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Aqua Voice vs SuperWhisper
Which is the better voice transcription for Mac in 2026?
We compared Aqua Voice and SuperWhisper across 5 key factors including price, open-source status, and community adoption. Both Aqua Voice and SuperWhisper are excellent voice transcription. Read our full breakdown below.
Aqua Voice
Speech-to-text system
Free
VS
SuperWhisper
AI-powered dictation with LLM reformatting
Free
Visual Comparison
Aqua Voice
Aqua Voice — Official Website
SuperWhisper
SuperWhisper — Official Website
Our Verdict
Both Aqua Voice and SuperWhisper are excellent voice transcription. Aqua Voice is better for users who prefer polished experiences, while SuperWhisper excels for those who value established ecosystems.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Aqua Voice | SuperWhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Monthly Installs | N/A | N/A |
| GitHub Stars | N/A | N/A |
| Category | System Utilities | System Utilities |
Quick Install
Aqua Voice
brew install --cask aqua-voiceSuperWhisper
brew install --cask superwhisperLearn More
In-Depth Overview
What is Aqua Voice?
Aqua Voice is a macOS dictation application that leverages advanced AI speech recognition to convert voice to text anywhere on your Mac with exceptional accuracy and natural language processing capabilities. Developed as a premium dictation tool, Aqua Voice distinguishes itself from competitors through its focus on intelligent text formatting, context-aware punctuation, and natural language commands that let you edit and format text using your voice alone. The app runs primarily through cloud-based AI models, which gives it access to the latest and most powerful speech recognition technology—often exceeding what's possible with local-only Whisper models in terms of understanding context, handling ambiguous speech, and producing publication-ready text. Aqua Voice sits in your menu bar and activates with a customizable keyboard shortcut. Once activated, you speak naturally and text appears in your active application in real-time. What sets Aqua Voice apart from other dictation tools is its intelligence: it doesn't just transcribe your words verbatim—it understands context, applies appropriate formatting, handles paragraph breaks naturally, and can even restructure awkward phrasing into cleaner prose. The app supports voice commands for editing operations like "delete last sentence," "capitalize that," and "new paragraph," making it possible to compose and edit documents entirely by voice. Aqua Voice targets professional users—writers, executives, lawyers, medical professionals—who need dictation that produces clean, immediately usable text rather than raw transcription that requires extensive manual editing. The subscription-based pricing reflects this premium positioning, providing access to continuously improving cloud AI models. The app supports multiple languages with high accuracy, integrates with macOS accessibility features, and includes customizable vocabulary for domain-specific terminology. For users who prioritize output quality and intelligent formatting over local privacy, Aqua Voice represents the current state of the art in AI-powered Mac dictation. The app also includes configurable confidence thresholds that highlight uncertain transcriptions for manual review, integration with macOS Shortcuts for building voice-activated automation workflows, and real-time streaming of transcription results that lets you see words appearing as you speak with minimal perceptible delay on modern internet connections.
What is SuperWhisper?
SuperWhisper is a sophisticated macOS dictation and voice-to-text application built on OpenAI's Whisper model that has rapidly become one of the most popular and highly-regarded speech recognition tools in the Apple ecosystem. Created by developer Alex Marse, SuperWhisper combines the accuracy of Whisper's speech recognition with a beautifully designed native Mac interface, intelligent text processing, and a thoughtful balance between local and cloud processing options. The app lives in your menu bar and activates with a customizable global hotkey—press the key combination, speak naturally, and your words appear as accurately transcribed text in whatever application has focus. SuperWhisper's standout strength is its versatility: it supports multiple operational modes including a pure local mode using on-device Whisper models for complete privacy, a cloud-enhanced mode using OpenAI's API for maximum accuracy on difficult audio, and hybrid modes that process locally but use cloud AI for post-processing and formatting. On Apple Silicon Macs, local processing leverages the Neural Engine for fast, energy-efficient transcription. SuperWhisper goes beyond raw transcription with intelligent features including automatic punctuation and capitalization, paragraph detection, filler word removal (eliminating "um," "uh," and other verbal tics), and configurable text formatting modes that can produce clean prose from natural speech patterns. The app supports over 90 languages with automatic language detection and includes custom vocabulary support for technical terms, proper nouns, and domain-specific jargon. SuperWhisper also features a transcription history for reviewing and reusing past dictations, configurable output modes (plain text, formatted text, Markdown), and integration with macOS Shortcuts for automation. The interface is beautifully designed with a native macOS aesthetic, smooth animations, and attention to detail that makes it feel like a first-party Apple application. SuperWhisper is available as a subscription or one-time purchase, with pricing that reflects its position as a premium productivity tool. For Mac users who want the best combination of accuracy, intelligence, privacy options, and design quality in a dictation app, SuperWhisper is the current leader.
Detailed Feature Comparison
Privacy and Local Processing
CriticalAqua VoiceFair
Aqua Voice processes speech through cloud-based AI models. Your audio and text are sent to external servers for processing. This provides better AI formatting but means your data leaves your device.
SuperWhisperExcellent
SuperWhisper runs entirely on-device. No audio, no text, no data of any kind is transmitted to external servers. Complete privacy by design, works fully offline.
Verdict: SuperWhisper's local-only processing provides absolute privacy. Aqua Voice's cloud requirement is a significant trade-off.
Output Quality and Formatting
HighAqua VoiceExcellent
Aqua Voice's AI enhancement produces polished, well-formatted text. It adds proper punctuation, structures paragraphs, adjusts tone, and can generate formatted emails, lists, and documents from natural speech.
SuperWhisperGood
SuperWhisper produces accurate transcription with basic punctuation. The output is faithful to what you said but requires manual formatting for professional documents.
Verdict: Aqua Voice's AI-enhanced output is noticeably more polished and professionally formatted.
Transcription Speed
HighAqua VoiceGood
Speed depends on internet connection and cloud server load. Typically 1-3 seconds of processing after speaking, longer for complex formatting tasks.
SuperWhisperExcellent
On Apple Silicon Macs, SuperWhisper transcribes nearly instantaneously using the Neural Engine. No network latency, no server delays. Text appears as fast as you can speak.
Verdict: SuperWhisper's local processing is consistently faster with zero network dependency.
Offline Capability
HighAqua VoicePoor
Aqua Voice requires an internet connection for all functionality. Without connectivity, the app cannot process speech at all.
SuperWhisperExcellent
SuperWhisper works fully offline. Once installed, it never needs an internet connection. Perfect for travel, airplane mode, or environments without reliable connectivity.
Verdict: SuperWhisper works anywhere; Aqua Voice is useless without internet.
Language Support
MediumAqua VoiceGood
Aqua Voice supports major languages through its cloud AI models. Language coverage depends on the underlying models' training data.
SuperWhisperExcellent
SuperWhisper supports 90+ languages through Whisper's multilingual models with automatic language detection. Coverage is comprehensive and well-documented.
Verdict: SuperWhisper's Whisper-based 90+ language support is broader and better documented.
AI Text Enhancement
MediumAqua VoiceExcellent
Aqua Voice's core differentiator. Tell it to write professionally, casually, or academically. It structures your rambling thoughts into coherent paragraphs, adds formatting, and produces ready-to-send output.
SuperWhisperPoor
SuperWhisper transcribes what you say faithfully. There's no AI enhancement layer to restructure, rephrase, or format your speech into polished text.
Verdict: Aqua Voice's AI text enhancement is its strongest feature and unavailable in SuperWhisper.
System Integration
HighAqua VoiceGood
Aqua Voice integrates with macOS text input via global hotkey activation. Works in most text fields across applications.
SuperWhisperExcellent
SuperWhisper's menu bar integration, global hotkey, direct text insertion into the active application, and macOS Shortcuts support provide deep system-level integration.
Verdict: SuperWhisper feels more natively integrated into macOS.
Customization
MediumAqua VoiceGood
Aqua Voice offers output mode selection (transcribe, email, notes, etc.) and tone adjustment. Customization focuses on how the AI processes and formats your speech.
SuperWhisperExcellent
SuperWhisper provides model size selection, custom modes (fast/quality/custom), adjustable parameters, vocabulary customization, and configurable hotkeys. Power users can fine-tune the transcription engine.
Verdict: SuperWhisper offers more granular control over the transcription process.
Who Should Choose Which?
1The Privacy-Conscious Professional
SuperWhisper
Legal, medical, or financial professionals who cannot risk sensitive dictation being processed in the cloud need SuperWhisper's guaranteed local processing.
2The Email Power User
Aqua Voice
If you dictate dozens of emails daily and want them to come out polished and professional without editing, Aqua Voice's AI formatting saves significant time.
3The Developer
SuperWhisper
Quick dictation of commit messages, documentation, and Slack messages benefits from SuperWhisper's speed and reliability without needing AI polish.
4The Traveler
SuperWhisper
Working on planes, in areas with poor connectivity, or internationally—SuperWhisper's offline capability is essential.
5The Content Writer
Aqua Voice
Dictating blog posts, articles, and marketing copy benefits from Aqua Voice's ability to structure and polish raw speech into publishable text.
6The Quick Texter
SuperWhisper
For fast, short dictations (messages, notes, quick replies), SuperWhisper's near-instant transcription is more appropriate than Aqua Voice's cloud processing.
Migration Guide
Aqua Voice → Superwhisper
Transitioning from Aqua Voice to SuperWhisper is straightforward. Install SuperWhisper, configure your preferred processing mode (start with hybrid for the best balance of accuracy and speed), and set up the same global hotkey you used with Aqua Voice. You'll lose Aqua Voice's voice editing commands, but gain local processing privacy, transcription history, and more output format options. Import any custom vocabulary you've built in Aqua Voice. SuperWhisper's filler word removal and intelligent formatting produce comparably clean output.
Superwhisper → Aqua Voice
Moving to Aqua Voice means committing to cloud-based processing but gaining access to advanced voice editing commands and potentially more polished output formatting. Install Aqua Voice, configure your hotkey, and learn the voice editing commands (delete, capitalize, new paragraph) that differentiate it from SuperWhisper. Be prepared for the loss of local processing privacy and offline capability.
Pro Tips
Both apps allow customizable hotkeys, so you can technically run both simultaneously during a trial period. Test each with your typical dictation scenarios—emails, documents, code comments, messages—to see which produces output that matches your expectations with the least post-editing required.
Final Verdict
Overall Winner
SuperWhisper
9/10
Winner
7.5/10
Runner-up
SuperWhisper wins as the more complete and versatile macOS dictation application. Its combination of excellent Whisper-based accuracy, flexible processing modes (local, cloud, hybrid), beautiful native Mac design, intelligent post-processing with filler word removal, transcription history, and strong privacy options through local processing make it the best overall choice for Mac dictation in 2026. Aqua Voice is a strong competitor with genuinely impressive cloud AI intelligence and unique voice editing commands, but its cloud-only architecture limits its appeal for privacy-conscious users, and its subscription pricing is less favorable than SuperWhisper's options. Both are dramatic improvements over Apple's built-in dictation.
Bottom Line: Choose SuperWhisper for the best combination of accuracy, privacy options, design quality, and versatility in Mac dictation. Choose Aqua Voice if you prioritize cloud AI intelligence and voice-powered text editing commands above all else.
Video Tutorials
Getting Started with Aqua Voice: Beginners Guide and Overview
Aqua Voice • 11.8K views
Voice Dictation on Macbook (2022 Tutorial)
Mac Hacks • 855.1K views
How to Type 3x faster using AI (Aqua Voice)
AI with Alex • 1.4K views
Speech To Text For Your Computer: With Aqua
Productivity Academy • 660 views
Frequently Asked Questions
For raw transcription accuracy, both are very good. SuperWhisper uses Whisper which is one of the best speech recognition models. Aqua Voice's output may read better due to AI enhancement, but that's formatting rather than raw accuracy.
About the Author
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Related Technologies & Concepts
OpenAI WhisperApple Neural EngineGPT-4Core MLHyperWhisperMacWhisperApple DictationSpeech Recognition
OpenAI Whisper (Speech recognition model SuperWhisper is built on.), Apple Neural Engine (ML accelerator SuperWhisper uses for fast local inference.), GPT-4 (Class of AI models Aqua Voice uses for text enhancement.), Core ML (Apple's framework for running ML models on-device.), HyperWhisper (Competing Mac dictation app also using Whisper.), MacWhisper (Related Mac transcription app with broader feature set.), Apple Dictation (macOS built-in dictation both apps improve upon.), Speech Recognition (Core technology category for both applications.)
Related Topics
Voice-to-Text on Mac
Applications that convert speech to text on macOS.
Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Feb 15, 2026
Key Verified Facts
- Whisper supports 90+ languages.[cite-whisper-github]
- SuperWhisper processes all audio locally on-device.[cite-superwhisper-site]
- Aqua Voice uses cloud-based AI for text enhancement.[cite-aquavoice-site]
- SuperWhisper supports fully local processing on Apple Silicon's Neural Engine.[cite-superwhisper-site]
- Aqua Voice uses cloud-based AI for speech recognition.[cite-aqua-voice-site]
- 1SuperWhisper — AI Voice to Text for Mac
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 2Aqua Voice — AI Dictation for Mac
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 3OpenAI Whisper GitHub
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 4Apple Neural Engine
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 5SuperWhisper Review — MacStories
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 6Whisper Model Variants
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
Research queries: Aqua Voice vs SuperWhisper Mac 2026; SuperWhisper privacy local processing; Aqua Voice AI dictation; Whisper macOS dictation apps