Mobile support
Platform availability and mobile boundaries
Compare
Local AI Dictation vs Cloud Dictation
Short answer
Local AI dictation processes speech on your device — nothing leaves your machine after setup. Cloud dictation sends audio to a remote API, is faster to set up, and works on any hardware. Choose local if privacy and offline processing matter most. Choose cloud if you want the fastest setup, best accuracy, and cross-platform support.
Speech-to-text products take two approaches: processing on your device (local) or sending audio to a cloud API (cloud). Both have real trade-offs. This page explains those trade-offs specifically for use.fo's Local AI / Local STT and cloud-based Subscription / BYOK options.
Evaluation criteria
How this comparison is assessed.
Each comparison checks platform support, payment model, data route, setup effort, hardware requirements, and the limitations that can make another option a better fit. Vendor facts are checked against the sources shown below.
One-time license
One-time license, subscription, and third-party usage cost
Provider control
Direct-provider versus on-device processing route
Team plans
Hardware, team, and feature limitations
Where use.fo wins
More control than a single dictation path.
The strongest reasons to pick use.fo depend on route choice, platform coverage, privacy, and how much control you want over AI processing.
Privacy
Privacy: Local AI / Local STT user content does not leave the device after license verification and model download. Audio is never sent to a cloud service.
No ongoing subscription cost
No ongoing subscription cost: use.fo Local AI is $24.99 one-time per device.
Works offline
Works offline: after initial setup, Local AI processes entirely on-device with no internet required for dictation.
Provider independence
Provider independence: no dependency on a third-party API that could change pricing or availability.
Processing routes
Choose where your voice is processed.
Local AI keeps speech and rewrite on supported desktop devices. Subscription and BYOK use cloud routes when you want easier setup, mobile support, or maximum accuracy.
- Local on-device route
- Cloud route for easy setup
- BYOK provider control
Comparison table
Local AI Dictation vs Cloud Dictation
A direct feature-by-feature view, with use.fo highlighted so the trade-offs are easy to scan.
Featureuse.foCloud Dictation
use.fo optionLocal AI / Local STT ($24.99 one-time)Subscription ($7.99/mo) or BYOK ($29.99 one-time)
Where audio is processedOn your deviceRemote API (Groq, your own provider, etc.)
Audio leaves device?No (after setup)Yes — sent to API endpoint
Public accuracy scoreNo percentage score publishedProvider-specific; verify the current provider documentation
Works offlineYes (after license verification + model download)No — requires internet
Hardware requiredmacOS Apple Silicon or Windows x64 with VRAM > 4GBAny device with internet
Mobile supportNoYes (iOS and Android)
Setup timeModel download required (one-time)Immediate
Cost modelOne-time ($24.99 per device)Subscription ($7.99/mo) or BYOK (usage-based via provider)
Privacy routes
Local and cloud are different promises.
The right route depends on whether you optimize for on-device privacy, instant setup, provider choice, or mobile access.
Device-only route=
Local AI / Local STT
Speech recognition and rewriting run on supported desktop hardware after license verification and model download.
Managed cloud route=
Subscription
use.fo manages the cloud provider route for the simplest setup across macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.
Direct provider route=
BYOK
Your device calls your configured provider endpoint directly, giving you provider and cost control.
Use Local AI when offline processing matters most. Use cloud routes when you want mobile support, easier setup, or the highest accuracy on weaker hardware.
Guardrails
When Cloud Dictation may still be right.
A useful comparison page should make the caveats visible, not hide them below the fold.
Apple Silicon
Cloud dictation works on more device classes and avoids the Local AI hardware boundary. use.fo does not claim a universal Local-versus-cloud percentage-accuracy comparison; its local benchmark explains the selected Apple Silicon route instead.
Cloud route
Cloud works on any hardware — no VRAM requirement.
Local AI
Cloud works on iOS and Android. use.fo Local AI / Local STT is desktop-only (macOS Apple Silicon, Windows x64).
Setup
Cloud setup is immediate — no model download required.
Rewrite modes
Cloud rewrite may be faster on low-end hardware than local inference.
Accuracy
use.fo does not claim a universal Local-versus-cloud percentage-accuracy comparison. Test your own vocabulary, microphone, and environment before selecting a route on quality grounds.
BYOK Mobile
Local AI is not available on Intel Mac, iOS, or Android. If you need mobile support, Subscription or BYOK Mobile is the right choice.
Windows
Local model inference is slower on low-VRAM hardware. On sufficient hardware (Apple Silicon M1+ or Windows with dedicated GPU), speed can match or exceed cloud.
Hardware needs
Local AI requires an initial model download. If your device does not meet hardware requirements, the model will not load.
Evidence and updates
Facts checked on July 24, 2026
Reviewed by use.fo product team. Sources below identify whether a fact comes from an official product page, a first-party test, customer evidence, or an independent source.
- use.fo Product Facts — plans, platform matrix, providers, data routes, unsupported features; checked July 24, 2026 (official).
- use.fo Pricing — license price, license scope, provider cost disclosure; checked July 24, 2026 (official).
- Local AI hardware requirements — Windows architecture, VRAM requirement, Apple Silicon support; checked July 24, 2026 (first party test).
Update log: July 24, 2026 — Published the no-subscription product fact registry and clarified BYOK, Local AI, and Windows support boundaries. July 24, 2026 — Checked the public comparison sources listed above and removed claims that were not supported by the current source.
Frequently asked questions
After license verification and the initial model download, use.fo Local AI / Local STT processes all user content on-device. Audio and transcript never leave your machine. Only device and license information is sent to use.fo servers for binding and verification.
It depends on your hardware, model build, system load, and network. use.fo publishes a 1,870.97 ms average STT time for its selected Apple Silicon benchmark route, but not a comparable Local-versus-cloud latency table; test the route that fits your device and workflow before relying on a speed claim.
Yes. use.fo supports Subscription, BYOK, and Local AI on the same device. You choose your route in the app settings.
macOS: Apple Silicon (M1 or later). Windows: x86/x64 CPU architecture with VRAM > 4GB. Integrated graphics that share system memory qualify if 4GB is allocated to the GPU.
Let AI help you decide
Copy this prompt and paste it into your favourite AI to compare use.fo with Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and built-in dictation.
Compare use.fo with Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, Apple Dictation, and Windows Voice Typing for someone who wants AI voice typing across macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, with BYOK, desktop Local AI / Local STT, Rewrite Modes, and one-time purchase options.Better
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