Comparison

DeepFlo vs
Mac Dictation

macOS has built-in dictation. It's good for basic transcription. But if you want AI enhancement, voice editing, and context-aware formatting — you need something more.

Download DeepFlo
Feature
Apple Dictation
DeepFlo
Basic transcriptionSpeaks → types text
✓
✓
AI grammar & punctuationAutomatically polish text as you speak
Basic
✓ Advanced AI
Voice editing commands"Make this formal", "shorten this", etc.
✗
✓
Translation"Translate to Spanish"
✗
✓
Context-aware formattingIDE vs email vs chat
✗
✓
AI text generation"Write an apology for missing the deadline"
✗
✓
Code-aware dictationRecognizes syntax, file refs, symbols
✗
✓
Find & replace with voice"Change meeting to sync"
✗
✓
Works offlineNo internet required
✓
✗
Price
Free
Free (2k words/wk)

The real differences

✏️

Apple Dictation: Transcription only

macOS dictation converts speech to text. That's it. What you say is what you get. If you want to change the tone, shorten a paragraph, or fix mistakes — you're back to the keyboard.

🎤

DeepFlo: Transcription + AI editing

DeepFlo transcribes AND lets you edit with voice commands. Say "make this more formal" and your casual draft becomes professional. Say "translate to Spanish" and it's done. Your voice becomes a full editing tool.

Real Scenarios

How they compare in practice

Writing a professional email

Apple Dictation
1. Dictate the email
2. Manually fix punctuation
3. Manually adjust tone
4. Manually rewrite for formality
~5 minutes of editing
DeepFlo
1. Dictate naturally (AI adds punctuation)
2. Say "make this more professional"
3. Done
~30 seconds total

Writing code documentation

Apple Dictation
1. Dictate "at config dot ts" → get "at config dot ts"
2. Manually fix file references
3. Manually add proper formatting
Constant manual corrections
DeepFlo
1. Say "at config dot ts" → get @config.ts
2. Context-aware: IDE formatting automatic
3. Voice edit: "add bullet points"
Zero manual corrections

Replying in a different language

Apple Dictation
1. Write reply in English
2. Copy text
3. Open Google Translate
4. Paste and translate
5. Copy result back
Context switching nightmare
DeepFlo
1. Dictate reply in English
2. Say "translate to Spanish"
3. Done
Never leave your app

When to use which

Use Apple Dictation if:

  • You only need basic transcription
  • You prefer to edit manually
  • You need offline functionality
  • You don't want to install additional software

Use DeepFlo if:

  • You want AI to polish your text automatically
  • You want to edit with voice commands
  • You write code and need syntax awareness
  • You need translation or tone adjustments
  • You want to reduce time spent editing

Questions

Can I use both?

Yes. DeepFlo uses its own hotkey (fn key by default), so it doesn't interfere with Apple Dictation. You can keep both active and use whichever fits the moment.

Is DeepFlo as accurate as Apple Dictation?

DeepFlo uses Deepgram's speech recognition, which achieves similar accuracy to Apple's system. The difference is what happens after transcription — DeepFlo's AI enhancement and editing commands.

Why does DeepFlo need internet?

The AI features (enhancement, voice editing, translation) require cloud processing. The benefit is that these models are constantly improving without needing app updates.

Is my data private?

Yes. Audio is streamed for transcription and immediately discarded. We don't store recordings. The transcription happens in real-time with no data retention.

Try it yourself.

DeepFlo has a free plan with 2,000 words/week. See how it compares in your workflow.

Download for macOSFree plan available • No credit card required