> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mumbli-feat-proof-of-use.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Mumbli vs Apple Dictation — Comparison > How Mumbli compares to built-in macOS Dictation. Custom vocabulary, AI polishing, filler word removal, and more. # Mumbli vs Apple Dictation Apple Dictation is built into every Mac. It's free, it's private, and it works. So why would you use Mumbli instead? ## Side-by-side comparison | Feature | Apple Dictation | Mumbli | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | **Price** | Free (built-in) | Free (open source, BYOK) | | **Works in any app** | Yes | Yes | | **Filler word removal** | No | Yes | | **Self-correction handling** | No | Yes | | **Grammar polishing** | No | Yes | | **Custom vocabulary** | No | Yes (36% → 100% accuracy) | | **Activation** | Globe key or menu | Fn key (hold or double-tap) | | **Hands-free mode** | Yes (auto-punctuation) | Yes (double-tap Fn to lock) | | **Dictation history** | No | Yes (local, searchable) | | **Multi-language** | Yes (per-language setup) | Yes (auto-detection) | | **Privacy** | On-device or Apple servers | Your own API keys | | **Engine choice** | Apple's engine only | ElevenLabs, Groq Whisper, Deepgram, OpenAI | | **Open source** | No | Yes | ## Where Apple Dictation wins * **Zero setup** — It's already on your Mac, no API keys needed * **On-device processing** — With Apple Silicon, dictation can run entirely on-device * **No cost** — No API usage fees * **System integration** — Works with Siri, voice commands, and macOS accessibility features Apple Dictation is the right choice if you want basic speech-to-text with zero configuration. ## Where Mumbli wins ### AI polishing Apple Dictation gives you raw speech-to-text. If you say: > "So I was thinking about the um the meeting on Tuesday actually wait Wednesday and I think we should uh probably reschedule it" Apple Dictation produces: > "So I was thinking about the um the meeting on Tuesday actually wait Wednesday and I think we should uh probably reschedule it" Mumbli produces: > "I was thinking about the meeting on Wednesday and I think we should probably reschedule it." The polishing removes filler words, applies self-corrections, and cleans up grammar — without changing what you said. ### Custom vocabulary If you regularly say proper nouns or technical terms, Apple Dictation will consistently get them wrong. Mumbli lets you add a vocabulary list that fixes this at both the transcription and polishing levels. Real examples from our benchmarks: | You say | Apple Dictation | Mumbli (with vocabulary) | | ------------ | --------------- | ------------------------ | | "VitePress" | "vite press" | "VitePress" | | "ElevenLabs" | "eleven labs" | "ElevenLabs" | | "Supabase" | "super base" | "Supabase" | ### Dictation history Every dictation in Mumbli is saved with a timestamp. Click any entry in the menu bar dropdown to copy it to your clipboard. Apple Dictation has no history — once text is injected, it's gone. ### Engine flexibility Mumbli lets you choose your transcription and polishing engines. Want the fastest possible speed? Use Groq Whisper + Groq LLM for sub-second results. Want the highest accuracy? Use ElevenLabs + GPT-5.4. Want another reliable STT option? Use Deepgram Nova-3. Apple gives you one engine with no choice. ## When to use which **Use Apple Dictation if:** * You want zero setup and zero cost * You do short, simple dictation * You don't need polishing or custom vocabulary * Privacy requires on-device processing **Use Mumbli if:** * You dictate frequently and want cleaner output * You use technical terms, proper nouns, or jargon * You want dictation history * You want to choose your AI engine * You want an open-source tool you can audit and modify Free and open source. macOS 13.0+ required.