Meetings & transcription
typewhisper-mac
System-wide voice input for the Mac, with local processing available
★ 1.8k
September 2026
GPL-3.0
Meetings & transcription
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 6 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 31 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found signs that it may no longer be maintained.
Where this sits among the 67 tools we list in Meetings & transcription
- Works without using a terminal45 of 67
- Keeps your data on your own machine34 of 67
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed53 of 67
- Requires an API key54 that do not →
Only 22 of the 67 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Dictate into any application on macOS and have the text appear where you were typing, with the option of running transcription entirely on-device so audio never leaves the machine, or routing to cloud APIs when speed matters more. Transcripts can be passed through saved workflows - tidy the tone, convert to bullets - automatically. Mac only. Check which mode you are in before dictating anything confidential.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineNot required
- API keyRequired
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
typewhisper-mac FAQ
- Is typewhisper-mac free?
- typewhisper-mac itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use typewhisper-mac?
- You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.
- Does typewhisper-mac work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use typewhisper-mac commercially?
- The licence is GPL-3.0. Using it commercially is fine, but if you distribute something built on it you may be required to release that under the same licence. Keep it internal, or check before distributing.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| typewhisper-mac (this page) | Not needed | Required | No | No | Yes |
| whisper-web | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| noScribe | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| whisper-web | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.