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
Typilot
Local Whisper dictation plus 27 AI keyboard commands, meeting transcription, and autocomplete - macOS, Windows, Linux.
Pros
- +Selectable Whisper models (tiny to large) - trade speed vs. accuracy vs. RAM on your hardware
- +27 keyboard-triggered AI commands work in any app without voice input
- +On-device meeting transcription with speaker diarization ships today - not beta
- +Runs natively on macOS, Windows, and Linux
- +Ghost-text autocomplete via local Ollama in any text field
- +3-day full-feature trial with no transcription cap
- +AI polish, rewrite, and summarise run via a local Ollama model - no API key, no cloud
Cons
- −Requires Ollama installed for AI commands, polish, and autocomplete features
- −More initial setup than Sotto - Ollama model management is an extra step
- −No built-in speech translation or per-language hotkeys
- −No audio file batch import feature
- −$7.99/mo or $199 lifetime - higher entry cost than Sotto's $49 for three Macs
3
Superwhisper
Mac and Windows Whisper dictation with selectable model sizes, AI post-processing, and an iOS app.
Pros
- +Selectable Whisper models from tiny to large for speed vs. accuracy tradeoffs
- +AI post-processing cleans and reformats transcriptions
- +iOS companion app with on-device Whisper
- +Available on macOS and Windows
- +Per-app mode profiles for context-aware transcription
Cons
- −No Linux support
- −$249 lifetime is substantially more expensive than Sotto
- −No built-in translation or per-language hotkeys
- −No keyboard AI command layer or meeting transcription with diarization
- −No ghost-text autocomplete
4
Spokenly
Free unlimited local dictation on Mac, Windows, and iPhone with no account required.
Pros
- +Free tier is unlimited with no word or transcription cap
- +Available on macOS, Windows, and iPhone
- +Fully local on-device Whisper with no audio upload
- +Auto-punctuation and custom vocabulary included
- +No account required on the free tier
Cons
- −No keyboard AI command layer - pure dictation only
- −No meeting transcription or speaker diarization
- −No ghost-text autocomplete
- −No built-in translation
5
Handy
Free MIT open-source dictation running Whisper and Parakeet on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Pros
- +Completely free - MIT open-source with no paid tier or word cap
- +Runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux
- +Supports both Whisper and Parakeet ASR engines
- +No account or network connection required - fully local
- +Auditable and modifiable source code
Cons
- −No built-in translation, per-language hotkeys, or AI command layer
- −Minimal UI - fewer convenience features than Sotto or Typilot
- −No meeting transcription or autocomplete
- −Community support only, no commercial backing
6
Resonant
Mac-only local Whisper + Parakeet with 10 selectable models, a free base tier, and MCP server integration.
Pros
- +Free base tier for dictation with no credit card required
- +10 selectable local models including Parakeet TDT, Whisper Large V3 Turbo, and omniASR (1,600+ languages)
- +NVIDIA Sortformer on-device speaker diarization
- +MCP server with 11 tools for AI coding agent integration
- +Per-app writing styles
Cons
- −macOS-only (Apple Silicon, macOS 14+) - no Windows, no Linux, no Intel Mac
- −AI cleanup, rewrites, and summaries locked behind Pro ($96/yr) and run via cloud
- −No keyboard AI command layer or ghost-text autocomplete
- −No built-in translation or audio file import
7
Dictato
Mac-only one-time-purchase dictation with four selectable ASR engines including local Whisper and Parakeet.
Pros
- +Four selectable ASR engines: local Parakeet (~80ms, 25 langs), Whisper (99 langs), Apple Speech, and Qwen3-ASR
- +€19.99 one-time - cheaper than Sotto's $49
- +Custom dictionary and auto-punctuation included
- +Multiple configurable hotkeys
- +Local-only modes keep audio on-device
Cons
- −macOS-only (Apple Silicon, macOS 14+) - no Windows or Linux build
- −No keyboard AI command layer, no meeting transcription
- −No built-in translation or audio file import
- −No autocomplete layer
8
Whisperstream
Windows-only local Whisper dictation with app-aware AI formatting and an encrypted transcript history.
Pros
- +Windows-native local Whisper - fills the gap for users who need Windows, not Mac
- +$29 one-time with 7-day unlimited free trial
- +App-aware AI formatting adapts output to the active app automatically
- +AES-256-GCM encrypted local transcript history
- +4.7/5 on Product Hunt with 74 reviews
Cons
- −Windows-only - no macOS, no Linux
- −39 languages (fewer than Sotto's 90+)
- −No built-in translation, per-language hotkeys, or audio file import
- −No keyboard AI command layer or ghost-text autocomplete