MightyMouse vs Spokenly

Both can keep your voice on your Mac and cost nothing. The difference is what else you get, and which computers you own.

Short answer: Spokenly and MightyMouse both transcribe on your Mac with Whisper for free, with no word cap. Pick Spokenly if you are on Windows or Linux or want a dictation keyboard on your iPhone, and MightyMouse if you want your iPhone to work as the microphone and trackpad for your Mac.

Spokenly is a dictation app, and an honest one about where your audio goes. On its own site it says local models process audio on the device and cloud models send audio for processing, and it has a Local Only Mode for people who want nothing leaving the machine. Local transcription is free and unlimited, with no account needed.

MightyMouse makes the same core choice: transcription runs on your Mac with whisper.cpp, so the audio stays there. Where it differs is the phone. Your iPhone can be the microphone and the trackpad for your computer, so you can talk from across the room and the words land where your cursor is.

If you landed here from "Spokenly vs Wispr Flow" or "Spokenly vs Superwhisper", the short version is that Spokenly sits closer to Superwhisper (local models, optional cloud) than to Wispr Flow (cloud by design). MightyMouse sits in the same local camp.

Side by side

Spokenly details checked 19 October 2026 from spokenly.app, spokenly.app/pricing, spokenly.app/docs/local-only-mode. Prices change - check theirs before deciding.

Where Spokenly is the better pick

Spokenly covers ground we do not. It runs on Windows, Linux and iPhone as well as macOS, and the iPhone app comes with a custom keyboard, so you can dictate into any text field on the phone itself. MightyMouse is macOS only, with an iPhone remote that controls the Mac. A Windows version is in beta.

It also wins on model choice. Its pricing page lists Whisper and Parakeet for local use, plus managed cloud models (GPT-4o Transcribe, Deepgram Nova 3, Soniox) in Pro, and you can bring your own API keys at no markup from Spokenly. If you want to pick the transcription engine, that is a real advantage.

And there is a one-time option: Local+ is $29 once. MightyMouse has no lifetime licence for dictation to compare against it.

Where MightyMouse is the better pick

You want the phone to be part of the computer. Your iPhone becomes a microphone, a trackpad and a live view of your screen. Speak into the phone, the Mac transcribes it with whisper.cpp, and the words are typed where your cursor is. The phone only detects when you are speaking. The transcription itself never runs in the cloud.

You want it free with no tier to think about. MightyMouse costs nothing when you connect an AI account you already pay for, and local transcription has no word cap. There is no Pro plan to wonder about for dictation.

You talk and walk. Hands-free mode on the phone types each finished phrase on the Mac, so you can pace the room while a draft fills in. It will not wake a sleeping Mac or get past a locked screen, so leave the Mac awake.

Where your voice goes, plainly

Spokenly states that local models process audio on the device and cloud models send audio for processing. So the answer depends on the model you pick. Choose a local Whisper or Parakeet model and it stays on your Mac. Choose a managed cloud model in Pro and the audio is sent out.

MightyMouse has one path for dictation: local whisper.cpp on your Mac. If your audio must never leave the machine and you do not want to check a model setting, that is simpler. If you want the option of cloud accuracy, Spokenly gives you that choice and we do not.

What about Spokenly vs Wispr Flow and Superwhisper?

Spokenly is closer to Superwhisper in design: local models with cloud as an add-on. Wispr Flow transcribes on its own servers by design. We lay out all three side by side in Wispr Flow vs Superwhisper, and the The best dictation app for Mac guide groups every option by the job you need done.

Is there a Spokenly reddit consensus?

People search for it, and we will not invent a summary of what a forum thinks. Read the threads yourself. What you can check today is the vendor pages we linked above, and the free local tier means you can test Spokenly, or MightyMouse, on your own voice before paying anything.

Common questions

Do I need an AI subscription?

No. Connect a Claude, Codex, Gemini or OpenCode account you already pay for and MightyMouse costs nothing. Have none? Sign up and use the built in option, no card needed. Voice transcription is free either way because it runs on your Mac.

Is Spokenly free?

Local transcription in Spokenly is free and unlimited with no account, per its pricing page as of October 2026. Local+ is $29 one-time and Pro is $99.99 a year, shown as $8.33 a month. MightyMouse is also free for local dictation.

Is Spokenly local or cloud?

Both. Spokenly says local models process audio on the device and cloud models send audio for processing. MightyMouse transcribes only on your Mac.

Does Spokenly work on Mac?

Yes. Spokenly runs on macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS. MightyMouse runs on macOS, with an iPhone remote, and a Windows version is in beta.

Can I use my iPhone as the microphone for my Mac?

With MightyMouse, yes. The phone listens, the Mac transcribes with whisper.cpp, and the text is typed into the app you are using. We did not find this on Spokenly, whose iPhone app is a dictation keyboard for the phone itself.

Want the phone as part of the setup? MightyMouse dictates into any Mac app with free local transcription, and turns your iPhone into a mic and trackpad.