Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
Among 35 checked voice input programs and services, 10 recognize voice only in the cloud, 7 only on the device, and 8 work in both modes; for 6 the cloud is stated but not independently confirmed, and for another 4 there is no data on where processing happens. Potok (potok.now) is not in this sample: it is a separate cloud service with servers in Russia.
In voice input, audio goes to one of two places: to the device itself, where a neural network works without the internet, or to the developer's server over the network. Below is how this is distributed among the 35 checked voice input and transcription programs and services.
| Where speech is recognized | Services | Which |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud only | 10 | Lispr, A-GOLOS, Glas (LidFly), Speechify, Win+H (Windows voice input), Google voice input (Google Docs voice typing + Gboard), Yandex dictation (Alice / Yandex Keyboard), Otter.ai, Lynote, VoiceHotKey |
| On the device only | 7 | Voisty, WhispeRu, GigaType, Molvi, RechFlow, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Windows 11 Voice Access |
| Both in the cloud and on the device | 8 | v2txt.ru, Airword, Spokenly, SuperWhisper, MacWhisper, VoiceInk, Voibe, Apple Dictation |
| Cloud, per the site, not verified | 6 | SpeakFlow, Diktuy, Talkpad, Typeless, Wispr Flow, Aqua Voice |
| No data | 4 | Voco (TsRT) and Laitis: legacy voice input programs for Windows, Willow Voice, SpeechPad (voice notepad), Transkriptor |
| Total | 35 | — |
How we found out where voice is processed
We went through the potok.now reconciled database of 35 voice input and transcription programs and services and looked at what is stated for each about where audio is processed. The answers were sorted into three classes: works only in the cloud, only on the device, or supports both modes. If the maker speaks of the cloud but this is not independently confirmed anywhere, the record went into a separate column, "stated, not verified", and not into "yes" or "no". The same applies to the four with "no data": it includes the record of Voco (TsRT) and Laitis, two products in one database record. Other cuts of the same database are in the general voice input statistics. The country where the recognition servers are located is marked only where it is said in plain words and not inferred from general caveats about a region.
How many services work in the cloud and how many on the device
- Only in the cloud: 10 of 35: Lispr, A-GOLOS, Glas (LidFly), Speechify, Win+H, Google voice input, Yandex dictation, Otter.ai, Lynote, VoiceHotKey.
- Only on the device: 7 of 35: Voisty, WhispeRu, GigaType, Molvi, RechFlow, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Windows 11 Voice Access.
- Both modes: 8 of 35: v2txt.ru, Airword, Spokenly, SuperWhisper, MacWhisper, VoiceInk, Voibe, Apple Dictation.
- Cloud stated, not independently confirmed: 6 of 35: SpeakFlow, Diktuy, Talkpad, Typeless, Wispr Flow, Aqua Voice.
- No data on where processing happens: 4 records: Voco (TsRT) and Laitis, Willow Voice, SpeechPad, Transkriptor.
In total, 15 of 35 have a mode that runs right on the device, either only that or alongside the cloud. Russian cloud servers are named directly for two services, Glas (LidFly) and v2txt.ru. Recognition in the USA is stated for three: Lispr, A-GOLOS and Otter.ai.
What this data does not show
Potok is not in this sample: it has one scheme without variants. Potok is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia, and the service does not work without the internet. This data shows only the stated place of processing, not recognition accuracy or the price of a subscription. Potok has no offline mode under any conditions; if working without a network matters, look at the voice input services without the internet (in Russian) from the "only on the device" group above, with a correction for language: Windows 11 Voice Access has no Russian.
Frequently asked questions
These services offer a choice: either recognition runs on the device by default and the cloud is connected separately, or the other way round, the ordinary mode is cloud and offline is turned on as a separate option. This is how 8 of the 35 checked services work.
Where voice is processed in voice input. 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 Where voice is processed in voice input you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Where voice is processed in voice input. 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 Where voice is processed in voice input you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Where voice is processed in voice input. 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 Where voice is processed in voice input you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Where voice is processed in voice input. 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 Where voice is processed in voice input you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
How to start
Potok is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. For two weeks everything is open for free, after that 2500 words per week without paying. Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet.
Download PotokThe Potok subscription also includes the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot: forward it a voice message or a long meeting recording and it returns the text. Without a subscription the bot gives 60 minutes per month for free.
Built-in dictation and Potok
| Tool | Where it works | Russian language | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potok | Windows, macOS, Linux | primary language | cloud, servers in Russia, does not work offline |
| Windows voice typing (Win+H) | Windows 10 and 11 | Windows 11 only | Microsoft cloud, does not work offline |
| macOS Dictation | macOS | yes | on the device or on Apple servers |