Listen Orb vs. Wispr Flow
Wispr Flow is a cross-platform service. Listen Orb is a focused Mac app with a one-time license, local models, or your own OpenAI or xAI API key.
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required · $99 one time
See Listen Orb working
A short, recorded demonstration of Listen Orb inserting text using the Fn key for push-to-talk.
Watch Listen Orb turn the Fn key into push-to-talk dictation in most standard Mac text fields.
On-screen captions · Sound optional
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
For a developer task, dictate an instruction, select the passage to refine, and begin the next spoken instruction with “Orb”. You review the text; Listen Orb does not submit it or execute code. See the developer workflow and selected-text command guide.
The Mac license and provider billing are separate. Read the dated OpenAI transcription cost example and exclusions before estimating your own usage. xAI usage is billed by xAI and is not in that example.
At-a-glance comparison
| Topic | Listen Orb | Wispr Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 one time; $99 regular one-time price | $0 Free plan; Pro is $15/month or $144/year |
| Trial or free access | Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required | Free: 2,000 words/week on desktop, 1,000/week on iPhone, and unlimited on Android; qualifying new desktop users start on Free; other Pro trials depend on signup |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, Windows, iPhone, and Android |
| Account | No Listen Orb account | Wispr Flow account and sign-in required |
| Internet | Local processing works offline after model downloads; OpenAI or xAI requires internet | Required; Flow cannot transcribe offline |
| Speech service | Local audio stays on your Mac; cloud audio goes directly to OpenAI or xAI with your key | Wispr-managed cloud service; documented consumer setup does not ask for a customer API key |
| Vocabulary | Custom terms with multiple local spoken forms | Synced dictionary, correction rules, optional automatic learning, and snippets |
| Devices | Up to three Macs per license | One account works across multiple supported devices |
| Data controls | Local on your Mac or directly to OpenAI or xAI with your key; no Mac-app analytics | Managed cloud with configurable model-improvement, cloud-sync, and local-history controls |
Who each product suits
Choose Listen Orb if
Choose Wispr Flow if
Where Wispr Flow does more
Wispr Flow supports macOS, Windows, iPhone, and Android, while Listen Orb is Mac-only.
Wispr manages the service, so its consumer setup does not ask you to configure an OpenAI or xAI API key or separate provider billing.
Flow Free limits vary by platform: 2,000 words per week on desktop, 1,000 per week on iPhone, and unlimited on Android. Pro offers unlimited dictation across supported platforms.
Dictionaries, snippets, and supported personalization can sync across devices; business offerings add administration features.
Things to consider
Mac only; no Windows, iPhone, or Android app.
Local requires Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later, and downloaded models.
For cloud, you create an OpenAI or xAI API key and pay that provider separately. Local needs no API key.
One license covers up to three Macs, not an unbounded device fleet.
No free-forever tier, team administration, or cross-device cloud sync.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary entry
Spoken
“Send the revised launch notes to mick allister.”
Inserted
Send the revised launch notes to McAllister.
Made for technical terms
Teach a spoken form such as “post gress Q L” for PostgreSQL. Vocabulary replacements are designed to avoid recognized code, commands, URLs, email addresses, handles, identifiers, and paths.
Spoken forms are not sent during ordinary app requests. Vocabulary exports include them. Preferred terms may be sent as transcription hints.
Privacy
Listen Orb sends audio directly to OpenAI or xAI with your key. Wispr Flow uses its managed cloud service.
Listen Orb records only while you dictate. Your OpenAI and xAI keys are stored in Keychain. Settings and vocabulary stay on your Mac.
Local processes audio and text on your Mac. With OpenAI or xAI, audio goes directly to that provider using your key. Preferred written terms may be sent as hints; Contextual polish may send a short nearby-text excerpt. Cloud usage is billed by that provider.
Finished text returns to Listen Orb and appears in the active field.
Current Listen Orb pricing
Simple ownership
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required. One license works on up to 3 Macs.
Pay once for the Mac app. There is no recurring Listen Orb fee.
Local processing has no API usage fees. For cloud, pay the active provider separately for API usage. OpenAI and xAI each bill the account that issued the key. ChatGPT subscriptions and SuperGrok are not API credit. Listen Orb does not resell usage. Understand API billing or see a real seven-day example.
One-time Mac license
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
One license for up to 3 Macs. No Listen Orb account or subscription. Local needs no API key. For cloud, your OpenAI or xAI API key is stored in macOS Keychain; that provider bills usage separately. Applicable tax is shown at checkout.
License and purchase details · Recover a license · Contact support
Verification and independence
Listen Orb is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wispr Flow. Other feature references were checked August 25, 2026 and may change.
Pricing and new-user plan entry rechecked September 4, 2026 against official pricing and plan documentation. The advertised annual Pro rate is billed annually; check your currency and signup offer.
Try it in the apps you already use
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required.
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
Listen Orb vs. Wispr Flow
Wispr Flow is a cross-platform service. Listen Orb is a focused Mac app with a one-time license, local models, or your own OpenAI or xAI API key.
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required · $99 one time
See Listen Orb working
A short, recorded demonstration of Listen Orb inserting text using the Fn key for push-to-talk.
Watch Listen Orb turn the Fn key into push-to-talk dictation in most standard Mac text fields.
On-screen captions · Sound optional
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
For a developer task, dictate an instruction, select the passage to refine, and begin the next spoken instruction with “Orb”. You review the text; Listen Orb does not submit it or execute code. See the developer workflow and selected-text command guide.
The Mac license and provider billing are separate. Read the dated OpenAI transcription cost example and exclusions before estimating your own usage. xAI usage is billed by xAI and is not in that example.
At-a-glance comparison
| Topic | Listen Orb | Wispr Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 one time; $99 regular one-time price | $0 Free plan; Pro is $15/month or $144/year |
| Trial or free access | Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required | Free: 2,000 words/week on desktop, 1,000/week on iPhone, and unlimited on Android; qualifying new desktop users start on Free; other Pro trials depend on signup |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, Windows, iPhone, and Android |
| Account | No Listen Orb account | Wispr Flow account and sign-in required |
| Internet | Local processing works offline after model downloads; OpenAI or xAI requires internet | Required; Flow cannot transcribe offline |
| Speech service | Local audio stays on your Mac; cloud audio goes directly to OpenAI or xAI with your key | Wispr-managed cloud service; documented consumer setup does not ask for a customer API key |
| Vocabulary | Custom terms with multiple local spoken forms | Synced dictionary, correction rules, optional automatic learning, and snippets |
| Devices | Up to three Macs per license | One account works across multiple supported devices |
| Data controls | Local on your Mac or directly to OpenAI or xAI with your key; no Mac-app analytics | Managed cloud with configurable model-improvement, cloud-sync, and local-history controls |
Who each product suits
Choose Listen Orb if
Choose Wispr Flow if
Where Wispr Flow does more
Wispr Flow supports macOS, Windows, iPhone, and Android, while Listen Orb is Mac-only.
Wispr manages the service, so its consumer setup does not ask you to configure an OpenAI or xAI API key or separate provider billing.
Flow Free limits vary by platform: 2,000 words per week on desktop, 1,000 per week on iPhone, and unlimited on Android. Pro offers unlimited dictation across supported platforms.
Dictionaries, snippets, and supported personalization can sync across devices; business offerings add administration features.
Things to consider
Mac only; no Windows, iPhone, or Android app.
Local requires Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later, and downloaded models.
For cloud, you create an OpenAI or xAI API key and pay that provider separately. Local needs no API key.
One license covers up to three Macs, not an unbounded device fleet.
No free-forever tier, team administration, or cross-device cloud sync.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary entry
Spoken
“Send the revised launch notes to mick allister.”
Inserted
Send the revised launch notes to McAllister.
Made for technical terms
Teach a spoken form such as “post gress Q L” for PostgreSQL. Vocabulary replacements are designed to avoid recognized code, commands, URLs, email addresses, handles, identifiers, and paths.
Spoken forms are not sent during ordinary app requests. Vocabulary exports include them. Preferred terms may be sent as transcription hints.
Privacy
Listen Orb sends audio directly to OpenAI or xAI with your key. Wispr Flow uses its managed cloud service.
Listen Orb records only while you dictate. Your OpenAI and xAI keys are stored in Keychain. Settings and vocabulary stay on your Mac.
Local processes audio and text on your Mac. With OpenAI or xAI, audio goes directly to that provider using your key. Preferred written terms may be sent as hints; Contextual polish may send a short nearby-text excerpt. Cloud usage is billed by that provider.
Finished text returns to Listen Orb and appears in the active field.
Current Listen Orb pricing
Simple ownership
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required. One license works on up to 3 Macs.
Pay once for the Mac app. There is no recurring Listen Orb fee.
Local processing has no API usage fees. For cloud, pay the active provider separately for API usage. OpenAI and xAI each bill the account that issued the key. ChatGPT subscriptions and SuperGrok are not API credit. Listen Orb does not resell usage. Understand API billing or see a real seven-day example.
One-time Mac license
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.
One license for up to 3 Macs. No Listen Orb account or subscription. Local needs no API key. For cloud, your OpenAI or xAI API key is stored in macOS Keychain; that provider bills usage separately. Applicable tax is shown at checkout.
License and purchase details · Recover a license · Contact support
Verification and independence
Listen Orb is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wispr Flow. Other feature references were checked August 25, 2026 and may change.
Pricing and new-user plan entry rechecked September 4, 2026 against official pricing and plan documentation. The advertised annual Pro rate is billed annually; check your currency and signup offer.
Try it in the apps you already use
Start with 3 days free. Every 500 words you successfully dictate adds 1 day, up to 7 days total. No card required.
Open this setup and download link on your Mac. Apple silicon · Cloud: macOS 13+ · Local: macOS 14+.