Pindrop
Local, privacy-first dictation powered by WhisperKit
Overview
Pindrop is a free, open-source menu bar app that converts speech to text entirely on your Mac. Built with Apple's WhisperKit technology, it processes audio locally without sending voice data to external servers. Features include toggle and push-to-talk modes, transcription history with export options, multiple Whisper model sizes from Tiny to Large, and optional OpenAI-compatible API integration for text refinement. A custom dictionary lets you add word replacements for improved accuracy.
Minimum macOS: 14.0 (Sonoma)
Architecture: Apple Silicon
Key Features
- 100% local transcription - voice never leaves your Mac
- Push-to-talk and toggle dictation modes with global hotkeys
- Automatic clipboard copy with optional direct text insertion
- Searchable transcription history with JSON, CSV, and plaintext export
- Multiple Whisper model sizes (Tiny ~75MB to Large ~3GB)
- Optional AI text enhancement via OpenAI-compatible APIs
- Custom dictionary for word replacements and vocabulary
- Native SwiftUI interface designed for macOS
- API keys stored securely in macOS Keychain
- Integrated note-taking with markdown editor
- AI-powered smart titles and auto-tagging for notes
Tags
Pindrop Alternatives
VoiceInk
Open-source local dictation for Apple Silicon Macs
Hex
Press and hold a hotkey to turn your voice into text anywhere on Mac
FreeWhisper
Free open-source Whisper dictation app for macOS
inlaut
Local push-to-talk dictation for the Mac, free and open source