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The FluidVoice Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about FluidVoice in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

FluidVoice

The Insider’s Guide

Free, open-source on-device dictation for macOS

FluidVoice, as pictured on altic.dev

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among voice dictation apps, read from FluidVoice’s own pages.

Made by Altic · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.0GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from FluidVoice’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on FluidVoice’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.0

GPA, above 20 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade

FluidVoice is a free voice-to-text app for macOS that transcribes speech with models running on the Mac and types the result into any app. An optional local AI runtime, Fluid Intelligence, cleans up and formats the text without a cloud service, and cloud AI providers can be added with your own API key instead. The app is open source under the GPLv3, and iPhone and Windows versions are listed as coming soon.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about FluidVoice, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No store rating on record, but one global hotkey is the whole interface.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for free dictation that stays on your Mac

    FluidVoice is free, open-source dictation for the Mac: hold a hotkey, talk, and the text is typed into whatever app you're in, with speech worked out on the Mac.

  2. 2

    It is free

    FluidVoice has no paid plan at all. Completely free and open source under the GPLv3, with no paid tiers. The optional Fluid Intelligence runtime is also free but is not open source.

  3. 3

    It runs on macOS

    macOS.

  4. 4

    System-wide dictation

    Hold one global hotkey and speak, and the text is typed into any text field through macOS accessibility APIs. A live preview overlay shows words as they are recognized.

  5. 5

    On-device speech models

    Nemotron Speech 3.5, Parakeet, Cohere Transcribe, Apple Speech and Whisper models run locally. Language coverage depends on the model, from English only up to 99 languages with Whisper.

  6. 6

    Fluid Intelligence

    An optional local AI runtime, about a 3.5 GB download, runs the Fluid-1 model to strip filler, fix capitalization and format text with no cloud service or API key.

  7. 7

    A 3.0 GPA, above 20 of 27

    That is against the other voice dictation apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    FluidVoice is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

FluidVoice at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS
Made by
Altic
Category
Voice Dictation
Our grade
3.0 GPA, very good

The report card

Best for free dictation that stays on your Mac

FluidVoice is free, open-source dictation for the Mac: hold a hotkey, talk, and the text is typed into whatever app you're in, with speech worked out on the Mac. But it's Mac only on macOS 15 or later, Intel Macs get only two speech models, the AI clean-up is a separate 3.5 GB download that isn't open source, and iPhone and Windows are still a waitlist.

ToolGPA report cardFluidVoiceGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyANothing to pay and no paid tier exists, against a category whose middle plan is $8.33 a month. Every speech model and the Fluid Intelligence runtime are included; sponsoring on GitHub is optional.
Free plan and trialAFree and open source under the GPLv3 with no cap and nothing held back. The one footnote is that the Fluid Intelligence runtime, though free, isn't part of the open-source code.
FeaturesBSystem-wide dictation with a live preview, five families of on-device speech model up to 99 languages, local AI that strips filler and fixes formatting, Write Mode for rewrites, Command Mode for launching things, and prompts that change per app. No gap in the core job.
Ease of useBNo store rating on record, but one global hotkey is the whole interface. The AI clean-up is a separate 3.5 GB download, and Intel Macs are held to the Whisper and Apple Speech models.
Platforms and integrationsDOne operating system, macOS 15.0 or later, with iPhone and Windows versions only on a waitlist. You can point the clean-up step at OpenAI or Groq with your own API key, and that's the extent of it.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.0

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who FluidVoice is for

  • Fits if you want free dictation on a Mac and don't want your voice sent anywhere
  • Works for developers talking prompts into a terminal or code editor on macOS 15 or later

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you're on Windows or want it on your iPhone today, as both are still on a waitlist
  • Not for you if your Mac is on something older than macOS 15.0
  • Tight if you have an Intel Mac, because you're limited to the Whisper and Apple Speech models
  • Watch out: the Fluid Intelligence runtime is a 3.5 GB download and isn't part of the open-source code
  • Watch out: picking OpenAI, Groq or another cloud provider for clean-up sends your text off the Mac

Good to know

Good for

  • Mac users who want free dictation that stays on the device
  • AI text cleanup without a cloud account or API key
  • Developers dictating prompts into terminals and code editors

Worth knowing

  • Mac only for now: iPhone and Windows versions are listed as coming soon, with a waitlist.
  • It requires macOS 15.0 or later, and Intel Macs are limited to the Whisper and Apple Speech models.
  • Fluid Intelligence is a separate, privately maintained runtime and is not part of the open-source code.
  • Choosing OpenAI, Groq or another cloud provider for enhancement sends text off the Mac.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

FluidVoice is free to use.

Every speech model and the Fluid Intelligence runtime are included; sponsoring on GitHub is optional.
From our grade for value for money

  • FluidVoice

    $0

    The full Mac app with every speech model, Write and Command modes and optional Fluid Intelligence. GitHub Sponsors support is optional.

The free plan

Completely free and open source under the GPLv3, with no paid tiers. The optional Fluid Intelligence runtime is also free but is not open source.

Read from altic.dev on Oct 5, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: macOS

Free, open-source on-device dictation for macOS. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, AI features, dictation.

You can point the clean-up step at OpenAI or Groq with your own API key, and that's the extent of it.
From our grade for platforms and integrations
System-wide dictation
Hold one global hotkey and speak, and the text is typed into any text field through macOS accessibility APIs. A live preview overlay shows words as they are recognized.
On-device speech models
Nemotron Speech 3.5, Parakeet, Cohere Transcribe, Apple Speech and Whisper models run locally. Language coverage depends on the model, from English only up to 99 languages with Whisper.
Fluid Intelligence
An optional local AI runtime, about a 3.5 GB download, runs the Fluid-1 model to strip filler, fix capitalization and format text with no cloud service or API key.
Write Mode and Command Mode
Write Mode drafts new text or rewrites a selection in any text field. Command Mode launches apps, runs shortcuts and triggers system actions by voice.
Per-app prompts
Assign different prompt sets to different apps so the tone follows the context, for example casual in Slack and formal in Mail.
Optional cloud AI enhancement
Post-processing can instead use OpenAI, Groq or a custom provider with your own API key, which is stored in the macOS Keychain.

Where it runs

  • macOS

What it works with

  • OpenAI
  • Groq

FluidVoice is made by Altic.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

20/27

Other voice dictation apps it is graded above

FluidVoice's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 20 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade, and level with 5.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 16 of 27) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).

FluidVoice has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 28 voice dictation apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. FluidVoice’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 15 of 27
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 16 of 27
  • BFeaturesAbove 11 of 27
  • BEase of useAbove 7 of 27
  • DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 27

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 22 voice dictation apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. FluidVoice is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessFluidVoiceLetterlyTypeWhisperHandy

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

FluidVoice is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 20 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade.

What you could not

  • Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
  • A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. FluidVoice’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

VoiceInk, Handy, Superwhisper, Wispr Flow and MacWhisper

The 5 tools FluidVoice is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.8GPA

    VoiceInk

    Free trial · from $25 one-time

    Open-source Mac dictation with local models and a one-time price.

    • FluidVoice has a free plan. VoiceInk does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only VoiceInk lists an iOS app.
    • VoiceInk can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    FluidVoice and VoiceInk compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    Handy

    Free

    Free, open-source offline speech-to-text for desktop.

    • Only Handy lists Windows and Linux apps.
    FluidVoice and Handy compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Superwhisper

    Free plan · from $8.49/mo

    Voice-to-text app with offline models and custom AI modes.

    • Only Superwhisper lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
    • FluidVoice is open source, according to its own site.
    • Superwhisper can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    FluidVoice and Superwhisper compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Wispr Flow

    Free plan · from $12/mo

    Voice dictation that cleans up your speech in any app.

    • Only Wispr Flow lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
    • FluidVoice is open source, according to its own site.
    • Wispr Flow also covers meeting notes, transcription and text expansion.
    FluidVoice and Wispr Flow compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    MacWhisper

    Free plan · from €65 one-time

    Mac transcription and dictation app that runs models locally.

    • FluidVoice is open source, according to its own site.
    • MacWhisper can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • MacWhisper also covers transcription.
    FluidVoice and MacWhisper compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

13

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is FluidVoice free?

Yes. FluidVoice is free to use.

How much does FluidVoice cost?

FluidVoice lists one plan. FluidVoice: $0.

What platforms does FluidVoice work on?

FluidVoice is available on macOS.

Does FluidVoice have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. FluidVoice is listed for macOS.

Does FluidVoice have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. FluidVoice is listed for macOS.

Is FluidVoice open source?

Yes. FluidVoice is open source, according to its own site.

Does FluidVoice work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

What does FluidVoice integrate with?

FluidVoice's listing names OpenAI and Groq. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Who makes FluidVoice?

FluidVoice is made by Altic.

What are the alternatives to FluidVoice?

The closest alternatives to FluidVoice in our directory are VoiceInk, Handy, Superwhisper, Wispr Flow and MacWhisper.

How does FluidVoice compare with other voice dictation apps?

FluidVoice's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 20 of the 27 other voice dictation apps we grade, and level with 5.

Is FluidVoice good value for money?

ToolGPA grades FluidVoice A for value for money. FluidVoice has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of FluidVoice?

FluidVoice is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from FluidVoice’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from FluidVoice's own page and its README on GitHub on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-26.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Altic. Prices change, so check altic.dev before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "FluidVoice: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/fluidvoice

Know someone choosing between voice dictation apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/fluidvoice/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded voice dictation apps after FluidVoice, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what FluidVoice’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. FluidVoice is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Altic. Prices and plans change: check altic.dev before you buy.