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
Handy
Free MIT-licensed open-source dictation for Mac, Windows, and Linux - even simpler than OpenWhispr, no meeting layer.
Pros
- +Completely free - no binary subscription, no account, no word cap
- +MIT-licensed open source - codebase is publicly auditable
- +Supports Whisper, Parakeet V2/V3, and Moonshine - broader STT model choice
- +Mac, Windows, and Linux support with a Raycast extension for quick switching
- +23,000+ GitHub stars and an active biweekly release cycle
Cons
- −Raw transcription only - no meeting detection, diarization, or AI commands
- −Press-to-record with 2-5 second processing pause after release
- −No mobile app and no AI cleanup layer
Free (MIT open source)
3
Spokenly
Free local Whisper and Parakeet dictation on Mac, Windows, and iPhone - BYOK for AI formatting.
Pros
- +Completely free to use - no subscription, no word cap, no account required
- +Local Whisper Large-v3 and NVIDIA Parakeet - audio stays on device
- +Mac, Windows, and iPhone support
- +BYOK cloud routing to OpenAI, Deepgram, Groq, Anthropic, or Google at zero markup
- +MCP server and Agent mode for AI coding agents
Cons
- −Dictation-only - no meeting detection or on-device diarization
- −No Linux build
- −Parakeet is English-only; switch to Whisper for other languages
- −No meetings, notes, or full inline AI command layer
4
Superwhisper
Best-polished commercial local Whisper dictation for Mac, Windows, and iOS - mature, lifetime option available.
Pros
- +Fully local Whisper transcription - audio never leaves the device
- +Mature commercial app with guided setup and a polished iOS app
- +Large Whisper variant support (large-v3) out of the box
- +Free tier plus $8.49/mo or $249 lifetime option
Cons
- −Dictation-only - no meeting detection, diarization, or inline AI commands
- −No Linux support
- −$249 lifetime is steeper than OpenWhispr Lazy Edition annually
5
VoiceInk
Open-source local Whisper dictation for macOS - GPL v3, one-time price, per-app Power Mode.
Pros
- +Fully local Whisper inference - audio stays on device
- +GPL v3 open source - codebase is publicly auditable on GitHub (4,300+ stars)
- +Power Mode detects the active app and URL and applies per-app settings automatically
- +One-time price from $25 - no annual binary subscription
- +4.9/5 rating from over 1,100 users
Cons
- −macOS-only - requires Apple Silicon and macOS 14.4 or later
- −Voice dictation only - no meeting detection, diarization, or AI commands
- −Smaller community than OpenWhispr
6
MacWhisper
Mac-only local Whisper front-end, cheap one-time price, best for batch audio file transcription.
Pros
- +Local Whisper inference, one-time price from $59
- +Best-in-class batch transcription of pre-recorded audio files (drag and drop folders)
- +Mature support for large-v3 and distil-large-v3 model variants
- +Tiny install footprint
Cons
- −Mac-only - no Windows, Linux, or mobile
- −File transcription focus - live in-app dictation is secondary
- −No meeting detection, diarization, or AI commands
7
DictaFlow
App-aware voice dictation for Mac, Windows, and iOS - local Whisper with optional cloud AI formatting.
Pros
- +App-Aware context detection adjusts formatting per active app automatically
- +"Actually Override" hands-free voice correction rewrites in-place on a voice command
- +Local Whisper for transcription by default - audio stays on device
- +Free tier with 2,000 words per month and iOS and Android apps
Cons
- −No Linux build
- −Optional cloud AI formatting layer sends text to DictaFlow servers when enabled
- −$7/mo subscription only - no lifetime option
- −No meeting detection, diarization, or inline AI commands