Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
SpeakFlow is cloud voice input for Windows and the browser with a free plan of 30 minutes of dictation per month, forever. Russian is stated as the main language, and a separate feature inserts an English translation right during dictation. Payment is in rubles directly. Potok (potok.now) works differently: a cloud model tuned for Russian speech and 2500 words per week for free, with no limit on recording time.
SpeakFlow is voice text input with an unusual extra feature: besides ordinary dictation in Russian, the service can immediately insert an English translation of what you said. It works in the browser and as a separate app for Windows, without installing anything complicated. Russian is stated as the service's main language rather than one of many in a general list, and this shows in how the features are built around Russian speech in particular.
SpeakFlow: how voice input with translation works
The basic scenario is similar to most cloud programs: the sound goes to a server, is recognized there and comes back as text in the field you are dictating into. It is available in the browser and in a separate app for Windows; SpeakFlow has no version for macOS or Linux.
What sets SpeakFlow apart is on-the-fly translation: you dictate in Russian, and next to or instead of the original you can get a ready English translation, without switching to a separate translator and copying the text again. For those who regularly write emails or messages in English but find it more comfortable to put their thoughts into Russian, this saves a step.
The free plan gives 30 minutes of dictation per month with no time limit, not once on sign-up but anew every month. For larger volumes there is a paid plan with unlimited dictation; the exact terms and price are collected in the fact card below, not in this description.
The website does not state where the speech recognition servers are physically located: for most tasks this is not critical, but those who care about the jurisdiction of voice processing should ask the developer directly.
| SpeakFlow | Potok | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | SpeakFlow: Windows, Web | Potok: Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Free | SpeakFlow: 30 minutes of dictation per month, free forever | Potok: Free: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card needed |
| Price | SpeakFlow: 690 ₽/mo (Personal (unlimited)) | Potok: Pro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearly |
| Payment from Russia | SpeakFlow: rubles directly | Potok: Russian bank cards, rubles |
| Where speech is recognized | SpeakFlow: cloud (the data center country is not disclosed on the website) (not confirmed) | Potok: cloud; internet required |
| Russian language | SpeakFlow: Russian is stated as the primary language; there is a feature for dictating in Russian and inserting an English translation | Potok: primary language |
| Company | SpeakFlow: Sole proprietor Evgeny Sergeevich Shintyapin (self-employed), INN 740203445948 | Potok: Sole proprietor, Russia |
Sources: speakflow.ru · speakflow.ru · speakflow.ru · blog.speakflow.ru
Who SpeakFlow suits
SpeakFlow is closest to a few scenarios.
- those who regularly translate dictated text from Russian into English and want to do it in one step, without a separate translator;
- users for whom the browser or a simple Windows app is enough, with no need for a Mac version;
- those who dictate rarely and stay within 30 minutes per month, so the free plan may last a long time;
- those for whom paying in rubles directly matters, without cards from foreign banks or intermediaries.
Those who need a program for macOS or daily dictation for several hours should look at the general catalog of voice input software and compare SpeakFlow with alternatives on these two points separately: platform and the amount of free access. A personal dictionary for terms and names is not separately stated in SpeakFlow's feature description, so check specialized vocabulary on your own text before moving to the paid plan.
Limitations for a user in Russia
For a Russian user SpeakFlow holds few surprises: payment in rubles directly, the developer is a sole proprietor registered in Russia, and the company details are shown openly. This is a rare case where the legal side is simpler than with most competitors registered abroad.
The situation with the recognition servers themselves is less transparent: the data center country is not disclosed on the website. For personal correspondence this usually does not matter, but for working with sensitive client or patient data, clarify this with the developer before you start using the service in work processes. Those who need to know exactly where the sound is processed are better served by a program that recognizes on the device itself; see the comparison with GigaType.
In terms of platforms, SpeakFlow is limited to the browser and Windows: Mac and mobile users will have to look for another option. For those who work on several computers with different systems at once, this means keeping another program at hand for devices other than Windows.
| 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 |
| 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) |
| 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) |
When Potok does not replace SpeakFlow
Potok will not replace SpeakFlow where you need on-the-fly translation of dictated text: Potok has no such feature at all, it inserts exactly what you said, in the same language.
Also keep in mind the architecture of Potok itself: it is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet, just like SpeakFlow, which is also cloud-based. Users for whom the Windows platform and a browser without installation are essential may also find SpeakFlow simpler: Potok requires installing a desktop app on Windows or macOS.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this is a separate stated feature: inserting an English translation right while you dictate in Russian, without switching to a separate translator.
The free plan gives 30 minutes of dictation per month, forever. For unlimited volume there is a paid plan paid in rubles directly; the exact amount is in the fact card on this page.
What SpeakFlow is and how it works. 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 What SpeakFlow is and how it works you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What SpeakFlow is and how it works. 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 What SpeakFlow is and how it works you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What SpeakFlow is and how it works. 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 What SpeakFlow is and how it works you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What SpeakFlow is and how it works. 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 What SpeakFlow is and how it works 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 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: speakflow.ru · speakflow.ru · speakflow.ru · blog.speakflow.ru