Looking for a Willow alternative? Retext adds on-device voice dictation to a native Mac text expander.
Retext is a good Willow alternative if you want transcription on your Mac by default, push-to-talk on right Option, and your snippets in the same app.
Willow's cloud formatting and style matching go further than Retext's polish (beta), and it runs on Windows and iPhone too. Retext transcribes on your Mac by default and polishes on-device in five modes without adding words. Its snippets are full typed triggers, and you can also insert them by voice (beta).
Local by default: your audio is transcribed on your Mac
No audio or transcripts are sent to Retext's server
Polish (beta) runs on your Mac with Apple Intelligence, never in the cloud
Hands-free mode (beta) pauses itself in password fields and password managers
Your text expander and your dictation in one app
| Feature | Retext | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| Voice Dictation | ||
| AI Cleanup & Rewriting | Beta | |
| Audio File Transcription | Not available | Not available |
| Privacy & Local Storage | ||
| Snippet Expansion | ||
| Team Sharing | ||
| Cross-Platform |
| Product | Pricing Model | Price | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retext | Freemium | Dictation and polish on your Mac come with every plan. See the pricing page. | Dictation and polish on your Mac, plus 5 snippets |
| Willow | Freemium | Pro $15/user/month, or $12 billed yearly; Business $35/month, or $28 billed yearly; Enterprise on request | Unlimited dictation on the lighter Frontier Mini model, 20 Scribe uses a week |
Migration difficulty: easy
We couldn't find a way to export Willow's dictionary or Shortcuts. Recreate your Shortcuts as Retext snippets with typed triggers, or insert them by voice with "insert snippet" (a beta voice command).
Retext adds on-device voice dictation to a native Mac text expander. Willow's cloud formatting and style matching go further than Retext's polish (beta), and it runs on Windows and iPhone too. Retext transcribes on your Mac by default and polishes on-device in five modes without adding words. Its snippets are full typed triggers, and you can also insert them by voice (beta).
The stronger model needs Pro; Privacy guarantees are enforced only on business plans; Offline mode isn't available on Windows.
Yes. Willow's free option: unlimited dictation on the lighter Frontier Mini model, 20 Scribe uses a week. Paid: Pro $15/user/month, or $12 billed yearly; Business $35/month, or $28 billed yearly; Enterprise on request.
Yes. Retext's free plan includes dictation and polish on your Mac, plus 5 snippets. Dictation and polish on your Mac come with every plan. See the pricing page.
Willow is the better choice for polished emails and documents from speech, dictating prompts into code editors and AI chats and teams in regulated fields that need HIPAA.
We couldn't find a way to export Willow's dictionary or Shortcuts. Recreate your Shortcuts as Retext snippets with typed triggers, or insert them by voice with "insert snippet" (a beta voice command).
Download Retext, turn on Voice Dictation in Settings, and hold right Option to talk.
Sources
Willow, checked October 28, 2026: Willow · Willow pricing · Willow on Wispr Flow vs Willow
Prices and features change. Check each vendor's site before you buy.