Superwhisper is a bootstrapped app out of Toronto that runs Whisper models locally on your Mac, Windows PC or iPhone. Nothing leaves your machine, and its Cursor and VS Code integrations are why so many developers use it. ahsk makes a different bet: transcription in the cloud on the largest Whisper model, so non-native English is transcribed properly, and one gesture to translate as you speak.
Where Superwhisper is ahead
Privacy, unambiguously. Superwhisper can run fully offline with local models, which ahsk cannot. It has a one-time lifetime price ($249.99) if you hate subscriptions. Its developer integrations are deeper. And on a fast Apple Silicon Mac, local transcription of short phrases is very quick.
Where ahsk is ahead
Accented English: local models have to be small to be fast, and small Whisper models drop accuracy hard on non-native speech. ahsk runs large-v3 in the cloud, which is the model we measured to hold up on Indian, Italian and German English. Translation: speak English, paste Italian, with fn+Shift or Ctrl+Win+T; Superwhisper transcribes but does not translate as a gesture. Reliability: ahsk recovers automatically when the mic changes mid-recording. And ahsk's Windows and iPhone builds behave exactly like the Mac one, on one account.
On price
Superwhisper Pro is $8.49 a month or $84.99 a year; ahsk is €9.99 a month. Superwhisper is cheaper per month and has a lifetime option. ahsk includes translation and AI rewriting in that price, which Superwhisper does not do. If you only dictate, Superwhisper costs less. If you also translate and rewrite, ahsk replaces two tools.
Who should pick which
Pick Superwhisper if your audio must never leave your machine, you want a lifetime licence, or you live in Cursor. Pick ahsk if you speak English with an accent, work in more than one language, or want the same dictation on your Windows PC and iPhone as on your Mac.
How this comparison was made
Prices, platforms and features for the other product are taken from its own website and pricing page in August 2026, and ahsk facts from the current builds (Mac 6.4, Windows 1.4 beta, iOS 2.x). If something has changed or we got a detail wrong, email support@ahsk.app and we will fix it. We would rather be accurate than flattering.
Comparison
| Feature | ahsk | Superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, iPhone | Mac, Windows, iPhone | |
| Price | €9.99/mo | $8.49/mo, $84.99/yr, $249.99 lifetime | |
| Free tier | 50 credits, no card | Free with small local models | |
| Offline transcription | No | Yes | |
| Transcription model | Whisper large-v3 (cloud) | Local Whisper models, size you choose | |
| Translate as you speak | Yes, one shortcut | No | |
| AI rewriting and answers | Included | Via your own LLM setup | |
| Keeps recording on mic/device change | Yes, automatic recovery | Not documented |
Try ahsk next to Superwhisper
Free, 50 credits, no card. Dictate the same paragraph in both and compare the accents.
Download for MacFrequently Asked Questions
Is ahsk more accurate than Superwhisper?
On clear native English at a desk, both are very good. On accented or non-native English, a large cloud model beats a small local one, and that is the case ahsk is built for. We are recording a public benchmark; until then, try both on your own voice.
Why does ahsk not offer offline mode?
Because a Whisper model small enough to run fast on a laptop loses too much accuracy on accents, and accuracy is the whole product. When on-device models close that gap, we will add it.
Is ahsk free?
Yes. Every account starts with 50 credits and no card. Pro is €9.99 a month for unlimited dictation, translation and AI rewriting, and one subscription covers Mac, Windows and iPhone.
Does ahsk work offline?
No. Transcription runs on Whisper large-v3 in the cloud, which is why accuracy on accented and non-native English is as good as it is. Your custom dictionary and learned words stay on your device. If you need fully offline dictation, ahsk is the wrong tool and we say so.
