Resource
Wispr Flow is closed source, and it transcribes everything you say in the cloud. If you want dictation you can inspect, or that never leaves your computer, there are now several good open-source apps. Here are seven, what each is best at, and where each falls short of Wispr Flow.
Quick answer
For simple dictation that stays on your machine, Handy is the most widely used. For the closest match to Wispr Flow’s features, including AI cleanup, OpenWhispr is the pick. For dictation that becomes notes your AI assistant can search later, alongside your meetings, consider Minutes, which is what this site is for.
The trade-off to expect: Wispr Flow’s AI editing and phone apps are more polished than anything here. What you gain is local transcription, no word limits, and code you can read.
Wispr Flow runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. It transcribes in the cloud, then applies AI edits: it removes filler words, applies your self-corrections, formats lists, and adapts tone to the app you are typing in. It has a personal dictionary, voice snippets, and a Command Mode for editing selected text by voice. The free plan allows 2,000 words a week on desktop; Pro costs $15 per user per month, or $12 billed annually. Training on your data is opt-in. The source code is not published.
| Project | License | Platforms | Local transcription by default | Engines | AI cleanup | Types into any app |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | MIT | macOS, Windows; Linux CLI | Yes | Parakeet v3 (Apple Silicon), Whisper | Rules on your device; no AI rewriting | At the cursor on Mac; clipboard on Windows and Linux |
| Handy | MIT (brand excluded) | macOS, Windows, Linux | Yes | Whisper, Parakeet v3 | Optional, off by default; cloud or Apple Intelligence | Yes |
| OpenWhispr | MIT | macOS, Windows, Linux | Your choice of local or cloud | Whisper, Parakeet, cloud providers | Local llama.cpp or cloud models | Yes |
| FluidVoice | GPL-3.0 | macOS | Yes | Parakeet, Whisper, Apple Speech, others | Optional; cloud or a closed local model | Yes |
| VoiceInk | GPL-3.0; paid app downloads | macOS 15+ | Yes | whisper.cpp, Parakeet | Optional cloud AI | Yes |
| Voquill | AGPL-3.0 | macOS, Windows, Linux | Local Whisper or cloud | Whisper | Your own API key | Yes |
| FreeFlow | MIT | macOS | No by default; Groq | Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint | LLM cleanup via Groq or a local server | Yes |
Dictation that becomes notes your AI can search
Transcribes on your machine and saves every dictation as Markdown next to your meetings and voice memos, where Claude, Codex, or any MCP client can find it. Cleanup is rule-based, with no AI rewriting. Written by the Minutes maintainer, so weigh it accordingly.
The most popular local dictation app
Hold a key, speak, and the text is pasted into the app you are using. Transcription is entirely local. AI cleanup is optional and off by default; when on, it can use a cloud model or Apple Intelligence on the device.
The closest feature match to Wispr Flow
Dictation, meeting transcription, and notes in one app, with local or cloud models for every feature and an MCP server. Optional cloud sync and team sharing come through OpenWhispr Cloud, which has paid plans.
Local dictation with many engines on a Mac
Runs Parakeet, Whisper, Apple Speech, and other engines locally. AI cleanup is optional through OpenAI, Groq, a custom endpoint, or its own local model, which is closed source.
A polished native Mac app with open source code
Fully offline transcription with whisper.cpp or Parakeet. The source is GPL, but the ready-made app is sold as a one-time purchase with a free trial.
Cross-platform dictation with AI cleanup
Desktop apps for Mac, Windows, and Linux, with a mobile app in the same repository. Transcribes with local Whisper or a cloud provider, and offers AI cleanup with your own API key.
Wispr Flow's workflow with your own API key
A small Mac app that sends audio to Groq by default for fast transcription and LLM cleanup, or to a local Ollama or LM Studio server you point it at. Open source, but not local unless you set it up that way.
If privacy is the reason you are leaving Wispr Flow, start with an app that transcribes locally by default: Handy, Minutes, FluidVoice, or VoiceInk. Check what its optional AI cleanup sends to the cloud before you turn it on.
If you want Wispr Flow’s polish, try OpenWhispr or Voquill with AI cleanup, or FreeFlow if fast cloud transcription with your own key is fine.
If you also record meetings or voice memos and want one archive an assistant can search, Minutes keeps dictations and meetings together as Markdown.
Each project was checked against its own repository, license file, and README on 2026-10-29; Wispr Flow against its own data-controls, pricing, features, and terms pages. This is a documentation review, not a hands-on test of accuracy or speed. We included projects that are open-source licensed, released within the last year, and built for dictation into other apps. Buzz is excellent for transcribing files but does not type into other apps, so it is not listed. Whispering, now part of Epicenter, was left out while its app is being reworked.
Next step
Setting up dictation on a Mac without a cloud.
Local transcription beyond dictation, including files.
The same question for meeting notes.
Getting what you say in front of a coding agent.