TypeAloud vs Aqua Voice
An Aqua Voice alternative
with no words to run out of.
Aqua Voice starts you with 1,000 free words, which is a few emails. After that it is a subscription. TypeAloud transcribes on your Mac instead, so it stays free however much you dictate.
TypeAloud and Aqua Voice compared
| TypeAloud | Aqua Voice | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | 1,000 free words; Pro $10/month billed annually or $12 monthly; Max $19–24/month |
| Word limit | None with a local model | Unlimited on Pro and Max |
| Where speech is transcribed | On your Mac, in local mode | On Aqua's servers |
| Works offline | Yes, after a one-time model download | No, it needs a connection |
| Account | Not needed | Required |
| Source code | Open source (GPL-3.0) | Closed source |
| Platforms | macOS; Windows and Linux builds are experimental | Mac, Windows, iOS and Android |
Competitor details checked on 25 Oct 2026 against aquavoice.com/pricing. Prices and limits change; the official pages are authoritative.
Why 1,000 words goes fast
Most people speak around 130 words a minute. A thousand words is under ten minutes of talking. Aqua Voice runs its models in the cloud, so each word has a cost, and the free allowance is a trial rather than a plan.
TypeAloud downloads Qwen3-ASR once, about 1 GB, and runs it on your Mac. There is nothing to meter afterwards.
Your words stay with you
In local mode your audio never leaves the Mac, and transcripts are stored on it. That matters for client work, medical notes or anything under NDA, and it means dictation still works on a plane.
Where Aqua Voice is the better choice
Aqua Voice formats as you speak, has a realtime mode and voice commands on Max, and runs on Windows and phones. TypeAloud writes down what you said and is tested mainly on macOS. If you want AI formatting everywhere and do not mind a subscription, Aqua is a strong choice.
Common questions
- Is TypeAloud really free?
- Yes. Local transcription needs no account, API key or subscription, and there is no word limit. Cloud transcription is optional and uses your own Groq or OpenAI key, which those providers may charge for.
- Does my audio leave my Mac?
- Not in local mode. The model runs on your device and transcripts are saved there. Audio is only uploaded if you choose a cloud engine with your own API key.
- Does TypeAloud format text like Aqua Voice?
- No. TypeAloud gives an accurate transcript and does not rewrite it. A dictionary and automatic replacements let you fix names and terms.
- Which Macs can run it?
- Apple Silicon is recommended for local dictation. The recommended model is a one-time download of about 1 GB.
- What other cloud dictation apps are there?
- Wispr Flow, Typeless and Willow Voice work the same way. The roundup puts them side by side.
Local transcription. No account. No subscription.
Download for Mac