Dictato

Dictato is a macOS application that performs live, on-device speech-to-text. It processes speech locally and places finished text at the cursor, without cloud data transfer. The product runs on Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 14 or later and does not support Intel Macs. It offers multiple engines and settings to tailor transcription for different apps and languages, all while keeping data on the user’s device.

The app emphasizes offline operation, with no cloud processing and a single upfront price. It includes a 7-day free trial during which the full application is available, followed by a one-time purchase price. The setup asks for microphone and accessibility permissions, with an automation permission needed only if per-website rules or music pause features are used.

Dictato provides a per-app engine approach, allowing different transcription rules per app or website and switching among engines. It includes features like punctuation, paragraph breaks, and tone adjustments, and it can adapt to different writing styles across contexts such as editors, terminals, or office documents.

It supports multiple engines, languages, and profiles to customize transcription per application context, with a focus on staying on-device and offering variety in language coverage and speed.

Use cases

• Developers use prompts, commit messages, and code review comments
• Writers draft first versions and edit with no time limit
• Students capture lecture notes and reading summaries
• Clinicians and lawyers keep patient data on-device, avoiding third-party data flow