The best audio & voice apps for Mac
Routing, recording, dictation and listening, done properly.
Last checked · No paid placements
Our ranking
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Free + ProMacWhisperEditor's pick
Accurate transcription that stays on your Mac.
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SubscriptionSuperwhisper
Dictation that writes like you do.
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Open sourceVoiceInk
Open-source, on-device voice typing.
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PaidAudio Hijack
Record any audio, from any app.
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PaidLoopback
Cable-free audio routing.
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PaidSoundSource
Per-app volume and effects, from the menu bar.
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PaidFission
Lossless audio editing, fast.
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PaidAirfoil
Send any audio to AirPlay and Bluetooth speakers.
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PaidDoppler
A music player for the music you own.
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PaidTuningMac
An equaliser and volume mixer for everything your Mac plays.
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Freeecho99
Records and transcribes calls without a meeting bot.
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Open sourceFoxSay
Hold a key, speak, and the text appears.
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PaidKiiwi
Recorded mechanical keyboard sounds for any keyboard.
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PaidOrca One
Dictation and meeting notes that never leave your Mac.
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Free + ProWispr Flow
Talk naturally and get tidy, written text.
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Open sourceFineTune
Per-app volume and EQ from the menu bar, free.
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Open sourceLyrimuse
Word-by-word lyrics for whatever is playing.
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PaidBass Plus
More low end, and music that pauses when you talk.
Audio & Voice apps side by side
| App | Price | Mac App Store | Homebrew | Open source | GitHub stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacWhisper | Free + Pro | No | macwhisper | No | – |
| Superwhisper | Subscription | No | superwhisper | No | – |
| VoiceInk | Open source | No | voiceink | Yes | 6.9k |
| Audio Hijack | Paid | No | audio-hijack | No | – |
| Loopback | Paid | No | loopback | No | – |
| SoundSource | Paid | No | soundsource | No | – |
| Fission | Paid | No | fission | No | – |
| Airfoil | Paid | No | airfoil | No | – |
| Doppler | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| TuningMac | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| echo99 | Free | No | No | No | – |
| FoxSay | Open source | No | No | Apache-2.0 | 19 |
| Kiiwi | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| Orca One | Paid | No | No | No | – |
| Wispr Flow | Free + Pro | No | wispr-flow | No | – |
| FineTune | Open source | No | finetune | GPL-3.0 | 9.8k |
| Lyrimuse | Open source | No | No | GPL-3.0 | 268 |
| Bass Plus | Paid | Yes | No | No | – |
Choosing a audio & voice app
What is the best audio & voice app for Mac?
Our editor's pick is MacWhisper (free + pro). MacWhisper: Accurate transcription that stays on your Mac.
Are there free audio & voice apps for Mac?
Yes. 7 of the 18 apps here are free to download: MacWhisper, VoiceInk, echo99, FoxSay, Wispr Flow, FineTune and Lyrimuse.
Which open-source audio & voice apps are there for Mac?
VoiceInk, FoxSay, FineTune and Lyrimuse are open source, with code on GitHub.
How does MacWorthy pick these apps?
Every app is native to macOS, actively maintained and tried by hand before it is listed. Nobody pays to be included or to be ranked higher. Facts such as price and install commands were last checked on October 19, 2026.
Every audio & voice app we list
MacWhisper
Accurate transcription that stays on your Mac.
Superwhisper
Dictation that writes like you do.
VoiceInk
Open-source, on-device voice typing.
Audio Hijack
Record any audio, from any app.
Loopback
Cable-free audio routing.
SoundSource
Per-app volume and effects, from the menu bar.
Fission
Lossless audio editing, fast.
Airfoil
Send any audio to AirPlay and Bluetooth speakers.
Doppler
A music player for the music you own.
TuningMac
An equaliser and volume mixer for everything your Mac plays.
echo99
Records and transcribes calls without a meeting bot.
FoxSay
Hold a key, speak, and the text appears.
Kiiwi
Recorded mechanical keyboard sounds for any keyboard.
Orca One
Dictation and meeting notes that never leave your Mac.
Wispr Flow
Talk naturally and get tidy, written text.
FineTune
Per-app volume and EQ from the menu bar, free.
Lyrimuse
Word-by-word lyrics for whatever is playing.
Bass Plus
More low end, and music that pauses when you talk.