Reed Dictation by W20 Labs
Looking for a Superwhisper Alternative?
Reed is a free, open-source dictation app for Mac that removes filler words and restarts on your Mac. Superwhisper does more, across more devices, with its AI cleanup in a paid plan. Which fits depends on what you need beyond clean dictation.
Download Reed — FreeApple Silicon (M1 or newer) · macOS 14 or later · English · No account
Reed is free and licensed under the Apache License 2.0.
Published by W20 Labs, the maker of Reed. Superwhisper details checked against its documentation, retrieved . Prices change; check Superwhisper’s plans page for the current ones.
Reed and Superwhisper at a glance
This compares Reed’s currently available free Mac app with Superwhisper’s Free and Pro plans. The linked documentation explains each row.
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to read both.
| Feature | Reed | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, with no account or subscription; open source. Requirements. | A Free plan with local Whisper models and up to two modes without AI processing. Pro: $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once; new users get 3,000 words of Pro. Plans & Pricing. |
| Filler words | Removed on your Mac, with restarted phrases collapsed to the version you meant, punctuation and numbers as digits. Included free. Cleanup details. | Message mode “removes speech artifacts and filler words” with AI processing, which is part of Pro. Built-in modes. |
| Processing | Always on your Mac; the app blocks the dictation path from the network. Processing details. | Chosen per mode: local or cloud voice models, and local or cloud language models. A fully local setup keeps audio and text on the device. Where data goes. |
| Offline | Dictation and cleanup work offline after the one-time model setup. Offline setup. | Local voice models work offline; offline AI formatting needs the local S1-mini model in Message or Mail mode, and other AI processing needs the internet. Introduction. |
| Platforms | Apple Silicon Macs, macOS 14 or later. | macOS 14 or later, Windows 10 or 11, iOS and Android. Quickstart, introduction. |
| Languages | English. | 100+ with its cloud S1-Voice and multilingual Whisper models; fewer with some others. Voice models. |
| Shortcut | Hold Control + Option, speak, release. Customizable. Shortcut setup. | Option + Space starts and stops by default; push to talk is available. Shortcuts. |
When Superwhisper may be the better choice
- You dictate on Windows, iPhone or Android too. One Pro license covers all your devices, according to Superwhisper.
- You dictate in languages other than English. Superwhisper documents 100+; Reed supports English.
- You want AI to rewrite, not just clean up. Custom modes with your own AI instructions, a command mode for selected text, file transcription and meeting transcripts are documented features.
See Superwhisper’s plans and modes to check your requirements.
When Reed may be the better choice
- You want filler words removed without paying. Reed’s cleanup is part of the free app.
- You want every dictation processed locally, with no setting to get wrong. Reed has no cloud mode.
- You prefer hold-to-talk by default. Hold the shortcut while you speak; release and the text lands.
- You want software you can inspect. Reed is open source under the Apache License 2.0.
Try a typical email, a few names you use often, and a longer thought with pauses in your own apps. Compare the text each one gives you and how much editing it needs.
Try Reed on your Mac
Download Reed, finish the model setup, and try the shortcut where you already write. See the Reed homepage for examples or follow the setup guide. Comparing more apps? See Reed and Apple Dictation and Reed and Wispr Flow.
Download Reed — FreeApple Silicon · macOS 14 or later · English. Reed is free and licensed under the Apache License 2.0.