A Superwhisper alternative, 100% local on Mac

Superwhisper does dictation really well. If you want to replace it because you also need meeting transcription or reminders, Vlocal keeps the same cursor dictation and adds more, without ever sending a single word to the cloud.

Why look for an alternative to Superwhisper

Let us be clear: Superwhisper is not a bad tool. It is one of the best dictation apps on Mac, and it can run locally with on-device Whisper models too. If all you need is to dictate text, you honestly do not need to switch.

People start looking for an alternative to Superwhisper for specific reasons, and this page is honest about exactly those:

• You also want to transcribe your meetings and know who said what, not just dictate a sentence into Slack.
• You want a guarantee of an exclusively local product, with no cloud mode that could be enabled by accident.
• You prefer a clear, small monthly subscription rather than a different pricing approach.
• You want a few everyday extras, like voice reminders, that a pure dictation app does not cover.

If any of these resonate, you are in the right place. If not, stay on Superwhisper with peace of mind: it is a very good choice.

Vlocal in brief

Vlocal is a macOS app for Apple Silicon Macs (M1 to M5), on macOS 11 or later. All voice processing happens on your Mac. No data leaves for a server, there is no API quota and no hidden cost, and the app works offline.

The core gesture is the same as on Superwhisper: you hold a shortcut (Ctrl+Cmd), you speak, and the text is inserted at your cursor in one to two seconds, in any application. Mail, Notes, a code editor, a search field: if you can type there, you can dictate there.

What Vlocal does on top

This is where the real value of choosing to replace Superwhisper with Vlocal shows up. Beyond shared dictation, Vlocal covers three extra uses.

Meeting transcription with diarization (beta)

Vlocal can transcribe a meeting and separate the speakers: who is talking, and when. You get text structured by speaker rather than one undifferentiated block. To be precise: this feature is in beta, as speaker diarization is just about everywhere today. It keeps improving, and stays fully local. For the details, see the meeting transcription on Mac page.

Voice reminders

While you dictate, you can set a reminder by voice. Vlocal fires it at the chosen time, locally, with a real macOS notification. It is the kind of small everyday use that a pure dictation app does not cover, and a reason some people look for a Superwhisper competitor on Mac in the first place.

Cursor dictation in every app

Dictation stays the heart of it. It works everywhere, with no copy and paste: the text lands directly where your cursor is. French and English are supported. If dictation is your top need, compare the two on the voice dictation Mac page.

What Vlocal and Superwhisper share

An honest alternative page cannot pretend the competitor is weak. Here, without spin, is what the two tools have in common:

• 100% local on Mac. Superwhisper can run with on-device models, and Vlocal only runs locally. In both cases, your voice can stay on your machine.
• Cursor dictation through a shortcut, in every app, with automatic text insertion.
• A quality recognition engine able to handle several languages.

So the difference is not "local versus cloud": that would be dishonest. It is scope (Vlocal adds meetings and reminders) and the pricing model. If a genuine local-versus-cloud angle is what you care about, it applies to other tools like Wispr Flow (sometimes written Whisper Flow) or Otter, which send your audio to their servers.

Vlocal versus Superwhisper

A quick overview. For a point-by-point comparison, read Vlocal vs Superwhisper in full.

Switch in two minutes

Moving from Superwhisper to Vlocal requires no data export: dictation inserts text where you are typing, so there is nothing to migrate.

• Download Vlocal and open the app.
• Grant accessibility permission (for cursor insertion) and microphone access.
• Pick your shortcut, then hold Ctrl+Cmd and speak for a first try.
• Keep both apps side by side while you compare, then decide.

Vlocal is on version 1.0.13. You can test everything with no commitment and decide for yourself.

Pricing

Vlocal costs EUR 3.99/month or EUR 34.99/year, via Stripe, cancel anytime, with a 14-day refund. Because everything is local, there is no API cost on top, no minute quota, and no surprise on the bill.

Frequently asked questions