Completely FREE Forever access.
Free. Own it outright. No data collected. Why not.
The FREE voice-to-text AI that turns speech into clear, polished writing in every app. 100% private, offline, and faster than typing.
Most dictation tools are deaf to your screen. They guess so you have to fix. Mellon is the best context-aware offline assistant that reads your workspace to spell names and jargon right the first time. Just pure flow.
Mellon lives in your menu bar and works in every text field on your Mac. Just one click, zero copy-pasting required.
Perfect for Developers, Medical Professionals, Notes, Writers, Email Power Users.
With an average of 3,000 words per day, voice dictation saves you over 6 hours per week
Simple Setup. No Cloud or Internet accounts. Just Instant Productivity.
Tap your custom hotkey in any app: Cursor, Slack, or Outlook. Mellon is ready to listen instantly.
Just chat. Processed 100% on-device. Your data never leaves your Mac.
Wow, that was fast.
Text appears exactly where you need it, perfectly formatted.
See how we compare to other voice dictation apps
| Feature | Mellon | VoiceInk | Wispr | Willow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-time Purchase | ||||
| No Subscription | ||||
| Privacy-First (100% Local) | ||||
| Works Offline | ||||
| macOS Native | Partial | |||
| Works with Any App | Limited | Limited | ||
| Medical Accuracy | ||||
| Pricing | Free | One-time | Subscription | Subscription |
Standard AI fails on technical jargon. Mellon thrives on it. Extend your recognition with pre-built and custom vocabulary.
Preloaded clinical terminology for healthcare workflows
Privacy-first design means your words never leave your Mac.
Everything happens locally on your Mac. Zero data collection. Complete privacy.
No internet required. Your dictation works anywhere, anytime, without connectivity.
Customize shortcuts, languages, and behavior. Built for everyone, from students to professionals.
Free. Own it outright. No data collected. Why not.
Mellon is one of the best dictation apps for Mac—and it's free. It runs 100% locally on your Mac (no cloud), works in every app, reaches 150+ WPM, and requires no subscription. For the best free speech-to-text and voice typing software that respects your privacy, Mellon is a top choice.
Mellon is the best free dictation software for Mac. Unlike many "free" options that send your voice to the cloud or limit usage, Mellon processes everything on your Mac. No account, no subscription, no data collection. It's free speech-to-text that works offline in any app.
Compared to Wispr, VoiceInk, MacWhisper, and Apple's built-in dictation, Mellon stands out for being free, fully local (your voice never leaves your Mac), and universal—it works in every text field. No cloud processing, no subscription. See our dictation app comparison for details.
Yes. Mellon is a free speech-to-text app for Mac that runs entirely on your device. No signup, no payment, no limits. Your voice stays on your Mac—we never collect or process it on our servers. It works offline and in every app you use.
We believe everyone deserves access to fast, private voice-to-text. Mellon runs entirely on your Mac—no cloud, no subscriptions, no data collection. We're building tools we want to exist in the world, and making them free is part of that vision.
If Mellon has been useful to you, we'd love your support! You can donate via our website. Every contribution helps us with maintenance costs and improving Mellon. It's completely optional and never required.
Mellon works on macOS 12 (Monterey) and newer. We recommend running the latest macOS version for the best experience.
Apple's dictation sends your voice to their servers. Mellon processes everything locally on your Mac—faster, more private, and works offline. Mellon also offers better accuracy, custom shortcuts, and works universally across all apps. It's the best dictation app for Mac users who want privacy and speed.
Currently, Mellon supports English with high accuracy. We're working on adding support for Spanish, French, and German in future updates.
When Daniel, a practicing optometrist, couldn’t type patient notes while holding his newborn, he teamed up with his brother Xavier, a privacy-focused software engineer, to build the dictation tool they wished existed.
Co-founder & Optometrist
Needed to document “blepharitis” and "meibomian glands" without fighting autocorrect. Now he uses it for more than just patient reports. Emails, prompting, and coding are now part of his everyday mellon workflow.
Co-founder & Software Engineer
A software engineer obsessed with building accessible tools that hopefully change your life.
"We use Mellon every single day. If it doesn't transform how you work, we'll make it right."