Call NanoVoice
Press Control–Command–W from Mail, Notes, Slack, a browser, or any Mac text field.
Speech-to-text for Mac
Speak it,keep moving.
Press a shortcut, speak, and paste text into any Mac app. Dictation runs on your Mac, with optional templates and private meeting notes when you need more structure.
macOS 15+No account requiredDirect download
01 / RecordingsControl · Command · W
Dictate at the cursor, then reopen anything you said.Local by default
The core loop
From a passing thoughtto text where it belongs.
Say the thought
Apple Speech transcribes on the free tier. Lifetime can use local Whisper or Parakeet.
Paste and continue
Press Return to commit. The text lands at your cursor and the recording stays in local history.
Dictation / At the cursorSpeak · Return
Recordings / HistoryControl · Command · R
Beyond raw dictation
Use your voice for more thanone sentence at a time.
02Meeting Mode
Keep your own meeting notes.without adding a bot to the call.
Capture your microphone and this Mac's meeting audio, save the transcript locally, then turn it into a summary and action items.
Meeting Mode is a Lifetime feature. Capture status stays visible in the menu bar.
See meeting transcriptionNanoVoice / Meeting ModeKeyboard first
03Templates
Say the rough version.paste the useful one.
Lifetime templates can reshape a transcript into an email, message, notes, or a custom format with an on-device model, Ollama, or your own cloud key.
Speech transcription stays separate from optional text enhancement. NanoApps does not proxy your audio.
See local-first dictationNanoVoice / TemplatesKeyboard first
The compact promise
Private where it matters. Small where it helps.
- 01
On-device speech
Apple Speech is free. Lifetime adds local Whisper and Parakeet.
- 02
Local history
Dictations and meetings stay in the recordings database on your Mac.
- 03
No account
Download, grant the required macOS permissions, and start speaking.
- 04
Pay once
Lifetime is a one-time upgrade, not a monthly dictation plan.
Compare the tradeoffs
Already usinganother dictation app?
01
NanoVoice vs Wispr Flow
Cloud service · subscription · cross-platform
Choose NanoVoice when local transcription, a Mac-native workflow, and $4.99 once matter more than cross-platform reach.
→02NanoVoice vs superwhisper
Local Whisper · broader model catalog · iOS
Both can keep speech on-device. NanoVoice is the smaller keyboard utility with free Apple Speech and local Meeting Mode.
→Pricing
Start with speech.Pay once for the deeper workflow.
Basic dictation does not need a subscription or an account. Lifetime adds local models and the tools around the transcript.
LicenseFreeLifetime
Price$0
$4.99One time
Speech-to-textApple SpeechApple + local models
Recording historyLatest 3Unlimited
Meeting Mode—Included
TemplatesRaw transcriptBuilt-in + custom
Text enhancement—On-device, Ollama, BYOK
ThemesCleanFull NanoKit set
Before you speak
The practicalquestions.
What are the default keyboard shortcuts?
Dictation toggles with ⌃⌘W (Control+Command+W). Meeting Mode starts/stops with ⌃⌘M (Control+Command+M). The recordings panel opens with ⌃⌘R (Control+Command+R). While recording, ↩ commits and pastes; esc cancels. NanoVoice deliberately avoids ⌘⌥-letter defaults because macOS often intercepts them — you can rebind shortcuts in Settings → Shortcuts.
How does dictation work?
Press ⌃⌘W to start. A small capsule appears near your text cursor with mic levels (and a template picker on Lifetime). Speak, then press Return or ⌃⌘W again to finish. NanoVoice turns your speech into text on your Mac, pastes at your cursor, and saves the recording to history. With Lifetime templates enabled, it can also reshape the transcript before pasting.
Can free users use templates?
No. Free is speech-to-text only — Apple Speech transcribes what you said and pastes it. Templates (Email, Message, Notes, and custom presets) are Lifetime features that reshape the transcript into structured markdown. The free "Transcript" template is a lightly cleaned passthrough, not a reshaping template tier.
How much recording history do free users keep?
Free keeps your 3 most recent recordings open and pasteable. Older recordings aren't deleted — they stay visible in the panel but locked (blurred preview, lock icon) as a reminder of what Lifetime unlocks. Activating Lifetime reveals your entire history in place, including everything recorded while on the free tier.
What is Whisper and who gets it?
Whisper is local speech-to-text through WhisperKit — higher quality than Apple Speech, runs entirely on your Mac, and downloads its model on first use. It is included with the Lifetime license; the free tier uses Apple Speech only.
Does NanoVoice work offline?
Yes for speech-to-text. Apple Speech, Whisper, and Parakeet transcribe on your Mac. Some optional steps can use the network: downloading local models, checking a license, or using your own cloud API key for template formatting.
Does Meeting Mode join my calls?
No. Meeting Mode is a Lifetime feature for private, Mac-local meeting notes. It captures your microphone plus meeting audio from this Mac, shows processing in the menu bar and recording history, then saves the transcript and summary locally. It does not invite a bot or join the meeting as a participant.
Does NanoVoice send my voice to the cloud?
Not for transcription. Free uses Apple Speech on device; Lifetime can add local Whisper or Parakeet. Template enhancement (Email, Message, Notes) may use Ollama on localhost or your own cloud API keys (BYOK) — we do not host speech-to-text or proxy your audio.
Is NanoVoice a subscription?
No. Lifetime is $4.99 once through Polar. No annual fees and no usage metering on our side.
What permissions does NanoVoice need?
Microphone (record), Speech Recognition (Apple on-device transcription), and Accessibility (paste at your text cursor and position the capsule). Global shortcuts use Carbon hotkeys like NanoClip — no Input Monitoring required.
Is NanoVoice on the Mac App Store?
No. It is a direct download (Developer ID signed). Buy and activate Lifetime from Settings → License after checkout.
What macOS version is required?
macOS 15 or later.
How does NanoVoice compare to Wispr Flow?
Wispr Flow is a cloud AI dictation app on a subscription, across Mac, Windows, and iOS. NanoVoice is keyboard-first and transcribes on-device (Apple Speech, or local Whisper on Lifetime), for a one-time price with no account. If you want cross-platform reach and cloud AI, Wispr Flow fits; if you want Mac-local privacy and one-time pricing, NanoVoice does. Full NanoVoice vs Wispr Flow comparison →
How does NanoVoice compare to superwhisper?
Both transcribe locally with Whisper, so audio stays on your Mac. superwhisper offers a broader local model catalog, customizable modes, and an iOS app. NanoVoice starts free with Apple Speech (no download), is keyboard-first in the menu bar, adds local Meeting Mode notes, and is a one-time purchase. Full NanoVoice vs superwhisper comparison →
Do you make other Mac apps?
Yes. NanoVoice is part of NanoApps alongside NanoClip (clipboard, snippets, flows) and NanoPad (menu bar notes). They share NanoKit for themes, hotkeys, and floating panels. NanoApps home →
Ready when you speak
Give the thought somewhere to landbefore you lose the wording.
Start free with Apple Speech. Press ⌃⌘W, speak naturally, and see whether NanoVoice belongs in your workflow.
Free with Apple Speech. Lifetime is $4.99 once and adds local Whisper, Meeting Mode, templates, and unlimited history.
Developer ID signed · Not on the Mac App Store
Have an idea for NanoVoice? Request or vote on features.
Keep comparing
Practical guides for privacy, price, meetings, and choosing the right Mac dictation workflow.