The best Dragon alternatives
Dragon is shrinking. Dragon Anywhere (mobile) stopped being sold on July 1, 2026, Dragon for Mac was discontinued in 2018, and consumer Dragon Home is no longer sold. Only Dragon Professional for Windows remains on general sale. Here's what to use instead, depending on what you used Dragon for.
Based on makers' published information and the sources listed below, checked October 23, 2026. Not yet tested hands-on. How we compare
What's happened to Dragon
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Dragon Professional v16 (Windows) | Still sold. Nuance's site shows no price ("contact us"), and retailers list it around $699. |
| Dragon Anywhere (iPhone, Android) | No longer sold since July 1, 2026, per its App Store listing |
| Dragon Professional Anywhere / Legal Anywhere (cloud) | Partner notices report end of sale on December 31, 2026. We couldn't confirm this with Nuance. |
| Dragon Medical One | Microsoft is moving healthcare customers to Microsoft Dragon Copilot |
| Dragon for Mac | Discontinued in 2018 |
| Dragon Home | No longer sold |
Alternatives by what you used Dragon for
| You used Dragon for… | Try | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dictating text on Windows | Windows voice typing (free), Wispr Flow, Aqua Voice | Modern AI apps add punctuation and clean up without training your voice |
| Dictating on a Mac | Apple Dictation (free), Superwhisper, Spokenly, MacWhisper | Local options keep audio on your Mac |
| Dictating on your phone | Built-in iPhone dictation or Gboard (free), Wispr Flow, Willow | |
| Controlling the computer by voice | Voice Access (Windows, free), Voice Control (Mac, free), Talon Voice | Talon is the most powerful but takes time to learn |
| Custom commands and macros | Talon Voice, or stay on Dragon Professional | Few new apps match Dragon's command scripting |
| Legal or healthcare work | Willow Voice and Wispr Flow (both offer a BAA), Microsoft Dragon Copilot | Check your organisation's compliance rules before switching |
What you gain and lose by switching
- Gain: no voice training, automatic punctuation and cleanup, Mac and phone support, and much lower prices.
- Lose: Dragon's deep custom commands, its macros, and in some cases offline processing. Many of the new apps are cloud-based.
Sources
- Dragon Anywhere on the App Store (end of sale notice)
- Dragon Professional and CDW listing (price)
- Microsoft Dragon Copilot
- MacRumors (Mac discontinuation)
- Voice Power NZ (Dragon Home no longer sold)
- Voibe (Professional Anywhere end of sale; Voibe makes a competing app)