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

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OpenWhispr and Handy are both MIT-licensed dictation apps for Mac, Windows and Linux. Handy is free and does one thing. OpenWhispr adds meeting notes, a writing assistant and paid plans for sync and more hours.

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

OpenWhispr checked October 3 and 5, 2026, on openwhispr.com, its docs and GitHub repository. Handy checked October 5, 2026, on handy.computer and its GitHub repository. YapToText from its own settings. Prices change, so confirm on each maker's site.

OpenWhisprHandyYapToText
Built forOpen source dictation with meeting notesFree local dictation you assemble yourselfDictation, with files as plain text
FreeLocal dictation, and 5 hours of meetings a monthEverything. It is funded by donationsEverything
PaidPro $8 a month or $80 a yearNo paid tierNo paid tier
Where speech is processedOn your computer with a local model, or its cloud or your own keyOn your computer, with Parakeet V3 or Whisper modelsOn the Mac
Without internetYes, with a local modelYesYes
CleanupA writing assistant, with local models or the cloudExperimental post-processing with a provider and prompt you setBuilt in, on the Mac
PlatformsMac with macOS 12 or later, Intel included, Windows and Linux. iPhone and iPad on ProMac on Apple silicon and Intel, Windows and LinuxApple silicon Macs, macOS 14 or later
Open source licenseMITMITGPL-3.0

Pick by what you need

  • Entirely free. Handy.
  • Meeting notes. OpenWhispr.
  • iPhone and iPad. OpenWhispr Pro.
  • Smallest and simplest. Handy.
  • A cloud option when you want it. OpenWhispr.

For more on each: OpenWhispr and Handy.

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 OpenWhispr alternative page and the Handy 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

  • OpenWhispr. Open source dictation with meeting notes. Pro $8 a month or $80 a year.
  • Handy. Free local dictation you assemble yourself. 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 OpenWhispr and Handy?

OpenWhispr: open source dictation with meeting notes. Handy: free local dictation you assemble yourself.

Is OpenWhispr or Handy free?

OpenWhispr: Local dictation, and 5 hours of meetings a month. Handy: Everything. It is funded by donations.

Do OpenWhispr and Handy work offline?

OpenWhispr: Yes, with a local model. Handy: Yes.

Is there a free app that runs on the Mac?

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