01Questions
Frequently asked
Is the order of the top tools settled?
No. Aqua Voice has the highest score at 7.1 ± 0.2, but Spokenly, Handy, VoiceOS, OpenWhispr, Willow Voice, VoiceInk and MacWhisper are inside the margin of error. Ranks 1 to 8 are one leading group, and a rank should not be quoted without its tie.
Can a vendor pay to be listed, ranked higher, or reviewed?
No. Listing is free and automatic for any tool that meets the definition of a dictation tool. Position comes from the score alone.
Where does the data come from?
Public posts on X that mention a tool by name, Jun 19 to Sep 16, 2026: 4,239 qualifying posts across 69 tools. X leans toward people who build and talk about software, which is one of the method's known limits. Reddit is planned as the second source.
Why do some tools cover fewer days than others?
Collection stops at 1,000 posts per tool, newest first, so the most discussed tools fill their quota quickly. Wispr Flow's posts span 6 days (Sep 11 to Sep 16, 2026), while quieter tools cover the full 90. Every ranking row and tool page prints the dates its posts cover. More on date coverage.
Can I check the counts myself?
Not yet. The post IDs and search terms behind each score have not been published, so the counts cannot be re-run from outside. The formula, the filters, the sample sizes and the per-topic counts are public. Publishing the post IDs is the next step.
Why is a tool I use not ranked?
A tool needs 50 qualifying posts in the window to be ranked, and 57 of 69 registry tools do not have that many on X. They are still listed in the registry with their facts and post count. A tool whose collected posts are mostly about something else that shares its name is not scored at all.
Does privacy, on-device versus cloud, affect the score?
Not directly. Processing is a fact column and a filter, so you can rank only the tools that meet your privacy requirement. Privacy complaints in public posts do count as negative sentiment.
How do I fix an error, reply as a vendor, or remove a quoted post?
Email [email protected]. The corrections page explains what to send. Scores are never edited by hand.
How do I cite a ranking that will change?
Cite the dated edition, not the homepage. Each published ranking keeps a permanent address under editions, and the "Cite this ranking" button in the footer copies a citation that points to the current one.
Can I reuse the data?
Yes. The registry and every published number are in tools.json under CC BY 4.0. Credit The Dictation Index and link to the edition you used. See the terms.