Siri Dictation Alternative
Siri Dictation is free and built into every Apple device. For quick notes and short messages, it's hard to beat. But if you need to dictate longer content — emails, documents, meeting notes — you've hit the timeout wall. Blurt is built for long-form dictation with AI that cleans up your speech into polished text. $10/month or $99/year, with a free tier to try it.
The Typing Problem
The timeout cuts you off mid-thought
You're dictating an email and Siri just... stops. The timeout is around 30-60 seconds of continuous speech, and there's no way to extend it. You end up dictating in awkward chunks, losing your train of thought each time you have to restart.
What you say is exactly what you get — for better or worse
Siri transcribes your words but doesn't clean them up. All your 'umms,' false starts, and rambling sentence structures end up in the text. You spend as much time editing as you saved by dictating. Voice-to-text should save you time, not create more work.
You're tied to the Apple ecosystem
Siri Dictation works great across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch — as long as you stay in that ecosystem. But what about your work laptop running Windows? Or when you switch devices? You need something that works where you work.
Formatting is basic at best
You can say 'period' and 'comma,' but that's about it. Complex formatting, paragraph breaks, or anything beyond basic punctuation requires manual editing. Professional documents need professional formatting, and Siri doesn't deliver.
How It Works
Blurt lets you dictate as long as you need. No timeouts, no interruptions. Just hold, talk, and get polished text.
Hold your hotkey
Press and hold your chosen key combination. A subtle indicator shows Blurt is listening.
Talk for as long as you need
No timeout. Dictate for 30 seconds or 30 minutes. Say what you mean, even if you stumble.
Release and get clean text
AI cleans up your speech — removing filler words, fixing grammar, adding proper punctuation. Polished text appears at your cursor.
Real Scenarios
Dictating long emails without getting cut off
You have a complex email to write. With Siri, you'd be interrupted every 30-60 seconds and have to restart. With Blurt, you hold the button and talk through the entire email — context, details, action items — in one continuous flow. Release, and it's ready to send.
Meeting notes that actually make sense
You're summarizing a meeting from memory. You ramble, backtrack, and think out loud. Siri would transcribe every 'um' and false start. Blurt's AI cleans up your stream of consciousness into coherent, readable notes. What took 5 minutes to say takes 30 seconds to read.
Writing first drafts by talking
You're drafting a blog post, report, or document. You think better when you talk. Blurt lets you get your ideas out verbally, then polishes them into proper written prose. No more staring at a blank page — just start talking.
When you need your Mac for serious writing
Siri Dictation is fine for texting from your iPhone. But when you're at your Mac doing real work — long documents, detailed emails, extensive notes — you need a tool built for that. Blurt is designed for the long-form content that Siri times out on.
Voice-to-text that cleans up after you
You don't speak in perfect sentences. Nobody does. Blurt's AI handles the gap between how you talk and how you write. Filler words disappear. Sentence fragments become complete thoughts. Your voice becomes polished text.
Trying professional voice-to-text with no commitment
Siri is free, and that's hard to beat. But Blurt's free tier gives you first 1,000 words free to try something better. Test it on a few long emails or documents. See if the AI cleanup and unlimited dictation time is worth $10/month for your workflow.
Siri Dictation and Blurt serve different needs. Here's an honest comparison.
| Blurt | Siri Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10/month or $99/year | Free (built into Apple devices) |
| Dictation length | Unlimited (as long as you hold) | 30-60 second timeout |
| AI text cleanup | Yes, removes filler words and polishes | None, transcribes exactly what you say |
| Platform | macOS only | macOS, iOS, watchOS |
| Formatting | Smart punctuation and paragraphs | Basic punctuation only |
| Free tier | First 1,000 words free | Fully free, no limits |
| Works offline | No, requires internet | Yes, with on-device processing |
When Siri Dictation Is the Better Choice
Blurt isn't right for everyone. Here's when you should stick with Siri Dictation:
You mostly dictate short, quick notes
If your dictation is typically under 30 seconds — quick texts, short reminders, brief notes — Siri handles this perfectly well. You don't need Blurt for a three-word reminder.
Free matters more than features
Siri is free with no limits. Blurt costs $10/month after the free tier. If you're on a tight budget or voice-to-text is occasional for you, Siri's price (free) is hard to argue with.
You dictate on Apple Watch or iPhone primarily
Blurt is macOS only. If you're dictating mostly from your wrist or phone — quick replies while walking, hands-free notes while driving — Siri is your only option and it's well-suited for that.
You don't want another subscription
Subscription fatigue is real. If you're trying to reduce monthly costs and Siri does the job well enough, there's no shame in sticking with what's built-in.
You need offline dictation
Siri can process dictation on-device without an internet connection. Blurt requires internet to work. If you often work offline, Siri has a real advantage here.
Frequently Asked Questions
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