Tool profile
Spokenly: cost, fit and limits
Spokenly is a dictation application operated by LLP Inviral Tech that transcribes speech on the device with Whisper and Parakeet models or through your own API keys, with optional AI text processing, for Mac users on free, one-time and subscription plans.
What to know first
Spokenly starts free, with no account, no card and no word cap, using on-device Whisper and Parakeet models. Local+ is a $29 one-time purchase for extra recording styles and settings sync. Pro costs $12 per month billed yearly ($144 a year), or $15 month to month, and adds managed cloud models and hosted text processing. The terms page names Kazakhstan as the company's place of registration.
Spokenly at a glance
| Maker | LLP Inviral Tech, Kazakhstan |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 (Free plan) |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Dictation Software in 2026, rank 5 of 12 |
| Website | spokenly.app |
Who Spokenly is best for
Tinkerers who bring their own keys
The free plan accepts keys for OpenAI, Deepgram, Groq and others, and Spokenly adds no fee on top, so the only bill is what your provider charges.
Developers using coding agents
MCP voice input in the macOS sideload app lets Claude Code, Codex or Cursor request spoken answers, which suits people who talk to agents more than they type to them.
Buyers who would rather pay once
Local+ at $29 is a single payment that adds recording styles, settings sync and priority support, without requiring managed cloud access.
Spokenly plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 forever | Whisper and Parakeet on-device models, offline use, bring-your-own API keys, real-time transcription and no word caps. |
| Local+ | $29 one-time | Everything in Free plus Notch and Capsule recording styles, settings sync across devices and priority support; no managed cloud models. |
| Pro | $12 per month billed yearly ($144 per year); $15 month to month | Everything in Local+ plus managed cloud models (GPT-4o Transcribe, Deepgram Nova 3, Soniox), hosted AI text processing and priority support. |
Checked November 2026.
What Spokenly does
- On-device models
- Whisper and Parakeet run locally, so dictation and the Local Only Mode work without a network. Free carries no word cap on these models. Free carries no word cap on these models, so heavy daily use costs nothing beyond the Mac.
- AI text processing
- Modes and AI Instructions rewrite dictated text using GPT-4, Claude or Gemini. On Pro the processing is hosted by Spokenly, while Local+ needs your own keys.
- Agentic Actions
- Voice-controlled automation on macOS lets you trigger actions by speaking, a feature that goes beyond typing text into an app. The vendor describes it as voice-controlled automation, so spoken phrases can launch actions as well as type text.
- MCP voice input
- In the macOS sideload app, coding agents can ask for spoken input through MCP, reversing the usual direction of dictation. Coding agents ask the user for spoken answers, which reverses the usual direction of dictation.
- File transcription
- Transcribe File handles audio and video files, so the same app covers a recorded interview as well as live speech. One app therefore covers a recorded interview as well as live speech, using the same local models.
How Spokenly handles your data
Spokenly's terms page does not describe how long audio or text is kept, and we did not locate a separate privacy policy, so the vendor's policy was not checked for retention or training. The design helps: on-device Whisper and Parakeet keep speech on the Mac, and Local Only Mode is built for offline processing. When you use your own API keys, the provider you choose (OpenAI, Deepgram, Groq or another) receives the audio and applies its own terms. Managed cloud models on Pro send audio to the services named on the pricing page. No certification is named, and no hosting region is stated.
Where Spokenly falls short in practice
- Cloud features need Pro or your own keys. Managed cloud models and hosted text processing are Pro only. Local+ buyers who want GPT-4o Transcribe must supply an API key and pay the provider separately.
- Trial allowance is not measured in minutes. The trial gives a one-time allowance of Spokenly Cloud dictation and hosted processing, with no fixed number of minutes, so you cannot predict when it ends.
- Platform gaps. Android is listed as in development, and the Mac App Store version receives Local+ in a later update, so some buyers must use the direct download for now.
Works with
Alternatives to Spokenly
Spokenly: common questions
Is Spokenly really free with no word limit?
The Free plan needs no account or card and lists no word caps, using on-device Whisper and Parakeet models or your own API keys. The only costs are those your own provider bills. Cloud models managed by Spokenly are in Pro, which also has a one-time trial allowance.
What does Spokenly Local+ add?
Local+ is a $29 one-time payment that adds Notch and Capsule recording styles, settings sync across devices and priority support to the free features. It does not include managed cloud models, so cloud transcription still requires your own API keys. The Mac App Store version gets Local+ in a later update.
How much is Spokenly Pro per month?
The pricing page shows $12 per month billed yearly, which is $144 per year, while the homepage shows $15 for month-to-month billing. Pro adds managed cloud models such as GPT-4o Transcribe, Deepgram Nova 3 and Soniox, plus hosted AI text processing. Confirm the current figure at checkout.
Can Spokenly work with Claude Code or Cursor?
Yes, in the macOS sideload app. MCP voice input lets Claude Code, Codex or Cursor request spoken answers from you. The AI text processing step can also use Claude or Gemini models. We did not test the integration, so treat reliability as unverified until you try it.
Does Spokenly keep my recordings?
We could not tell. The terms page does not describe retention, and we did not locate a privacy policy. On-device models keep audio on your Mac, but any cloud provider you add applies its own policy. Ask the vendor for written terms before using it with confidential recordings.