For Business & Government
Professional Speech Recognition for Business & Government
Dragon Professional 16 has been the industry standard for over two decades. Speech Recognition Cloud is the modern, lower-cost alternative that works anywhere. We help you choose, set up, and support whichever one fits your team — for individual users, whole departments, and enterprise deployments.
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Our customers include:Australian Taxation Office·Attorney-General's Department·Department of Defence·State and Federal police forces·All major Australian universities·+ thousands of small and medium businesses nationwide
See both in action
Watch real-world demonstrations of each solution.
Dragon Professional 16
Speech Recognition Cloud
Two great options.
One easy decision.
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Two great options.
One easy decision.
|
Industry Standard Dragon Professional 16
The industry-standard desktop dictation solution. Perpetual licence, one-time purchase.
 From $994
Perpetual licence, one-time
|
Most popular Speech Recognition Cloud Professional
Fast, flexible, lower-cost cloud dictation
 $239/year
Per user, billed annually
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|---|---|---|
| Works offline | ✓ Yes — cloud only needed for initial activation, then works entirely offline | No — requires an internet connection to operate |
| Full PC voice control | ✓ Full control — move the mouse, switch windows, run macros, create custom commands and scripts — complete verbal control of Windows | Dictation only — no PC control, mouse commands, or macro scripting |
| Custom vocabulary (large) | ✓ Large custom word lists — ideal for highly specialised terminology, research papers, legal documents and essays | Vast built-in AI vocabulary covers most needs — plus custom entries and text replacements for common phrases |
| Text templates (auto-text) | ✓ Yes — say a word or command to insert a full paragraph, boilerplate, or formatted block of text | ✓ Yes — say a word or command to insert a full paragraph, boilerplate, or formatted block of text |
| Works in any Windows app | Most apps — some require a dictation box as a go-between, then copy & paste into your application | ✓ Every Windows app — direct dictation, no dictation box ever needed |
| AI modes & screen OCR | No built-in AI modes or screen OCR — custom commands require VB scripting knowledge | ✓ Built-in AI commands + screen OCR mode (reads your screen to learn context) — constantly expanding |
| Ultra accuracy mode | ✓ Yes — ultra accuracy mode available | ✓ Yes — ultra accuracy mode included |
| Languages supported | English only from VRA — other languages require a separate full-price purchase per language | ✓ 57+ languages included — no extra cost, just switch and dictate |
| Mobile app | None | ✓ Use your phone as a wireless mic, or dictate notes away from your PC — syncs to desktop automatically |
| Cost | From $994 AUD — perpetual licence (from $545 for students & educators) | $239/year — subscription |
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Ready to commit?
Pick your path →
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Buy Dragon Professional 16 | Buy Speech Recognition Cloud Professional |
Industry Standard
Dragon Professional 16
The industry-standard desktop dictation solution. Perpetual licence, one-time purchase.
From $994
Perpetual licence, one-time
- Works offline✓ After activation
- Full PC voice control✓ Mouse, windows, macros, scripts
- Custom vocabulary✓ Large word lists for specialised terms
- Text templates✓ Yes — say a word, insert a paragraph
- Works in any Windows appMost apps — dictation box for some
- AI modes & screen OCRNo
- Ultra accuracy mode✓ Yes
- LanguagesEnglish only from VRA
- Mobile appNone
- CostFrom $994 AUD perpetual
Most popular
Speech Recognition Cloud Professional
Fast, flexible, lower-cost cloud dictation
$239/year
Per user, billed annually
- Works offlineNo — requires internet
- Full PC voice controlDictation only
- Custom vocabularyVast AI vocab + custom entries
- Text templates✓ Yes — insert paragraphs by voice
- Works in any Windows app✓ Every app — no dictation box ever
- AI modes & screen OCR✓ Yes — constantly expanding
- Ultra accuracy mode✓ Yes
- Languages✓ 57+ included, no extra cost
- Mobile app✓ Wireless mic + dictate away from PC
- Cost$239/year subscription
Still have questions? — the most common ones are answered just below ↓
Common questions from business & government buyers
The questions we hear most often from professionals choosing between Dragon Professional and Speech Recognition Cloud.
Does Dragon Professional 16 work with all my Windows applications?
Not always directly. Some applications don’t accept dictation input natively, so Dragon uses a dictation box as a go-between — you dictate into the box, then copy and paste the text into your app. Speech Recognition Cloud eliminates this entirely — it dictates directly into every Windows application with no workaround needed.
What’s the difference in custom vocabulary between the two?
Dragon Professional 16 lets you build custom word lists manually, which takes ongoing effort to maintain. Speech Recognition Cloud uses an AI-powered vocabulary that reads what’s on your screen via OCR to learn context automatically, plus you can add custom entries and create unlimited text replacements — say a short phrase and get a full sentence or paragraph back.
Can I use voice commands to automate tasks?
Dragon Professional 16 supports scripting-based commands, but they require VB scripting knowledge and most users never get beyond basic dictation. Speech Recognition Cloud includes built-in AI commands that work out of the box — rewriting text, opening websites, performing actions and more. These are expanding regularly.
What if I need to dictate in languages other than English?
Dragon Professional 16 is English-only from VRA. If you need German, French, or another language, that’s a completely separate product purchase at full price again. Speech Recognition Cloud includes 57+ languages at no extra cost — just switch and dictate.
Is there a mobile app?
Dragon Professional 16 has no mobile app. Speech Recognition Cloud includes a mobile app that does two things: use your phone as a wireless microphone at your PC, or dictate notes away from your desk — they sync automatically to your desktop when you return.
Do I need to train the software to recognise my voice?
Dragon Professional 16 trains to your voice over time and does improve with use — but that profile is stored locally on your computer. If your PC fails, gets replaced, or you forget to export your profile beforehand, you lose everything: your voice training, custom vocabulary, and any commands you’ve built up. Speech Recognition Cloud requires no voice training — so you don’t need to worry about storing and backing up your voice profile. This is because Speech Recognition Cloud uses state-of-the-art cloud-based evolving speech recognition systems enhanced by AI.
Isn’t a perpetual licence cheaper long-term?
On the surface, yes — but Dragon Professional upgrades roughly every two years, currently costing $495 each time. So the real comparison over three years looks like this: Dragon Professional 16: $994 upfront + $495 upgrade in year 2 = $1,489 over 3 years. Speech Recognition Cloud Professional: $239 × 3 years = $717 over 3 years. SRC also includes all languages, automatic updates, and the mobile app. Dragon upgrades are optional, but without them you miss accuracy improvements and new features.
What version of Windows does Dragon Professional 16 work with?
Dragon Professional 15 (perpetual) is only certified for Windows 10 — not Windows 11. Dragon Professional 16 works on Windows 10 and 11, but there’s no guarantee it will work on Windows 12. You may need to pay for an upgrade at an unknown future cost and on an unknown timeline. Speech Recognition Cloud is a cloud-based service that is constantly updated, so it will always work regardless of which version of Windows you’re running. If Windows 12 is released tomorrow, SRC will work with it. Dragon Professional 16 may not.
Is there a student, educational or NDIS version of Dragon Professional?
Yes — Dragon Professional 16 is available at a discounted price for students and educators. View the student edition → | View the NDIS Dragon Pro bundle →
What if I need Dragon for a large team, enterprise, or government deployment?
For multi-user, enterprise, or government deployments, Dragon Professional Group and Dragon Professional Anywhere are the right fit — with centralised management, volume licensing, and compliance features suited to larger organisations. Contact us about enterprise licensing →
Why Australian Organisations Choose Voice Recognition Australia
We don’t just sell speech recognition software. We help you choose the right solution for your organisation, get it working from day one, and support you long after purchase.
Setup & Onboarding Included
We install, configure, and get your team dictating from day one. No IT headaches, no guesswork.
Australian-Based Business Support
Brisbane team, business hours, real humans. No overseas call centres, no ticket queues.
Honest Advice, Not Just Sales
We’ll tell you which product genuinely suits your workflow and budget — even if it’s the cheaper one.
Enterprise & Volume Licensing
We supply and manage multi-seat deployments for government departments, legal firms, and large corporations. Volume pricing, centralised management, and ongoing support included.