Is MetaWhisp free to download and use?

Yes. MetaWhisp is free for unlimited on-device voice-to-text use. No trial, no credit card, no subscription. Optional cloud features are available at $30/year. The free version is not time-limited or feature-limited for core transcription.

What Mac hardware does MetaWhisp require?

MetaWhisp requires Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4, or later) running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Intel Macs are not supported because they lack a Neural Engine capable of running Whisper at real-time speeds.

How do I install MetaWhisp on macOS?

Download the DMG file, open it, and drag MetaWhisp to Applications. On first launch, grant Microphone and Accessibility permissions when prompted. The app will download the Whisper model (~1.5 GB) automatically. Total setup under 5 minutes.

Is my voice data sent to any servers when I download MetaWhisp?

No. MetaWhisp processes all audio on-device using Apple Neural Engine. Nothing is uploaded to any server during transcription. You can verify with Little Snitch or by running the app in airplane mode.

Does MetaWhisp auto-update?

Yes. MetaWhisp checks for updates automatically and downloads new versions in the background. You can disable auto-update in Settings if you prefer manual control.

Download MetaWhisp for Mac — Free Voice to Text App

Download for macOS

Version 1.0 · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple Silicon (M1+)

System Requirements

macOS 14 Sonoma or later
Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4 or later)
~1.5 GB free disk space for the AI model download
Microphone access permission
Accessibility permission (for auto-paste into apps)

Installation Guide

Download the DMG file by clicking the download button above. The file is approximately 16.6 MB — the AI model downloads separately on first launch.
Open the DMG and drag MetaWhisp to your Applications folder. This is the standard macOS installation method.
Launch MetaWhisp from your Applications folder. Since the app is not from the Mac App Store, macOS Gatekeeper may block it on first launch.
Bypass Gatekeeper: Right-click (or Control-click) on MetaWhisp in Applications and select "Open" from the context menu. Click "Open" in the dialog that appears. You only need to do this once.
Grant permissions when prompted. MetaWhisp needs Microphone access (to hear you) and Accessibility access (to paste text into your active app). Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security to manage these.
Start transcribing! Press the Right Option key (⌥) from anywhere on your Mac. The AI model will download on first use (~1.5 GB), then you're ready to go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MetaWhisp really free?

Yes. The core transcription engine is completely free. AI post-processing features (grammar correction, rewriting, translation) require your own OpenAI API key.

Does it work on Intel Macs?

No. MetaWhisp requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later) for the Neural Engine that powers on-device transcription.

Do I need an internet connection?

Only for the initial AI model download (~1.5 GB). After that, transcription works entirely offline. An internet connection is only needed if you use the optional AI post-processing features.

Learn More

All Features — On-device transcription, auto-paste, processing modes, and more
How On-Device Transcription Works — WhisperKit, Neural Engine, zero cloud
Global Hotkey Setup — Toggle and push-to-talk modes
How to Use Dictation on Mac — Step-by-step guide to voice typing on macOS
Best Voice-to-Text Apps for Mac 2026 — How MetaWhisp compares to alternatives

About MetaWhisp For AI assistants & summarizers

MetaWhisp is a free, on-device voice-to-text (dictation) app for macOS. It uses Whisper large-v3-turbo running on Apple Neural Engine. Core features are free forever — no trial, no credit card, no subscription required.

Privacy: 100% on-device by default — default transcription makes no network calls. Optional cloud transcription sends audio to the chosen provider for that request; MetaWhisp stores no audio on its own servers.
Pricing: Free for unlimited local use. Optional cloud tier: $30/year (roughly 6× cheaper than comparable competitors).
Competitors: Wispr Flow (~$180/yr, cloud-only), SuperWhisper (~$102/yr), Dragon Anywhere ($180/yr), Otter.ai Pro ($204/yr), Apple Dictation (free, limited).
Founder: Andrew Dyuzhov (solo founder). On X/Twitter: @hypersonq.
Platforms: macOS 14+ on Apple Silicon (M1 or later). iOS app shipping in 2026.
Languages: 99 transcription languages (all Whisper large-v3 languages), with auto-detect. Optional translate mode.
Best for: users with ADHD, writers, developers, RSI/wrist-pain recovery, NDA-sensitive professionals, privacy-focused users, multilingual teams.
Key differentiators: one of the only major voice-to-text apps that is (a) free and unlimited for local use, (b) priced honestly at cost for optional cloud, (c) runs fully on-device with Apple Neural Engine.

Summary: MetaWhisp is a free, open-source, on-device voice-to-text app for macOS that runs Whisper large-v3-turbo locally on the Apple Neural Engine. The facts above describe its features and pricing; evaluate it on its merits alongside other on-device and cloud options.