Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
Voice Access in Windows 11 is a free feature for controlling the computer by voice: commands like "open the browser", not dictation of text. It has no Russian language at all, according to Microsoft. If you actually need dictation and not commands, Potok (potok.now) fits: a cloud model for Russian speech and 2500 words per week for free.
To look for an alternative to Windows 11 Voice Access, start by checking whether it is the right feature at all. Voice Access controls the computer by voice: it opens programs, presses buttons and moves the cursor. It does not turn speech into text in a text field. This feature has no Russian language at all, and that is the only solid reason to replace it if your native language matters. If the goal was dictating letters and documents from the start, what you need is not a replacement for Voice Access but another built-in feature, the ordinary Win+H panel, which handles Russian fine in Windows 11. Other options for dictation in Russian are collected in the section on alternatives for voice input.
Why people look for a replacement for Voice Access
There is exactly one reason to look for a replacement for Voice Access in Russian, but it is absolute: this feature has no Russian language. It is not "works badly" but fully absent, according to official Microsoft data. Neither settings nor language packs can get around this: if your native language for voice control is Russian, Voice Access does not solve this task in any way.
The second reason is confusion between features. Voice Access and built-in Win+H dictation are different Windows 11 tools, and they are easy to mix up in search. Voice Access controls the system with commands ("open", "click", "scroll"), while Win+H turns speech into text in the active field. Win+H has Russian in Windows 11, but Voice Access does not, so some "replacements" are not really needed: it is enough to turn on another built-in feature.
The third reason is a narrow usage scenario. Voice Access was created first of all as a tool for people who find it inconvenient or hard to use a keyboard and mouse: controlling the whole interface by voice. An ordinary text dictation program cannot replace it in this role, because dictation cannot press buttons and open menus. These are different categories of programs.
The fourth is that the language is downloaded once, and after that recognition runs on the device: the internet is needed only for the initial download of the language pack. For those who look for a replacement because of offline requirements, this is a plus that should be weighed separately from the question of the Russian language. A dictation program with a permanent offline mode in Russian is reviewed in the comparison of GigaType and Potok.
| Service | Platforms | Free | Price | Payment from Russia | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potok | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card needed | Pro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearly | Russian bank cards, rubles | cloud, servers in Russia; internet required |
| Voice Access in Windows 11 | Windows | free, built into Windows 11 version 22H2 and newer | — | not disclosed | on the device (offline): speech recognition on the device after a one-time download of the language pack; the internet is needed only for the initial language download |
| GigaType | Windows, macOS | free with no limits: open source under the MIT license (Copyright (c) 2026 Disrupt Builders), all features are available without payment | — | not needed: there are no paid plans | device (offline, Sber's GigaAM neural network) |
| SuperWhisper | macOS, Windows, iOS | free: small local models with no usage limits (offline) | $8.49/mo (Pro, monthly); $84.99/yr (Pro, annual (≈$7.08/mo)); $249.99/one-time (Lifetime, one-time, covers Mac+Windows+iOS) | not disclosed | hybrid: small local models offline (free), large cloud models (Scribe, Nova, Gemini, GPT and others) through the Superwhisper proxy on Pro/BYOK — providers see the request from the proxy, not the user's account |
| Voisty | Windows, macOS | 5 minutes of transcription (to judge the quality) | $6.7/mo (Pro); $67/yr (Pro (year)); $99/one-time (Lifetime) | Visa/Mastercard/Amex cards, PayPal; whether Russian cards are accepted is not stated (not confirmed) | device (offline, local models such as Whisper Large V3 Turbo / NVIDIA Parakeet) |
| Dragon NaturallySpeaking | Windows | not disclosed | $699.99/one-time (Dragon Professional Individual v16, perpetual licence) | not disclosed | device (offline) — local acoustic engine (~8 GB neural network) after installation; internet is only needed to activate the licence |
| Spokenly | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS | local models (Whisper/Parakeet) are free forever with no word limit; connecting your own API keys (BYOK) is also free | $9.99/mo (Pro, monthly); $99.99/yr (Pro, yearly (≈$8.33/mo)) | not disclosed | hybrid: locally on the device (Whisper/Parakeet, free) or in the cloud (GPT-4o Transcribe, Deepgram Nova 3, Soniox and others, via BYOK or Pro) |
| MacWhisper | macOS | A free version is available ("Free forever", limited functionality), Pro is paid | €64/one-time (Pro, one-time purchase through Gumroad, lifetime updates); $29.99/yr (Pro, App Store version ("Whisper Transcription"), subscription); $99.99/one-time (Pro, App Store version, one-time purchase) | not disclosed | on the device (offline) by default, with local Whisper models; there are optional cloud transcription providers, but not as the main mode |
| WhispeRu | Windows | 7-day free trial (no card) | 290 ₽/mo (monthly license); 1990 ₽/yr (yearly license); 4990 ₽/one-time (lifetime license) | rubles directly (payment via YooKassa) | device (offline) |
| SpeakFlow | Windows, Web | 30 minutes of dictation per month, free forever | 690 ₽/mo (Personal (unlimited)) | rubles directly | cloud (the data center country is not disclosed on the website) (not confirmed) |
| Win+H (Windows voice typing) | Windows | free, built into Windows 10 and Windows 11 | — | not disclosed | cloud (Azure Speech services, Microsoft) — an internet connection is required |
What to check in a replacement
Before looking for a replacement, make sure you are looking for exactly what you need.
- Decide what exactly you need: controlling the interface by voice (open, click, scroll) or dictating text into a field. These are different categories of programs, and they should not be confused.
- If you need voice control specifically, check whether the alternative explicitly supports Russian: Voice Access has none at all.
- If you actually need dictation, first check the built-in Win+H panel in Windows 11: it is free, understands Russian and is already in the system, so a separate program may not be needed.
- Find out whether the alternative works offline after a one-time download, if this scenario was the reason for choosing Voice Access in the first place.
- For accessibility tasks, that is, controlling the computer by people with limited abilities, check the completeness of the command set: opening apps, navigating menus, working with text fields without a keyboard and mouse.
- Compare platforms: Voice Access is Windows only, and if one of your devices is a Mac, you will need a separate voice control solution there.
- Check whether the dictation alternative has a personal dictionary of terms and names, if the final task is entering text and not commands.
- Estimate how many commands you will have to learn again: every voice control system has its own set of phrases, and switching to another program means a new learning curve and not just a change of interface.
| Service | Platforms | Free | Price | Payment from Russia | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potok | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card needed | Pro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearly | Russian bank cards, rubles | cloud, servers in Russia; internet required |
| Voice Access in Windows 11 | Windows | free, built into Windows 11 version 22H2 and newer | — | not disclosed | on the device (offline): speech recognition on the device after a one-time download of the language pack; the internet is needed only for the initial language download |
| GigaType | Windows, macOS | free with no limits: open source under the MIT license (Copyright (c) 2026 Disrupt Builders), all features are available without payment | — | not needed: there are no paid plans | device (offline, Sber's GigaAM neural network) |
Where Potok will not replace Voice Access
Potok will not replace Windows 11 Voice Access almost anywhere if the matter is controlling the computer. Potok does not understand commands like "open the browser", "click the button" or "scroll down": it only inserts the text you say into the field where the cursor is. For accessibility tasks, where voice replaces the mouse and keyboard entirely, you need a control tool and not a dictation tool, and Potok does not play this role.
The only case where Potok really is an alternative is if a person was looking for Voice Access but actually wanted to dictate text in Russian and not control the system. Then Potok fits, but not as a replacement for Voice Access, rather as a separate tool for a different task. Keep the architecture in mind too: Potok is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet, unlike the offline mode of Voice Access after the language is downloaded.
Frequently asked questions
No, according to official Microsoft data there is no Russian language in Voice Access at all. There are few alternatives on the market for voice control in Russian.
Voice Access controls the system with voice commands: it opens programs and presses buttons. Win+H turns speech into text in the active field and understands Russian in Windows 11, unlike Voice Access.
Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access. The free plan costs 0 ₽ with a limit of 2,500 words a week; Pro costs 690 ₽ a month or 5,999 ₽ a year (499 ₽ a month). Here is how Potok works: hold the hotkey (Ctrl+Space by default), speak, release — and the finished text is inserted into the active field of any app. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access. Versions are available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the default hotkey is Ctrl+Space; there are no mobile versions. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. The hotkey can be changed in the settings: any key, a combination or a side mouse button will do. Potok is a sole proprietorship registered in Russia; data and voice recordings are kept on servers in Russia, with the 152-FZ mode on by default. For Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Alternatives to Windows 11 Voice Access you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
If you want to compare for yourself
Take one of your own tasks and dictate it in Potok. The first 14 days have no limits and need no card. Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet.
Download PotokOne subscription, two tools: dictation in any program on your computer and @potok_now_bot in Telegram, which transcribes voice messages, audio and video.
Primary sources: support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com · support.apple.com