VoicePrivate vs
Wispr Flow
VoicePrivate processes 100% on your device — zero cloud, zero screenshots, zero data collection. Wispr Flow sends your audio to cloud servers and captures screenshots of your screen for "context." Here's the full picture.
The cloud privacy problem — a real example
This isn't a theoretical risk. It happened.
Wispr Flow's screenshot capture controversy
In early 2025, a Reddit user discovered that Wispr Flow was capturing screenshots of their active windows and sending them to Wispr's servers. The stated purpose was "context-aware" dictation — reading on-screen content to improve accuracy. The user raised concerns publicly.
The response made things worse: the user who raised the concern was initially banned from Wispr's community. Wispr's CTO later issued a public apology on Reddit, acknowledging the concern and promising transparency improvements.
The core issue wasn't a bug — it was the architecture. Cloud-based dictation tools need to send your data somewhere to process it. When they add "context awareness," that means even more of your data goes to their servers: not just your voice, but your screen content too.
Two fundamentally different architectures
The difference isn't a feature — it's the foundation.
VoicePrivate (On-Device)
- Audio captured by microphone, held in RAM
- Whisper AI runs on your device's CPU/GPU
- Optional grammar polish by local LLM (also on-device)
- Text pasted into your app
- Audio discarded from RAM
- No network connections opened during transcription
- No screenshots taken
- No server exists
- Works fully offline
- Verifiable: run a network monitor and see zero traffic
Wispr Flow (Cloud)
- Audio recorded and sent to Wispr's cloud servers
- Screenshots captured for "context awareness"
- Audio processed by OpenAI and Meta AI models on cloud
- Text sent back to your device
- Audio may be retained per privacy policy
- Requires active internet connection
- SOC 2 certified (trust-based, not architecture-based)
- Multiple third-party subprocessors handle your data
- Stops working completely offline
- Cannot verify claims without trusting vendor
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | VoicePrivate | Wispr Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Processing location | ✓ 100% on-device | ✗ Cloud servers |
| Screenshots captured | ✓ Never | ✗ Yes — for "context" |
| Audio sent to server | ✓ Never | ✗ Every dictation |
| Works offline | ✓ Fully | ✗ No |
| AI models | Advanced AI engine (local) | OpenAI + Meta (cloud) |
| Languages | 25+ languages (up to 99 with specialty editions) | 100+ languages |
| Custom dictionary | ✓ Unlimited terms | ✓ Team dictionary |
| Text shortcuts | ✓ Built-in + system-wide | ✗ |
| Speaker diarization | ✓ | ✗ |
| Industry editions | 5 editions (Healthcare, Legal, Finance, Insurance, General) | General only |
| Annual price | From $199/yr | $144-180/yr |
| Privacy verification | ✓ Network monitor verifiable | Trust vendor's policy |
| HIPAA (healthcare) | ✓ No BAA needed — data never leaves device | Requires BAA |
| Cross-platform | macOS & Windows | macOS, Windows, iOS |
Where Wispr Flow is ahead
We believe in honest comparisons.
Context-aware formatting
Wispr detects your active app and adjusts formatting (professional in email, casual in Slack). This is a genuine usability advantage — powered by the same screenshot capture that raises privacy concerns.
Voice command editing
Say "make this more formal" or "turn into bullet points" and Wispr transforms your text. This requires cloud AI processing — a feature we're building with local LLM support.
iOS support
Wispr supports Mac, Windows, and iOS. VoicePrivate runs on macOS and Windows, with iOS support planned.
Team features
Wispr offers team plans with shared dictionaries and admin controls. VoicePrivate is currently single-user focused.
The trade-off
Wispr Flow's context-aware features are genuinely useful. But they require sending your screen content and audio to cloud servers. That's the fundamental trade-off:
Do you want a tool that knows everything about your screen and sends it to the cloud? Or a tool that processes everything locally and keeps your data on your machine?
If you dictate personal notes, medical records, legal documents, financial data, or anything you wouldn't paste into a public chatbot — the answer matters.