Short answer: FluidVoice is free and open source, runs locally by default on Mac, now records meetings, and lists Windows and iPhone as beta. Voice Keyboard Pro is a paid subscription, but it ships an iPhone keyboard today and runs on macOS 14 or later. FluidVoice costs nothing; ours costs $4.99 a month on our site.
FluidVoice is free, open-source Mac dictation that runs locally by default. A common reason to look for a FluidVoice alternative is the iPhone: its iPhone app is still a TestFlight beta. We make Voice Keyboard Pro, so we have a stake here. Every fact about FluidVoice below comes from fluidvoice.com and its GitHub page, checked in October 2026. One thing first: FluidVoice costs nothing and ours is a subscription, so if price is the whole question, FluidVoice wins.
What FluidVoice does well
- It's free. The site says "FluidVoice is completely free and open source" with "Free Forever, no tiers". The source is on GitHub under GPLv3 from February 23, 2026. Earlier versions were Apache 2.0.
- Local by default. Per the site, "By default, your audio and dictated text are processed locally". Optional cloud AI providers send content to that provider if you choose them.
- One hotkey. The site's description is "Hold one hotkey and talk normally", and it types into any text field. Its README also describes a hands-free style of dictation that your shortcut starts and finishes.
- Modes. Write Mode, Command Mode and Direct Dictation. Command Mode controls your Mac by voice, such as launching apps and running shortcuts, which Voice Keyboard Pro doesn't do.
- Meetings and files, on the Mac. FluidMeet, which FluidVoice calls its meeting memory, records meetings locally with live captions and speaker labels, and version 1.6.12 added summaries and Markdown export. An earlier release added speaker labels for transcribing audio files.
- More languages. It lists 40+ languages across its models. Ours is 19.
- Active development. GitHub shows v1.6.12 released on October 22, 2026, and a beta build on October 25.
One caveat the project states itself: Fluid Intelligence, its on-device cleanup runtime, is "a separate, privately maintained local AI runtime", so not every part is open.
Why people look for a FluidVoice alternative
1. iPhone is still a beta
Its site says "Windows is in beta, and the iPhone beta is available through TestFlight". The iPhone signup gives you a TestFlight invitation after you complete a form, and the site notes that features vary by platform. If you want to dictate on your phone today without a beta invite, that's a gap.
2. macOS 15 or later
The site lists macOS 15.0 Sequoia or later. If your Mac runs an older version, it won't install. Ours needs macOS 14 or later.
3. Intel Macs get a narrower version
FluidVoice supports Intel Macs, and its FAQ says it does that through one family of its speech models rather than the full lineup. Its FluidMeet announcement says meetings run on Apple silicon Macs (M1 or later). So on an Intel Mac you get dictation from a smaller set of speech models, and the meeting feature isn't listed for you.
What to look for in an alternative
- A shipping iPhone keyboard, not a beta.
- The oldest macOS you need to support.
- Whether you want local-only processing or a cloud option.
- Meeting notes on the devices you use, and transcripts of existing files.
- How much you want to configure.
- Cost, including the cost of your time.
Voice Keyboard Pro
On Mac it's a menu bar app. You hold a key you choose (Left Control by default), speak, let go, and the text is typed at your cursor. It listens only while the key is held, and there's no hands-free or toggle mode on Mac. Offline Mode runs transcription entirely on the Mac on Apple silicon Macs. Intel Macs use the cloud. It runs on macOS 14 or later.
On iPhone and iPad it's a full keyboard with a microphone built in: tap Speak, talk, tap Stop. You add it in Settings and turn on Allow Full Access (see our Full Access guide). iOS doesn't let keyboards use the microphone directly, so tapping Speak may briefly open the app to start a listening session. It isn't offline on iPhone. Our guide to iPhone voice keyboards compares the options.
It records live meetings on Mac and iPhone, giving a transcript with speakers labeled Speaker A, B, plus a summary, decisions and action items. It doesn't import existing audio files. Smart Rewrite tidies punctuation and tone and can be turned off. It has a personal vocabulary, voice snippets, and AI commands on selected text.
It's a subscription, with no free tier. On our website it's $4.99 a month (the monthly plan starts with a 3-day free trial), $34.99 a year, or $1.99 a week. Every plan has the same features, you can cancel anytime, and there's a 14-day refund. In-app prices on the App Store are different.
If you want to compare other open-source apps, see our Handy comparison, the Whispering comparison and the Mac dictation roundup. Offline use is covered in offline voice to text on Mac.
Head to head
| What | FluidVoice | Voice Keyboard Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | No charge, open source | $4.99/month, $34.99/year |
| Mac requirement | macOS 15.0+, Apple silicon or Intel | macOS 14+, Apple silicon or Intel |
| iPhone | Beta via TestFlight | Shipping keyboard (iOS 17+) |
| Starting dictation | Hold one hotkey | Hold a key; tap Speak on iPhone |
| Processing | Local by default, optional cloud | Offline on Apple silicon Macs; cloud otherwise |
| Languages | 40+, depends on model | 19, auto-detected |
| Voice control of the Mac | Command Mode | Not offered |
| Meeting notes | FluidMeet, local, Apple silicon Macs | Mac and iPhone, live recording |
| Existing audio files | File transcription | Not supported |
FluidVoice cells are from fluidvoice.com and its GitHub releases in October 2026. Our prices are as listed on our website.
When FluidVoice is the better pick
Stick with FluidVoice if cost is the main concern, if you like open code you can read, or if you want everything processed on your Mac by default, meetings included. It's also the better choice if you want Command Mode, transcripts of audio files you already have, languages beyond our 19, or if you're comfortable with an iPhone beta. It's actively released, and for a Mac-only user on Apple silicon it covers a lot at no cost.
Choose Voice Keyboard Pro if:
- you want an iPhone keyboard that ships today, on the same account as your Mac,
- your Mac runs macOS 14,
- you want meeting transcripts and summaries on your iPhone as well as your Mac.
Privacy and where your audio goes
FluidVoice's privacy story is local first. Its site says audio and dictated text are processed locally by default, and its README says voice, audio and transcribed text aren't collected. The README also says detailed anonymous analytics are on by default and can be turned off in settings, after which only a weekly batch of anonymous daily activity signals is sent. If you pick a cloud AI provider, your content goes to that provider, and the site says so.
Voice Keyboard Pro's cloud mode sends audio to the transcription provider over an encrypted connection, where it's turned into text and thrown away. Recordings are never kept and your history stays on your device. If you want nothing to leave the Mac, Offline Mode on Apple silicon Macs does that. On iPhone and on Intel Macs, transcription uses the cloud, so a strictly local-only rule is a point for FluidVoice.
What the first week looks like
With FluidVoice you install it from the download or with Homebrew, give it microphone and accessibility permissions, and pick a hotkey. From there you can choose among many speech models and cleanup options, which is the appeal for people who like to tune things. Its README says the core experience works with zero configuration beyond permissions and a hotkey, so you can also skip the choices.
With ours you download the app, sign in, choose the hold key if you don't want Left Control, and talk. On iPhone you add the keyboard, turn on Allow Full Access, and tap Speak. A personal vocabulary holds names and jargon, and it learns terms it sees on your screen. Neither route is hard. The difference is how much is left for you to decide.
In Terminal and code editors, Voice Keyboard Pro keeps commands literal, with no capital letter and no closing period, and it formats prose such as an instruction to an AI assistant as normal sentences. Nothing is sent until you press Return yourself. FluidVoice's site shows a similar developer use, with dictated prompts going into a coding tool, so both aim at that crowd.
A note on sharing one account across devices
One Pro plan covers Mac and iPhone, and you sign in with the same account on both. FluidVoice's pages describe separate platform builds, each at its own stage, with Linux and Android on a waitlist. If you move between a Mac and an iPhone through the day, one plan across both is simpler while FluidVoice's iPhone app is in beta. If you only ever dictate on a Mac, this point doesn't apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is FluidVoice really free?
Yes, per its site: "completely free and open source", with no tiers. The site has a sponsorship link. Be careful with copycats, since the site warns that fluidvoice.org is not official.
Does FluidVoice work on iPhone?
Its site calls the iPhone version a beta available through TestFlight. Voice Keyboard Pro's iPhone keyboard is available on the App Store.
Does FluidVoice do meeting notes?
Yes, on Apple silicon Macs. FluidMeet records meetings locally with speaker labels, and its October 22, 2026 release added summaries that run on the Mac or with your own AI provider.
Does FluidVoice work offline?
Its FAQ says it's local-first and uses local speech models for dictation. Optional AI enhancement can use providers you configure.
Can Voice Keyboard Pro control my Mac by voice?
No. It types what you say and has spoken controls like "new line" and "delete that". For voice control of apps, see FluidVoice's Command Mode or Apple's Voice Control.
The bottom line
FluidVoice is a strong free choice for Mac, with local processing, open code and now local meeting notes. The reasons to look elsewhere are narrow: an iPhone keyboard that isn't in beta, support for macOS 14, and one plan across Mac and iPhone. If those matter, Voice Keyboard Pro is the paid option. If they don't, there's no reason to pay.
One plan covers the Mac app and the iPhone keyboard, and there's a 14-day refund if it isn't for you.
3-day free trial on the monthly plan · Apple Silicon & Intel
