Dictate / Handy vs Dictate
A Handy alternative for Mac: Handy vs Dictate
Handy is free, open source and runs entirely on your computer. It's the honest first thing to try. Dictate is a paid Mac app for people who want the same idea with less to set up. We make Dictate, so here is the comparison as fairly as we can draw it.
Apple Silicon Mac · macOS 14 Sonoma or later
Side by side
As of October 2026, from each product's published information.
| Dictate | Handy | |
|---|---|---|
| Where speech is processed | On your Mac (NVIDIA Parakeet, Neural Engine) | Local models on your computer |
| Works without internet | Yes | Yes |
| Speech model | One, chosen for you | Whisper or Parakeet V3, your choice |
| How you talk | Hold any key, speak, release | Hold a shortcut, or press to start and stop |
| Price | $49 once, lifetime license, no subscription | Free, open source (MIT) |
| Platforms | Mac (Apple Silicon) | Mac, Windows, Linux |
Why people look for a Handy alternative
Handy proves that good local dictation can be free. Most people who move on aren't unhappy with its transcription; they want the parts around it to need less attention.
Nothing to choose
Handy offers several Whisper models and Parakeet V3, and picking well takes a little reading. Dictate ships one model, set up for you, so the first thing you do is talk.
A key that fits each keyboard
Dictate's activation key can be any key, Right Option by default, and each keyboard you plug in can have its own. A laptop keyboard and an external one can each use the key that falls under your thumb.
Names it keeps getting wrong
Add a substitution once ("cooper netties" → "Kubernetes") and Dictate applies it every time after.
Updates and someone to email
Dictate updates itself with signed releases. If something breaks, you email us and a person answers. That's most of what the price pays for.
When Handy is the better choice
- You don't want to pay for dictation. Handy is free, and good.
- You use Windows or Linux, or several operating systems.
- You want open-source code under the MIT licence that you can read and change.
- You like choosing and comparing speech models.
- You dictate in a language outside Dictate's 21, or one written in a non-Latin script.
- You have an Intel Mac. Dictate needs Apple Silicon.
If you're on an Apple Silicon Mac and want dictation you never have to think about, Dictate is worth the trial.
Comparing paid local apps? See VoiceInk vs Dictate, or every option in local speech to text on Mac.
Questions
Is Handy really free?
Yes. Handy is free and open source under the MIT licence, and it transcribes on your computer with no cloud. It runs on Mac, Windows, Linux.
Why pay for Dictate when Handy is free?
Pay only if the details matter to you. Dictate gives you one model chosen for you, an activation key per keyboard, word substitutions, updates that install themselves, and a person to email at support@offlinedictation.app. If Handy already does what you need, keep using it.
Do Handy and Dictate use the same speech model?
They can. Handy lets you choose between Whisper models and Parakeet V3; Dictate always uses Parakeet TDT v3, in a post-trained version, on the Neural Engine. The model family is shared, so judge the two apps on how they fit your day.
Does Dictate run on Windows or Linux like Handy?
No. Dictate needs an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 Sonoma or later. If you dictate on Windows or Linux, Handy is the one to use.