Sayburst vs VoiceInk: two local, pay-once Mac dictation apps
VoiceInk and Sayburst are the closest alternatives: both local, both one-time. Here's what's actually different — including where VoiceInk wins.
If you've shortlisted VoiceInk, you already know what you want: dictation that runs on your Mac and costs once. Sayburst is built on the same idea, so this comparison is about details.
| Sayburst | VoiceInk | |
|---|---|---|
| Local transcription | Parakeet + Whisper | Parakeet + Whisper + SenseVoice |
| Price | $29 (1 Mac), $49 (3 Macs) | $25 (1), $39 (2), $49 (3) |
| Open source | — | GPL-3.0 |
| Minimum macOS | 14 | 14.4 (site) / 15 (GitHub) |
| Text kept if it can't be typed | ● | — |
| Recordings survive a crash | ● | — |
| Verified model downloads (SHA-256) | ● | — |
| AI polish | Your provider (local or cloud) | Your provider (local or cloud) |
| Per-app modes | ● | ● |
VoiceInk details from tryvoiceink.com and its GitHub repository, checked October 2, 2026. A dash means we didn't find the feature documented, not that it's definitely missing.
What Sayburst focuses on
Sayburst's priority is that you never lose what you said: audio is written to disk while you speak, so a crash or sleep can't eat a dictation; text that can't be typed (you switched windows, a password field is focused) is kept with Copy and Paste-here buttons; and your clipboard — images and files included — is restored after pasting. Models are downloaded from pinned versions and checked against published checksums. More on how that works.
Where VoiceInk is better
- Open source. If you want to read or build the code, VoiceInk is GPL-3.0.
- Cheaper for one or two Macs. $25 for one, $39 for two.
- More engines and features today, such as SenseVoice and a voice assistant mode.
Our take
Both are good, private, pay-once choices. Pick VoiceInk if open source matters to you. Pick Sayburst if you want dictation that's built around not losing a single word, with a careful, native Mac experience.
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Download SayburstQuestions people ask
Is VoiceInk open source?
Yes. VoiceInk is GPL-3.0 on GitHub, so you can build it yourself for free. Sayburst is closed source.
How much do VoiceInk and Sayburst cost?
VoiceInk is $25 for 1 Mac, $39 for 2 and $49 for 3. Sayburst is $29 for 1 Mac and $49 for 3. Both are one-time purchases with a 7-day trial.