You switch languages while thinking
Real work rarely stays in one language. SpeakLocal is designed for multilingual notes, replies, prompts, and drafts.
The unobtrusive, private dictation app for Mac
SpeakLocal
Dictate the way you actually talk: multiple languages, one thought, no setting switches, no noisy workflow. SpeakLocal listens locally, detects the language for each recording, and inserts the text directly into the active field.
30 days free, then €9.99 one-time until January 1 · €14.99 after. No subscription, no account, no cloud transcription.
Mixed language dictation
Speak across languages in the same workflow without changing a setting first.
No clipboard takeover
Text is inserted directly, so whatever you copied before stays available.
Local and one-time
Transcription runs on your Mac. No account, no cloud transcription, no subscription.
Why it exists
Most dictation apps ask you to behave like software.
Your clipboard is already doing a job
Many dictation tools paste through the clipboard. SpeakLocal avoids that path so copied links, snippets, and references stay intact.
Your voice does not need a server
Recordings are processed locally on your Mac, with temporary audio cleanup available when you do not want files kept around.
Workflow
Hold a key. Speak. Keep moving.
SpeakLocal lives in the menu bar and keeps the interaction small: choose a hotkey, talk into the active text field, and let the transcript land where you were already typing.
Ready for local dictation
Menu bar first
Prepare models, check permissions, copy the latest transcript if insertion was not possible, and keep the main interface out of the way.
Trigger
Fn, Right Option, Right Command, or F19
Use the key that feels natural
Hold-to-talk or press-to-toggle, with a configurable shortcut saved on your Mac.
HUD
Recording → transcribing → inserted
Status without a window
A compact HUD shows what is happening while you stay inside Mail, Notes, Slack, your editor, or the browser.
Model choice
Pick speed, accuracy, or fallback.
Some days you want the fastest possible dictation. Some recordings deserve a heavier model. SpeakLocal lets you choose.
Parakeet TDT v3
Designed for quick local transcription on Apple Silicon and prepared in the background.
Small to Large
Use Whisper models when they fit your language, machine, or accuracy preference better.
Temporary audio cleanup
Keep recordings for debugging, or let SpeakLocal remove its own temporary audio files after transcription.
Launch pricing
Pay once. Dictate locally.
Start with 30 days free, then pay once for a license for your Mac. No subscription. The app is delivered digitally and unlocks right after payment.
30 days free
trial
€9.99
Intro price until January 1, then €14.99. Prices include VAT. One-time purchase after your trial ends.
- 30 days free, no card required to start
- Automatic language detection
- Local transcription on your Mac
- Direct insertion without clipboard takeover
- Selectable local models
Free for 30 days. For Macs with an M1 chip or later (Apple menu → About This Mac, "Chip: Apple M…"). macOS 14 or newer.
Have an Intel Mac? Think twice. SpeakLocal is built for Apple Silicon. On an Intel Mac the speech models run without the Neural Engine, so dictation is much slower, especially with the larger models. There is a separate Intel version, but we do not recommend it. Try the 30 days free before you buy.
Download the Intel version (slower) ↓One license per Mac, delivered digitally. 14-day right of withdrawal applies; see the terms.
FAQ
Plain answers before you install.
Does SpeakLocal translate what I say?
No. It transcribes. If you speak one language, it writes that language. If you switch languages, it follows along.
Does it send recordings to a server?
No. The transcription models run locally on your Mac.
Why does it need Accessibility permission?
That is how SpeakLocal can insert text directly into the active field in other Mac apps.
Why is SpeakLocal not in the Mac App Store?
Because of how it works. SpeakLocal types your text straight into the field you are working in, in any other app, without touching your clipboard. macOS only allows that through its Accessibility interface, and apps in the Mac App Store have to run in a sandbox that does not allow it. The alternatives are pasting through the clipboard, which would overwrite what you copied, or typing keystrokes blindly, which goes wrong when the wrong window has focus. We chose not to do either.
You download SpeakLocal from this site instead. The app is signed with our Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so macOS verifies it before it opens. Updates arrive inside the app.
What Mac do I need?
SpeakLocal is built for Apple Silicon Macs (M1 or later) running macOS 14 or newer. There is a separate download for Intel Macs, but dictation is much slower there, because the models run without the Neural Engine. Choose the Apple Silicon version unless your Mac has an Intel processor (Apple menu → About This Mac).
Found a bug or have a feature request?
Send it over through the bug & feature request form. A few lines on what happened (or what you'd like to see) is usually enough — it goes straight to me.