COMPARISON
LotusQ vs Wispr Flow
7 days free, no card
The facts, side by side
| Fact | LotusQours | Wispr Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6 a month or $60 a year | Pro: $15 a user a month, or $12 a user a month billed annually |
| Free use | 7-day trial, then a paid plan | Free plan with a weekly limit: 2,000 a week on desktop, and limited weekly use on mobile. Pro has unlimited dictations. |
| Platforms | Mac (Apple Silicon), Windows 10 and 11, Linux | Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android |
| Languages | 78 languages | 100+ languages |
| Where speech is processed | In the cloud. There is no speech model on your computer. | In the cloud: “Transcription always happens in the cloud” |
| Phone app | No | Yes: iPhone and Android |
| Offline | No. It needs an internet connection. | No: “Flow requires an internet connection” |
Coming from Wispr Flow?
Your habits work on day one: the same keys, the same hold and double-tap. Here is what is different.
The keys, on each computer
A new LotusQ install starts with these keys. On a Mac and on Windows, dictation and Compose sit where Wispr Flow puts its Push to talk and Command Mode, including on a Mac without a 🌐 key.
Mac
- Dictate (hold, or double-tap for Hands-free)
- FnMac without 🌐CtrlOption
- Compose
- FnCtrlMac without 🌐CmdCtrlOption
- Translate
- FnShiftMac without 🌐CtrlOptionShift
- Cancel a recording
- Esc
Windows
- Dictate (hold, or double-tap for Hands-free)
- CtrlWin
- Compose
- CtrlWinAlt
- Translate
- CtrlWinShift
- Cancel a recording
- Esc
Linux
- Dictate (hold, or double-tap for Hands-free)
- F1
- Compose
- F6
- Translate
- Not set: choose one in Settings
- Cancel a recording
- Esc
Already using LotusQ? Your keys stay as they are. To move to these, choose Switch to Wispr-style keys on the Home screen. It changes only your keys, and you’ll see each one that changes first. Undo puts your old keys back until you close the Home card. Or open Settings › General › Shortcuts and choose Reset to default, which also sets dictation back to Push-to-talk.
The same
What works the way you’re used to
- Hold to talk. Hold the key, speak, and let go. LotusQ pastes your words where you were typing. This is Push-to-talk.
- Double-tap for Hands-free. Tap the key twice quickly and LotusQ keeps listening without you holding anything. Press the key again to stop.
Good to know
A few small things to know
- Double-tap works on Compose and Translate too. Tap either key twice and it keeps listening until you press it again.
- A quick tap of the dictation key pastes nothing. A press shorter than half a second isn’t a recording, so a brushed key won’t send anything. LotusQ may show a short hint instead.
- Esc cancels. It stops a recording and pastes nothing. If you cancel a dictation by mistake, Undo can still send it for a short while.
What’s different
Different
There’s no Hands-free key by default.
Double-tap your dictation key instead. If you want a key that starts Hands-free with one press, set the Hands-free shortcut in Settings › General › Shortcuts. A shortcut with Space or a letter in it also types that character into your app, and Settings tells you when it will.
Different
Auto-send is a second way to dictate.
Turn it on, then just speak: LotusQ pastes each time you pause. You don’t hold or tap anything. Hands-free and its shortcut aren’t used while Auto-send is on. You can pause Auto-send with its pause key (F8), and press it again to carry on.
Different
Recordings stop at 20 minutes.
LotusQ warns you at 19:00, and at 20:00 it stops and pastes what you said. Auto-send has no limit, because it ends on each pause.
Different
You can move the pill.
Drag the small pill that shows LotusQ is listening to the bottom centre, the top centre, or the left or right edge of your screen. On Linux it stays at the bottom centre.
Mac
On a Mac, stop 🌐 doing two things
If your dictation key is 🌐, macOS may also run its own 🌐 action: change the input source, open Emoji & Symbols, or start its own Dictation. LotusQ tells you when it will, and links you to Keyboard settings. There, set “Press 🌐 key to” to Do Nothing.
Questions
Do I have to learn new keys?
No. On a Mac and on Windows, a new install uses the keys Wispr Flow uses for dictation and Compose (its Command Mode): Fn, Ctrl + Option on a Mac without a 🌐 key, or Ctrl + Win. You hold to talk and double-tap for Hands-free, the same as before.
I already use LotusQ. Will my keys change?
No, not unless you choose to. To move to the new keys, choose Switch to Wispr-style keys on the Home screen. It changes only your keys, and Undo puts your old ones back until you close the Home card. Or open Settings › General › Shortcuts and choose Reset to default, which also sets dictation back to Push-to-talk. Either way, you’ll see each change before it happens.
How do I start Hands-free without holding a key?
Double-tap your dictation key. Press it again to stop, or press Esc to cancel. You can also set a Hands-free shortcut in Settings › General › Shortcuts.
What’s the difference between Hands-free and Auto-send?
Hands-free is one recording you start with a double-tap and stop yourself. Auto-send is a way of dictating: you just speak, and LotusQ pastes each time you pause.
Can I change any of the keys?
Yes. Every key is in Settings › General › Shortcuts.
Which one fits you
Choose Wispr Flow if…
- You want to dictate on your phone as well as your computer.
- You’d like to start without paying, and a weekly limit suits you.
- Your team needs single sign-on, or a signed HIPAA agreement.
ours
Choose LotusQ if…
- You’re coming from Wispr Flow and want to keep your habits: on a Mac or Windows, a new install uses the same dictation key, held to talk or double-tapped for Hands-free.
- You dictate on Linux, as well as or instead of Mac or Windows.
- Dictating on your computer is all you need, and you want to pay less each month after the trial.
Corrections
Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected].
Wispr Flow is a trademark of its owner. LotusQ is not affiliated with it.
Your next sentence is waiting.
7 days free, no card
- Mac:Apple Silicon (M1 or later), macOS 12 or later. Signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarised by Apple.
- Windows:Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Signed by Annt Capital LTD.
- Linux:64-bit Intel or AMD (x86_64). AppImage, .deb, .rpm or .pacman.
Version 2.14.0 ·Release notes (opens GitHub)