The 30-Second Version
- Pick EmberType if you want dictation that just works one way, never touches the cloud, and costs $39 once. Free 7-day trial, no account.
- Pick SuperWhisper if you want to plug in your own OpenAI/Anthropic API keys and build custom AI modes — and you're willing to pay $8.49/month or $249.99 lifetime for that flexibility.
- The math: SuperWhisper's lifetime license is about 5x EmberType's price for the same core engine.
Side-by-Side
| EmberType | SuperWhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| AI engine | Whisper, local | Whisper, local |
| Cloud AI code paths | None, ever | Optional (GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok) |
| Price | $39 one-time | $8.49/mo · $84.99/yr · $249.99 lifetime |
| Workflow | One mode: speak, text appears | Multiple configurable modes |
| Account required | No | For Pro features |
| Platforms | macOS (Apple Silicon) | macOS, Windows, iOS |
| Free version | 7-day full trial | Free tier with small local models |
| Refund window | Per Polar's standard policy | 30 days, all plans |
What You Pay Over Time
| Timeframe | EmberType | SuperWhisper (annual) | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $39 | $84.99 | $45.99 |
| 3 years | $39 | $254.97 | $215.97 |
| Lifetime license | $39 | $249.99 | $210.99 |
Same engine. One-fifth the lifetime price.
Try EmberType free for 7 days — no email or credit card required.
Download EmberType FreemacOS 14+ · Apple Silicon · $39 once after trial
What You're Actually Choosing Between
Since the engine is identical, the real choice is philosophical: SuperWhisper is a power tool; EmberType is an appliance.
SuperWhisper gives you modes — different configurations for email vs notes vs meetings, with optional cloud LLM post-processing if you connect API keys. That flexibility is genuinely powerful, and genuinely more to manage. Every session involves knowing which mode you're in and, since v2.9.0's cloud options, whether this particular dictation stays on your Mac.
EmberType made a simpler bet: one shortcut, local by default, cloud only if you ask for it. Press the shortcut, speak, text appears where your cursor is. Out of the box, transcription runs on your Mac and AI cleanup is off; cloud transcription and cloud AI cleanup exist, but only run after you add your own API key. So, like SuperWhisper, privacy depends on what you turn on — EmberType just starts from local and keeps the setup small. For the deeper dive on that design choice, see the most private dictation apps for Mac.
Where SuperWhisper Is Genuinely Better
- Per-context modes. SuperWhisper builds its workflow around modes for different contexts (email, notes, meetings). EmberType also offers optional AI cleanup with your own API key or a local Ollama model, but it is organised around one dictation shortcut rather than a library of modes.
- iOS and Windows versions. EmberType is Mac-only.
- The free tier. Unlimited use of small local models, free forever, is a generous offer — if the small-model accuracy satisfies you, use it and pay nobody.
- 30-day refunds on every plan. Credit where due: that's a confident policy.
But if what you want is accurate, private, no-fuss dictation on a Mac — the thing both engines already do — paying $249.99 for the wrapper is the part I'd push back on. The full essay version of this argument is in our SuperWhisper alternative breakdown.
FAQ
Do they really use the same AI engine?
Yes — both run OpenAI's open-source Whisper models locally on Apple Silicon. Accuracy ceilings are the same; model choice matters more than app choice for raw transcription quality.
Is SuperWhisper fully offline?
It can be, with local models — but since v2.9.0 it ships optional cloud AI modes, so offline is a configuration, not a guarantee. The same is true of EmberType: local by default, with optional cloud models that only run on your own API key.
What about the free versions?
SuperWhisper's free tier (small local models) is real and usable. EmberType's 7-day trial is full-featured with the larger, more accurate models. Try both in the same week and let your own transcripts decide.
Test it against SuperWhisper this week
Both have free options. Dictate the same paragraph into each and compare.
Download EmberType FreemacOS 14+ · Apple Silicon · No account · $39 once after the 7-day trial
