VoiceInk runs on your Mac, DanDin runs on Windows too
VoiceInk is open source and paid for once. DanDin is a subscription with a free plan, built for Arabic.
In short
If you have an Apple silicon Mac and want an app you buy once that runs on your Mac with no internet, VoiceInk is a good pick: 25 dollars for one Mac, and its code is open source under GPL v3. If you are on Windows, on an Intel Mac, or want to mix Arabic and English without choosing a model, DanDin fits better. The VoiceInk pricing page says "Works only on Apple Silicon Macs", and Arabic does not appear on its home page, only in its docs, as a language two downloadable models support; the model it sets up first is for English and European languages. DanDin is our product, and it needs the internet. Every VoiceInk fact here comes from its own pages, read on 8 October 2026, and we have not used it.
The comparison, side by side
| DanDin | VoiceInk | |
|---|---|---|
| Computers | Apple silicon or Intel Macs, and Windows 10 and 11 | Apple silicon Macs only [1] |
| Price | Free for 2,000 words every 7 days, Pro at 16.99 dollars a month | Paid once: 25 dollars for one Mac [2] |
| Trial | The free plan does not end | A free 7-day trial [3] |
| Where your speech is processed | On DanDin servers | On your Mac, with cloud services if you choose [4] |
| Arabic | Built for Arabic and English | In its docs: two on-device models that list Arabic [5] |
| The model it sets up first | No model to choose | For English and European languages [6] |
| Open source | No | Yes, under GPL v3 [7] |
| Transcribing files | No | Yes, audio and video files [8] |
Where these VoiceInk facts come from
Every fact in the VoiceInk column is taken from its own pages. Here is the text as we read it, the link, and the day we read it.
[1] VoiceInk pricing page
Works only on Apple Silicon Macs
https://tryvoiceink.com/pricing (read 2026-10-08)
[2] The same page, on payment
One-time purchase, lifetime access
https://tryvoiceink.com/pricing (read 2026-10-08)
[3] VoiceInk download page
Apple Silicon · Free 7-day trial · No subscription
https://tryvoiceink.com/download (read 2026-10-08)
[4] VoiceInk FAQ
VoiceInk processes all voice transcription locally on your device.
https://tryvoiceink.com/faq (read 2026-10-08)
[5] VoiceInk docs: local models
is an on-device transcription model supporting Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/local-models (read 2026-10-08)
[6] The same page, the onboarding model
English and supported European languages; used by onboarding
https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/local-models (read 2026-10-08)
[7] VoiceInk repository on GitHub
This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0
https://github.com/Beingpax/VoiceInk (read 2026-10-08)
[8] VoiceInk docs: transcribing files
Queue audio or video files, transcribe with a Mode, and save the results.
https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/transcribe-audio-files (read 2026-10-08)
Pick DanDin if
- You work on Windows, or on an Intel Mac
- You want Arabic and English with no models to pick
- You want to start free with no trial that ends
VoiceInk may fit you if
- You want to pay once, not a subscription
- You want your voice to stay on your Mac, with no internet
- You want open source, or file transcription
In VoiceInk you pick the model that handles Arabic yourself. In DanDin, Arabic is where the app starts.
Common questions
Does VoiceInk work on Windows?
Its pages name Apple silicon Macs and an iPhone and iPad app, and no Windows. DanDin runs on Windows 10 and 11.
Does VoiceInk write Arabic?
Its docs list Arabic for two models you download to your Mac, and say a multilingual model does not mean it supports every language. We have not tried it.
How much is VoiceInk?
Paid once: 25 dollars for one Mac, 39 for two, 49 for three, after a 7-day trial. DanDin is free for 2,000 words every 7 days, and Pro is 16.99 a month.