A few months ago, we shared a few voice to text apps that help people with limited mobility communicate and create more easily. Since writing that post, we’ve continued testing new tools to see how they stack up in real-world use. One of those tools, Spokenly, has completely changed the way I work — and it’s now at the top of our list.
While many apps offer similar real-time transcription or AI-powered speech recognition, Spokenly goes a step further. Its combination of customizable keyboard shortcuts and app-specific AI prompts makes it much more than just another dictation app. It’s a creative productivity tool that feels designed for everyone, and for me, that’s what pushes it above the rest.
Works Anywhere You Type
The beauty of Spokenly lies in its simplicity. Once it’s installed on your Mac, you can activate it in any text field — just like Apple’s built-in Voice Control, which I still use regularly and really appreciate. You simply place your cursor, hit your chosen shortcut, and start speaking. Spokenly instantly types your words wherever the cursor is.
That might sound small, but it’s huge for accessibility. I no longer have to switch between apps or rely on clunky text fields. Spokenly works in Pages, Slack, email, or even coding and design tools. For someone who has limited or no use of hands, it’s not just convenient — it’s empowering.
More Than Just a Voice-to-Text App
What makes Spokenly stand out is how it goes far beyond basic real-time transcription. Sure, it uses advanced models like Whisper for speech recognition and integrates with GPT-4 (ChatGPT) and Claude for AI-enhanced processing, but its true magic lies in what happens after you speak.
With Spokenly’s Prompt Builder, you can create custom rules for how your words are interpreted or acted on — depending on which app you’re using or what shortcut you press. It’s like designing your own voice-powered assistant.
You can give it instructions such as:
“Summarize what I just said as meeting notes.”
“Rewrite this as a friendly message.”
“Translate to Spanish and format as a paragraph.”
Or you can use it to automate tasks entirely. Spokenly can:
- Launch or close apps
- Ask ChatGPT or Claude questions
- Run Apple Shortcuts or Shell Commands
- Press keys automatically
- Search the web or YouTube
That means one spoken sentence can write, summarize, format, open apps, or trigger complex automations — all instantly. It’s powerful enough for developers and creators who want control over their workflow, yet simple enough for anyone to use without any coding.
The Hidden Power of Spokenly’s Advanced Settings
Spokenly’s deeper customization options let you decide exactly how it interacts with your environment. In its Advanced Settings, you can toggle features like:
- Include active window contents (so it can reference what’s on your screen)
- Include Clipboard (so it can use copied text as context)
- Include active app name (so it knows if you’re in Pages, Chrome, or Figma)
- Custom System Prompts (to refine how it interprets your speech)
For accessibility, this level of control is invaluable. It means you can personalize Spokenly to your workflow and comfort level, adjusting privacy, context, and automation depth to match exactly how you work.
Whether I’m writing, designing, or sending an email, Spokenly becomes more than a voice-to-text app. It’s a fully customizable voice-powered tool that fits the way you think and create.
Smart, Private, and Fast
Spokenly supports over 100 languages and can automatically detect which one you’re using. That’s perfect for multilingual users or anyone collaborating across languages.
It’s also privacy-first — you can choose to run local models that work completely offline. That means your voice data never leaves your device, there’s no lag, and no usage limits. For me, that’s a big deal. I can dictate freely without worrying about where my voice data is going.
And it’s fast. The app is incredibly lightweight — just over 10 MB on Mac — and installs in seconds. It doesn’t bog down your system or clutter your menu bar.
A Perfect Fit for Accessibility
For me, accessibility isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s essential. Spokenly feels like it was built with that understanding in mind.
You activate it with a key command instead of a voice trigger, which I’ve actually come to prefer. It prevents false activations and gives me control over when it’s listening — perfect for quiet spaces or when I’m around others.
And since it works across any app, I can stay in the zone — writing, designing, or coding — without ever having to touch the keyboard. Spokenly bridges that gap between thought and action better than any other dictation software I’ve used.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
While I like the key command approach, I know some users might prefer a completely hands-free option. Adding an optional voice trigger would make Spokenly even more inclusive for those who can’t easily press a shortcut.
Depending on which model you choose (local vs. cloud), you might notice small differences in speed or accuracy, especially with background noise or complex speech. And while the app currently shines on Mac, there’s also an iPhone version for those who want to take their workflow on the go.
Even with those few limitations, it’s still miles ahead of most apps I’ve tried.
How It Compares
I still love Apple’s Voice Control for its instant response and how naturally it’s integrated into macOS. It doesn’t require a keyboard shortcut, and when it comes to speed, nothing really beats it for quick, direct dictation.
But where Spokenly shines is in its flexibility and customization. It supports over 100 languages and gives you the ability to add your own AI-powered prompts, automation, and workflows.
Compared to the other voice-to-text apps we mentioned in our previous article, Spokenly stands alone in how user-friendly it is. With the bonus of its built-in AI tools, it’s become my number one go-to for writing and dictation outside of Apple’s Voice Control.
Why Spokenly Stands Out
After months of using it daily, I can confidently say Spokenly has become my go-to voice-to-text app. It’s reliable, flexible, and fun to use. It’s not just helping me write faster — it’s helping me stay creative, focused, and independent.
And that’s what I love most about it: this isn’t a product made just for people with disabilities. It’s made for everyone — it just happens to work really well for people like me. That’s what inclusive design looks like at its best.
You can learn more and download Spokenly on the Mac App Store.
Ready to Make Accessibility Part of Your Workflow?
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