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blabe vs VoiceInk
VoiceInk is a one-time-purchase Mac dictation app with local models and optional AI modes. blabe is a subscription with transcription included: hold one key and your exact words appear in any app.
The short version
VoiceInk suits you if you would rather pay once: $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three. It can transcribe with local models on your Mac, and its modes can clean up, rewrite or draft text with AI when you set them up.
blabe suits you if you want nothing to set up. Transcription is included, there is no model to download or choose, and your exact words appear wherever your cursor is. It runs on Microsoft’s MAI-Transcribe 2, benchmarked 5–10× faster than OpenAI’s, ElevenLabs’ and Google’s transcription models .
Side by side
| Feature | blabe | VoiceInk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year, transcription included within a fair-use monthly limit. 2-day free trial, no card. | One-time: $25 for 1 Mac, $39 for 2, $49 for 3. 14-day money-back guarantee. |
| Rewrites your words by default | No. It removes “um” and “uh” (you can turn that off) and never rewrites with a language model. | Not in its default Dictation mode. AI Enhancement is a per-mode setting, and filler words are removed by default. |
| Transcription model | Microsoft’s MAI-Transcribe 2, through blabe’s transcription service. | Parakeet V3 on your Mac by default, or cloud models with your own API key. |
| Intel Macs | Yes. Apple silicon or Intel, macOS 14 or later. | Its pricing page says Apple silicon only. Its install docs mention Intel Macs, so check before you buy. |
| Account or key needed | No provider account or API key. You activate a paid plan with a license key. The trial needs no card, email or signup: install blabe and click Start Free Trial. | No account. You use a license key. |
| Works offline | No. It needs the internet to transcribe. | Yes, with local transcription models, which keep speech processing on your Mac. |
Which one to choose
When to choose VoiceInk
- You want to pay once. It is a one-time purchase with lifetime updates.
- You need offline or on-device transcription with local models.
- You want AI modes that clean up, rewrite, draft email or answer questions, with the provider you choose.
- You want modes that switch by app or website.
When to choose blabe
- You want your exact words. blabe removes “um” and “uh” (you can turn that off) and never rewrites with a language model.
- You want transcription included, with no provider account and no API key.
- You want nothing to configure per app. blabe has no modes, no model picker and no history.
- You use an Intel Mac and want to be sure it is supported. blabe runs on Apple silicon and Intel.
Before you pick blabe. blabe needs the internet and macOS 14 or later. After the 2-day trial it is a subscription: $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year for up to 3 Macs, with transcription included within a fair-use monthly limit. When your trial or subscription ends, new dictation stops until you subscribe. What you've already dictated isn't affected. There is no Windows, Linux or phone app.
Try blabe free for 2 days.
No card. No email, no signup. macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel.