sayhushHoldSpeak at holdspeak.com is worth evaluating if you want local Mac dictation and a one-time licence. Sayhush offers online dictation with a pauseable dock and prepaid minutes. Neither payment model alone tells you which workflow will suit your Mac.
Check the exact product first
This Sayhush-authored comparison concerns HoldSpeak at holdspeak.com. It is not the separate Hold Speak project at holdspeak.app. Similar names can lead to conflicting search results, so check the domain, developer and download before comparing prices. The facts here come from published product information, not an independent recognition or performance test.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Question | HoldSpeak at holdspeak.com | Sayhush |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | On-device, according to vendor | Cloud; internet required |
| Purchase | One-Mac licence: $19 | 30 free minutes/month; $5/300 or $12/1,000-minute packs |
| What runs out? | Included update period is one year | Free allowance and paid minute balance |
| Evaluate first | Seven-day trial advertised | Monthly free allowance |
What the HoldSpeak offer includes
The official HoldSpeak page describes on-device recognition, offline use, a personal dictionary and a configurable hotkey. It lists Apple Silicon and macOS 14.6 or later, with a seven-day trial. Its one-Mac licence is USD 19 and includes unlimited transcription and one year of updates. After that, the vendor says you can keep the installed version or optionally renew update access.
What the Sayhush offer means
Sayhush supports Apple Silicon Macs from macOS 14 and requires internet for transcription. The default is tap to start, tap to stop, with Pause/Resume beside the cloud. It includes 30 free minutes per calendar month; extra packs cost USD 5 for 300 minutes or USD 12 for 1,000. Paid minutes do not expire, but a pack is a finite allowance, not a lifetime unlimited licence.
Compare recurring use with upfront commitment
Both products can avoid a recurring dictation subscription, so that is not an exclusive Sayhush advantage. A fixed licence may suit repeated heavy use if its features fit. A free allowance plus optional minute packs may suit occasional writing. Estimate several months of your own usage and include taxes and any desired update renewals. Do not compare a full licence price with only a fraction of a prepaid pack.
Test the differences you will notice
Try the same original paragraph in your actual editor. Include a name and a number, and count corrections before sending. In Sayhush, test pausing and then inserting the combined draft. For a local product, separately verify its documented offline setup. Quit the other dictation app during shortcut testing so a conflict does not look like a recognition problem.
Choose by the constraint that matters
Start with HoldSpeak if offline recognition or a reusable local licence is essential. Try Sayhush if its online service, dock and minute packs suit your personal drafting. Sayhush does not currently provide a personal dictionary. Recheck the vendor’s checkout and update terms before purchasing; this page does not reproduce its speed or memory claims as measured results.