Voxa vs Whisper: Why Local-Only Voice Dictation Wins
Whisper is powerful, but does it belong on your Mac? We compare OpenAI's model with Voxa's local-only approach for privacy, speed, and cost.
OpenAI's Whisper changed the voice-to-text landscape. It's accurate, supports many languages, and is free to use. But there's a catch: the official Whisper tools require sending your audio to a server, which raises privacy and reliability issues. That's where Voxa—a local‑only macOS app—comes in.
The Fundamental Difference
Whisper is an AI model. It can run in the cloud (via OpenAI's API) or locally (via third‑party tools). Many "Whisper apps" are just thin wrappers around the cloud API—they record audio, upload it, and display the transcript. That means:
- Your audio leaves your device
- You need an internet connection
- Processing costs money (API fees)
- Latency from upload/download
Voxa uses local AI models (including a quantized Whisper variant) that run entirely on your Mac's neural engine. No data leaves your device. You pay once, use forever. And it works offline.
Feature‑by‑Feature Comparison
| Feature | Voxa (Local) | Whisper (Cloud Wrapper) |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | 100% on‑device; audio never leaves Mac | Audio uploaded to third‑party server |
| Internet Required | No – works offline | Yes – must upload audio |
| Pricing | One‑time purchase (~$49) | Monthly API fees (e.g., $0.006/min) |
| Speed | Near‑instant (on‑device) | Network latency + server queue |
| System Integration | Global hotkey; inserts in any app | Copy‑paste from app window |
| Languages | ~50 (via local Whisper quant) | ~100 (OpenAI's full model) |
| Recording History | Yes – searchable, replay | Usually not saved |
Why Local‑Only Matters for Privacy & Security
If you're dictating client notes, internal business discussions, or personal journals, sending audio to a third‑party server is a non‑starter. Many cloud services store audio for model improvement, and data breaches happen.
Voxa's local‑only approach means:
- Zero audio data leaves your Mac, ever
- No compliance worries (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
- No risk of server‑side data leaks
Speed & Workflow Integration
With Voxa, you press a hotkey, speak, release, and your text appears instantly in the active app—Slack, Xcode, Notes, browser. No switching windows, no copying from a separate app. That fluidity is game‑changing for vibe coding, quick bug reports, or drafting emails.
Whisper‑based cloud tools typically require you to record in their app, wait for upload/processing, then copy the text back. That interrupts flow and adds friction.
Cost Comparison: One‑Time vs. Recurring
Let's say you dictate 60 minutes per day. That's ~21 hours/month.
Cloud Whisper costs around $0.006 per minute → $7.56/month → $90/year.
Voxa is a one‑time purchase (~$49). After 6–7 months, you've already saved money. And you own it forever—no price hikes, no subscription fatigue.
Try Voxa Free While in Beta
Experience local‑only voice dictation on your Mac. No credit card required. Works offline. Privacy first.
Request Early AccessFree while in beta • macOS 13+ required