Dragon alternative for Mac: what to use now that Dragon is gone

If you're looking for a Dragon alternative for Mac, you either used Dragon before Nuance dropped the Mac version in 2018, or you just found out you can't buy it anymore. This guide covers what happened, what still works, and which tools Mac users have now, from what's built into macOS to the newer AI dictation apps.

Facts and prices checked on September 28, 2026, on official pages: Nuance support, Apple Support, Wispr Flow and Superwhisper. Prices are in US dollars and may have changed since.

Was Dragon for Mac discontinued?

Yes. In a support article published on October 18, 2018, Nuance announced it had decided to discontinue the Dragon Professional Individual for Mac line. The product was discontinued effective October 22, 2018, and was no longer available for purchase.

Nuance's statement also said three things that still matter:

• customers who bought version 6 keep a perpetual license and may continue using the software;
• Nuance would no longer provide updates after October 22, 2018;
• phone support was limited to 90 days after activation in North America, and 180 days in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

In practice, the last Mac version never received an update for the macOS releases and Mac models that came after 2018, including Apple silicon Macs. If you still run it on an old setup, that's your call, but it's not something to build a new workflow on.

Dragon itself still exists, on Windows. Nuance's page for Dragon Professional v16 says it's optimized for Windows 11 and backwards-compatible to Windows 10. There's no Mac edition.

Option 1: macOS Dictation

Every Mac has dictation built in. Turn it on in System Settings, then Keyboard, then Dictation. Click where you want to type, press the Microphone key (or your Dictation shortcut, or Edit, then Start Dictation), and talk.

It types anywhere you can type text, adds commas, periods and question marks on its own in supported languages, and understands commands like "new paragraph". There's no time limit. Keyboard settings tell you whether your dictation is processed on your Mac or sent to Apple's servers.

What it lacks compared with Dragon: you can't teach it your own words, and it can't control the rest of your Mac. It types what you say, and you fix the rest by hand.

Option 2: Voice Control, the closest to Dragon's commands

Dragon also let you control the computer by voice: open apps, click, select text. On a Mac, the built-in way to do that is Voice Control. Turn it on in System Settings, then Accessibility, then Voice Control. It downloads a file from Apple the first time, then works without an internet connection.

You can say "Open Mail", "Click Done" or "Scroll down". "Show numbers" puts a number next to every clickable item, and "Show grid" lays a numbered grid over the screen. For text, there's a Dictation mode, a Spelling mode for letter-by-letter input, and a Command mode that ignores anything that isn't a command. Apple also lets you add a custom vocabulary so Voice Control learns your names and terms.

Two trade-offs. While Voice Control is on, standard macOS Dictation isn't available. And like Dictation, it doesn't clean up what you say.

Option 3: AI dictation apps

This is the newer category. You hold a key, talk, and a model turns what you said into clean text in whatever app you're using: filler words removed, punctuation fixed, sometimes the tone adjusted. None of them replace Voice Control for driving the Mac, but for writing they're built to cut down on the corrections you make afterward.

Wispr Flow

Wispr Flow runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, with 100+ languages. On Mac it needs macOS 12 or later and has installers for both Apple silicon and Intel. Transcription happens online, so you need an internet connection. The basic plan is $0 up to 2,000 words a week on desktop (1,000 on mobile). Pro is $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly, with unlimited dictation. It also has a Notetaker for meetings on Mac and Windows.

Superwhisper

Superwhisper runs on the same four platforms and supports 100+ languages. Its big difference is local transcription: with its local Whisper models, your voice stays on your computer and it works offline. The $0 plan includes those local models plus custom vocabulary. Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 one time, and adds cloud models, AI modes, and recording of system audio and speaker separation for meetings. It requires macOS 13.3 or later; its site says local models run really well only on Apple silicon and recommends cloud models on Intel Macs.

VoiceMochi

VoiceMochi is our app, so weigh this section accordingly. It's a Mac dictation app: hold fn (or right Option, or a key you choose), talk, let go, and the text lands where your cursor is. An AI removes "um"s and false starts, fixes punctuation, capitals and grammar, and adapts the tone to the app. It has a dictionary for names, snippets that paste a full text when you say a short phrase, meeting notes without a bot joining the call, and translation as you dictate.

The limits, plainly: Mac only (Apple silicon or Intel, macOS 13 or later, and macOS 14.2 for meeting notes). It needs an internet connection: by default your voice goes to an online transcription service, and the cleanup always runs on a server. On Apple silicon, an option called "Transcription sur ton Mac" keeps your voice on your computer. You dictate in French or English, the interface is in French, and you need a Mochi account. VoiceMochi is in open beta, available to download at voicemochi.com.

Dragon alternatives for Mac compared

Dragon alternatives on Mac, checked on September 28, 2026 on official sites. On a phone, swipe the table to see every column.

Which Dragon alternative should you pick?

• You used Dragon to run the whole computer by voice: Voice Control. It's built in and works offline after setup.
• You want dictation that also works on a Windows PC or your phone: Wispr Flow or Superwhisper.
• Your voice must never leave your computer, even without a connection: Superwhisper with local models.
• You write a few sentences a day: macOS Dictation is enough.
• You're on a Mac, you write mostly in English or French, and you want dictation, meeting notes and translation in one app: VoiceMochi.

If you're moving to voice because typing hurts, our guide to dictation for RSI on Mac goes further on Voice Control and on habits that make voice typing stick. For a look at VoiceMochi itself, visit the home page.