Is there a dictation app without a monthly subscription?

Quick answer — November 1, 2026: Yes. Dictop offers a one-time payment for lifetime on-device use after a 30-day trial. Supported Apple Intelligence refinement is part of the on-device offering. Optional cloud processing uses prepaid dictation-time credits that never expire, rather than a recurring subscription. US App Store prices on November 1, 2026 were $6.99 for lifetime access and $1.49 for a separate one-hour cloud pack. Check your regional price and eligibility in the app before buying.

Dictop gives you two ways to pay for dictation without a monthly subscription: buy lifetime on-device access once, purchase cloud time as you need it, or use both. Choose according to the models and features you want.

What does the one-time purchase cover?

The lifetime purchase lets you continue using on-device speech recognition after the 30-day trial. Available local speech models process recordings on your device. Apple Intelligence can also refine text locally when your device, system version and settings support it.

You do not need a cloud-credit balance for local dictation, but you do need a compatible device and supported model. Lifetime on-device access does not include unlimited cloud processing. Use the trial to check how well the models work with your voice, languages and writing apps. You are not automatically charged when the trial ends.

How do cloud credits work?

If you prefer an available cloud speech model, you can buy transcription time separately. Credits never expire, so unused time stays available for later rather than being subject to a monthly deadline.

Cloud speech recognition and cloud AI refinement use Dictop’s credit system. Check the app’s purchase screen for current packs, billing details, consumption and model requirements.

How much does Dictop cost?

US prices as of November 1, 2026: check your regional price and available offers in the app before buying. You can download Dictop for iPhone and iPad or Mac from the App Store.

Purchase	US price	What it covers
30-day Free Trial	$0.00	Trial of on-device use
Lifetime access	$6.99	One-time on-device access, including supported Apple Intelligence refinement
1h Cloud Transcription + AI	$1.49	Separately purchased cloud time
10h Cloud Transcription + AI	$14.49	Separately purchased cloud time
50-Hour Cloud Transcription	$68.99	Separately purchased cloud time
200h Cloud Transcription + AI	$239.99	Separately purchased cloud time

Downloading the free app does not grant lifetime access or unlimited cloud use. Trial eligibility appears in the app; reinstalling does not restart the trial. Any introductory cloud allowance is separate from the 30-day on-device trial.

To estimate your spend, add the price of any lifetime purchase you need to the cloud packs you choose. At the prices above, lifetime access plus one 1-hour cloud pack would cost $8.48. They are separate purchases, and the amount of finished writing a cloud pack produces depends on usage. Check billing and consumption details in the app.

Will it work on my devices?

Dictop’s base installation requirements and additional feature requirements are:

Device	Base app minimum	Additional requirements
Mac	macOS 14.0	Apple Silicon is recommended for local speech models. On Intel Macs, cloud transcription is available. Apple Intelligence refinement requires macOS 26+ and eligible hardware.
iPhone	iOS 17.0	Apple Intelligence requires iOS 26+ and eligible hardware. Keyboard sessions require Full Access, Dictop microphone permission and Live Activities enabled.
iPad	iPadOS 17.0	Apple Intelligence requires iPadOS 26+ and eligible hardware. Keyboard sessions require Full Access, Dictop microphone permission and Live Activities enabled.

To use Apple Intelligence refinement, enable Apple Intelligence and allow its model to finish downloading. Dictop’s AI settings show language support and readiness. See the Apple Intelligence setup guide for details.

For keyboard dictation, start the recording session in Dictop before switching to another app. Full Access and microphone permission are separate settings. Enable Live Activities to see the session status and Stop controls. Some host apps and secure fields do not allow custom keyboards.

Can I restore a purchase on another device?

You can use the same lifetime purchase across Dictop on Mac, iPhone and iPad. On the other device, use the same purchasing Apple Account and choose Restore previous purchases. Restoring unlocks your purchased access without another charge.

Cloud credits belong to the Dictop account that received them. Sign in to that same Dictop account on your other devices to use its remaining balance. Restoring lifetime access does not replenish used cloud time or transfer credits to another account. If a purchase or balance is missing, contact Dictop support.

Which payment approach suits you?

Your usage	A starting point
Frequent dictation with a suitable local model	Test on-device recognition during the trial, then consider lifetime access
Occasional need for a cloud model	Buy cloud credits as needed and keep unused time for later
Heavy cloud use	Estimate your consumption using current in-app pack prices

For cloud use, compare the cost of your expected hours across the available packs. For local use, consider how much review and correction your chosen model needs for your voice and tasks.

See Dictop’s pricing overview and try it on your own device before buying.