1Our pick · The all-in-one local AI assistant
Typilot.
The only entry on this list that does voice plus typing, polish, meetings, notes, and 27 inline AI commands - all locally, on macOS, Windows, and Linux. No cloud round-trip. Lifetime license option. Disclosure: we built it - that is why it is at the top.
2
Superwhisper
Best local Whisper dictation for macOS, Windows, and iOS - accurate, fast, fully offline.
Pros
- +Local Whisper transcription on-device - audio never leaves the machine, works in airplane mode
- +macOS and Windows desktop app plus a native iOS app for on-the-go dictation
- +Supports all Whisper model sizes from tiny to large-v3; custom vocabulary on paid tiers
- +Mature voice UX with several years of polish and a strong community
Cons
- −Voice dictation only - no keyboard AI commands, no AI polish layer, no meeting transcription
- −No Linux support
- −No ghost-text autocomplete or inline AI writing layer
3
Spokenly
Free local Whisper + Parakeet dictation on macOS, Windows, and iOS - no account, no cap.
Pros
- +Free local mode: Whisper Large-v3 + NVIDIA Parakeet on-device, no word cap, no account required
- +macOS, Windows, and iOS - cross-platform with a consistent local-first design
- +BYOK option to route to OpenAI, Deepgram, Groq, Anthropic, or Google at zero markup
- +MCP server and Agent mode for voice-controlled macOS automation
Cons
- −No Linux build confirmed as of September 2026
- −Pro plan ($9.99/mo) routes through managed cloud subprocessors (Cerebras, Fireworks, Groq)
- −No AI command layer, no ghost-text autocomplete, no meeting transcription
4
OpenWhispr
MIT open-source local dictation for Mac, Windows, and Linux with meeting diarization included.
Pros
- +Free with local Whisper + NVIDIA Parakeet on-device - audio never leaves the machine
- +macOS, Windows, and Linux - the widest platform coverage in the local-dictation category
- +Meeting auto-detect (Zoom, Teams, FaceTime) + on-device diarization + voice fingerprinting
- +Lazy Edition ($8/mo or $80/yr) adds cloud-hosted convenience without compromising local users
Cons
- −Free local tier has a steeper initial setup than polished commercial apps
- −No ghost-text autocomplete, no keyboard AI command layer, no AI polish
- −No meeting transcription bot or CRM integrations
5
Resonant
Mac-only local dictation with 10 on-device models including Parakeet TDT v3 and 1,600-language omniASR.
Pros
- +Runs entirely on the Apple Neural Engine - no GPU needed, no cloud component
- +10 local model choices: Parakeet TDT v3 (default), Whisper Large V3 Turbo, omniASR (1,600+ languages), and more
- +On-device speaker diarization (NVIDIA Sortformer model, runs locally), 11 MCP tools
- +Free for base dictation; Pro ($96/yr) adds cloud-powered cleanup and summaries
Cons
- −macOS only (Apple Silicon + macOS 14+) - no Windows, no Linux, no iOS
- −Pro tier sends text to cloud LLMs for cleanup - local tier for audio privacy, Pro for convenience
- −No keyboard AI command layer, no ghost-text autocomplete
6
Handy
Free MIT open-source local dictation for macOS, Windows, and Linux - press to record, release to transcribe.
Pros
- +Completely free and MIT open-source - no account, no subscription, no word cap
- +macOS, Windows, and Linux - the broadest platform coverage of any free local dictation tool
- +Supports Whisper, Parakeet V2/V3, and Moonshine; 23,000+ GitHub stars
- +Raycast extension available; press-to-record release-to-transcribe flow with 2-5 s latency
Cons
- −No AI command layer, no AI polish, no meeting transcription, no autocomplete
- −No mobile app or subscription-funded support
- −2-5 s latency is higher than polished commercial apps
7
macOS Dictation (built-in)
Free on-device dictation on Apple Silicon - no setup, already installed, no account.
Pros
- +Completely free, already installed on every Mac - zero setup, works in any Mac app
- +On-device on Apple Silicon (M1 and later) - audio stays local, works offline
- +Decent accuracy for standard prose with no additional software or cost
Cons
- −Intel Mac: dictation is processed by Apple's cloud servers (not on-device)
- −No speaker diarization, no AI command layer, no rewrite, no autocomplete
- −macOS-only - no Windows, no Linux, no cross-platform sync
8
Utter
Local or BYOK dictation for Mac and iPhone - free with on-device models, Pro $5.99/mo.
Pros
- +Free tier with local models or your own API keys - on-device on Apple Silicon, no account required
- +Mac + iPhone in one app (macOS 14.4+, iOS 17.0+) with synced transcripts and history
- +BYOK option for speech-to-text and AI providers; speaker-labelled transcripts and exports
Cons
- −Apple platforms only (macOS + iOS) - no Windows, no Linux
- −No keyboard AI command layer, no ghost-text autocomplete, no meeting bot
- −Pro tier ($5.99/mo or $59.99/yr) adds AI features via cloud providers (BYOK)