Best Transcription Software

Best Voice Recognition Software Reviews

Voice recognition software is designed to help people transcribe voice into text documents. The software makes everyday activities easy for executives, translators, students, transcribers and other individuals with special needs.

Top on our list of the best speech recognition software is Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 12.  This software is undoubtedly the best offering fast response time, numbered commands, simple navigation commands and the most accurate dictation possible. #2 on our list of best transcription software is the Dragon Dictate for Mac. It offers straightforward setup, improves with every use, offers good dialogues you can use in training the software and does the primary functions of dictation, recording of audio files and voice commands very well.

Learn More Below
  • Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium
  • Dragon Dictate for Mac
  • Dragon Home
  • Google Voice Search
  • Talking Desktop

Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium

Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium provides you with excellent accuracy when it comes to the translation of voice to commands and texts. You will have to look long and hard to find a product with better accuracy. This is due to the immense work that has been put into the design of the speech engine of this software, which is honestly a marvel. Using this software, you won’t have to wait long for  the software to translate and respond to commands. Another reason why it is the best voice recognition software in 2018 and one that helps it retain its place as #1 on our list of top rated best speech recognition software is its navigation abilities. You are almost guaranteed that the menu you are looking to find will be opened as soon as you give the command.

Dragon Dictate For Mac

Using Dragon Dictate for Mac, you can easily control applications and various functions on your computer using just your voice.  As one of the best voice recognition software in 2018, it makes it easy for you to dictate speech-to-text in a variety of applications which include email, note taking and word procession applications.  The software allows you to dictate to its note pad app that is bundled in with the software as seen in our #1 best speech recognition software but the best lag free use was seen while using the TextEdit program on the Mac.

Dragon Home

Dragon Home is a toned down version of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium, the winner of our comparison of 2018.  It comes at a reduced price tag and boasts fewer features than some of the best speech recognition software.  It is geared towards meeting the needs of individuals who are not able to afford the Premium but still want decent voice recognition technology.  Although this software does not have the same features as some of the best transcription software we covered, it comes with decent set of features that makes it qualify for its position on our rankings. For the average home user, this product will prove to be good value for money. The software can offer you 90% dictation accuracy. This is not ideal but very much comparable to other higher priced software in the market.

Google Voice Search

Google Voice Search offers one of the best voice recognition software services but it is limited to finding answers to certain queries very fast without touching your computer. It is only available on the Google Chrome browser app for now.  The software is online based unlike some of the best transcription software we covered. It is free to use as well meaning that there is no need for software downloads or installations. Using the software, you can ask your questions loudly and get answers immediately by simply clicking on the microphone button at the extreme right of your Google search bar. It is as good as some of our top best speech recognition software in 2018 in terms of diction understanding. The application may reply the question or simply show you a search result depending on type of question asked. This application works on all computers that are compatible with Google Chrome.

Talking Desktop

Talking Desktop has branched off the voice recognition path. It started as a productivity enhancing software but it has since incorporated other functions into its portfolio. The software is not just speech recognition software but also replacement desktop software. It gathers information about news, weather and your favorite webpages all into one place. This sounds incredibly handy but the proof of the pudding is in the eating!  

In demonstrations and on the box, the software looks very good and measures up to some of the best programs but on regular use as your sole voice to text software, it leaves a lot to be desired. The reaction time is slow and its controls are very much limited. 

Voice Recognition Software Reviews

What is voice recognition software?

These programs simply allow you to pass instructions to your computer without lifting a finger (well to an extent). Using the best speech to text software, you can create documents, long emails and even give general commands to your computer.

In the not too distant past, many people felt such software was only meant for the Sci-Fi movies but today, the popularity of such software is no longer in doubt. Mobile assistants like Siri etc. has changed people’s perception on such technology and so more and more people are embracing the idea of having one on their computer.

With speech to text software, you can speed up your workflow a great deal instead of being limited to how fast you can type and move your mouse. Regardless of how long you’ve used your keyboard and mouse or how proficient you have been at using them, you will save yourself a lot of time using the best speech recognition software.  Imagine being able to type out a full word with just one keystroke. That’s what it feels like, typing with voice to text software.

The hands free computing offered by the use of the best speech recognition software makes it easy to work on your computer while doing other things off your computer.  It also makes it easy for individuals who have disabilities that make it hard to work with a keyboard and mouse to work on their computers. Still the biggest advantage remains the speed. 

What is the best voice recognition software in 2018?

The voice recognition technology has come a long way in the past few years but a lot of improvement still needs to be done. This is why you need to take time to read in-depth reviews to pick the software with the best features. Most of the software do not offer demo versions as well so this means that you stand a chance of losing your money if you purchase a product that turns out to be way below expectations. After our review of the best voice recognition software, we gave Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 12 #1 spot on the list. This is the software to have if you are on Windows. You are guaranteed the most accurate dictation, simple navigation commands, numbered commands and the most blazing fast response time you will ever see. #2 on the list is Dragon Dictate for Mac.  The software offers virtually all that is offered by our #1 product with the major difference being the learning curve you have to go through to get the software working for you.  And of course, you can only use it on Mac computers.

How to choose the best voice recognition software in 2018

Your first focus in choosing speech to text software should be in choosing the right program is the features on offer. For example, the software needs to offer you some form of voice training feature which allows it to understand your voice and learn your pronunciations.  General accent support and customizable commands will equally make the software more useful for you.

The software needs to have a good combination of voice commands which will allow you make use of the software without having to touch your computer. When this is not available, the software loses its primary responsibility of allowing you operate your computer by voice.

Another important function you should take a look at is the dictation abilities of the software. With dictation, you can create word or notepad documents hands free.  However, if the software you intend using is not good at dictation, it will struggle with this task.

Dictation accuracy is equally very important as it is basically what determines if the software is very useful or just money down the drain.  The best transcription software will handle all kinds of words with minimal fuss.

Again, the importance of the usability of the software should not be ignored. If using the menus and commands is a complex process, you may end up wasting more time than it would have taken if you simply continued to use your keyboard and mouse!