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Honest comparison

Andak vs Dragon NaturallySpeaking

Dragon dropped Mac support in 2018. Andak is the modern, local-first dictation app built natively for macOS — no training, no subscription, $20.

Dragon is legacy. Andak is what comes next.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking was the gold standard of dictation for decades. It pioneered continuous speech recognition and built a loyal user base. But it dropped Mac support in 2018, costs $500+, and hasn't kept pace with modern AI.

Andak is built on OpenAI's Whisper — a modern speech recognition model that matches Dragon's accuracy without requiring voice training. It's native to macOS, optimized for Apple Silicon, and costs a fraction of Dragon's price.

If you're a former Dragon user on Mac, or looking for affordable professional dictation, Andak is the modern alternative.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Dragon is powerful but legacy. Andak brings modern AI dictation to Mac.

FeatureAndakDragon
macOS support
Voice training required
Runs locally
Works offline
Price$20 one-time$500+ (Windows only)
Subscription feesNoneAnnual upgrades
Languages100+~10
Context-aware formatting
Code dictation
Filler word removal
Apple Silicon optimizedN/A (Windows)
Medical/legal vocabulariesGeneral AISpecialized add-ons
Custom commands

Why users switch from Dragon to Andak

Native Mac app

Dragon hasn't supported Mac since 2018. Andak is built from the ground up for macOS and optimized for Apple Silicon's Neural Engine.

No training needed

Dragon requires reading passages to train. Andak works accurately from the first word with any voice, accent, or speaking style.

$20 vs $500+

Dragon Professional costs $500+ plus annual upgrades. Andak is $20 one-time with free updates forever. No subscription, no hidden fees.

Professional dictation for Mac

Former Dragon users choose Andak for these workflows.

Software development

Dictate code comments, documentation, and commit messages. Andak understands programming vocabulary — something Dragon never specialized in.

Professional correspondence

Compose emails and messages by speaking. Andak formats output for professional communication automatically.

Documentation and reports

Write long-form documents by dictating naturally. Andak handles punctuation, formatting, and paragraph structure.

Medical and legal notes

Andak's local processing means sensitive data never leaves your device. Ideal for privacy-sensitive professional workflows.

Frequently asked questions

Is Andak a replacement for Dragon NaturallySpeaking?
For Mac users, yes. Dragon discontinued its Mac version in 2018 and is Windows-only. Andak is built natively for macOS with Apple Silicon optimization. It offers modern AI-powered dictation without the training period Dragon requires.
Does Andak require voice training like Dragon?
No. Andak works accurately from the first use with no training. Dragon traditionally requires reading passages aloud to train the software. Andak's AI models work immediately with any voice and accent.
How much does Andak cost compared to Dragon?
Andak costs $20 one-time for a lifetime license. Dragon Professional costs $500+ for a single license, plus annual upgrade fees. Andak includes free updates forever with no recurring costs.
Does Dragon work on Mac?
No. Nuance discontinued Dragon for Mac in 2018. Dragon is now Windows-only. Andak is built specifically for macOS and optimized for Apple Silicon.
Is Andak as accurate as Dragon?
Andak achieves over 95% accuracy using modern Whisper AI models. Dragon is historically very accurate after training. The difference is Andak works immediately, supports 100+ languages, and adds context-aware formatting.

Related reading

Modern dictation for Mac

Dragon left Mac behind. Andak picks up where it left off — with better AI, no training, and a $20 price tag.

Download for Mac — $20