Both transcribe your voice. Only Cue understands your screen, plans multi-step tasks, and runs on Windows. Here is the honest breakdown.
SuperWhisper is a focused, beloved dictation app for Mac users who want local Whisper and pay once. Cue is a broader tool that does dictation just as well, adds an AI agent layer that executes tasks, and works on Windows too. If you dictate and want more, Cue wins. If you only dictate on one Mac and prefer offline, SuperWhisper still makes sense.
You use one Mac, you prefer a one time purchase, you care about running Whisper fully offline, and you do not need an AI agent or cross platform support.
You work across Mac and Windows, you want voice to trigger real work (write code, build reports, manage files), and you prefer a free tier for dictation with a $9.99 upgrade for unlimited agent use.
We tried to be fair. If you think we got something wrong about SuperWhisper, email us and we will fix it.
| Feature | Cue | SuperWhisper |
|---|---|---|
| Voice dictation accuracyReal-world English & Mandarin | High (Deepgram Nova-2) | High (Whisper large-v3) |
| Real-time transcriptionStreaming as you speak | ✓ Sub-3s | ✓ |
| Works offlineNo internet required | Partial (local Whisper optional) | ✓ Fully offline |
| Context-aware polishingFormal in email, casual in chat | ✓ AX-aware | ✗ |
| Real-time translationSpeak one language, write another | ✓ 20+ languages | Transcription only |
| AI agent (multi-step tasks)Write code, build reports, automate | ✓ Claude Sonnet/Opus | ✗ Not offered |
| Screen context awarenessVision + selected text + app info | ✓ | ✗ |
| Works in any appNo plugins or integrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows supportWindows 10+ x64 | ✓ | ✗ Mac only |
| macOS supportApple Silicon + Intel | ✓ 13+ | ✓ |
| Free tierNo trial expiry | ✓ Unlimited dictation | Trial then paid |
| Local history storageYour data stays on device | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hotkey activationAny app, any text field | Fn / Alt | Customizable |
| Custom vocabularyNames, acronyms, jargon | Planned v0.6 | ✓ |
Cue is free to start and adds a monthly option for power users. SuperWhisper is a one time purchase with optional paid cloud models.
We are not claiming SuperWhisper is bad. These are the three concrete things Cue does that SuperWhisper does not.
SuperWhisper hears what you said and types it. Cue hears what you said and reads your screen, which app you're in, what text you selected. That context is what turns voice into action. Say "scan my receipts and build an expense report" and Cue delivers the finished PDF.
Switching between a MacBook at home and a Windows PC at work? Cue gives you the same workflow on both. SuperWhisper is Mac exclusive.
Install Cue, grant two permissions, and dictate forever at no cost. Upgrade only if you want unlimited AI agent runs. No trial timer, no paywall on dictation.
They hear what you said.
Cue sees what you're doing.
And does the thing, in any app.
We would rather send you to the right tool than sell you the wrong one.
You only use a Mac, you need true offline dictation (no internet), you prefer paying once instead of subscribing, and you have no interest in AI agent features. The SuperWhisper team ships a well crafted product and has a loyal community — if they fit your use case, you will be happy.
You want voice to do more than transcribe, you use both Mac and Windows, you want a free path to test it, or you want a single hotkey that handles dictation and agent tasks together. You can run both apps side by side during the switch.
Yes. Cue matches SuperWhisper on dictation accuracy and hotkey workflow, and goes further with a full AI agent mode that executes multi-step tasks, understands your screen, and runs on Windows as well as Mac. Cue also offers a free tier with unlimited dictation.
Cue runs on both macOS 13+ and Windows 10 1809 or later. SuperWhisper is Mac only. If you switch between a Mac and a Windows machine, Cue gives you the same hotkey and the same voice workflow on both.
For pure speech-to-text, both apps are comparable in accuracy and speed. Cue adds context-aware polishing (formal tone in email, casual in chat) and real-time translation across 20+ languages. If you only need offline local Whisper on a single Mac, SuperWhisper is a solid choice; otherwise Cue is more flexible.
Cue is free to start with unlimited voice dictation and 20 agent credits per day. Cue Plus is $9.99 per month for unlimited agent usage and premium models. SuperWhisper is a one time purchase (around $120) with optional paid cloud models. For users who primarily dictate, Cue is free forever.
Cue uses cloud based models (Deepgram for transcription, Claude and Gemini for polish and agent mode) for the best accuracy across 20+ languages. SuperWhisper can run fully offline using local Whisper models. All Cue interaction history is stored locally on your device and never uploaded.
Cue includes an AI agent mode that SuperWhisper does not offer. The agent can see your screen, plan multi step tasks, write and run code, manage files, and complete workflows from a single voice command. SuperWhisper focuses solely on dictation; Cue unifies dictation plus agent in one hotkey.
Yes. All interaction history is stored locally on your device and is never uploaded to any server. Audio passes through cloud transcription only during the dictation itself and is not retained. Cue is signed with an Apple Developer ID (full notarization in progress).
Download Cue for free, grant Accessibility and Microphone permissions, and pick a hotkey (Fn on Mac, Alt on Windows by default). You can run Cue and SuperWhisper side by side during the transition. Cue does not import SuperWhisper history since all history stays local in both apps.
Unlimited voice dictation on day one. AI agent on day two. No credit card required.