macOS 26+ · On-Device Speech · One-Time Purchase
Talk. It types. Instantly.
Private, real-time dictation for macOS. Speech recognition runs entirely on your Mac. Your audio never leaves your device. $9.99 once. No subscription. Press ⌥ Space and text appears as you speak.
Watch the launch film
60 seconds of SpeakMercury keeping up with the fastest verse we could throw at it.
While Whisper is still loading, you're already done.
SpeakMercury uses Apple's native SpeechAnalyzer, running entirely on your Mac's Neural Engine. No model to load, no audio to upload.
SpeakMercury streams text in real-time. Whisper-based apps process after you finish speaking.
Three seconds. Three steps. That's it.
Dictation so simple it disappears.
Press ⌥ Space
A subtle audio cue confirms SpeakMercury is listening.
Speak naturally
Talk at your normal pace. SpeakMercury transcribes in real-time.
Text appears at your cursor
Release the hotkey. Your words are typed wherever you’re working.
SpeakMercury pays for itself in 7 minutes.
The average person types at 40 WPM. You speak at 150. That's 3.75× faster. Time you can spend thinking instead of typing.
vs. subscription dictation apps that bill monthly, SpeakMercury is $9.99 once.
Reclaim those hours. Start dictating today.
Your words never leave your Mac.
SpeakMercury processes every word with Apple's on-device SpeechAnalyzer. Your microphone audio and dictated text are not sent to SpeakMercury servers; there's no speech content to hand over. Sign-in, purchase verification, and updates do use the internet. The Privacy Policy explains exactly what that involves.
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
Built for how you actually work.
Words Appear as You Speak
Text streams in real-time. No waiting for processing. Start talking and watch it appear instantly at your cursor.
Always One Shortcut Away
Lives quietly in your menu bar, ready the instant you need it. No windows to manage, no app to find.
Your Shortcut, Your Way
⌥ Space by default, or map it to any key combo that fits your workflow.
Your Words Stay Yours
Speech recognition runs entirely on your Mac’s Neural Engine. Your audio and transcripts don’t leave your device. No cloud processing, no speech telemetry.
Set It and Forget It
Launches automatically when you start your Mac. Always running, always ready. Zero friction.
Many Languages, All Local
Dictate in the languages Apple supports on your Mac. Models download on demand the first time you use one and run entirely on-device. Multilingual workflows, zero setup.
From the maker of
SpeakMercury is the latest: designed, built, and supported by one independent developer.
For developers
Code comments, commit messages, and docs by voice, dictated at your cursor in the apps you already use.
For writers
You speak at 150 words a minute. Draft long-form at the speed of thought instead of the speed of your keyboard.
For voice-first days
When your hands need a break, dictate instead. Drafts, emails, and docs by voice. Less keyboard time. SpeakMercury isn’t a medical device or a treatment.
Join them. One purchase, no subscription.
$9.99. Once.
While other dictation apps charge you every month, SpeakMercury is a one-time purchase. No subscription. No renewal.
one purchase vs. twelve bills a year · Wispr Flow Pro pricing, September 2026
SpeakMercury
Everything you need for instant dictation.
- Real-time streaming dictation
- On-device speech recognition
- Languages provided by Apple on your Mac
- One-time purchase, no subscription
- Dictation works offline after setup
- Works in most places you can type
Requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) · Apple Silicon (M1+)
Billing policy . Purchases are generally final.
Will it run on my Mac?
SpeakMercury requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later and an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 and newer). Intel Macs are not supported.
To check: Apple menu → About This Mac. Look for an “Apple M1”, “M2”, “M3”, or “M4” chip and your macOS version. Any M-series Mac can upgrade to macOS 26 for free.
AI Polish
AI-powered grammar correction, smart formatting, and tone adjustment. An optional add-on. Details coming later.
Subscription dictation apps bill you every month. SpeakMercury is $9.99. Once.
See how SpeakMercury stacks up.
SpeakMercury streams text as you speak, with speech recognition that runs entirely on your Mac.
| Feature | SpeakMercury | Wispr Flow | MacWhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 onceNo subscription | $15/moor $12/mo billed annually ($144/yr) | ≈$69 oncefor Pro · free tier available |
| Speed | Streams as you talktext appears while speaking | Cloud-basedtranscription time varies by service | After you stoprecords first, then transcribes |
| Usage limits | None after purchase | 2,000 words/weekon the free plan | Basic transcriptionon the free tier |
| Speech processing | On your MacApple SpeechAnalyzer | In the cloud | On your MacWhisper models |
| Dictated audio & text | Stays on your Mac | Processed in the cloud | Stays on your Mac |
| Offline dictation | Yes | No | Yes |
| Account required | To buy & activate | Yes | No |
| Runs on | macOS 26+Apple Silicon (M1+) | Mac, Windows,iOS & Android | macOS |
Based on publicly available product information, checked September 2026. Competitor features and pricing change over time. Wispr Flow pricing · MacWhisper
Frequently asked questions.
For occasional dictation, Apple’s built-in tool may be all you need, and it’s free. SpeakMercury is built for people who dictate a lot: text streams in real time as you speak, you choose your own shortcut, and it lives in a native menu bar app. If you only dictate a sentence now and then, start with Apple’s tool.
Something not covered here? Read the troubleshooting guide.
Give your hands a break. Set up in a few minutes.
Whether you're writing long-form, chatting in Slack, or just thinking faster than you type: download the DMG, drag to Applications, press ⌥ Space. That's it.
Requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later · Apple Silicon (M1 and newer)