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InkSpoke vs VoiceInk.

An open-source, Mac-only dictation app with local Whisper/Parakeet, real per-app "Power Mode" workspaces, and a low one-time license — the OSS pick if you live entirely on Apple Silicon.

Open sourceGPL-3.0tryvoiceink.com ↗← All comparisons

Platforms

Platform
InkSpoke
VoiceInk
Windows
✓
—No roadmap for Windows.
macOS
✓
✓Apple Silicon only, macOS 14.4+.
Linux
✓
—No roadmap for Linux.
Mobile
~iOS & Android on Pro
—

Feature by feature

Capability
InkSpoke
VoiceInk
Works offline / on-device
✓Offline-firstLocal Whisper; nothing leaves the device unless you opt into cloud.
✓Default path is 100% on-device.
Speech engine
✓Whisper (local) + optional cloud ASR
✓Whisper + Parakeet V3 (local), optional cloud BYOK
AI text refinement
✓IntegratedLocal LLM (LlamaSharp) or optional cloud, in one <600ms pipeline.
✓AI Enhancement via BYOK cloud LLMs or local Ollama.
Tone presets
✓Built-in tone/format presets.
✓Polish / Email / Chat / Post modes
Custom vocabulary
✓Managed custom vocabulary.
✓Personal Dictionary + Smart Replace shortcuts.
Per-app workspaces
✓First-class, user-configurable per-app workspaces.
✓"Power Mode" auto-switches behavior per active app.
Wake word / hands-free
✓Hands-free wake word or hotkey.
—Global hotkey / push-to-talk only.
Types into any app
✓Any app + atomic clipboard restore
✓System-wide insertion into the focused app.
Bring your own key (BYOK)
✓Bring your own OpenAI / Anthropic / local key.
✓Broad cloud ASR + LLM providers, or local Ollama.
Open source
~Open modelsRuns open-source ASR/LLM models; the app itself is proprietary.
✓GPL-3.0, ~5.4k stars
Privacy model
✓On-device by default
✓Audio never leaves the Mac by defaultAuditable source; cloud only in BYOK mode.

Pricing

InkSpoke

Free forever, Pro at $8/mo ($72/yr), or a one-time Perpetual license.

Free$0

30-min one-time cloud trial, then on-device Small; 4 workspaces + 1 custom.

Pro$8/mo or $72/yr

All models, on-device models, BYOK, unlimited workspaces, mobile.

Perpetual$149 one-time

Everything in Pro, paid once; 1 yr free updates (extend to 2–3 yrs at checkout).

VoiceInk

One-time license: Solo $25, Personal $39, Extended $49. Free to self-build from source.

Solo$25 one-time

1 Mac, lifetime updates.

Personal$39 one-time

2 Macs — marketed as best value.

Self-buildFree

Build from source (GPL-3.0) yourself.

The honest verdict

Choose InkSpoke if…

  • ✓You need the same experience across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • ✓You want hands-free wake-word activation.
  • ✓You want a bundled local LLM that works without standing up your own Ollama server.

Choose VoiceInk if…

  • ›You’re exclusively on Apple Silicon and want a mature open-source tool.
  • ›You want to audit/modify the source or self-build for free.
  • ›You prefer a very low one-time price and will configure your own BYOK keys.

Where VoiceInk is strong

  • Fully open-source (GPL-3.0) and independently auditable.
  • Genuine one-time pricing from $25, plus a free self-build path.
  • Strong default privacy: local Parakeet/Whisper, no audio leaves the device.
  • Real per-app "Power Mode" workspaces and broad BYOK coverage.

Where VoiceInk falls short

  • macOS-only (Apple Silicon required) — no Windows/Linux, no roadmap.
  • No wake word — hotkey/push-to-talk only.
  • Local LLM enhancement requires running your own separate Ollama instance.
  • Per-device (1/2/3 Mac) licensing rather than per-user.
Sources · verified July 2026

Compiled from publicly available information as of July 2026. Competitor names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Details change often — check each vendor’s site for the latest.

You spoke. Now ink it.

Free with platform-hosted voice + text models. Pro at $8/mo unlocks BYOK, on-device models, and unlimited workspaces.