Comparisons
VeloxWaves vs Dictly: On-Device Dictation Beyond Apple
August 18, 2026 · 7 min read
Dictly and VeloxWaves both advertise 100% on-device dictation. Dictly is a Swift-native Apple app with programmable Workflows, per-app Profiles, and a one-time Pro purchase. VeloxWaves is a desktop assistant for Windows, Mac, and Linux that transcribes locally and stores spoken work in a private knowledge graph.
VeloxWaves vs Dictly at a glance
| Criterion | VeloxWaves | Dictly |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, and Linux | macOS, iOS, and iPadOS |
| Speech processing | Local-only transcription on the computer you are using | 100% on-device recognition and formatting; no cloud path |
| Core focus | Dictation plus local second brain, translation, and on-device answers | Streaming dictation, Workflows, and per-app Profiles |
| Free plan | No word cap — unlimited local dictation, free | Core: real-time dictation, one Workflow, one dictionary, last 10 sessions |
| Paid plan | Free — the local product costs nothing | $29.99 one-time in-app purchase for Pro |
| Mobile | Desktop app; no iPhone keyboard | iPhone and iPad with the same local-first architecture |
| Best fit | Cross-platform private desktop work and long-term local knowledge | Apple-only users who want native speed and a lifetime Workflow toolkit |
Product details and public prices checked August 18, 2026. Plans and features can change.
Both are actually on-device. The ecosystem is not.
Dictly's homepage is explicit: recognition, formatting, and storage happen on the device, network use is zero bytes for dictation, and airplane mode works. That is the same content-path promise VeloxWaves makes. The difference is where you are allowed to run it.
Dictly is built for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Public requirements list recent Apple OS versions. There is no Windows product. VeloxWaves runs the local transcription path on Windows as well as Mac and Linux.
If every machine you use is Apple hardware, Dictly's constraint may not matter. If any daily work happens on a PC, VeloxWaves is the on-device option that still exists there.
Dictly is stronger at shaping text per app
Dictly Pro sells unlimited Workflows and per-app Profiles: bullet lists in Notes, paragraphs in Mail, comments in VS Code. It also highlights a very small download, a low runtime footprint, and sub-100 ms first-word latency on Apple silicon. Those are native-app strengths.
VeloxWaves is opinionated rather than pipeline-editable. Hardware tiers pick a local model. The everyday loop is hold the shortcut, speak, insert. Custom formatting grammars are not the product. Persistent local memory is.
VeloxWaves keeps going after the sentence is inserted
Dictly stores history and optional local analytics. VeloxWaves turns transcripts into a knowledge graph you can search by meaning, translate on-device, and ask a local assistant about.
Buy Dictly if the win is perfectly formatted text in the frontmost Apple app. Buy VeloxWaves if the win is still being able to find what you said last month without uploading it.
Pricing
Dictly Core is free with tight limits on Workflows, dictionaries, and history. Pro is a $29.99 one-time App Store purchase. That is unusually cheap for unlimited local workflows if you are Apple-only.
VeloxWaves is free — unlimited local dictation and the broader local assistant at no cost, with no subscription. Paid per-seat Teams licensing is planned for organizations.
Over several years Dictly Pro can cost less than VeloxWaves Pro. That is a fair reason to pick Dictly if you do not need Windows, a second brain, or translation.
Who should choose each app?
VeloxWaves is the stronger fit for Windows users, mixed Apple-and-PC setups, and people who want dictation to feed private long-term memory.
Dictly is the stronger fit for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users who want a native on-device tool, per-app Workflows, and a one-time price.
- Choose VeloxWaves for on-device dictation that is not Apple-only.
- Choose Dictly for native Apple workflows and a buy-once license.
- Neither product is a hosted transcription API; compare platforms and what happens after insert.
Sources
This comparison uses public product, pricing, and privacy information from the companies themselves. We did not assign accuracy or speed winners without a controlled, reproducible test.
Competitor names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. VeloxWaves is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dictly.
Related comparisons
VeloxWaves is free forever — no account, no credit card, no word caps.
Download VeloxWaves