Offline dictation on a Mac: every free option
Offline dictation on a Mac means your speech is turned into text by a model running on the Mac itself, so no audio or transcript is sent to a server and dictation keeps working with Wi-Fi off. Today you can do it for free with Apple Dictation (on Apple silicon, for supported languages), YappYapp, Handy, the free tiers of Superwhisper and Spokenly, and, with conditions, VoiceInk and MacWhisper.
What offline dictation means
A dictation app records your voice, turns the audio into text, and puts the text at your cursor. The middle step is the one that matters. Cloud apps upload the recording to a server; offline apps run a speech model (Whisper, Parakeet or similar) on your Mac's own chip.
Two details are worth knowing:
- The model has to be downloaded first. Offline apps fetch their speech model once, which needs the internet. After that, transcription runs without a connection.
- "Local" can be partial. Several apps transcribe locally but add cloud features such as AI rewriting or cloud models. The transcription may stay on your Mac while the rewrite does not.
How to check it: the Wi-Fi off test
You do not have to take any app's word for it, including ours.
- Install the app and download the speech model it will use.
- Turn Wi-Fi off in Control Center and unplug any Ethernet cable.
- Open TextEdit, start dictation with the app's shortcut, and say a few sentences.
- If the text appears, transcription happened on your Mac. If you get an error or nothing, that app needs a connection for what you just did.
For a second check while online, open Activity Monitor, choose the Network tab, and watch the app's "Sent Bytes" while you dictate a long passage. A cloud app has to upload the audio.
The free options, one by one
Prices and features below were checked on 25 Oct 2026 on each product's own site. They change, so confirm before you decide.
Apple Dictation
Built into macOS and free: turn it on in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation.
- Where speech is processed: Apple's macOS 14 guide says that "on a Mac with Apple silicon, Dictation requests are processed on your device for supported languages" and that "no internet connection is required." On an Intel Mac, or in a language without on-device support, "your dictated utterances are sent to Apple." When you dictate in a search box, the text "may be sent to the search provider."
- Wording difference: the current version of Apple's dictation guide no longer has the Apple silicon and Intel sentences. It now tells you to check Keyboard settings to see whether your voice input is "processed on your device and not sent to Siri servers." Look there on your own Mac rather than assuming.
- Languages: Apple's Feature Availability page lists 48 entries for on-device dictation, out of 63 for dictation overall.
- Account: none needed. Apple's privacy page says server requests use a random identifier that is not tied to your Apple Account.
- Open source: no.
- Catch: no custom vocabulary or cleanup modes are described on Apple's pages, and an Intel Mac or a language outside the on-device list sends audio to Apple. Dictation stops after 30 seconds of silence.
For a short message now and then, in a supported language, on Apple silicon, Apple Dictation is the simplest choice. The YappYapp vs Apple Dictation comparison covers where the two differ.
YappYapp
A free menu-bar dictation app for Apple Silicon Macs (macOS 14 or newer). Press option+space, talk, press it again, and the text is pasted at your cursor.
- Where speech is processed: on your Mac, with NVIDIA Parakeet (the default, Parakeet Ultra, covers 25 European languages), OpenAI Whisper models (more languages) or Qwen3-ASR (52 languages and dialects, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic and Hindi). There is no cloud transcription option at all.
- Network use: a daily update check (you can turn it off in Setup) and model downloads only when you pick a model. Audio and transcripts never leave the Mac. Temporary audio is deleted after each transcription.
- Account: none, and no API key.
- Open source: yes, MIT licence, source on GitHub. Release builds are signed and notarized by Apple.
- Extras: a word list, snippets, optional local cleanup and translation, file transcription.
- Catch: Apple Silicon only (no Intel Macs), Mac only, and the first model download (about 630 MB for Parakeet Ultra) needs the internet.
Superwhisper (free tier)
- What it does: system-wide dictation with a shortcut (option+space by default), on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
- Price: the free plan gives "unlimited dictation with any local Whisper model", custom vocabulary, text replacements and up to two modes without AI processing. Pro is $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year or $249.99 once.
- Where speech is processed: locally with local models, or in the cloud with Pro's cloud models. Its docs say "local voice models transcribe without an internet connection."
- Account: not stated on the pages checked.
- Open source: no.
- Catch: AI formatting offline needs the local S1-mini model, local Parakeet is a Pro model, and the free plan is limited to two modes without AI processing. See the Superwhisper alternative guide.
Spokenly (free plan)
- What it does: dictation on macOS, Windows, Linux and iPhone, in "100+ languages".
- Price: the free plan is "$0 forever" with unlimited use of local Whisper and Parakeet models, offline use and your own API keys. Local+ is $29 once; Pro is billed $99.99 a year.
- Where speech is processed: local models on the device, cloud models on a server. Its homepage says cloud models are the default.
- Account: "No account needed" for the free plan.
- Open source: not stated.
- Catch: pick a local model yourself, since cloud is the default. Its Local Only Mode "blocks internet connections"; without it, the app sends anonymous analytics.
Handy
- What it does: a free, open-source dictation app for Windows, macOS and Linux. Hold a shortcut to record, or tap to toggle.
- Price: free.
- Where speech is processed: locally; the project says it "works completely offline" with Whisper or Parakeet models.
- Account: not stated.
- Open source: yes, MIT (the name, logo and brand assets are excluded).
- Catch: its pages describe a focused tool: a shortcut and local models. Check the Handy repository for the extras you need.
VoiceInk
- What it does: Mac dictation with local Whisper and Parakeet models. Apple Silicon required.
- Price: a one-time licence of $25, $39 or $49 depending on the number of Macs, with a 7-day trial. The source is public under GPL v3, so you can build it yourself for free.
- Where speech is processed: locally by default, with optional cloud transcription and cloud "Enhancement".
- Account: no account, but licence activation "requires a working network connection".
- Open source: yes, GPL v3.
- Catch: the ready-made app is paid; the free route means compiling it. Its docs note that "a local transcription model alone does not make every workflow offline" when cloud enhancement is on. Its site and README disagree on the minimum macOS (14.4 or 15.0).
MacWhisper
- What it does: mainly a file and meeting transcriber (Whisper and Parakeet models, subtitles, speaker recognition), with a dictation feature.
- Price: free version at €0; Pro at €64 once.
- Where speech is processed: locally by default; optional cloud models and AI providers.
- Account: not stated.
- Open source: no.
- Catch: dictation is only in the version sold on macwhisper.com, not the App Store one, and AI dictation prompts need a Pro licence. The site does not say which dictation features the free version includes, so check before you rely on it for everyday dictation.
Wispr Flow is not an offline option
Wispr Flow has a free plan, but its data controls page says "transcription always occurs on the cloud." For a local replacement, see the free Wispr Flow alternative guide.
Summary table
Checked on 25 Oct 2026 on each product's own site.
| Option | Price | Speech processed | Account | Open source | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Dictation | Free, built in | On device on Apple silicon for listed languages; Apple servers otherwise | No | No | Intel Macs and other languages go to Apple |
| YappYapp | Free | Always on your Mac | No | Yes, MIT | Apple Silicon and Mac only |
| Superwhisper | Free local Whisper; Pro $8. | Local or cloud | Not stated | No | Two modes, no AI processing on free |
| Spokenly | Free; Local+ $29; Pro $99. | Local or cloud (cloud default) | No | Not stated | Choose a local model yourself |
| Handy | Free | Local | Not stated | Yes, MIT | Focused feature set |
| VoiceInk | $25 to $49 once, or build from source | Local default, optional cloud | No (licence key) | Yes, GPL v3 | Free only if you compile it |
| MacWhisper | Free; Pro €64 once | Local default, optional cloud | Not stated | No | Built for files; free dictation scope not stated |
| Wispr Flow | Free plan; Pro $15/mo | Cloud only | Yes | No | Not offline |
Which one fits
- Occasional short dictation, supported language, Apple silicon: Apple Dictation. It is already on your Mac.
- Daily dictation, everything local, no account: YappYapp or Handy, both free and MIT licensed. Handy also runs on Windows and Linux.
- You want cloud models sometimes and local the rest of the time: the free tiers of Superwhisper or Spokenly, with local models selected.
- Mostly transcribing recordings and files: MacWhisper.
Not sure which speech model to pick? The Whisper vs Parakeet guide compares them on Apple Silicon. If you dictate client or legal material, read dictation for confidential work.
Set up YappYapp for offline dictation
- Download YappYapp and drag it to Applications.
- Open it and follow the six-step guided setup. DETECT BEST MODELS reads your Mac and the languages you speak, then proposes a model; nothing downloads until you click USE THESE.
- Allow Microphone and Accessibility when asked. Accessibility is what lets it paste into other apps. The setup guide walks through each screen.
- Once the model is ready, turn Wi-Fi off and dictate into TextEdit with option+space.
For a Mac that must stay offline, IT can set allowModelDownloads to false and install models ahead of time.
FAQ
Is Apple Dictation offline on a Mac?
On Apple silicon, for languages with on-device support, Apple's macOS 14 guide says no internet connection is required. On Intel Macs and in other languages, audio is sent to Apple. Check Keyboard settings on your own Mac.
Do offline dictation apps need the internet at all?
Usually once, to download the speech model. After that, transcription works with Wi-Fi off. Update checks and optional cloud features may still use the network.
Does offline dictation work on an Intel Mac?
Not with YappYapp or VoiceInk, which require Apple Silicon, and Apple sends Intel Mac dictation to its servers. Superwhisper's own FAQ says its offline models "only run really well on Apple Silicon macs".