LesskeysSuperwhisper alternative that has no cloud model
Superwhisper suits you if you dictate on a phone too or want AI rewriting modes; Lesskeys keeps dictation, call transcripts and speaker names on your computer, with no cloud model.
macOS 13+ on Apple Silicon · No subscriptionWindows 10 and 11 · No subscription
Last reviewed
Pick one
Pick Superwhisper or Lesskeys?
Pick Superwhisper if
- You dictate on phones as well.
- You want AI modes that rewrite your text.
Pick Lesskeys if
- You want calls and files in the same app.
- You want no cloud model at all.
Side by side
Superwhisper and Lesskeys, side by side
- No cloudmodel to switch to
- Offlineonce the models are downloaded
- 99languages
| What | Lesskeys | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Audio stays on your computer | ✓ Always: there is no cloud model to switch to | ~ Your choice per model: local models “run entirely on your device”, cloud models run on hosted servers |
| No bot in the call | ✓ No bot joins | ✓ No visible bot: its meeting page says it “doesn't join as a visible bot” |
| Works offline | ✓ Always, once the models are downloaded | ~ With local models, which work without internet |
| Runs on | Mac (macOS 13 or later, Apple Silicon) and Windows 10 or 11. No web or phone app. | macOS, Windows, iOS and Android |
| Languages | 99 | 100+, depending on the model |
| Pricing model | No subscription | A plan at no charge with dictation on local models, up to two modes and no AI. Paid: $8.49 per month, $84.99 per year, or $249.99 once (lifetime). File transcription, cloud models, system audio recording and speaker separation need the paid plan.Checked 15 October 2026. |
Sources, all read on 15 October 2026
- Superwhisper plans (free and paid plans, prices, which features need the paid plan)
- Superwhisper: speaker separation (speaker labels)
- Superwhisper: voice models (local and cloud models, languages)
- Superwhisper: sensitive data (where AI formatting can run)
- Superwhisper: meeting transcription (no bot)
- Superwhisper docs (platforms)
A row is missing when Superwhisper's own pages do not state it; we leave it out rather than guess. Plans change, so check Superwhisper's page before you buy.
Not for you?
What Lesskeys does not do that Superwhisper does
Lesskeys has no AI rewriting modes.
- No AI modes
- No iPhone or Android app
- No cloud model
It writes what you said and applies the text replacements you set. Whisper can get names and rare words wrong, so check anything that matters.
Switching
Before you switch: your modes
Write down your Superwhisper modes and custom vocabulary.
Lesskeys has text replacements and per-app settings, but a mode that rewrites your text has no counterpart. It records your computer's sound and your microphone, so no bot joins.
Tell the people you record; some places require everyone's consent.
Questions
Questions about Superwhisper and Lesskeys
Does Lesskeys work offline all the time, unlike Superwhisper's cloud modes?
Yes. Lesskeys has no cloud mode, so once its models are downloaded it works with the internet off. Superwhisper's own docs say its local models work offline, so with local models chosen both do; the difference is that Lesskeys has no cloud setting to switch on by mistake.
Is there a Superwhisper alternative without a subscription?
Lesskeys has no subscription. Superwhisper also sells a one-time lifetime licence, and its table row shows the plans with the date they were checked.
Does Lesskeys label speakers like Superwhisper's speaker separation?
Yes, and it happens on your computer. Labels are automatic, you can name each speaker, and named voices are recognised in later recordings. Superwhisper's plans table lists speaker separation as a paid feature.
More