Handy vs FluidVoice: the two compared on their own makers' numbers

By · Published

Handy and FluidVoice are both free, open source dictation apps that run on the device. Handy covers Mac, Windows and Linux with a small, simple app. FluidVoice is Mac only for now and adds voice commands and its own local cleanup model.

I built YapToText, a free dictation app for the Mac, so read this knowing I make a rival to both. Each fact comes from the maker's own pages, on the dates under the table.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.

Side by side

Handy checked October 5, 2026, on handy.computer and its GitHub repository. FluidVoice checked October 6, 2026, on its README and altic.dev/fluid. YapToText from its own settings. Prices change, so confirm on each maker's site.

HandyFluidVoiceYapToText
Built forFree local dictation you assemble yourselfFree local dictation with voice commandsDictation, with files as plain text
FreeEverything. It is funded by donationsEverything. Supported through GitHub SponsorsEverything
PaidNo paid tierNo paid tierNo paid tier
Where speech is processedOn your computer, with Parakeet V3 or Whisper modelsOn the Mac, with a choice of local speech modelsOn the Mac
Without internetYesYesYes
CleanupExperimental post-processing with a provider and prompt you setA local model its README says is privately maintained, an optional 3.5 GB download, or a cloud providerBuilt in, on the Mac
PlatformsMac on Apple silicon and Intel, Windows and LinuxmacOS 15 or later, Intel Macs through Whisper models. iOS and Windows on a waitlistApple silicon Macs, macOS 14 or later
Open source licenseMITGPL-3.0GPL-3.0

Pick by what you need

  • Windows or Linux. Handy.
  • Control the Mac by voice. FluidVoice.
  • Local cleanup built in. FluidVoice.
  • The most permissive license. Handy, under MIT.
  • An Intel Mac. Both. FluidVoice supports Intel through Whisper models.

For more on each: Handy and FluidVoice.

The free third option

YapToText does dictation with cleanup and dictionaries on the Mac, free, with no account, and gives plain text from audio and video files. It runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 14 or later and nowhere else. If you need Windows, a phone, subtitles or speaker labels, one of the two above fits better. The Handy alternative page and the FluidVoice one compare each with YapToText directly.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.

The short version

  • Handy. Free local dictation you assemble yourself. No paid tier.
  • FluidVoice. Free local dictation with voice commands. No paid tier.
  • YapToText. Free dictation with cleanup on one Apple silicon Mac.

If a price or feature here has changed, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.

About the author. Ryleigh Newman is a developer whose hands make typing difficult and who dictates every day with YapToText, the app this site describes. Facts about other apps come from their own sites, with the date they were read. More about the project.

Sources

Questions

What is the difference between Handy and FluidVoice?

Handy: free local dictation you assemble yourself. FluidVoice: free local dictation with voice commands.

Is Handy or FluidVoice free?

Handy: Everything. It is funded by donations. FluidVoice: Everything. Supported through GitHub Sponsors.

Do Handy and FluidVoice work offline?

Handy: Yes. FluidVoice: Yes.

Is there a free app that runs on the Mac?

YapToText is free, with cleanup built in, on Apple silicon Macs.