions, a Lock Screen widget and Control Center. | Partly · Plan not statediPhone has a shortcut to start dictating anywhere. Mac has start and stop links. Widgets and Control Center aren't listed. | Not listed · Any plan |
| If a call, Siri or another app grabs the mic, does it recover? | Yes · FreeIt retries a stuck start, and Auto prefers a worn headset mic. | Not listed · Any plan | Yes · Plan not stated“Never lose a transcription: if a call, Siri, or the time limit cuts a dictation short.” | Not listed · Any plan | Not listed · Any plan |
| On a Mac, can I hold a key to talk, or go hands-free? | Yes · FreeHold Right Option (or another key you choose), plus a hands-free shortcut and an “insert last dictation” shortcut. | Partly · FreeThe Mic key or a custom shortcut. Hold-to-talk isn't listed. | Yes · Plan not statedFn to talk, Fn+Space or a double-tap for hands-free. | Yes · Plan not statedToggle or hold-to-talk, with shortcuts per mode. | Partly · Plan not statedHold the Willow hotkey to talk, and you can choose the hotkey. A hands-free toggle isn't documented. |
| Plans and privacy | |||||
| What does the paid plan cost, and what does it add? | Paid · Pro, TeamPro: $8.49 a month or $67.99 a year direct, or $9.99 / $79.99 in the App Store. Team: $6 per seat per month. Pro adds the Parakeet speech engine, Rewrite It for Me, search by meaning, session summaries and shareable updates, writing rules for each app and website, voice insights and coaching, Siri actions and Saved Phrase variables, custom writing modes and Maximum polish. | Free · Built inNothing to buy. | Paid · Pro, GrowthPro: $15 a month or $12 a month yearly. Students $7.50. Growth $23 or $18. Pro adds unlimited words and team sharing. | Paid · ProPro: $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once. It adds AI modes, cloud models and file transcription. | Paid · Pro, BusinessPro: $15 a month or $12 a month yearly. Business: $35 or $28. Pro adds the smarter model, unlimited Scribe, writing-style memory and longer dictations. |
| Is my data used to train AI? | No · Every planAudio is never uploaded, and dictation text is never sent for training. Anonymous crash reports are on by default and can be turned off. | Only if you opt in · FreeThe setting is “Improve Siri and Dictation.” | Yes, by default · All but EnterpriseThe first two privacy switches are on unless restricted. Enterprise has it locked off. | No · Plan not statedFor cloud providers, under its API agreements. | No, by default · Plan not statedPrivacy Mode is on by default, and your data is “not used to improve AI models without your consent.” |
| Does it have team plans? | Yes · TeamShared dictionary and Saved Phrases. | No · Any plan | Yes · Pro, Growth, EnterprisePro, Growth and Enterprise, with SSO, HIPAA, SCIM and usage analytics. | Yes · Enterprise only | Yes · Business, EnterpriseBusiness adds zero data retention, HIPAA and admin controls. Enterprise adds SSO and an API. |
Each answer reads as verdict, then plan. “Any plan” means no plan includes it. “Plan not stated” means the company doesn’t say which plan includes it. “Not listed” means we couldn’t find it in their own pages, which is different from saying the app can’t do it.
Try the one that keeps your voice on your device.
Dictation, cleanup and the full keyboard are free on iPhone and Mac, with no word limit and no account needed. Pro starts with a 30-day free trial.
Launching soon on the App Store.
Checked October 9, 2026 against each company's own pages. Apple Dictation means the microphone key on Apple's keyboard, not Voice Control. We chose these apps by App Store ratings, website traffic and how often 2026 dictation roundups list them. “Not listed” means we couldn't find the feature in that company's own pages, which is different from saying the app can't do it. Features and prices change, so check theirs before you decide.
Apple Dictation: dictate on iPhone, dictation commands, dictation on Mac, Mac commands, Siri and Dictation privacy, text replacements, Writing Tools, keyboard types.
Wispr Flow: pricing, features, what's new, iPhone keyboard, keyboard layouts, Command Mode, languages, retry, data sharing, privacy, data controls, App Store, notes, Action Button, hands-free, MCP connector, plans, privacy mode.
Superwhisper: home, plans, iOS, voice models, built-in modes, custom modes, language detection, changelog, command line, history, sensitive data, iOS 26 keyboard, App Store, vocabulary, settings.
Willow Voice: home, pricing, dictation, Scribe, security and privacy, download, App Store, time limit, microphone indicator, iOS app return, transcription failures, changelog.
How we chose: Similarweb: Wispr Flow, Similarweb: Superwhisper, Similarweb: Willow Voice, Guideflow roundup, Laxis roundup, Mac roundup.