BetterWispr

BetterWispr is a free and open-source dictation application for macOS. It transcribes speech into clean text in any Mac app, dropping filler words and false starts and writing in a style set for each app. It is intended for Mac users who want local, private dictation without an account or a subscription.

A user holds a shortcut such as Option plus Space, speaks, and releases to finish. Built-in speech models run the transcription locally on the Mac, with no account and no cloud fallback, downloading once and then working offline. The cleaned text lands in whichever app was focused, or is copied to the clipboard if automatic paste is blocked.

BetterWispr offers nine built-in models from Apple speech, Parakeet, and Whisper, or a connection to Sarvam AI, Smallest AI, or an OpenAI compatible API. It applies a chosen tone for each app, cleans up filler words and false starts at adjustable levels, and responds to voice commands such as saying comma or new paragraph. A notetaker separates the user's microphone from other apps' audio and writes a summary, decisions, and action items, and corrections made in history teach it new vocabulary.

BetterWispr runs on macOS 14 or later, with Apple Silicon recommended for local model inference, and it is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. It requires no account and no subscription, relying instead on optional donations. Filler cleanup, styles, and voice commands work only in English, while language support otherwise depends on the model chosen, such as Parakeet or Whisper.

Use cases

• Dictating into any Mac app without leaving the keyboard
• Taking meeting notes with a summary, decisions and action items
• Dictating in multiple languages with Parakeet or Whisper