Comparison
Talki vs VoiceInk
VoiceInk is an open-source, local-first dictation app sold for a one-time price. Talki keeps a saved original of every dictation and organises voice notes by project.
The short answer
Choose VoiceInk if you want open source code, fully local processing on Apple silicon and a one-time license. Choose Talki if you want a free core, replayable recordings next to every transcript and voice notes grouped by project.
Side by side
| Talki | VoiceInk | |
|---|---|---|
| Requires | macOS 14 or later | macOS 14.4 or later, Apple silicon |
| Recognition | Apple on-device, or your OpenRouter model | Local models on the Neural Engine |
| Source code | Closed | Open, on GitHub |
| Dictionary | Whole-term replacements, up to 1,000 terms | Custom words and Smart Replace |
| Notes | Projects with recordings, transcripts and edited text | Timestamped Markdown journal |
| Saved original of each dictation | Yes | Not documented |
| Price | Free core; Talki Plus planned | $25 for 1 Mac, $39 for 2, $49 for 3, one time |
VoiceInk facts come from tryvoiceink.com, checked on 19 October 2026.
Where VoiceInk is stronger
- Open source. You can read and build the code.
- Local models. Recognition runs on the Neural Engine without a network.
Where Talki is different
- Free to start. Recording, on-device transcription and notes cost nothing.
- Recordings stay with the text. Replay what you said and retry with another model when a transcript is wrong.
- Projects. Voice notes are grouped by project and exported as Markdown when you need them elsewhere.