Gabble vs Superwhisper: which Mac dictation app?

Superwhisper is one of the most capable dictation apps you can buy. It has switchable modes, local and cloud models, file transcription and meeting recording, and it runs on phones and Windows as well as the Mac. Gabble is newer and smaller. It covers the dictation part on Apple Silicon Macs, for free.

At a glance

Superwhisper details come from superwhisper.com and its documentation.

Where Superwhisper is the better choice

You use more than a Mac. Superwhisper runs on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android, and its docs say one licence covers all your devices. Gabble is Apple Silicon Mac only.

You record meetings. Superwhisper records meetings, generates notes and separates speakers, and meeting recording is part of its free plan. Gabble does none of this.

You want cloud models as an option. Superwhisper offers its own cloud voice and language models next to the local ones. That also means it works on Intel Macs, which use the cloud models. Gabble has no cloud transcription and does not run on Intel.

You want cleanup without setting up a provider. Superwhisper's modes come with the product, including presets for formal, casual, legal and chat writing and a "Write for me" mode. It also names an offline formatting model of its own. In Gabble, the on-device Clean mode is built in, but the AI modes only work once you connect Ollama or an API key.

You work in many languages or need translation. Superwhisper lists 100+ languages and translation to English. Gabble's default model covers 25 European languages, its largest Whisper model covers 99, and it does not translate.

You are buying for a company. Superwhisper has enterprise pricing and mentions SOC 2 Type II. Gabble has no team or enterprise features.

You want a mature product. Gabble is version 0.1 and still a beta.

Where Gabble is the better choice

You do not want to pay. Gabble has no paid tier. Superwhisper's free plan covers basic voice-to-text and meeting recording, and new users get 3,000 words of access to Pro features. After that, the features many people come for sit behind Pro.

You want file transcription for free. Drop an audio or video file on Gabble and you get a transcript. Superwhisper's docs list file transcription as a Pro feature.

You want to bring your own AI key for free. Gabble lets you use your own Anthropic or OpenAI-compatible key, or Ollama running on the same Mac. Superwhisper lists using your own API key under Pro.

You want modes that switch per app. Gabble's per-app rules pick a mode automatically: Email in Mail, Message in Slack, Developer in Xcode, VS Code and Terminal. Superwhisper has modes and custom modes too. We could not confirm from its pages whether it switches them automatically by app, so check its docs if you rely on that.

You want fully local rewriting. With Ollama, both Gabble's transcription and its AI cleanup run on your Mac. Gabble also has voice snippets and a command mode that rewrites selected text by voice.

You want less to configure. Gabble has one job and a short settings window. That is also its weakness if you want Superwhisper's depth.

How do they handle privacy?

Both apps can keep speech recognition on the Mac.

Superwhisper says its local voice models transcribe without an internet connection and that nothing you say leaves your device in that case. It also says other AI processing needs the internet. So the answer depends on which models and modes you pick.

Gabble has only the on-device route for speech. Audio is held in memory, never written to disk and never uploaded. If you turn on AI cleanup with a cloud key, the transcript text is sent to that provider and audio is not. With Ollama, nothing is sent. History is local JSON, with retention you set yourself.

Neither app is open source, so in both cases you are trusting the vendor's description.

What do they cost?

Gabble is free.

Superwhisper, as of October 2026, from superwhisper.com:

• Free: $0. Basic voice-to-text in any app, plus meeting recording and transcription.
• Pro: $8.49 a month, with 40% off for students.
• Yearly and lifetime: both are offered on the site. We are not quoting prices for them here because we could not read them directly from the vendor's page. Look them up there.
• Enterprise: custom.

If you would use Superwhisper for years, the lifetime option may work out cheaper than the monthly plan. Do that maths with the vendor's current numbers.

Verdict

Superwhisper is the stronger product if you want dictation everywhere you work, meeting notes, or cloud models. It costs money for good reasons.

Gabble fits a narrower case: one Apple Silicon Mac, dictation and file transcription, AI cleanup through your own key or Ollama, and no bill. Text appears after you stop speaking, there is no meeting mode, and there is no phone app. If that list of gaps does not bother you, download Gabble and try it next to Superwhisper's free plan.

Related: Gabble vs MacWhisper, Gabble vs VoiceInk, and the full Mac dictation roundup.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gabble a free alternative to Superwhisper?

For dictation on an Apple Silicon Mac, yes. Gabble is free with no word limit. It does not record meetings and has no Windows, iOS or Android version, which Superwhisper does.

How much does Superwhisper cost?

As of October 2026 Superwhisper has a free plan and lists Pro at $8.49 a month. Its site also offers yearly and lifetime options. Check superwhisper.com for the current prices of those.

Does Superwhisper work offline?

Partly. Superwhisper says its local voice models transcribe without an internet connection on Apple Silicon Macs, while other AI processing needs the internet. Intel Macs and other devices use cloud models.

Can Gabble record and transcribe meetings like Superwhisper?

No. Gabble has no meeting recording and no speaker labels. It can transcribe an audio or video file you drop on it, but it will not separate speakers.

Do both apps let me use my own AI API key?

Yes, with a difference. Superwhisper lists using your own AI API key as a Pro feature. In Gabble it is free, and you can also use Ollama on the same Mac.