Compare Retext and Willow side-by-side. See which dictation app is the best fit for your workflow.
Choose Retext if you want on-device transcription by default, push-to-talk on one key, and snippets and dictation in one app.
Choose Willow if you need polished emails and documents from speech.
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).
Native Mac text expander with built-in voice dictation. Hold right Option, speak, and your words land at the cursor, polished on your Mac (beta) if you like.
Pricing:
Dictation and polish on your Mac come with every plan. See the pricing page.
Free tier: Dictation and polish on your Mac, plus 5 snippets
Runs on: Mac
Best for:
AI dictation for Mac, Windows and iPhone that formats what you say for emails, documents, code editors and chat
Pricing:
Pro $15/user/month, or $12 billed yearly; Business $35/month, or $28 billed yearly; Enterprise on request
Free tier: Unlimited dictation on the lighter Frontier Mini model, 20 Scribe uses a week
Runs on: Mac, Windows and iPhone
Best for:
| 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 |
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).
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).
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 runs on Mac, Windows and iPhone. Retext runs on Mac.
Willow is the better fit for polished emails and documents from speech, dictating prompts into code editors and AI chats and teams in regulated fields that need HIPAA. Choose Retext if you want transcription on your Mac by default.
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.