Is Wispr Flow private? What it sends, and the local alternative
Wispr Flow transcribes every dictation in the cloud and can send on-screen context with it. Here's what its own docs say, the settings to change, and a fully local option.
"Is it private?" is a fair question for any app that hears everything you say. Here's what Wispr Flow's own documentation says, as of October 11, 2026, and what you can change.
Where your audio goes
Wispr Flow's data controls page is direct: "Transcription always occurs on the cloud." Every dictation is sent to Wispr's servers to be transcribed. There's no on-device mode, which is also why it needs an internet connection.
What else it can send
Wispr Flow's Context Awareness feature improves formatting by sending context along with your audio. According to its documentation, that can include:
- the app you're using
- text in the box before and after your cursor
- text on screen
- variable and file names in coding apps
- the apps in your session and your conversation history
The docs say it works from text and doesn't take screenshots. You can turn it off in Settings › Data and Privacy.
What it keeps
A Dictation Cloud Storage setting controls whether Wispr keeps your transcripts, audio and history on its servers, and Privacy Mode (part of the data-sharing controls) opts you out of model training. Check both if you use Wispr Flow.
The settings to change
If you're staying with Wispr Flow:
- Turn off Context Awareness if you work with anything sensitive.
- Turn off Dictation Cloud Storage.
- Make sure you've opted out of training.
To its credit, Wispr Flow lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, and offers HIPAA with a BAA, which matters for companies that need paperwork.
The alternative: nothing leaves your Mac
Settings reduce what's kept. They can't change that audio is sent: that's how cloud transcription works.
Sayburst is built the other way around:
- Transcription runs on your Mac with Parakeet or Whisper. Pull the Wi-Fi and it still works.
- No account. A license key, not a login.
- Context is opt-in. By default Sayburst only looks at which app is in front, to pick a writing mode. Sending surrounding text to AI polish is a setting you turn on yourself, and with a local model it still never leaves your Mac.
- AI polish is optional and yours to point. Leave it off, or run it on your own Mac with Ollama or LM Studio. If you choose a cloud provider, only the text goes, never the audio.
- Your history stays local, and you decide how long it's kept.
| Sayburst | Wispr Flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Where speech is transcribed | On your Mac | Wispr's cloud |
| Works offline | ● | — |
| Account required | — | ● |
| Context sent with dictation | Opt-in, local by default | Optional (Context Awareness) |
| Price | $29 once | $144/yr (Pro, yearly) |
Our take
Wispr Flow is transparent about how it works, and its controls are worth setting. But if you'd rather your voice never left your Mac at all, the only real fix is local transcription. Compare Sayburst and Wispr Flow in full.
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Download SayburstQuestions people ask
Does Wispr Flow send my voice to the cloud?
Yes. Wispr Flow's data controls page says transcription always occurs in the cloud, so audio leaves your device for every dictation.
What is Wispr Flow's Context Awareness?
A feature that sends information about your current app, including text around the cursor, on-screen text and conversation history, along with each dictation to improve formatting. You can turn it off in Settings › Data and Privacy.
Is there a private alternative to Wispr Flow?
Sayburst transcribes on your Mac and works offline. Audio never leaves your machine, and there's no account.