LocalBolo

LocalBolo is a speech-to-text utility for macOS that runs entirely on-device and dictates into any application via a keyboard shortcut.

LocalBolo is a private dictation tool for macOS that transcribes speech into any application. By holding the fn key, the software records audio and pastes transcribed text directly at the cursor location. The process functions entirely offline, utilizing on-device models like NVIDIA Parakeet and OpenAI Whisper to ensure audio data never leaves the computer. The software supports optional transcript cleanup using a Qwen 2.5 language model to remove filler words and process self-corrections. It integrates with text fields in apps such as Gmail, Slack, Notion, Xcode, and browsers. License holders can install the software on up to two Macs.

LocalBolo at a glance

Best for: Software engineer, Writer
Runs on: macOS
Pricing: $49 one-time purchase for use on up to 2 Macs
Released: October 2026
Category: AI productivity tool
Website: localbolo.app

Key features

Operates entirely on-device using the Neural Engine
Integrates with any app containing a text field
Supports Parakeet v2 and multiple Whisper model versions
Includes optional transcript cleanup for filler words
Uses keyboard-based activation via the fn key
Maintains clipboard privacy by skipping transcript data
Provides offline dictation capability after initial model download

Use it for

Dictating emails in Gmail or mail clients
Transcribing messages into Discord or Slack
Writing notes in Obsidian or Notion
Entering code or comments directly into editors like Xcode or Cursor

Alternatives to LocalBolo

SpeechFast — Dictate anywhere on Mac with 100 percent local processing and no cloud servers.
Openbroca — AI cleanup and translation turn messy speech into ready-to-send text directly in your apps.
Blurt — Fast, native open-source dictation with server-side LLM cleanup and no subscription.
Sayso — It runs speech recognition locally on your computer with support for multiple AI models.
Zumbo — Turns your speech into text locally with complete privacy and near-zero latency.
Quill — Records separate tracks and transcribes locally on your machine.
Whisper Dictate — Runs speech models locally on your GPU so audio never leaves your machine.
Macvoice — Runs locally on Apple Silicon in under 2 GB with fast response times.
Talkhawk — Speech recognition runs locally on your PC so your audio never leaves your computer.
BetterWispr — Local models and open source design keep your speech private on your Mac.
Lavoi — Free on-device transcription that works locally without a word limit.
Lipflow — Transcribes silent speech into text via webcam and local processing.

All LocalBolo alternatives