# Aqua Voice vs Google Docs voice typing on Mac in 2026: prices and privacy

> Aqua Voice vs Google Docs voice typing on Mac, with prices from each pricing page, privacy terms, browser limits and who should pick which.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/compare/aqua-voice-vs-google-voice-typing
Updated: 2026-11-09

Aqua Voice is a dictation app for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, with a free plan of 1,000 words. Google Docs voice typing is built into Google Docs, and it types only into Google Docs and Google Slides in a supported browser. If you write mostly in Google Docs and speak English, Google's tool may be enough. If you dictate into email, chat or code, test Aqua Voice next.

## Quick answer

- Google Docs voice typing is built in. It types into Google Docs and Google Slides only, in Chrome, Edge or Safari.
- Aqua Voice is a separate app for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Its free plan allows 1,000 words in total.
- Aqua Pro costs $10/month billed annually, or $12/month month-to-month. Google's pages state no price, so check their pricing page.
- Privacy depends on settings. Aqua stores audio and transcripts unless Privacy Mode is on. Google's help page leaves retention unstated.
- Lazur is a Mac voice assistant that also dictates. Pick it when you want answers about your screen and voice actions too.

## Side by side

| Feature | Aqua Voice | Google Docs voice typing | Lazur |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, iOS and Android | Chrome, Edge or Safari, in a browser | macOS only for now. Windows is planned, not available |
| Entry price | Free $0, 1,000 words in total | See their pricing page | 3-day Pro trial, no credit card |
| Paid plan | Pro $10/month billed annually, or $12/month monthly | No price stated on Google's pages | Pro $18/month, or $15/month billed annually |
| Dictation limit | Pro includes unlimited dictation | Not stated on the help page | Unlimited on Pro and Power |
| Voice commands | Realtime Mode and voice commands on Max | English only, with English account and document language | Timers, Reminders, Calendar, music, apps and web search by voice |
| Privacy default | Privacy Mode off stores audio and transcripts on servers | Browser controls speech-to-text. Help page does not describe retention | Audio and screenshot go to AI providers to answer, not stored |
| Offline use | Cloud dictation needs internet. Offline varies by platform, version and mode | Not stated on the help page | Not covered in the product facts |
| Best at | Dictation extras, custom dictionary and several platforms | Staying inside Google Docs and Google Slides | Questions about your screen and voice actions on Mac |

**Our take:** Pick Google Docs voice typing if your writing lives in Google Docs and you speak English. Pick Aqua Voice if you dictate across apps or platforms and want its dictation settings. Pick Lazur if you want a Mac assistant that also dictates. Check Google's pricing page before you assume the tool costs nothing.

### Aqua Voice

Dictation app with a free plan of 1,000 words in total. Pro adds unlimited dictation, and Max adds Realtime Mode and voice commands. Business is $19/seat/month billed annually, with a minimum of 2 seats.

- Price: Free $0 (1,000 words). Pro $10/month billed annually, or $12/month month-to-month. Max $19/month annually, or $24/month month-to-month. (https://aquavoice.com/pricing, checked 2026-11-09)
- Runs on: Mac, Windows, iOS and Android (Google Play)

### Google Docs voice typing

Built-in feature of Google Docs under Tools > Voice typing. It types into Google Docs and Google Slides only. Voice commands are English only, and voice-made tables are capped at 20 rows and columns.

- Price: See their pricing page (https://workspace.google.com/products/docs/, checked 2026-11-09)
- Runs on: Browser-based: Chrome, Edge or Safari

### Lazur

Voice assistant that lives in the Mac notch. Hold fn to dictate formatted text at the cursor, and hold Option and Command to ask about your screen. Lazur answers out loud.

- Price: 3-day free trial, then Pro $18/month or Power $120/month (https://www.lazur.app/pricing, checked 2026-11-09)
- Runs on: macOS (Apple silicon and Intel)

## Aqua Voice and Google Docs voice typing side by side

These two tools share one job: turning your speech into text. They differ on almost everything around that job. Google's version lives inside Google Docs. Aqua Voice is a separate app for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Lazur is a different kind of product, a voice assistant that also dictates. Read the table near the end, then jump to the section that fits your work.

- **1,000 words** Free words on Aqua Voice's starter plan, with no credit card required ([source](https://aquavoice.com/faq))
- **$228** Aqua Voice Business price per seat per year, billed annually ([source](https://aquavoice.com/pricing))
- **1 to 20** Rows and columns that Google voice commands can use when making a table ([source](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/4492226))
- **$18** Lazur Pro price per month, or $15 per month billed annually ([source](https://www.lazur.app))

![A person at a laptop writing a document with voice typing on a Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/compare/aqua-voice-vs-google-voice-typing/aqua-voice-vs-google-docs-voice-typing-1-db970e.jpg)

## How Google Docs voice typing works on a Mac

Open a document in Google Docs in Chrome, Edge or Safari. Then choose Tools > Voice typing. Click the microphone to start speaking. Click it again to stop. The words land in the document as you speak.

Google's help page says the feature works with the latest versions of those three browsers. It also says your text goes to Google Docs or Google Slides. So it is built for Google's own editors, not for Notes, Mail or Slack. That single fact shapes the whole decision.

Voice commands work too, such as formatting and editing commands. Those run only in English. Your account language and your document language both have to be English. If either one is set to another language, the commands are not supported.

## Where Google Docs voice typing falls short

- English only for voice commands. Google's help page says voice commands are available only in English.
- Language settings must match. Your account language and document language both have to be English.
- Tables have a size cap. Voice commands can create tables of 1 to 20 rows and 1 to 20 columns.
- The browser handles speech. Google says your browser controls the speech-to-text service and decides how speech is processed.
- An admin can switch it off. If your organization turned the feature off, you will not see it working.

Those limits matter most if you write in other languages or draft outside Google's apps. They matter less if you write long English documents in Docs every day.

Take a long English report written in Google Docs. Voice typing fits that job well, as long as the language settings match. Switch the document or account to another language and the voice commands stop working. Then dictate the text, and make your formatting changes by hand.

## Where Aqua Voice is the stronger pick

Aqua Voice works outside Google Docs and across four platforms. It lists Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Its Android app needs Android 10 or later from Google Play.

Its main features include Dictation, Edit Mode, Realtime Mode, Deep Context, Aqua Pet, MCP, CLI and API. Realtime Mode and voice commands sit on the Max plan. Custom instructions and a personal dictionary sit on Pro. Those extras matter if you dictate names, jargon or code.

Aqua's own reviews page quotes Wirecutter from June 22, 2026. The quote says: 'Aqua Voice was the only app we tested that reliably recognized dictated code.' The same summary lists two limits. Text can go missing in longer sessions, and the dictionary sometimes swaps in words you did not want.

> **Company-curated reviews:** The Aqua quotes here come from a reviews page that Aqua wrote and selected. Aqua says it is not an independent assessment. Read the original reviews before you rely on them.

A 9to5Mac review, as Aqua summarizes it, says Aqua 'just works'. The same summary says the reviewer raised privacy and connectivity concerns, and flagged cost. Treat the praise as a lead, not a verdict.

The Google help page I read describes no custom dictionary and no custom instructions. If you want more control over how your text is cleaned up, that gap favors Aqua.

## Pricing: what Aqua Voice charges and what Google does not say

Aqua Voice prices live on its pricing page at aquavoice.com. The older withaqua.com address redirects there with a 308 response. The table below copies the plans as the page showed them when I checked on 2026-11-09.

| Aqua Voice plan | Billed annually | Month to month |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0, 1,000 words | $0, 1,000 words |
| Pro | $10/month | $12/month |
| Max | $19/month | $24/month |
| Business | $19/seat/month ($228/seat/year) | $24/seat/month |

_Aqua Voice plans as listed on aquavoice.com/pricing, checked 2026-11-09_

Pro billed annually costs $24 a year less than month to month. That is $2 a month, or $24 over a year. Business needs at least 2 seats, and the page says to contact sales for 100 or more.

Students get 70% off Pro and Max with a school email address. On Pro, that works out to $3 a month billed annually, or $3.60 month to month.

Google's pages do not state a price for voice typing. The help page says nothing about cost, and the Google Workspace Docs page lists no prices. I could not confirm a price, so check their pricing page before you assume it is free.

## Worked example: what the 1,000 free words covers

Say you dictate 500 words a day into email and notes. The free plan allows 1,000 words in total. That is two days of your habit, and then the allowance is gone.

Over a 30-day month, 500 words a day adds up to 15,000 words. The pricing page lists unlimited dictation for Pro, so the paid plan is the realistic option for daily use.

Business changes the math for teams. Five seats at $19 per seat per month, billed annually, comes to $95 a month, or $1,140 a year. Check that figure against your team size and whether you need single sign-on.

![Woman speaking into a microphone while she dictates text for a document](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/compare/aqua-voice-vs-google-voice-typing/aqua-voice-vs-google-docs-voice-typing-2-992028.jpg)

## Privacy settings for Aqua Voice and Google Docs

Aqua's privacy policy hinges on one setting, Privacy Mode. With Privacy Mode off, the policy says "we securely store dictation audio and transcript data on our servers."

With Privacy Mode on, the policy says "we do not store your dictation audio or transcript data on our servers." The exception is a dictation attached to feedback. Turn Privacy Mode on before you dictate client notes or anything private.

Meeting audio is different. The policy keeps Notetaker meeting audio and transcripts "until you delete them," even when Privacy Mode is enabled. Delete recordings you no longer need.

The policy also leaves gaps. It does not say whether customer data trains AI models. It does not mention encryption, and its security section describes safeguards only in general terms. Put those questions to the company before you rely on it for sensitive work.

The pricing page claims SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, plus GDPR and HIPAA compliance. It says a business associate agreement is signed in the app on Max and Business. Business also lists Zero Data Retention. These are company claims, so ask for the reports before you rely on them.

Google's help page says your web browser controls the speech-to-text service. It says the browser determines how your speech is processed, then sends the text to Google Docs or Google Slides. It does not describe how long anything is kept or whether it is used for training. Some third-party blogs say Chrome sends audio to Google. I did not verify those claims, so I leave them out.

Lazur's product facts say it listens and looks at your screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer you. They are not stored, and content is never used to train AI models.

> **Check the setting first:** Open Aqua Voice's settings and confirm Privacy Mode before you dictate anything sensitive. The policy's storage rules depend on that one switch.

## Offline use and internet needs

Aqua's FAQ says cloud dictation needs an internet connection. It adds that offline availability varies by platform, app version and mode. Check the behavior on your own Mac before you plan around a flight.

Google's help page does not say whether voice typing works offline. The browser handles speech-to-text, so assume it needs a connection until you test it. Turn off Wi-Fi in an empty document and see what happens.

Lazur's product facts do not cover offline use, so test that before you rely on it.

## Where Lazur fits in this comparison

Lazur is a voice assistant for Mac. It lives in the notch and helps you get work done in any app. It is not a dictation app first, and it is not a Google Docs feature.

Hold ⌥ ⌘ to ask about anything on screen. Lazur answers out loud. Ask where something is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to do something, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click.

For text, hold fn to dictate clean, formatted text at the cursor in any app. Lazur also keeps snippets, a personal dictionary and clipboard slots. Dictation is included, but it is not the headline.

Aqua Voice and Lazur both dictate, but they split the work differently. Aqua puts dictation first. Lazur puts the assistant first and dictation second. If you mostly dictate into one app, the features you use every day matter more than the headline price.

Lazur does not click buttons, edit files or operate other apps for you. It is not a plugin or add-in for any app, and it has no partnerships with app makers. Lazur is Mac only for now. Windows is planned, not available.

Lazur's Pro plan costs $18 a month, or $15 a month billed annually, and includes 150 AI actions. The Power plan costs $120 a month, or $96 a month billed annually, and includes 1,000 AI actions. Dictation is unlimited on both. A 3-day Pro trial needs no credit card and starts when you first open the app.

For a head-to-head with Aqua, read the [Lazur vs Aqua Voice comparison](https://www.lazur.app/compare/lazur-vs-aqua-voice). It covers the same questions from Lazur's side.

## Which one should you pick

- Pick Google Docs voice typing if you write English documents in Google Docs or Slides, in Chrome, Edge or Safari.
- Pick Aqua Voice if you dictate outside Google's editors, use more than one platform, or want custom instructions and a personal dictionary.
- Pick Aqua Voice Max if you need Realtime Mode or voice commands. Check the Business terms if you need team controls.
- Pick Lazur if you want a Mac voice assistant that can see your screen, answer out loud and dictate when you hold fn.
- Pick more than one if you split your day between Docs writing and general Mac work. The tools do different jobs.

## Mistakes to avoid when comparing these tools

- Treating Aqua's free plan as monthly. The FAQ allowance is 1,000 words in total.
- Assuming voice commands work in any language. Google's help page says English only.
- Reading a company-curated review page as independent. Aqua says it is not an independent assessment.
- Ignoring Privacy Mode. With it off, Aqua stores dictation audio and transcripts on its servers.
- Testing with one short sentence. Aqua's own summary flags missing text in longer sessions, so test a full paragraph.
- Comparing Lazur Pro with Aqua Pro as if they buy the same thing. Lazur adds an assistant and actions.

## How to test both tools in one afternoon

1. Open a Google Doc in Chrome, then choose Tools > Voice typing. Read a paragraph aloud and note every word that comes out wrong.
2. Install Aqua Voice from aquavoice.com. Start the free plan, then dictate the same paragraph into the app you use most.
3. Count the fixes you made in each. Look at punctuation, names and numbers, since those cause the most edits.
4. Check Privacy Mode in Aqua's settings before you dictate anything private.
5. For a structured check, compare both results with the [dictation accuracy checker](https://www.lazur.app/tools/dictation-accuracy-checker).

> **Prices change:** The prices in this guide were checked on 2026-11-09 from Aqua's pricing page. Google lists no price for voice typing, so check their pricing page yourself before you buy.

![Writer reviewing a Google Docs draft on a desk after voice typing](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/compare/aqua-voice-vs-google-voice-typing/aqua-voice-vs-google-docs-voice-typing-3-9ee622.jpg)

## What to do next

If Google Docs is your main writing tool, start with Tools > Voice typing and see how far it gets you. If you need dictation across apps, test Aqua Voice on its free plan first. If you want an assistant for your whole Mac, try [Lazur from the download page](https://www.lazur.app/download).

Read the [Google Docs voice typing alternatives](https://www.lazur.app/alternatives/google-voice-typing) if neither tool fits your privacy rules. Check the [Aqua Voice alternatives](https://www.lazur.app/alternatives/aqua-voice) page for four other apps compared on price and privacy.

## FAQ

### Is Google Docs voice typing free to use?

Google's help page does not state a price for voice typing, and I could not confirm one. Check their pricing page before you assume it costs nothing. The feature sits under Tools > Voice typing in a Google Doc.

### Does Aqua Voice work inside Google Docs?

Aqua Voice is a separate app for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. The sources I checked do not describe any Google Docs integration. Test it in a real document before you rely on it.

### Does Google Docs voice typing work in Safari on a Mac?

Yes, according to Google's help page, which says the feature works with the latest versions of Chrome, Edge and Safari. Open the document in Safari, then choose Tools > Voice typing. Allow microphone access when your browser asks.

### Is Aqua Voice private enough for client work?

Turn Privacy Mode on, and the policy says audio and transcripts are not stored on its servers, except when attached to feedback. The policy does not say whether data trains models, and it does not mention encryption. Ask the company and read the Business terms before you dictate sensitive material.

### Can Lazur dictate into a Google Doc?

Lazur dictates clean, formatted text at the cursor in any app when you hold fn. That includes a Google Doc open in your browser, so test it in your own document. Lazur is not a Google feature, and it does not click buttons or operate apps for you.

### Which costs less for one person?

Aqua Voice Pro costs $10/month billed annually, or $12/month month-to-month. Lazur Pro costs $15/month billed annually, or $18/month. Google's price is not stated on its pages. The two paid apps do different jobs, so compare features as well as price.

### Does Google voice typing work in other languages?

Voice commands are English only, according to the help page. Your account language and document language both have to be English. The help page does not describe other languages for dictation, so test your language before you rely on it.

## Sources

1. [Aqua Voice pricing](https://aquavoice.com/pricing), Aqua Voice, Inc., checked 2026-11-09
2. [Aqua Voice privacy policy](https://aquavoice.com/privacy), Aqua Voice, Inc., checked 2026-11-09
3. [Aqua Voice FAQ](https://aquavoice.com/faq), Aqua Voice, Inc., checked 2026-11-09
4. [Aqua Voice reviews (company-curated)](https://aquavoice.com/reviews), Aqua Voice, Inc., checked 2026-11-09
5. [Aqua Voice pricing (original URL, redirects to aquavoice.com)](https://withaqua.com/pricing), Aqua Voice, Inc., checked 2026-11-09
6. [Type & edit with your voice: Google Docs Editors Help](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/4492226), Google, checked 2026-11-09
7. [Google Docs, Google Workspace](https://workspace.google.com/products/docs/), Google, checked 2026-11-09
8. [Lazur product facts (as of 2026-11-05)](https://www.lazur.app), Lazur, checked 2026-11-05