Speak. It Types.
Everywhere.
Open source voice dictation in every desktop app — offline or cloud. Free forever. No data harvesting. Your voice, your words, your way.
Windows
macOS
LinuxDictation that feels like magic
Press a hotkey, speak naturally, release — your words appear instantly wherever your cursor is.
Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.
100% Offline Capable
Run a local Whisper model on your machine. Your audio never leaves your device — not even for a millisecond.
Bring Your Own Key
Prefer cloud speed? Plug in your Groq or OpenAI API key. You control the provider, the cost, and the data flow.
Smart Privacy Mode
Sensitive app detection auto-switches to local processing. Context awareness locks down, LLM calls are blocked — your data stays on-device.
Dictation Modes & Polish
Create unlimited custom modes — Email, Slack, Code Comments — each with its own AI instructions. Toggle Polish on any mode for grammar cleanup and formatting.
Built-in Workspace
Notes, tasks, snippets, and reminders — all voice-powered. A productivity hub that lives alongside your dictation.
Rust-Powered Speed
Built with Tauri and Rust. Sub-second startup, minimal memory footprint, and battery life your laptop will thank you for.
Up and running in under a minute
Download & Install
Grab the installer for your OS. One click, no account required, no sign-up wall.
Choose Your Mode
Go fully offline with the built-in Whisper model, or add your API key for blazing-fast cloud transcription.
Hold, Speak, Release
Press your hotkey, talk naturally, let go. Your words appear wherever your cursor is — any app, any field.
Smart Privacy in Action
Watch Kalam's Auto mode switch from fast cloud transcription to fully local processing the moment you open a sensitive app. Your audio stays on your device — automatically.
Every Platform, Every App
Windows, 
macOS, 
Linux — Kalam works identically across all three. Dictate into 
Slack, 
Word, 
PowerPoint, Notepad, or any application that accepts text input.
The App in Action
Dashboard, dictation history, notes, tasks, reminders, snippets, and settings — all designed to stay out of your way.
Works everywhere you do
Windows macOS Linux Slack
Discord
Teams
Zoom
Notion
Obsidian
Chrome
VS Code Word PowerPoint
Excel
Outlook
Figma
Telegram Windows macOS Linux Slack Discord Teams Zoom Notion Obsidian Chrome VS Code Word PowerPoint Excel Outlook Figma TelegramSee how Kalam stacks up
Kalam is free and open source. You can read the code, audit every byte, and self-host your workflow. Commercial tools like Wispr Flow and Superwhisper optimize for polish and managed AI — here's where Kalam differs.
| Feature | Kalam Open Source | Wispr Flow | Superwhisper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free + $2.99/mo Pro (BYOK) | $8.49/mo (includes compute) | $8.49/mo (includes compute) |
| Free dictation | Unlimited (local or BYOK) | Limited free tier | Limited (small models) |
| Dictation modes | Unlimited custom + recipes | No custom modes | 7 built-in + custom |
| Polish (AI cleanup) | Toggle on any mode (Pro) | Baked into each mode | Baked into each mode |
| Context awareness | Toggle on any mode (Pro) | No | Super Mode only |
| Voice-activated editing | Highlight → speak (Pro) | No | Available |
| Offline / local STT | 100% offline capable | Primarily cloud | Offline available |
| BYOK (your API keys) | Groq, OpenAI, more | Billed through Wispr | Pro tier only |
| Notes, tasks & workspace | Built-in, free | No | No |
| Multi-PC sync | Pro feature | No | No |
| Linux desktop | Native support | No | No |
| Open source | FSL (readable, modifiable) | Closed source | Closed source |
Competitor features and pricing change — confirm on wisprflow.ai and superwhisper.com.
Loved by people who type a lot
"I used to pay $15/mo for Wispr Flow. Kalam gives me the exact same speed with my own Groq key, plus I can use it on my Linux machine at home. The offline mode is just icing on the cake."
"Dragon was too clunky and Mac Voice Control wasn't accurate enough. Kalam's offline Whisper model is incredibly precise. I write 5,000+ words a day and it hasn't skipped a beat."
"Privacy is non-negotiable in my field. The fact that Kalam runs 100% locally means I can dictate patient notes without violating compliance. A massive step up from cloud-only alternatives."
"Superwhisper is great but the premium tier is pricey. Kalam being open-source and completely free for personal use is amazing. It occasionally misses a highly technical acronym, but otherwise flawless."
"For anyone with RSI, this is a lifesaver. The hotkey toggle makes hands-free typing across Windows and Mac seamless. A free tool that types anywhere on the desktop — this should be standard."
"I love the built-in snippets! Being able to dictate a shortcut and have it expand into a full email template saves me hours every week. Best free tool I've downloaded this year."
"I used to pay $15/mo for Wispr Flow. Kalam gives me the exact same speed with my own Groq key, plus I can use it on my Linux machine at home. The offline mode is just icing on the cake."
"Privacy is non-negotiable in my field. The fact that Kalam runs 100% locally means I can dictate patient notes without violating compliance. A massive step up from cloud-only alternatives."
"I love the built-in snippets! Being able to dictate a shortcut and have it expand into a full email template saves me hours every week. Best free tool I've downloaded this year."
Questions? Answered.
Is Kalam really free?
Yes — core dictation is completely free, forever. Voice mode, local & BYOK transcription, notes, tasks, snippets, and the full workspace are all free. Kalam Pro ($2.99/mo) adds AI-powered features like Polish, custom modes, context awareness, and sync. The code is open-source under the FSL (Functional Source License), converting to Apache 2.0 after two years.
Does my audio leave my device?
Only if you choose cloud mode. In Offline mode, everything is processed locally using Whisper. Kalam never stores your audio or sends it to our servers.
How does it compare to Wispr Flow?
Kalam is open-source with a free core, optional $2.99/mo Pro, Linux support, BYOK, and full offline capability. Wispr charges $8.49/mo and includes compute — Kalam lets you control your own AI costs. See the comparison table.
Which platforms are supported?
Windows 10+, macOS 11+, and Linux (AppImage and .deb). Desktop-first — no mobile apps.
Do I need an API key?
Only for cloud mode. Bring your own Groq or OpenAI key. Offline mode needs no key.
How do I start dictating?
Press and hold your hotkey (default: Right Ctrl), speak, then release. Words appear wherever your cursor is.
Is my data safe?
Kalam stores history and workspace data locally. Audio is not written to disk. Read our privacy policy.
Simple, transparent pricing
Dictation is free. Always. Pro unlocks smart AI features — you still bring your own API keys.
Free
Everything you need to dictate. No account needed.
- Voice mode & local / BYOK transcription
- Notes, tasks, reminders, dashboard
- Dictionary, snippets, formatting rules
- Privacy enforcement & all hotkeys
- Open-source (FSL → Apache 2.0 after 2 yrs)
Pro
AI-powered features that make dictation smarter. Still BYOK.
or $32.89/yr (one month free)
- Polish — AI cleanup on any mode
- Custom modes & command mode
- Context awareness & voice editing
- Multi-device sync
- Enhanced overlay & priority support
Commercial licensing for larger teams (FSL) is separate from Pro — see Business & licensing.