Handy: free, offline push-to-talk dictation
Don’t want to install Handy? Drop the file here.
The first 20 minutes of any recording are transcribed free: a recording up to 20 minutes transcribes in full, a longer one is previewed, and a pack from $6 (500 minutes) transcribes the rest and opens every export, and credits never expire.
Hold a shortcut, speak, release: Handy transcribes locally with Whisper or Parakeet V3 and pastes the words into whatever app has focus. One tool, one job.
Get Handy Official site & pricing
Handy is free, open-source dictation for every desktop OS: push-to-talk, local Whisper or Parakeet V3, text pasted where you type. Over 33,000 GitHub stars.
It deliberately does one thing. Turning a recorded interview or a podcast episode into a transcript with timestamps and an SRT is a different job.
What it is
Handy is a free, MIT-licensed desktop app (Rust and Tauri) for Windows, macOS and Linux. Press a configurable shortcut, speak, and Handy filters silence with Silero VAD, transcribes with your choice of Whisper models (Small, Medium, Turbo, Large, GPU-accelerated where available) or the CPU-friendly Parakeet V3, and pastes the text into the focused app. Nothing goes to the cloud. Install from the website, Homebrew cask, winget or a .deb; command-line flags control a running instance. The latest release is v0.9.8 (3 October 2026).
Watch out for: Dictation only: it pastes what you just said into a text field. It is not built to transcribe existing audio files or produce subtitles.
For recordings, use a file transcriber
Handy types what you say now. For audio that already exists:
- Drop the audio or video file into the box at the top of this page, or paste a link (YouTube, a podcast or RSS feed, Google Drive, Twitch or Kick). Nothing to install and no GPU needed.
- The language is detected automatically and the transcript stays in the language that was spoken (WhipScribe does not translate).
- Read the summary free. A pack from $6 (500 minutes) opens the full transcript and the downloads: TXT, DOCX, SRT, VTT and JSON. Packs are one-time purchases and credits never expire.
- Files can be up to 10 hours or 5 GB per file.
Related: Transcribe large files · SRT generator · SuperWhisper · MacWhisper alternatives · Pricing
Install / use
Go to Handy handy.computerKey specs
What people actually do with Handy-style transcription
The tool is the means. These are the jobs — each one priced at published rates, each one wired up on its own page.
Features
| Speaker diarization | No |
| Word-level timestamps | Not stated |
| Streaming / real-time | Yes |
| Languages supported | — |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
- github.com/cjpais/Handy ↗MIT · Rust · v0.9.8 on 2026-10-03
- handy.computer ↗downloads and project statement
Handy vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Handy | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Open source | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | free | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | No | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | No | Yes |
| Streaming | Yes | No |
| Languages | — | 99 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Handy
Frequently asked about Handy
Is Handy really free?
Yes. Handy is MIT-licensed and free, with sponsors rather than a paid tier. Its stated position is that accessibility tooling should not sit behind a paywall.
Can Handy transcribe an MP3 or a video file?
Handy is built for live dictation through a shortcut, not for transcribing existing files. For a recording, use a file transcriber such as Buzz locally or WhipScribe hosted.
Which models does Handy use?
Whisper Small, Medium, Turbo or Large, with GPU acceleration where available, or Parakeet V3, which is CPU-optimised and detects the language automatically. Silero VAD removes silence first.
How do I install Handy?
Download it from handy.computer or the GitHub releases; on macOS brew install --cask handy, on Windows winget install cjpais.Handy (both community-maintained), on Debian or Ubuntu install the .deb with apt.
What is Handy?
Handy is free, open-source dictation for every desktop OS: push-to-talk, local Whisper or Parakeet V3, text pasted where you type. Over 33,000 GitHub stars.
Does Handy work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Handy runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Handy identify different speakers?
No. Handy does not label speakers; a conversation comes back as one continuous text. If you need speaker labels, that is a separate tool or a different service.
Can Handy transcribe live audio?
Yes — Handy supports streaming / live input, not just finished files.
Is Handy HIPAA compliant?
Handy does not claim HIPAA compliance. For PHI, run it on infrastructure you control or choose a service that will sign a BAA.
What are the limitations of Handy?
Dictation only: it pastes what you just said into a text field. It is not built to transcribe existing audio files or produce subtitles.
Who is Handy best for?
Anyone who wants free, private dictation on Windows, macOS or Linux, including accessibility use.
What should I know before choosing Handy?
It deliberately does one thing. Turning a recorded interview or a podcast episode into a transcript with timestamps and an SRT is a different job.
Does Handy run offline?
Handy runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use Handy in the browser?
No — Handy is a Windows, macOS and Linux application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the Handy source code?
On GitHub at github.com/cjpais/Handy. It is maintained by cjpais.
Whipscribe is a hosted transcription service. If you want transcripts without running infrastructure, paste a URL or drop a file in the form below — you'll have a transcript in seconds.
Transcribe your recordings
Running Handy yourself? Send the same file here and compare the transcript. Transcribe any language, any recording · Transcription services from $0.29 an hour · Transcribe from any meeting or recording platform · How to transcribe, step by step
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Have the recording already?
Skip the setup and send the file or the link: see transcribing a long MP3 or M4A, transcribing a podcast episode and the SRT generator.
Looking at paid options?
Before you choose a transcription tool or service: see the best transcription services side by side, cheap transcription services and the real cost per hour and transcription services from $6.