This guide covers Windows computers, not phones. There is no single best free dictation software; it depends on how much you dictate, whether you need it offline, and where you type. Below is what is free, what the limit is, and who each option suits. Facts about other tools were read on the makers’ own pages on 6 November 2026, so check them again before you rely on them.
Free dictation tools built into Windows and the web
- Windows voice typing. Press the Windows key + H with your cursor in a text box. It is part of Windows 10 and 11, needs the internet, and types into any text box. See our Windows voice typing guide for the steps, settings and fixes.
- Voice Access. For Windows 11 version 22H2 and later. It works without the internet after a one-time set-up. Microsoft lists a short set of languages: versions of English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Japanese and Italian. It controls the PC as well as writing text.
- Google Docs voice typing. In Google Docs, choose Tools, then Voice typing. Google says it works in the latest Chrome, Edge and Safari, in Google Docs and in Slides speaker notes and captions. Google’s page describes no way to use it in other apps.
None of these Microsoft or Google pages mentions a price, so “free” here means built in or included, not a promise from the maker.
Free dictation apps with limits
Several dictation apps for Windows have a free plan. The limit differs, so read it before you start. This is what each maker’s own site said on 6 November 2026.
| App | What the free plan gives | Runs on Windows? | Works offline? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wispr Flow | 2,000 words a week, on its homepage; no card | Yes | Not stated |
| Superwhisper | Free for good with local models, up to two modes; 3,000 words to try Pro features | Yes, Windows 10 and 11 | Yes, on your computer |
| Spokenly | Free, unlimited use with local models, no account | Yes | Yes, with local models |
| Handy | Free, open source (MIT licence) | Yes | Yes |
| Aqua Voice | 1,000 words, no card | Yes | Not stated |
| DictaFlow | 2,000 cloud words a month, no card | Yes | Not stated for the free plan |
| Talkativ | 2,200 words a week, reset every 7 days, no card | Yes, Windows 10 and 11 | No, needs internet |
“Not stated” means we did not see it on the pages we read, not that it is untrue. We have only tested Talkativ; the others are the makers’ own descriptions. Where an app uses local models, the quality and speed depend on the model and your computer, and we cannot tell you how they compare.
What “free” usually costs you
Free plans differ in what you give up, so look past the headline number.
- A word cap. The cap can be per week or per month. Wispr Flow’s homepage says 2,000 words a week, while its help centre says desktop users see a limit message at 2,000 words and are only blocked above 5,000 words a week. The fine print matters.
- A smaller model. Some makers keep their best speech model for paid plans. Willow Voice, for example, lists unlimited use of a weaker model on its free plan, plus 20 uses a week of a feature called Scribe.
- A fixed trial instead of an allowance. Voicy’s pricing page offers 30 minutes of free recording time with full features and no card. That is a fixed amount, not a weekly allowance.
- Setting up local models. Free apps that run on your own computer need a download, and how fast they are depends on your machine. We have not measured this.
How to choose between free options
- You dictate a few messages a week. Windows voice typing may be all you need. It comes with Windows and takes seconds to learn.
- You must work without the internet. Look at Voice Access on Windows 11, or an app with local models such as Handy, Spokenly or Superwhisper.
- You dictate daily in many apps. Work out how quickly a weekly cap would run out: count roughly how many words you write on a normal day, then multiply by the days you write in a week.
- You want to try before paying. Several of the makers above let you use the free plan with no card.
Our Windows Voice Access against Talkativ page compares one pair in more detail.
When Talkativ is worth it, and when it isn’t
Talkativ is one of the apps in the table. Its free plan gives you 2,200 words a week in any app on Windows 10 and 11, with punctuation, capital letters and “um” and “uh” taken out by default, a Vocabulary list, and 100 languages, highly accurate in 56. You press Ctrl + Space on Windows, ⌥ Option + Space on a Mac once to start and once to stop. If you reach the weekly limit, Pro is $7 a month or $56 a year.
What it does not do:
- It needs the internet, so no offline use.
- It does not transcribe audio or video files.
- It has no phone app.
- It is not hold to talk, and the shortcuts are fixed.
If you need offline dictation or an open-source tool, pick one of the others. Talkativ is for Windows and Mac. Our free speech to text page explains Talkativ’s Free plan in full, and Talkativ for Windows shows how it works on your PC.