VoiceInk vs Handy: the two compared on their own makers' numbers
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
VoiceInk and Handy are both open source dictation apps that can run on your computer. VoiceInk is a polished Mac app sold as a ready-built copy. Handy is free on Mac, Windows and Linux, and leaves more of the setup to you.
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.
This 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
VoiceInk checked October 5 and 10, 2026, on tryvoiceink.com and its docs. 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.
| VoiceInk | Handy | YapToText | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Dictation, organized into Modes | Free local dictation you assemble yourself | Dictation, with files as plain text |
| Free | A 7-day trial, or build the GPL v3 source yourself | Everything. It is funded by donations | Everything |
| Paid | Once: $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three, $159 for ten | No paid tier | No paid tier |
| Where speech is processed | A local model on the Mac, or a cloud provider you connect | On your computer, with Parakeet V3 or Whisper models | On the Mac |
| Without internet | Yes, with a local model | Yes | Yes |
| Cleanup | AI enhancement with your provider, or VoiceInk Refine on the Mac with 16 GB | Experimental post-processing with a provider and prompt you set | Built in, on the Mac |
| Platforms | Apple silicon Macs, macOS 15 or later. A separately licensed iPhone and iPad app | Mac on Apple silicon and Intel, Windows and Linux | Apple silicon Macs, macOS 14 or later |
| Open source license | GPL v3 | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
Pick by what you need
- Free. Handy.
- Windows, Linux or an Intel Mac. Handy.
- Modes, a dictionary and local cleanup in one app. VoiceInk.
- The most permissive license. Handy, under MIT.
For more on each: VoiceInk 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 VoiceInk alternative page and the Handy one compare each with YapToText directly.
This 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
- VoiceInk. Dictation, organized into Modes. Once: $25 for one Mac, $39 for two, $49 for three, $159 for ten.
- 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.
This 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.
Related
Sources
- https://tryvoiceink.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-05)
- https://tryvoiceink.com (checked 2026-10-06)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/installation (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/license-management (checked 2026-10-05)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/ios (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/privacy (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/voiceink-refine (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/recommended-models (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/transcription-history (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/introduction (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/cloud-providers (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://github.com/Beingpax/VoiceInk (checked 2026-10-03)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-11)
Questions
What is the difference between VoiceInk and Handy?
VoiceInk: dictation, organized into modes. Handy: free local dictation you assemble yourself.
Is VoiceInk or Handy free?
VoiceInk: A 7-day trial, or build the GPL v3 source yourself. Handy: Everything. It is funded by donations.
Do VoiceInk and Handy work offline?
VoiceInk: 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.