When should I choose Glimpse over Spokenly?

Choose Glimpse if: You want to read the code. Glimpse is open source, Spokenly isn't. You want to pay once. Glimpse starts at $25, no subscription. You record meetings on Windows. Glimpse does it on Mac and Windows, with on-device speaker detection.

When should I choose Spokenly over Glimpse?

Choose Spokenly if: You also want an iPhone app, or you use Linux. Glimpse is Mac and Windows only. You want cloud models included in a subscription, without managing your own API keys. You want voice-driven Mac automation or an MCP server for coding agents. You want the widest shelf of local models. Spokenly adds new ones within days, like Nemotron 3.5, Cohere Transcribe, and Parakeet Ultra.

Glimpse vs Spokenly

Both give you free, unlimited local dictation. Glimpse is open source and sells a one-time license. Spokenly is closed source, sells a subscription, and reaches more platforms.

Last updated October 5, 2026

The short answer

Pick Spokenly if

You also want an iPhone app, or you use Linux. Glimpse is Mac and Windows only.
You want cloud models included in a subscription, without managing your own API keys.
You want voice-driven Mac automation or an MCP server for coding agents.
You want the widest shelf of local models. Spokenly adds new ones within days, like Nemotron 3.5, Cohere Transcribe, and Parakeet Ultra.

Pick Glimpse if

You want to read the code. Glimpse is open source, Spokenly isn't.
You want to pay once. Glimpse starts at $25, no subscription.
You record meetings on Windows. Glimpse does it on Mac and Windows, with on-device speaker detection.

Side by side

Feature	Glimpse	Spokenly
Price	Free dictationFrom $25 one-time	Free local + your own keysPro $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr
Free tier	Unlimited dictationevery model, no word limit	Unlimited localplus your own cloud keys
Open source	Yes, AGPL-3.0audit it on GitHub	No
macOS	Yes	Yes
Windows	Yes	Yes
Linux	No	Yes
iOS	No	Yes
Local transcription	Yes, by defaultWhisper, Parakeet, and more	YesWhisper, Parakeet, Nemotron, Cohere, and more
Cloud transcription	Optional, your own keyOpenAI, Deepgram, ElevenLabs, Groq, and more	Your own key, or ProPro includes cloud models
Custom dictionary	Yesplus Auto Dictionary	Yes
Per-app modes	Yes	Yesauto-switching on macOS
Audio / video file import	Yes	Yes
Meeting recording	YesMac and Windows	YesMac
CLI and Raycast	YesCLI, local API, and an official Raycast extension, with a license	YesCLI and MCP, plus a community Raycast extension

In detail

Cloud models

Glimpse has no managed cloud. Both apps let you plug in your own keys for cloud transcription, like OpenAI, Deepgram, or Groq, and pay the provider directly. Spokenly also sells Pro, which includes cloud models and AI text cleanup without needing any keys. Glimpse runs locally by default, and anything cloud goes through a provider you set up yourself.

Platforms

Spokenly reaches more devices. Both run on Mac and Windows. Spokenly also runs on Linux and has an iPhone app, so if you want dictation on your phone or on a Linux box, it's the only option of the two. Glimpse is desktop only, on Mac and Windows. On the other hand, Glimpse's meeting recording works on both of its platforms, while Spokenly's is Mac only.

Close to feature for feature

This is one of the closest matches on this site. Spokenly added a CLI and an MCP server in April 2026, meeting recording on Mac in September, and a growing list of free local models, and there's a community-built Raycast extension for it. So a CLI or Raycast alone isn't a reason to pick Glimpse anymore. What still sets Glimpse apart: the code is open, you pay once instead of subscribing, and Recording mode with on-device speaker detection works on Windows as well as Mac.

Openness

You can read every line of Glimpse. It's on GitHub under AGPL-3.0, and Spokenly is closed source. You can read exactly what gets sent where, including the analytics code. If you'd rather verify a privacy claim than trust it, that's the difference.

Pricing

Glimpse is one payment. Spokenly Pro is a subscription. Spokenly is free for local models (Whisper, Parakeet, Nemotron, Cohere, and more) and free with your own cloud keys. Pro is $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr for included cloud models, AI cleanup, and sync. Glimpse keeps dictation free with every model and no word limit. A one-time license starts at $25 and adds the Library, Recording mode, AI Cleanup, Edit Mode, and Personalization, with no subscription.

Sources checked

Comparison copy was checked against these public sources on October 5, 2026.