Superwhisper alternative
Dictation and meeting notes, plus a voice you can command your Mac with.
Superwhisper does dictation and meeting notes well, with a local mode for privacy. Parlo bundles the same two, with speech recognition always on your Mac, and adds a third: voice commands that actually run your Mac. Open apps, move files, set reminders, hands off the keyboard entirely.
Parlo requires macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later on Apple Silicon. Intel Macs aren't supported.
Parlo vs Superwhisper
What is being compared.
Marks are our reading of each cell: a check is a plus for you, a cross is a limit, a dash is neither. We make one of these two products, so read this as argued rather than neutral. Superwhisper's prices and features were checked on its own pages on 4 August 2026; plans move, so verify before you buy.
| Superwhisper | Parlo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Neither.$8.49/mo | Plus.$8/mo, or $80 once (first 100) |
| Lifetime option | Limit.$249.99 | Plus.$80 (first 100) |
| Dictation in any app | Plus.Yes | Plus.Hold fn (or any shortcut you pick), speak, text lands in any app. On-device |
| Meeting notes | Plus.Yes | Plus.Auto-detects meetings, records without a bot, writes notes |
| Speech recognition | Neither.Local mode or cloud models | Plus.On your Mac, open speech models (WhisperKit, Parakeet). Audio never leaves the machine |
| Notes model | Neither.Local or cloud, your pick | Plus.Parlo Cloud included (transcript text only, nothing stored), on-device model, or your own OpenAI, Anthropic or compatible key |
| Voice commands for your Mac | Limit.No | Plus.Hold fn+ctrl: open apps, move files, set reminders, run Shortcuts |
| Platforms | Neither.macOS (iOS app separate) | Limit.macOS 15+ on Apple Silicon only |
| Maturity | Plus.Established, years of releases | Limit.Young, in alpha, built by one person |
Where the two actually differ.
A third mode: commands
Superwhisper turns speech into text. Parlo does that and also turns speech into actions: hold fn+ctrl and say what you want the Mac to do. It's the part that makes the keyboard optional rather than just faster.
Audio never leaves, whichever notes model you pick
Superwhisper offers local models alongside cloud ones, for speech too. Parlo's speech recognition always runs on your Mac. The notes step is the only choice: Parlo Cloud, included with the plan and fed transcript text only, or the on-device model, or your own key.
The lifetime price
Superwhisper's lifetime licence is $249.99. Parlo's founder licence is $80 for the first 100, and monthly is a few cents cheaper too.
Where Superwhisper is the better answer.
You want the most mature dictation app.
Superwhisper has years of releases, a wide model catalogue, and many per-app modes. Parlo is in alpha.
You want an iPhone app.
Superwhisper has one. Parlo is Mac only.
You don't care about voice commands.
If dictation is all you need, Superwhisper's depth there is hard to beat.
If none of those are you, and what you wanted was the part Parlo does well, that is what Parlo is for.
Best for.
Parlo
Someone who wants dictation, meeting notes and voice control of the Mac in one app, with speech recognition always on-device, at a lower lifetime price.
Superwhisper
Someone who wants the deepest dictation tool available and doesn't need commands or meeting auto-detection.
Parlo, pros
- Voice commands that operate the Mac, not only dictation.
- Speech recognition always on-device; hosted notes included, on-device notes optional.
- $80 lifetime for founders versus $249.99.
Parlo, cons
- Alpha software with a smaller model catalogue.
- No iPhone app.
- Fewer per-app dictation modes.
Asked before switching
Questions people search first.
Is Parlo a good Superwhisper alternative?
If you want dictation and meeting notes plus voice commands to run your Mac, in one app that never uploads audio, yes. If you only want dictation and value Superwhisper's maturity and model catalogue, stay with Superwhisper.
How much does Superwhisper cost?
Checked on 4 August 2026: from $8.49 a month, or $249.99 for a lifetime licence. Parlo is $8 a month or $80 once for the first 100 founders.
Does Superwhisper run on-device?
In its local mode, yes; it also offers cloud models. Parlo's speech recognition always runs on-device; notes come from Parlo Cloud (included) or the on-device model, your choice at setup.
Pricing
Dictation. Meeting notes. Voice commands.
One membership.
A power user pays $30+/month across point-solutions today: one app to dictate, another for meeting notes, nothing that acts. Parlo replaces the stack.
Audio never leaves your Mac · no usage limits
Monthly
- Dictation, meeting notes and voice commands in one app*
- Parlo Cloud meeting notes included · no API key
- Speech and dictation on-device · no usage limits
- Direct line to the founder
- Price locked in as long as you stay subscribed
14 days free, then $8/month. Cancel anytime before and you won't be charged.
*Voice commands are in alpha.
Founder First 100
- Lifetime access, no recurring billing, ever
- Everything in Monthly, forever, Parlo Cloud included
- Direct line to the founder
- Push Parlo's development further, up front
Not sure yet?
No pressure. Leave your email and we'll keep you posted as Parlo evolves. Ready now? The trial above starts today.
Get updatesTeams & business Contact us
Rolling Parlo out across a company? We set it up for everyone, priced for your team size.
- A license for each person's work email, no checkout per person
- Everything in Monthly, Parlo Cloud included
- Audio never leaves each Mac, notes can stay on-device too
- Rollout help straight from the founder
Charity or nonprofit? Parlo is free for approved organizations. Apply here.
Requires macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later on Apple Silicon. Intel Macs aren't supported.
Not ready yet?
No pressure.
Leave your email and we'll keep you posted as Parlo evolves. Ready to try it today instead? The trial above starts right away.