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REPLACEMENT BRIEF

dictation

Can AI replace Superwhisper?

EDITORIAL ANSWERYESCatalog estimate

Bind a hotkey, capture microphone audio, transcribe with Whisper or speech API, optionally rewrite with an LLM, and paste into the active field.

Build the personal version →

AT A GLANCE

price
$8.49/mo
listed annual price
$101.88/yr
replaceable scope
Bind a hotkey, capture microphone audio, transcribe with Whisper or speech API, optionally rewrite with an LLM, and paste into the active field.
build time
one sitting

what AI can build

Bind a hotkey, capture microphone audio, transcribe with Whisper or speech API, optionally rewrite with an LLM, and paste into the active field.

A push-to-talk recorder that transcribes and pastes text into the active app is very buildable for one person, especially on macOS.

Editorial catalog estimate · not a completed build

The honest tradeoff

why people still pay

They pay for the low-friction menu-bar experience and dictation profiles.

what you lose

beautiful native UX

presets

vocabulary/profile tuning

app-wide polish

support

Start with existing software

prior art · use these instead of building, if you'd rather

whisper.cppLocal transcription engine that makes a simple dictation clone realistic.↗

EVIDENCE LEDGER

What this page can prove

The verdict judges replaceability. The evidence level records what DeepFeather actually checked.

Read the methodology →
evidence level
Catalog estimate

Editorial catalog estimate · not a completed build

replacement boundaryBind a hotkey, capture microphone audio, transcribe with Whisper or speech API, optionally rewrite with an LLM, and paste into the active field.

known limits · beautiful native UX; presets

editorial reviewawaiting manual review
Build promptcatalog estimate

the prompt

Catalog estimate
Build me a push-to-talk dictation tool for macOS to replace Superwhisper. Requirements:

- A global hotkey (default: hold right Option) records my mic while held, stops on
  release. A small Swift menu bar app or a Hammerspoon script, pick the simpler to
  ship.
- Record with ffmpeg (avfoundation) to a temp wav, transcribe locally with whisper.cpp
  (small.en by default, model path in a config file). Works fully offline, no cloud
  speech APIs.
- Paste the result into whatever field has focus (simulate Cmd+V via CGEvent or
  osascript, then restore my previous clipboard).
- Optional cleanup mode on a second hotkey: send the transcript to an LLM (key in
  .env) to fix punctuation and drop filler words, then paste. If no key is set, this
  mode just does a plain paste.
- Menu bar icon shows idle/recording/transcribing; clicking it lists the last 10
  transcripts with copy buttons.
- Append every transcript to ~/Dictation/YYYY-MM.md with a timestamp, and delete the
  audio after transcription. No accounts, no telemetry.
- Out of scope: per-app presets and custom vocabulary tuning. One good general mode.
- README: mic + accessibility permissions to grant, how to download the whisper
  model, and a note that the first run will trigger macOS permission prompts.
Copy or open in an agent

The prompt stays readable first. Choose a launch option when you are ready.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter) or copy it raw · improve it via PR

BUILD FEEDBACK

Did you try this build?

Report the outcome. Submissions enter a manual evidence queue and never auto-upgrade the verdict.

Descript
$24/mo · audio & videoKINDALoom
$18/mo · screen recordingKINDATella
$13/mo · screen recordingYES

questions

Can AI replace Superwhisper?

Likely for the core workflow, based on an editorial catalog judgment. This entry is not a verified build yet; use the prompt as a starting point and validate the result against your own acceptance criteria.

How much does Superwhisper cost?

Superwhisper is listed at about $8.49/month (Pro, checked 2026-07-30), or $101.88 per year. This is a pricing reference, not evidence of a completed replacement or realized savings.

What do I lose by replacing Superwhisper?

Honestly: beautiful native UX; presets; vocabulary/profile tuning; app-wide polish; support. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.

Is there an open-source alternative to Superwhisper?

Yes — whisper.cpp (Local transcription engine that makes a simple dictation clone realistic.). Using prior art is also a valid exit; the prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.