Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | SpeakUp | Google AI Edge Eloquent |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €29 one-time | Free (Google product) |
| Maker | Independent, Berlin | |
| Model | Whisper (Mac) / Parakeet (iOS) | Gemma ASR |
| Processing | 100% on-device, no cloud mode | On-device with optional cloud mode |
| UI languages | English + German | English-first |
| Availability | Worldwide, German UI + support | US App Store at launch |
| Account required | No account, ever | Google ecosystem |
| macOS | Yes (Swift + Metal GPU) | No |
| iOS | Available (Free on App Store) | Yes |
| Windows | In development | No |
| Business model | Pay once, own it | Free product from an ad company |
Why SpeakUp When Google's App Is Free
Built in Berlin, sold in German
SpeakUp is built by an independent developer in Berlin who uses it in German every day. The UI, the legal pages, the support, and the website all ship in German -- and the product is available in the DACH region today. Eloquent is launched in the US App Store, English-first, with no DACH availability. That gap matters before you even compare a single transcription.
A real product, not a research showcase
Eloquent is a free showcase for Google's Gemma + AI Edge stack. Google research apps come and go -- Inbox, Stadia, Google Play Music, Currents, Reader. SpeakUp is built by an independent developer in Berlin who depends on it being good, charges €29 once, and has no roadmap that ends with a sunset blog post.
No cloud mode -- not even an optional one
Eloquent runs on-device by default but ships with an optional cloud mode you can toggle off. SpeakUp has no cloud mode at all. There is no network code in the transcription path. You cannot accidentally toggle privacy off, because there is nothing to toggle.
Google is an ad and data company
Even when a Google app is on-device, you are inside an account, an ecosystem, and a privacy policy that exists to serve other Google products. SpeakUp has no account, no analytics on what you dictate, no upsell, and no parent company with a different agenda.
On Every Platform You Use
Eloquent is iOS-only at launch with Android signaled. SpeakUp is on Mac and iPhone today (free on the App Store), with Windows in active development. One license, one philosophy, every platform you actually use.
Related: Why on-device dictation beats cloud · SpeakUp vs Wispr Flow · SpeakUp vs Apple Dictation