Chirp costs $9.99/year and processes everything offline on your device. Wispr Flow costs $15/month and sends your audio to cloud servers for AI-powered transcription and formatting. If you value privacy and do not want to pay $144/year for voice-to-text, Chirp is the straightforward choice.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Chirp | Wispr Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $9.99/yr unlimited | $15/mo ($143.99/yr annual) |
| Free tier | 28 free transcriptions | Free trial available |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Privacy | 100% local, no data leaves device | Cloud-based processing |
| Internet required | No | Yes, always |
| Auto-paste | Yes, into any app (Fn / Alt+M) | Yes, into any app |
| Transcription history | Searchable local history, CSV export | Cloud-synced history |
| App size | ~95MB | ~150MB+ |
| Account required | No | Yes, email signup required |
| Languages | English (optimized) | 100+ languages |
Pricing
Chirp is $9.99 per year for unlimited transcriptions, with 28 free transcriptions to start. Wispr Flow charges $15 per month on the monthly plan, or $143.99 per year if you commit to annual billing. That makes Chirp approximately 14 times cheaper. For users who need reliable voice-to-text without AI formatting extras, the savings are substantial.
Privacy: Offline vs Cloud
Chirp processes all audio locally using whisper.cpp. Nothing is uploaded, no account is needed, and the app works identically with or without an internet connection. Wispr Flow relies on cloud servers for transcription and its AI features. Your voice data travels to remote servers for processing. For anyone working with sensitive, confidential, or personal information, this is a meaningful distinction.
AI Features
Wispr Flow offers AI-powered features that go beyond basic transcription: intelligent formatting, Command Mode for controlling your computer with voice, and context-aware text cleanup. These features require cloud processing and justify the higher price for users who rely on them. Chirp focuses on fast, accurate transcription with auto-paste -- it does not rewrite or reformat your words, which some users actually prefer for capturing their exact thoughts.
Language Support
Wispr Flow supports over 100 languages through its cloud processing, which is a genuine advantage for multilingual users. Chirp is optimized for English using the ggml-tiny.en-q5_0 model. If you regularly dictate in multiple languages, Wispr Flow has a clear edge here.
Mobile Support
Wispr Flow is available on iOS and Android in addition to macOS and Windows. Chirp is a desktop-only application (macOS, Windows, Linux) and does not have a mobile app. If mobile dictation is important to your workflow, Wispr Flow covers more ground.
Simplicity
Chirp is designed to be as simple as possible. Download the ~95MB app, install it, and start dictating. No account creation, no email verification, no cloud sync setup. Wispr Flow requires account registration and internet connectivity before you can use it. For users who want minimal friction, Chirp's approach is more straightforward.
Verdict
Wispr Flow is a polished product with genuinely useful AI features, broad language support, and mobile apps. It is worth the premium for users who need those capabilities. But if your core need is affordable, private, offline voice-to-text on the desktop, Chirp delivers exactly that at $9.99/year -- no cloud, no account, no compromise on privacy. The 14x price difference makes Chirp the clear value pick for straightforward transcription.
Last updated: February 2026. Pricing and features may change. Check each product's website for the latest information.