A Dragon alternative that speaks your language
Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a classic, but it is built for English and takes real effort to set up. If you want a speech to text program that just works in every app, here is the honest comparison.
| Dragon | blablaType | |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | Built around English, with deep medical and legal vocabularies | Russian, Ukrainian and English, tuned for real everyday speech |
| Getting started | Known for heavy setup, user profiles and training before it feels right | Install, pick your dictation key, hold it and talk. Working in a minute |
| Price | A professional product with a professional price tag | A free plan that never expires, then Pro at $8.99 or Max at $12.99 a month, tax included |
| Where you can dictate | Strongest in supported programs, elsewhere it often falls back to a dictation box | Types at your cursor in any app: Word, messengers, email, browser |
| Learning your words | Custom vocabularies are powerful but take time to build by hand | Fix a word once and the dictionary remembers it automatically |
| Extras | Deep command-and-control of your PC for power users | Translation as you speak, speech cleanup, and voice commands over selected text on Max |
Who should switch
If you dictate in Russian or Ukrainian, or mix languages at work, Dragon was never built for you. blablaType gives you accurate voice to text in any Windows app without long setup sessions or a heavy price. If your job depends on deep English medical or legal vocabularies, Dragon still earns its keep. For everyone else, a lighter tool simply does the job better.
Where blablaType is strong
Strong beyond English
The engine is tuned for live Russian and Ukrainian speech, not just English. It keeps up with fast talk, names and slang, which is exactly where English-first dictation software struggles.
Zero learning curve
No profiles, no microphone training marathons. You pick your own hotkeys on first run, so nothing collides with what your laptop already uses. Hold your dictation key, talk, and the text lands at your cursor. Assign a translation key and your speech comes out in another language.
One simple price
The free plan needs no card and never expires: 60 minutes of dictation a month. Pro at $8.99 a month removes the minute limit, and Max at $12.99 adds voice commands over selected text. Paying yearly is 20% cheaper, and the price you see includes tax.
How to switch from Dragon
- Download blablaType for Windows and start on the free plan. No card, no setup wizard, you can dictate within a minute.
- Hold your dictation key in any app and talk: Word, Telegram, email, browser. Hold your translation key when you need your speech translated on the fly.
- Correct a word once and the dictionary keeps it. Your names and terms move in naturally as you work, no vocabulary import needed.
Frequently asked questions
For everyday dictation, yes: it types your speech into any Windows app, learns your corrections and understands editing commands. Dragon keeps its niche in specialised English medical and legal vocabularies and full voice control of the PC. If that is not your case, you will not miss it.
We do not quote other vendors' prices, but Dragon is sold as professional software. blablaType is a light subscription: Pro at $8.99 or Max at $12.99 a month, tax included, with a free plan that never expires and needs no card.
The desktop app is for Windows today, and a macOS version is in development. You can also try the free dictation widget on our home page in Chrome or Edge on any system.
Recognition runs on our servers: audio is sent only for the moment of transcription and is not stored. The free web widget on the home page uses your browser's recognition, which sends audio to Google's speech service.