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Local Mac dictation.
Silent speakers. No word meter.

Nimva turns speech into text on this Mac—recognition stays here. While you listen, speakers go quiet so music and videos do not drown your voice; when you stop, sound comes back. Pick it when privacy, clean takes, and unlimited local use matter more than a cloud SaaS meter.

Download for Mac Free mic test

No weekly word cap. Not 8,000. Not 2,000. Not a cap we lower later. Other prices are directional — they change often. Verify before you buy.

Fit check

Decide in thirty seconds.

Honesty converts better than hype. Use this filter before the full matrix.

Choose Nimva if you want

Speech recognition that stays on your Mac
Speakers silenced while you dictate, then restored when you stop or press Esc
No weekly word wall or minute meter
System-wide dictation into Mail, Messages, Teams, and the app you already use
Automatic language detection, with English as the default written language you can change
A clear local-only default—not optional cloud speech recognition as the main path

You may prefer something else if

You need polished cloud models as the primary recognizer
You only want Apple’s free built-in dictation
You transcribe audio files, not live hold-to-talk (see MacWhisper)
You need equal marketing claims across dozens of languages
You want a lifetime license above all else (check Superwhisper editions)
You need a full meeting notetaker bot today (on our roadmap; not the core job yet)

Side by side

The matrix that matters.

Focus on where recognition runs, whether usage is metered, how background audio is handled, and what job the product is built for.

Comparison of Nimva with Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, Aqua Voice, Apple Dictation, and MacWhisper
Criterion	Nimva	Wispr Flow	Superwhisper	Aqua Voice	Apple Dictation	MacWhisper
Recognition location	Local on your Mac	Cloud	Local default; optional cloud	Cloud	On-device / Apple servers by mode	Local
Usage meter	No word or minute meter	Free often metered; Pro unlimited	Generally not word-metered	Paid unlimited typical	Free	One-time editions
Silence speakers while dictating	Yes — mutes system output, pauses known players, restores on stop/Esc	Optional mute / product-dependent	Varies by setup	Varies by setup	No dedicated mute-for-dictation	N/A (file jobs)
Cancel mid-take	Esc cancels listening / transcribing	Product shortcuts	Product shortcuts	Product shortcuts	OS controls	N/A for live typing
Offline recognition	Yes, after model install	Needs network for STT	Yes in local mode	Needs network for STT	Depends on mode	Yes
Primary job	System-wide hold-to-talk	Cloud dictation + meeting notes	Local dictation app	Cloud dictation	Built-in OS dictation	File / batch transcription
Account & privacy controls	In-app Help tickets; self-serve delete account	Account / billing in product	Account / billing in product	Account / billing in product	Apple ID	Local app / vendor site
Free readiness check	Mic test in the browser	Download to try	Free tools on site (varies)	Download to try	Built into macOS	Download to try
Price band	~$8.99/mo or $85/yr · Founder $49	Higher SaaS (~$12–15/mo)	~$8–9/mo or lifetime	~$8/mo	$0	~$50–80 Pro one-time
Best when	Local STT, clean takes, no meter	You prefer cloud polish + notes	You want local with more knobs	You accept cloud STT	Free and “good enough”	You process recordings, not live typing

Honest rivals

What each one is good at.

We do not dunk. We say when Nimva is the better fit—and when it is not.

Wispr Flow

Strong at: cloud workflow polish, meeting notetaker expansion, and a metered free tier that upsells to Pro.

Choose Nimva when: you do not want audio uploaded for recognition, you want speakers silenced for clean takes, and you want unlimited local use at a lower typical Pro price—without a weekly word wall.

Superwhisper

Strong at: local defaults, optional cloud, free web tools, and lifetime-style pricing options.

Choose Nimva when: you want a simpler hold-to-talk path with silence-while-dictating, Esc cancel, a clearer local-only default, and English-first positioning—plus a free mic test before you install.

Aqua Voice

Strong at: cloud dictation at a familiar monthly price.

Choose Nimva when: offline recognition, keeping STT audio on the Mac, and quiet speakers during Listening matter more than a cloud model.

Apple Dictation

Strong at: free, built into macOS, zero install.

Choose Nimva when: you want cleanup levels, a personal dictionary, silence-while-dictating, and a dedicated dictation flow beyond the OS baseline.

MacWhisper

Strong at: local transcription of audio files and batch jobs.

Choose Nimva when: your job is live system-wide push-to-talk into the app under your cursor—not file transcription.

Compliance

What we do not claim.

We do not claim “#1,” “best accuracy,” or support for 100 languages.
English is the language we stand behind first; other languages may be available with varying quality.
“Compatible” insertion is not the same as a full “Verified” matrix for every Mac app.
Silence-while-dictating mutes system output and pauses known players; some browser tabs may need a second pause if macOS does not expose Now Playing.
Optional rewrite with your own key is off by default and can send transcript text to your chosen provider.
Local history uses normal Mac file permissions—not a separate encryption product claim.
Meeting notetaker is on the roadmap; live hold-to-talk is the product we ship today.

Read Privacy, Terms, and the cookie notice. Try the free mic test.

Ready to write
where your cursor is.

7-day no-card trial on sign-in. Recognition stays on your Mac. Speakers stay quiet while you speak.

Download Nimva for Mac Free mic test

Made for macOSnimva.app

Local Mac dictation.Silent speakers. No word meter.