Acousmos vs Superwhisper
The closest comparison in Mac dictation — both take privacy seriously. The difference is philosophy: a workshop full of dials, or an instrument that's already tuned.
Superwhisper is a capable power tool: local models, your own API keys, custom modes and prompts, a free tier, and iOS/Windows apps. It rewards users who like configuring. Acousmos shares the privacy foundations — local models and BYOK on Pro — but makes the opposite bet: smart defaults over settings, per-app routing you set once and never touch again, a managed cloud that needs zero setup, and a permanent searchable archive as the product, not a byproduct. Tinkerers may prefer Superwhisper; if you'd rather speak than configure, that's Acousmos.
Side by side
| Acousmos | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS (Apple Silicon) | macOS · iOS · Windows |
| Local / offline models | Yes (Pro) | Yes |
| Bring your own API keys | Yes (Pro) | Yes |
| Managed cloud, zero setup | Yes — works out of the box | Cloud models available; local setup involves model downloads |
| Per-app behavior | Automatic smart routing by app | Custom modes (user-built) |
| Permanent searchable voice archive | Core product — audio + text, full-text search, export | History available |
| Custom dictionary | Yes, with auto-learning | Yes |
| Languages | 100+ · deep EN/中文 incl. IME handling | 100+ languages |
| Full-featured trial | 1 month of Pro, no card | 15-minute Pro trial + free tier |
| Free tier | — | Yes, permanent (small local models) |
| Price | Plus $12.99/mo · Pro $17.99/mo — 2 Macs included | Pro $8.49/mo · $84.99/yr |
Superwhisper details from superwhisper.com, July 2026. Corrections welcome: support@acousmos.com.
Beyond the table, Acousmos also ships: per-app smart routing, a Playground for comparing AI styles and engines side by side, translation mode, usage stats, snippets, and a three-layer custom dictionary that learns from your edits. Every paid plan covers 2 Macs.
Configuration vs conviction.
Two philosophies
Superwhisper hands you the controls: choose your models, build modes for different contexts, write custom prompts. Done well, it's powerful. Acousmos makes the choices for you and gets out of the way — one hotkey anywhere, styles that switch automatically when you move from your editor to email to Slack, and a managed cloud that requires no model downloads or setup. Both are valid. One asks for your time up front; the other asks for your trust in its defaults.
The archive is the product
Most dictation tools — Superwhisper included — keep a history. Acousmos is built around something stronger: every dictation, audio and text, lands in a permanent local archive with full-text search in English and Chinese, open format, one-click export, kept forever whether or not you subscribe. It's not a log; it's a second brain that compounds.
Where Superwhisper is genuinely stronger
Price — $8.49/month undercuts both our plans, and there's a permanent free tier with small local models. Platform reach: iOS and Windows apps exist; Acousmos is Mac-only. And if you genuinely enjoy building custom modes and comparing models, its depth of configuration is the point, not a cost.
Questions.
Do both Acousmos and Superwhisper run local, offline models?
Yes. Both support local models that work offline, and both let you bring your own API keys. Neither has an exclusivity claim here — the difference is philosophy: Superwhisper exposes deep configuration (modes, model choices, custom prompts), while Acousmos ships opinionated defaults with per-app smart routing and treats the permanent searchable archive as the core product.
Is Superwhisper cheaper than Acousmos?
Superwhisper's subscription is lower ($8.49/month vs $12.99–17.99/month), and Acousmos includes 2 Macs in every plan. What the difference buys: a full month of Pro to trial versus a 15-minute Pro trial, a managed cloud that works with zero setup, and the archive as a first-class product.
Which should I choose?
Choose Superwhisper if you enjoy tuning — picking models, building modes, shaping custom prompts — or need iOS/Windows. Choose Acousmos if you want dictation that works well out of the box on your Mac, applies the right style per app automatically, and quietly builds a permanent, searchable archive of everything you say.
Is Acousmos a good Superwhisper alternative?
They share foundations — local models and BYOK — so the switch is about philosophy, not features lost. Acousmos works out of the box: a managed cloud with zero setup, per-app routing you set once and never touch again, and the archive as the core product. If you enjoy building modes and picking models, Superwhisper rewards that; if not, the one-month Pro trial lets you test Acousmos as a Superwhisper replacement risk-free.
One month of Pro, free.
No signup, no card, no model downloads. Or compare speech-to-text engines with your own voice in Arena first.