Dragon has been the standard for professional desktop dictation for decades. Dragon Professional v16 is Windows software that lets you dictate, edit and control your computer by voice, and you can teach it the vocabulary of your field. Chirp does one small thing: you press a key, speak, and your words are transcribed on your computer and placed where you're typing. It runs on Mac and Windows.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Chirp | Dragon |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | 28 free transcriptions, then $9.99/year for unlimited use on up to 5 devices | Not listed by Nuance; resellers list ~$699 |
| Platforms | macOS 13+, Windows 10/11 | Windows 10/11 (Mac version discontinued 2018) |
| Where recognition runs | On your computer | On your PC |
| Voice commands and editing by voice | No | Yes |
| Custom vocabulary | No | Yes |
| Languages | English only | Check nuance.com |
| Inserting text | Auto-paste on Mac; copied to the clipboard on Windows (press Ctrl+V) | Dictates directly into apps |
| Setup | Install, grant permissions, start speaking | Full install with a user profile |
| Download size | ~53 MB (Mac), ~33 MB (Windows) | Much larger |
| Account | None | Check nuance.com |
What Dragon Does Well
- Full voice control. Commands, corrections and editing, hands-free.
- Custom vocabulary. Especially valuable in legal, medical and other specialist work.
- A long track record. It's a mature product that many professionals have relied on for years.
- Runs on your PC. It's installed desktop software.
What Chirp Does Differently
Chirp is deliberately simple and runs on both platforms. It's about a 53 MB download on Mac and 33 MB on Windows, needs no voice training or profile, and has one shortcut. On a Mac, press Fn or Option+M to start and stop, and the text is pasted for you. On Windows, press Alt+M. The text is copied to the clipboard and you press Ctrl+V.
Chirp transcribes on your computer with whisper.cpp and deletes the recording as soon as the text is ready. The text is kept in a local history on your computer. There is no account and no analytics. Chirp goes online only to check for updates when it launches and, once you have a license, to check it about once a day (it keeps working for up to 7 days offline between checks).
Pricing
Nuance doesn't list a price for Dragon Professional on its website. At the time of writing (September 2026), resellers list it at around $699. Chirp includes 28 free transcriptions, then a $9.99/year license (up to 5 devices) unlocks unlimited use.
Who Each Is For
Dragon is excellent if you want to control and edit by voice on Windows, or need specialist vocabulary for legal or medical work.
If you want dictation that never leaves your computer, on a Mac or a Windows PC with almost no setup, try Chirp. It's English only, has no voice commands and records up to 5 minutes at a time.
FAQ
Is Dragon still available for Mac?
No. Nuance discontinued Dragon Professional Individual for Mac in October 2018. Dragon Professional v16 runs on Windows 10 and 11. Chirp runs on macOS 13 or later (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows 10 and 11.
How much does Dragon cost?
Nuance doesn't list a price for Dragon Professional on its site. At the time of writing (September 2026), resellers list it at around $699. Chirp includes 28 free transcriptions, then a $9.99/year license (up to 5 devices) unlocks unlimited use.
What can Dragon do that Chirp cannot?
A lot. Dragon lets you control your computer and edit text by voice, and you can teach it custom vocabulary for specialist fields such as law and medicine. Chirp only turns speech into text, in English, with no voice commands or custom vocabulary.
Do both run on my own computer?
Yes. Dragon is installed software that runs on your PC. Chirp transcribes on your computer and deletes the audio right after.
For more alternatives, see our private, offline dictation guide.
Last updated: September 2026. Dragon is a product of Nuance Communications (Microsoft). Pricing and features change, so check each product's website for the latest information.