Yap
Yap is a blazing-fast, open-source voice dictation app for macOS that runs entirely on-device, with no cloud, no API keys, and no account needed.
What is Yap?
Yap vs Similar AI Tools
| Pricing Model | Free | Free, Freemium, Free Trial | Free | Free |
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How to use Yap?
- 1Download and install Yap from the website or Homebrew.
- 2Launch Yap – it lives in your menu bar.
- 3Press the default shortcut (⌘⇧D) or your custom key.
- 4Speak clearly; a live preview appears near the bottom of the screen.
- 5Press the shortcut again to paste the transcribed text into the focused app.
Yap Key Features
- On-device transcription via Apple's Speech framework, no network calls
- Global, fully rebindable keyboard shortcut (default ⌘⇧D)
- Live waveform and partial transcript while speaking
- Pastes directly into the active text field of any app
- Local transcript history with search, copy, and delete
- Optional single-modifier triggers (e.g., right shift)
- Launch at login option (off by default)
- No account, no telemetry, no cloud dependencies
Yap Use Cases
- Dictating emails and messages in Slack
- Writing code prompts for AI coding agents
- Taking notes without typing
- Filling out forms or composing documents hands-free
- Transcribing ideas while brainstorming
Yap Pricing & Free Credits
Yap currently operates on a Free model.
This tool is completely free to use
Yap Pros & Cons
Pros
- 100% on-device, ensuring privacy
- Small app size (4 MB) and low memory usage (~60 MB)
- No API keys or accounts required
- Open source (MIT license) for transparency
- Works in any app that accepts keyboard input
Cons
- Requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) and Apple Silicon
- Intel Macs not supported (older versions available but send audio to Apple)
- Limited to system language; no language picker yet
- Accessibility permission must be manually enabled in System Settings
What is Yap best for?
- macOS users seeking a private, offline dictation tool
- Developers and power users who want to dictate code or commands
- Anyone who wants a free, open-source alternative to built-in dictation
Yap FAQ
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Best alternatives AI Tools to Yap
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Wispro is a free Windows app that transforms your voice into polished text, automatically removing filler words and fixing grammar to paste seamlessly into any application.
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Voice-to-text AI that turns speech into clear, polished writing across all apps on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android.