Alter vs Dragon NaturallySpeaking: the honest comparison.
Pick Alter if you want a Mac voice app that spans dictation and meeting recording. Pick Dragon NaturallySpeaking if Windows dictation, custom vocabulary, macros, and batch transcription matter more. Ottex sits beside them as the Mac/iOS reference for dictation, meetings, and finished written outputs.
Ottex
Mac, iOS · Free tier · $14/mo · PAYG
Ottex is unusually broad for a young Mac/iOS-first tool: it turns dictation and meetings into emails, tickets, CRM updates, notes, and docs, but it is not the pick if you need Windows, Android, web, browser extension, or compliance paperwork.
Choose if
You want one tool for system-wide dictation, meeting recording, and finished written outcomes like follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and docs
You want a real free path: unlimited local dictation, file transcription, and meetings on Mac with Whisper/Parakeet, or BYOK instead of a forced subscription
You need multilingual dictation with 100+ languages, auto-detection, mixed-language speech, personal vocabulary, and per-app output rules
Look elsewhere if
You need Windows, Android, Linux, web access, or a browser extension
You need mature team infrastructure such as a shared workspace, API/webhooks, third-party note destinations, or assistant chat over transcripts today.
Alter
Mac · Limited free · $2/mo · $720 one-time
Alter looks like a Mac-focused tool for dictating into apps and recording meetings, but its public claims are thin: pricing, languages, transcription imports, summaries, privacy posture, and non-Mac platforms are all unverified.
Choose if
You want a Mac app that publicly positions itself around writing by voice in other apps.
You want one product that at least publicly mentions both dictation and meeting recording, and you are willing to verify the missing details directly with the0
Look elsewhere if
You need confirmed Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, web, or browser-extension support.
You need published pricing, trial details, language coverage, offline/local processing, or compliance claims before buying.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Windows, iOS, Android · Pricing not published
Dragon is still a serious Windows-first dictation workhorse with custom vocabulary, macros, local desktop transcription, and batch audio processing, but it is not a meeting assistant and its pricing is contact-sales instead of transparent.
Choose if
You want heavy-duty Windows dictation with custom words, Auto-Texts, and voice commands/macros.
You need local desktop dictation and audio-file transcription in Dragon Professional v16, including batch/watch-folder transcription.
You work in Windows apps and want recognized text inserted at the cursor rather than managing a separate web recorder.
Look elsewhere if
You need meeting recording, speaker identification, summaries, action items, follow-up drafts, or cross-meeting search.
You need macOS, Linux, web, or browser-extension support; the published desktop product line is Windows-based, with mobile apps on iOS and Android in the US and Canada.
The evidence
What actually differs, claim by claim.
Each section opens with the takeaway. The table underneath is the receipt — every cell carries its source and the date we checked it.
Pricing
Alter is easier to price: it has a $0/mo path, Local+ at $29/yr, Pro at $240/yr, and Lifetime at $720 one-time. Dragon NaturallySpeaking does not publish prices for Dragon Professional v16, Dragon Professional Anywhere, or Dragon Anywhere Mobile, so it only wins if custom procurement is acceptable. Ottex is simpler than both for low-commitment use, with free local or BYOK options, PAYG at $0.2/hour, and Pro at $14/mo.
See the evidence — 14 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Alter
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Free tier
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Forever free with local models and BYOK providers.
PartialSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026All core features; uses own API keys or local models; 7 days unlimited access to 50+ AI models; free meeting recording is Very Slow (Whisper) and has no speaker identification.
NoNo free plan
Subscription
$14/moSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
$2/moSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Optional annual add-on for advanced local speech-to-text and meeting recording.
NoNo subscription plan
Pay-as-you-go / one-timeEscape the flat subscription
$0.2/hourSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted models at cost: dictation ~$0.2/h, meetings ~$0.5/h (~$3/mo average).
$720 one-timeSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Permanent access to Alter, future platform upgrades, all current and future features, and all AI models subject to fair use.
NoSubscription only
Bring your own keyPay the model provider, not the middleman
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026OpenRouter, Google AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, and compatible providers.
YesSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Free plan supports connecting own AI providers like OpenAI and Anthropic.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026No BYOK support is published.
Education discount
NoSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Same pricing for everyone.
YesSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Special pricing is available for students and academics by email request.
No public claim
Platforms
Dragon NaturallySpeaking wins platform coverage with Windows, iOS, and Android, while Alter is Mac-only. Alter is the better fit only if your work is already on Mac and you want voice input across apps. Ottex is also Mac/iOS-only, so it does not close Dragon's Windows or Android advantage.
See the evidence — 6 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Alter
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Platforms
Mac, iOSSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
MacSource: docs.alterhq.com — checked Jun 2026
Windows, iOS, AndroidSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026
Native app footprintLight on memory, instant to invoke
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Native Swift app, ~50MB RAM.
YesSource: linkedin.com/company — checked Jun 2026LinkedIn describes Alter as built natively in Swift.
YesSource: nuance.com/products — checked Jun 2026Dragon Professional v16 is installed as a Windows application.
Meetings & team memory
Alter wins meeting capture because it includes meetings, while Dragon NaturallySpeaking does not. The caveat is important: Alter's free meeting recording uses very slow Whisper and has no speaker identification, so teams should verify the paid workflow before relying on it. Ottex is stronger here as the reference product because it covers meetings, local models, BYOK, and paid cloud usage at $0.2/hour.
See the evidence — 17 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Alter
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Meeting recordingThe call is captured at all
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026With speaker separation.
YesSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Jun 2026Alter records meeting audio from applications or the system microphone.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Bot-free captureNo "recording bot" joins your call
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026System-audio capture, no bot joins the call.
YesSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Jun 2026Alter records from the Mac audio system without a bot joining the meeting.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Speaker separation
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
YesSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Paid plans include speaker identification for meeting recordings.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Calendar detection
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Calendar-based meeting detection.
YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/getting-started — checked Jun 2026Alter detects common meeting apps and prompts the user to record.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Cross-meeting search
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026
YesSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Jun 2026Alter allows search through all past meetings.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Shared team memory
PartialSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Public share links, not a full team workspace.
No public claim
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
From meeting to finished work
Neither Alter nor Dragon NaturallySpeaking is clearly a full meeting-intelligence system. Alter records meetings but the input does not show follow-ups, CRM updates, tickets, or cross-meeting memory, and Dragon NaturallySpeaking has no meetings at all. Ottex is the better fit for finished work because it turns dictation and meetings into follow-up emails, Linear tickets, CRM updates, PRDs, and docs.
See the evidence — 11 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Alter
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Decisions, owners, action itemsLeave the meeting with next steps clear
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Decisions with owners extracted.
YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/getting-started — checked Jun 2026Docs list extracting decisions from meetings.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Follow-up email draftedThe outcome is sent, not summarized
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Drafted from templates or your own.
YesSource: docs.alterhq.com/getting-started — checked Jun 2026Docs list a follow-up email draft based on a meeting as a common prompt.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
CRM update / ticket draft
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Structured for the target app.
PartialSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Jun 2026Meetings page says summaries and action items can be pushed to CRM or project management tools after meetings.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Your rough notes steer the result
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Rough notes and instructions steer the result.
No public claim
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Not supported.
Dictation & transcription AI
Dragon NaturallySpeaking wins serious Windows dictation because it has custom words, Auto-Texts, voice commands, macros, local desktop transcription, and batch/watch-folder processing. Alter counters with Mac dictation, file transcription, BYOK, local models, and 50 languages, but it is not the Windows workhorse Dragon is. Ottex goes broader on Apple devices with local models, BYOK, 100 languages, mixed-language speech, personal vocabulary, and per-app output rules.
See the evidence — 11 claims across 3 toolsverified Jun 2026Show tableHide table
Ottex
Alter
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Engines
Cloud: Whisper, Gemini 3 Flash, Voxtral. Local: Whisper, Parakeet v3.Source: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Hosted routing, BYOK, or fully local.
Whisper, Whisper Pro, Parakeet v3, local models, cloud models via own API keys or Alter routersSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Pricing names Whisper, Whisper Pro, Parakeet v3, local models, BYOK cloud models, and 50+ cloud models on Pro.
Nuance Deep Learning speech engineSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Dragon Professional v16 uses a speech engine powered by Nuance Deep Learning technology.
Local / on-device optionAudio never leaves the machine
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Whisper and Parakeet v3 run fully on-device.
YesSource: alterhq.com/meetings — checked Jun 2026Meetings page says no internet is required for recording and local processing with Parakeet V3.
PartialSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026Dragon Professional v16 is installed locally; Dragon Anywhere Mobile uses cloud dictation.
Model selection per task
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Choose the model per task and per provider.
YesSource: alterhq.com/pricing — checked Jun 2026Pro routes to a model or lets the user choose a favorite model.
NoSource: dragon.nuance.com/en-us — checked Jun 2026No user-selectable recognition model is published.
Languages & mixed speechWork that crosses languages mid-sentence
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026100+ languages · Mid-sentence language switching.
No public claim
No public claim
Per-app output rules
YesSource: ottex.ai — checked Jun 2026Per-app output rules: exact in AI chats, polished in email.
No public claim
No public claim
Cost
What a year actually costs at your volume.
Personal or team — switch tabs. Subscriptions are flat; usage-based pricing depends on how much you speak and meet.
OttexSubscription - Pro$168/yr$14/mo — unlimited dictation and meeting intelligence, all hosted models included.
Estimates, not quotes. Striped bar segments are the cost of the second app you picked above to cover the gap — rankings use that combined total. PAYG uses hosted at-cost estimates ($0.2/h dictation, $0.5/h meetings); BYOK is estimated at about a third of that because you pay the model provider directly. Bring-your-own-key plans still pay the model provider per use. One-time licenses are amortized over 2 years. Subscriptions use published pricing, checked Jun 2026.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
Alter vs Dragon NaturallySpeaking: which should I pick?
Pick Alter if you are on Mac and want one app for dictation plus meeting recording. Pick Dragon NaturallySpeaking if you work on Windows and need heavy dictation features like custom vocabulary, Auto-Texts, voice commands, macros, and batch transcription.
Is Alter free?
Alter has a $0/mo plan with core features using your own API keys or local models, plus 7 days of unlimited access to 50+ AI models. Its free meeting recording is described as very slow with Whisper and has no speaker identification, so the free path is better for dictation than team meetings.
Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking free?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking does not list a free plan in the input. Dragon Professional v16, Dragon Professional Anywhere, and Dragon Anywhere Mobile are all shown with custom pricing, with Dragon Anywhere Mobile offering continuous dictation and no word limits.
How much does Alter cost compared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking?
Alter lists $0/mo, Local+ at $29/yr, Pro at $240/yr, and Lifetime at $720 one-time. Dragon NaturallySpeaking pricing is not published for the listed products, so Alter is the only one with clear buyer-facing numbers here.
Is Alter safer than Dragon NaturallySpeaking?
Alter supports BYOK and local models, which gives you a clearer path to keeping dictation under your own key or on-device. Dragon NaturallySpeaking has local desktop dictation and audio-file transcription in Dragon Professional v16, so Dragon is the better privacy fit for Windows desktop users who want local dictation.
Is it worth switching from Alter to Dragon NaturallySpeaking?
Switch from Alter to Dragon NaturallySpeaking if you are moving to Windows or need Dragon's custom vocabulary, macros, Auto-Texts, and batch/watch-folder transcription. Stay with Alter if you are on Mac and value a combined dictation and meeting-recording workflow more than Windows-grade dictation controls.
Does Alter or Dragon NaturallySpeaking work on Windows or Android?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking covers Windows, iOS, and Android. Alter is Mac-only, so it is not the pick for Windows or Android users.
